Online retailers must up their games as Purple Tuesday looms large

Ahead of Purple Tuesday, online retailers are being urged to improve site accessibility for all demographics. Customer experience for disabled people still lags behind progress made in physical stores, according to Sigma.

By way of example, the UX agency flags up the case of Domino’s Pizza, which is involved in an on-going legal battle, in the US. A visually impaired user claims he is unable to access the company’s app or website, which is against the country’s disability legislation. Domino’s argues that the laws were written before the advent of the internet and therefore should not apply to a digital business.

Some of the most common examples of inaccessible websites and bad UX design practice include: Cluttered layouts, excessive pop-ups and intrusive adverts; Hard to find, and the small print of, returns policy or delivery options; Checkout time pressures, time-limited discounts and scarcity; Videos without audio descriptions or audio without subtitles on product descriptions.

“Retailers that make their websites more accessible to disabled consumers, for social and ethical reasons, will also benefit commercially as they enable more people to purchase their products and services. The ‘purple pound’ is estimated to be worth £249 billion, per year, however less than one in ten business have plans in place to cater for those with disabilities,” says Hilary Stephenson, Managing Director at Sigma.

“Implementing online accessibility measures like audio descriptions of what is happening on-screen will improve the user experience immensely. Apple’s VoiceOver or Google’s TalkBack software, will help to guide those with visual impairments through the online experience. There are also many ways to improve life for those with motor impairment and hearing issues online too.”