This paper examines the challenges permeating the experiences and strategies of market challenged consumers (MCCs). We employ a multi-method approach, combining discourse analysis of personal reflection essays with grounded theory analysis of interview data in the context of consumers with disabilities. Findings reveal that MCCs experience both material and social marketplace challenges that shape three distinct yet interrelated tensions: desiring normality while needing accommodation, managing visibility while needing acknowledgement, and negotiating privacy while needing to participate. We demonstrate that MCCs enact coping strategies (reconciling and (re)positioning identity, counterbalancing (in)visibility, and armoring themselves) which subsequently both mitigate and reinforce inner tensions. This study argues that the marketplace must intervene, given the incessant nature of the challenges, inner tensions and resulting coping strategies, thus shifting the onus of coping from the MCC to the marketplace. We provide theoretical and managerial implications to better understand how marketplaces can alleviate MCCs’ marketplace challenges.

本文研究了市场挑战消费者 （MCC） 的体验和策略中渗透的挑战。我们采用多方法方法，将个人反思论文的话语分析与残疾消费者背景下访谈数据的扎根理论分析相结合。研究结果表明，MCC 经历了物质和社会市场挑战，这些挑战形成了三种不同但相互关联的紧张关系：渴望正常但需要住宿，管理可见性但需要认可，以及在需要参与的同时协商隐私。我们证明，MCC 制定应对策略（调和和（重新）定位身份、抵消（不）可见性和武装自己），这些策略随后既缓解又加强了内部紧张。本研究认为，鉴于挑战的持续性、内部紧张和由此产生的应对策略，市场必须进行干预，从而将应对责任从 MCC 转移到市场。我们提供理论和管理意义，以更好地了解市场如何缓解 MCC 的市场挑战。