1. Wheelchair Industry Overview

Wheelchair is a kind of auxiliary medical device for transportation, mainly serving the elderly and the disabled, improving their quality of life and social participation. The types of wheelchairs are mainly divided into manual wheelchairs and electric wheelchairs. According to different functions and uses, they can also be subdivided into standard wheelchairs, sports wheelchairs, off-road wheelchairs, bathing and toilet wheelchairs, beach wheelchairs, stair-climbing wheelchairs, etc. With the advancement of technology, the design and performance of wheelchairs have also been continuously improved, and new products such as smart wheelchairs and robotic wheelchairs have emerged, providing consumers with more choices and convenience.

The wheelchair industry has shown a rapid growth trend in the world, and has received extensive attention from the government, enterprises and society. In 2022, the global wheelchair market is $4.8 billion billion and is expected to achieve a rapid revenue CAGR of 6.9 percent during the forecast period. The main factors driving the growth of the wheelchair market include:

An increase in the ageing population. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), by 2020, the number of people aged 60 and over will exceed that of young people under the age of 5. By 2030, one out of every six people on Earth will be 60 or older. Elderly people are more prone to mobility problems due to arthritis, osteoporosis, stroke and other reasons, and need to use wheelchairs to improve mobility and independence.

Increase in the disabled population. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 1 billion people worldwide (15% of the population) have some form of disability, and 80 million of them need a wheelchair. The increase of the disabled population is mainly related to traffic accidents, violent conflicts, chronic diseases, infectious diseases and other factors. For the disabled, the wheelchair is not only a means of transportation, but also a symbol of empowerment and dignity.

Advances in technology. With the development of science and technology, the design and performance of wheelchairs have been continuously improved, and new products such as intelligent wheelchairs and robot wheelchairs have emerged, providing consumers with more choices and convenience. Intelligent wheelchairs can be controlled by voice, gestures, brain waves, etc., can automatically avoid obstacles, navigate, adjust posture, etc., can adapt to more complex road conditions and environments, can provide more safety and comfort, and can connect to the Internet and Smart equipment to realize remote monitoring and data analysis.

policy support. Governments of all countries are supporting the development of the wheelchair industry, protecting the rights and interests of wheelchair users, and promoting the social integration of wheelchair users by formulating laws, standardizing standards, providing subsidies, and building barrier-free facilities. For example, the United States passed the Disability Act (ADA), which stipulates that public places and transportation vehicles must provide barrier-free access and services for wheelchair users; the European Union passed the European Accessibility Act (EAA), which stipulates that auxiliary products such as wheelchairs must Meet unified quality and safety standards; China has passed laws and regulations such as the the People's Republic of China Law on the Protection of Disabled Persons, stipulating that auxiliary devices such as wheelchairs should be included in the medical security system, provide economic subsidies and preferential policies for wheelchair users.

Difficulties in Consumer Research of 2. Wheelchair Industry

Consumer research in the wheelchair industry refers to the collection and analysis of information about wheelchair users and potential users through various methods and means to understand their needs, preferences and satisfaction, and provide a basis for wheelchair product development, market marketing and services. The purpose of consumer research in the wheelchair industry is to better meet the needs of consumers, improve consumer loyalty, and enhance the competitiveness of wheelchair companies. However, the wheelchair industry consumer research also faces some difficulties, mainly including the following aspects:

Diversity of consumer groups. The consumer groups of wheelchairs are very wide, including different age groups, gender, education level, income level, cultural background, geographical distribution, disability type, disability degree, purpose of use, frequency of use, and use scenarios. These factors will affect the needs and preferences of consumers for wheelchairs, making the behavior and psychological characteristics of wheelchair consumers present diversity and complexity, and it is difficult to describe and understand with unified standards and models. Therefore,

Consumer research in the wheelchair industry needs to subdivide consumer groups, formulate different research goals and strategies according to different consumer characteristics and needs, and improve the pertinence and effectiveness of the research.

Limitations of research methods. Commonly used methods for consumer research in the wheelchair industry include questionnaires, interviews, observational studies, and experimental studies. However, these methods have their own advantages and disadvantages, and they cannot fully cover all the information of wheelchair consumers, nor can they fully reflect the real situation of wheelchair consumers. For example, although a questionnaire survey can collect a large amount of data, there may be problems such as untrue, incomplete and inconsistent answers of consumers, which affect the reliability of the data. Although interviews can deeply understand consumers' thoughts and feelings, there may be problems such as unclear, incomplete and inconsistent expressions of consumers, which affect the validity of the data. Although observation research can directly observe consumers' behavior and environment, however, there may be problems such as consumers' behavior being influenced by observers and not representing their usual habits, which affect the universality of data. Although experimental research can control variables and test the performance and effect of wheelchairs, there may be problems such as consumers' behavior being influenced by experimental conditions and not meeting actual needs, which affect the applicability of data. Therefore, the wheelchair industry consumer research needs to use a variety of methods, combined with quantitative and qualitative data, comprehensive and comparative analysis, to improve the comprehensiveness and accuracy of the survey.

Reliability and validity of data. The data of consumer survey in wheelchair industry comes from consumers themselves, or people and institutions related to consumers, such as family members, doctors, nursing staff, social workers, government departments, non-governmental organizations, etc. The reliability and validity of these data are affected by many aspects, including consumers' subjective wishes, objective abilities, communication methods, cognitive levels, emotional states, etc., as well as possible errors, deviations, omissions, and damages in the process of data collection, storage, processing, analysis, and presentation. Therefore, consumer research in the wheelchair industry needs to pay attention to the source, quality, completeness, consistency and timeliness of the data, and take effective measures, such as setting reasonable samples, designing appropriate problems, using standard tools, adopting scientific methods, establishing strict processes, formulating effective norms, etc., to improve the reliability and validity of the data.

Countermeasures of Consumer Investigation in 3. Wheelchair Industry

In view of the difficulties of consumer research in the wheelchair industry, this paper puts forward the following countermeasures to help wheelchair enterprises to better conduct consumer research and improve the quality and competitiveness of wheelchair products and services.

Segmentation of the consumer market. Wheelchair companies should subdivide the consumer market into different market segments according to the different characteristics and needs of wheelchair consumers, such as physical disability, spinal cord injury, stroke sequelae, etc. according to the type and degree of disability; according to the purpose and scene of use Divided into daily life, sports and leisure, medical rehabilitation, etc.; according to the frequency and duration of use, it is divided into long-term use, short-term use, temporary use, etc. Segmenting the consumer market is conducive to wheelchair companies to better understand the characteristics and needs of different consumer groups, conduct more targeted consumer research, and more effectively formulate product and service strategies and programs.

Use a variety of research methods. Wheelchair enterprises should choose appropriate research methods and tools according to different research objectives and contents, such as questionnaires, interviews, observation studies, experimental studies, etc. At the same time, comprehensive and comparative analysis should be carried out in combination with quantitative and qualitative data to improve the comprehensiveness and accuracy of the research. For example, wheelchair companies can collect quantitative data such as consumers' basic information, usage, and satisfaction through questionnaires, and gain an in-depth understanding of consumers' thoughts, feelings, suggestions and other qualitative data through interviews, and directly observe consumers' behavior through observation and research. And the environment, through experimental research to test the performance and effect of wheelchairs, and then integrate and compare these data to obtain valuableConclusionand revelation.

Improve data quality and analytics. Wheelchair companies should pay attention to the reliability and validity of data, and take effective measures, such as setting reasonable samples, designing appropriate problems, using standard tools, adopting scientific methods, establishing strict procedures, and formulating effective specifications. Ensure the source, quality, completeness, consistency, and timeliness of data. At the same time, wheelchair enterprises should improve the ability of data analysis, use statistics, data mining, machine learning and other technologies to clean, process, model, predict and visualize the data, and find laws, trends, problems and opportunities from the data, so as to provide support for the decision-making of products and services.

4. Shangpu consulting company in the wheelchair industry consumer research experience and results

Shangpu Consulting Company is a company specializing in consulting services in the medical device industry. It has rich industry experience and professional knowledge to provide wheelchair companies with consumer research, market analysis, product planning, brand marketing, channel construction, service optimization, etc. One-stop solution. Shangpu consulting company in the wheelchair industry consumer research has the following characteristics and advantages:

A professional team. Shangpu Consulting has a team of experts from medicine, sociology, psychology, statistics, data science and other multidisciplinary backgrounds. It has a deep theoretical foundation and practical experience, and can understand and understand from multiple angles and levels. Analyze the needs and behaviors of wheelchair consumers.

Advanced technology. Shangpu Consulting Company uses the latest technologies and tools, such as artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, Internet of things, etc., to collect, store, process, analyze, model, predict and visualize the data of wheelchair consumers, and find laws, trends, problems and opportunities from the data to provide data-driven decision support for wheelchair enterprises.

A rich case. Shangpu Consulting has many years of experience and results of consumer research in the wheelchair industry, and has provided professional consulting services and solutions for many wheelchair companies to help them improve the quality and competitiveness of wheelchair products and services. The following are some of the cases of Shangpu Consulting in the wheelchair industry consumer research:

If an internationally renowned wheelchair brand wants to enter the Chinese market, it needs to understand the needs and preferences of Chinese wheelchair consumers, as well as the scale and competitive landscape of the Chinese wheelchair market. Shangpu Consulting conducted a comprehensive market research for it, including questionnaires, interviews, observation and research, etc., collected a large number of first-hand and second-hand data, conducted an in-depth analysis of the Chinese wheelchair market, and formulated a suitable market for it. Entry strategies and marketing plans helped it successfully open the Chinese market and obtained good market feedback and user reputation.

A leading domestic wheelchair manufacturer wants to develop an intelligent wheelchair, and needs to understand the needs and expectations of potential users of intelligent wheelchairs, as well as the feasibility and advantages of the technology and functions of intelligent wheelchairs. Shangpu Consulting Company conducted professional product research for it, including interviews, experimental research, etc., collected a large number of user feedback and product test data, and scientifically evaluated and optimized the market demand and product design of intelligent wheelchairs. It provides innovative product planning and development suggestions to help it create a high-performance, high quality and high-satisfaction intelligent wheelchair.

A well-known domestic wheelchair service provider, in order to improve the quality and efficiency of wheelchair after-sales service, needs to understand the service needs and satisfaction of wheelchair users, as well as the difficulties and countermeasures of wheelchair repair and maintenance. Shangpu Consulting Company has conducted professional service research for it, including questionnaire survey, interview, observation and research, etc., collected a large number of service data and user evaluation, systematically analyzed and improved the service process and service quality of wheelchair, provided it with effective service optimization and management scheme, and helped it improve the service level and user loyalty of wheelchair.