E-commerce shopping or online shopping has seen a significant increase during this COVID-19 pandemic period. The pandemic has certainly changed retail business and over the next couple of months you can surely expect a surge in online shopping.
When a consumer comes to a store’s website, he expects much of the same in-store experience translated into a digital format. As more and more consumers are turning to online shopping, a vast number of shoppers which include people with disabilities are continuing to be left out of this lifestyle.
To accommodate this huge ignored market of consumers with disabilities, it has become essential for ecommerce to go beyond aesthetically pleasing websites and provide an accessible driven online shopping experience to its customers.
Why implement accessibility in your online shopping experiences:
- Imagine going to a store and not being able to see the different products that the store has to offer! You will just walk away from that store to another store. Similarly, most of the people with disabilities, if not able to navigate through your pages, will abandon your website and look out for website that offers a more inclusive user experience.
- If a potential buyer does not have a clear understanding of your product, they will not buy it. It is as simple as this. Adding alternate text or alternate description to the product is a feasible solution, but a person with visual impairment may require a lot more information related to the overall look and feel of the products. Generic descriptions about your product may not be just enough for a person with visual impairment or a person using a screen reader. Check out this blog on Image Description – An Integral part of Content Accessibility
- Accessible online shopping website influences business and professional communication. Integrating accessibility criteria creates a shopping environment that is easier and comfortable for every potential customers regardless of their disabilities.
The ultimate goal of every e-commerce site should be to enhance the buying experience and find ways that can make every customer visiting your website more likely to buy from you. Having an accessible website based on the needs of buyers with disabilities, enhances the overall shopping experience for your customers.
At BarrierBreak, we recommend certain FREE tools to test your website for accessibility.
In addition, If you need support to get your website tested for accessibility, drop a line to us at sales@barrierbreak.com and we will be happy to connect.