The use of product owner manuals: A comparison of older versus younger consumers

The present study addresses a relatively unexplored area by examining older consumers' interface with product owner manuals. Specifically, compared to younger consumers, seniors evidenced significantly greater usage of manuals and readership of specific sections. Overall, regression analyses utilizing context, product characteristic, product familiarity, general perceptions of manuals and demographic variables as predictors of manual use found prior knowledge and the perception that manuals are helpful to be among the most significant variables explaining readership. In general, these same variables reflect the extent of overlap between factors explaining manual usage for both older and younger consumers. Relevant literature from related domains provides the context for a discussion of findings and areas for future research.The authors wish to thank Dr. Dixie Mills for her input in the early stages of this research.