Episode Summary: Shopping with Vision Loss
Podcast: Hadley Presents: A Conversation with the Experts
Host: Ricky Enger
Guests: Lisa Salinger and Tiffany Mpofu
Release Date: June 5, 2025
In this insightful episode of Hadley Presents: A Conversation with the Experts, host Ricky Enger engages with Lisa Salinger and Tiffany Mpofu to explore effective strategies for shopping with vision loss. The conversation delves into both online and in-person shopping experiences, leveraging technology, and personal assistance to make shopping efficient and enjoyable.
Introduction to Shopping Perspectives
The episode begins with Ricky introducing Tiffany and Lisa, highlighting their different approaches and feelings toward shopping.
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Tiffany Mpofu expresses her enthusiasm for shopping, particularly enjoying the thrill of finding a "good shoe and a good deal" (00:45).
Tiffany: "I love shopping. Listen, there's nothing like a good shoe and a good deal."
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Lisa Salinger prefers online shopping for the ability to take her time, read ingredients, and check product reviews, though she appreciates having ample bags.
Lisa: "I enjoy shopping. I would rather shop online, I think, because I can take all the time I want to read... reviews, all kinds of things like that." (00:57)
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Ricky Enger identifies with both online and in-store shopping, enjoying the tactile experiences and spontaneous decisions that come with shopping in physical stores.
Ricky: "I love walking by the deli and going, oh, that smells good... trying on shoes like Tiffany, or feeling the texture of a piece of clothing." (01:21)
Strategies for Efficient and Enjoyable Shopping
The conversation transitions into practical strategies to enhance the shopping experience for individuals with vision loss.
Personal Assistance and Scheduling
Tiffany and Lisa discuss the importance of obtaining help from store employees or volunteer shoppers to navigate stores effectively.
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Tiffany: "Call ahead to ask for assistance and schedule a time for your shopping trip..." (02:58)
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Lisa: Emphasizes the benefits of shopping with friends or family and the value of making an accessible shopping list.
Lisa: "Shopping with someone you know... they can learn what your tastes are." (03:47)
Creating Accessible Shopping Lists
Both guests highlight the necessity of having well-organized and accessible shopping lists to streamline the shopping process.
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Tiffany: Suggests using large print or different colored paper for lists to ensure visibility.
Tiffany: "Using large print and using bold lined paper can help... using a bold tip marker." (05:21)
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Ricky: Advises making lists in accessible formats for both the shopper and the assistant.
Ricky: "If you're writing in large print... voice recorder... something you have printed." (06:05)
Leveraging Technology in Shopping
A significant portion of the discussion focuses on utilizing technology to aid in shopping with vision loss.
Grocery Shopping Apps
The hosts explore various grocery shopping apps and their functionalities.
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Tiffany: Utilizes Shipt and Instacart for different stores, and DoorDash for quick grocery needs.
Tiffany: "I use both Shipt and Instacart... I also use DoorDash for a few Items." (09:59)
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Lisa: Prefers Instacart due to its extensive store access and variety.
Lisa: "Instacart offers me access to 50 some stores... a lot of variety." (10:39)
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Ricky: Discusses the importance of choosing apps based on regional availability and personal preference.
Ricky: "It depends on the area that you're in... Instacart is probably the better pick because one stop shopping." (11:12)
Smartphone Tools and Apps
The conversation delves into specific smartphone apps that assist with shopping tasks.
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Tiffany: Uses a magnifier app to read sizes, prices, and labels in-store.
Tiffany: "I use a magnifier app on my phone... I can read the sizes of clothing." (14:38)
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Lisa: Relies on apps like Seeing AI to identify products and manage her shopping list.
Lisa: "Probably the one I use most is Seeing AI... to identify products." (15:01)
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Ricky: Introduces Meta Glasses, which can identify products and connect to services like Be My Eyes and Aira for real-time assistance.
Ricky: "Hold up a product and say, hey, Meta, what product am I holding?" (15:34)
Limitations and Considerations of Technology
The guests acknowledge the potential inaccuracies and challenges when relying solely on technology.
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Lisa: Shares experiences where Meta Glasses provided incorrect information and the importance of proper lighting.
Lisa: "Meta glasses sometimes get things wrong... you need to turn on the light." (18:12)
Shopping Beyond Groceries: Clothing and Personal Items
Transitioning from groceries, the hosts discuss strategies for clothing shopping, which involves additional considerations like style and fit.
Personal Shoppers and Trusted Companions
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Tiffany: Recommends scheduling personal shopper services and highlights their role in describing clothing items.
Tiffany: "Call ahead for a personal shopper... they can describe different pieces of clothing." (20:23)
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Ricky: Emphasizes that personal shoppers are available to assist anyone, not just those with vision impairments.
Ricky: "Personal shopping is a service... they're there for you." (20:59)
Organizing Clothing Preferences
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Lisa: Suggests saving style numbers and utilizing online platforms to reorder favorite items, ensuring consistent fit and style.
Lisa: "I have the style number and the lot number written down... I can just go online." (21:41)
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Tiffany: Appreciates having information about favorite clothing items to facilitate future purchases online.
Tiffany: "Having that information to go online and purchase more... is really helpful." (23:10)
Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Ricky wraps up the episode by summarizing the key takeaways and encouraging listeners to utilize the discussed tools and strategies.
Ricky: "Whether it's online, with someone, or using technology, it's great to have as many tools in your toolbox as you can." (23:23)
He also points listeners to the show notes for additional resources, including links to Hadley workshops on grocery shopping, taking notes, and using apps like Seeing AI.
Notable Quotes
- Tiffany Mpofu (00:45): "I love shopping. Listen, there's nothing like a good shoe and a good deal."
- Lisa Salinger (00:57): "I enjoy shopping... because I can take all the time I want to read... reviews, all kinds of things like that."
- Ricky Enger (01:21): "I love walking by the deli and going, oh, that smells good... trying on shoes like Tiffany, or feeling the texture of a piece of clothing."
Resources Mentioned
- Shopping Assistance: Call store ahead, schedule personal shoppers, volunteer shoppers through organizations.
- Technology Tools: Shipt, Instacart, DoorDash, Seeing AI, Meta Glasses, magnifier apps.
- Workshops: Hadley workshops on grocery shopping, taking notes, Seeing AI.
Contact and Feedback
Listeners are encouraged to share their thoughts or suggest future topics by emailing podcast@HadleyHelps.org or calling 847-784-2870.