Why an inclusive online shopping experience is a smart business strategy

Since the dawn of online shopping back in the 90s, e-commerce has grown exponentially. It has revolutionised the way we shop, providing a plethora of products at our fingertips. Online shopping has become synonymous with convenience and efficiency, completely transforming the way we think about and conduct our shopping. But is this the case for everyone?

Without careful consideration, digital marketplaces can present numerous obstacles for consumers with disabilities, which can hinder, or completely prevent engagement, in online shopping experiences. As CEO and Managing Director of The Chooze Shop, Australia’s leading inclusive digital marketplace for Australians with disabilities, I see far too many e-commerce platforms that aren’t accessible.

Remember, diversity and inclusion aren’t just buzzwords. They should be at the heart of everything that you do as a business, including your e-commerce endeavours. It is up to each and every business to facilitate inclusive online shopping experiences that empower, rather than marginalise, those with disabilities. 

Australian disability statistics and the importance of accessibility

People with disabilities make up a significant portion of the population. In fact, approximately 15-20% of the world’s population has some form of disability. In Australia alone, over 4.4 million people are living with a disability, which is 1 in 5 people across the nation. Moreover, the likelihood of living with disability increases with age, with 1.9 million (44.5%) of all people with disability, aged 65 and over.

So it has never been more important for business leaders to make their e-commerce platforms inclusive for all users. Accessible online shopping is about ensuring that the products, services and digital environments you offer are designed to be easily usable by people with a range of disabilities, including learning disabilities, neurodiversity and physical, visual, auditory and cognitive differences.

It’s about creating an inclusive space that offers equal opportunity and meets legal requirements like the country’s Disability Discrimination Act, which mandates goods and services are made accessible for everyone. The importance of creating an inclusive e-commerce environment cannot be overstated, as it not only aligns with accessibility mandates but also opens up a market of consumers who are often overlooked.  

How to create an inclusive online shopping experience

Building an inclusive online shopping experience is not just a single task to be checked off but an ongoing commitment to ensuring all customers feel valued and accommodated. 

Here are some essential strategies and features that will ensure your digital marketplaces are accessible and welcoming to all:

Align with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG): Regularly update your website to comply with WCAG standards. This includes ensuring text-background contrast, enabling keyboard navigation, and providing alternative text for images so screen-reader users can understand visual content, among other requirements.

Embrace responsive design: Ensure your website is responsive, automatically adjusting to various screen sizes and resolutions to suit all devices, including smartphones, tablets and different computer screen sizes.  This is crucial for users with visual impairments who may use screen magnification tools.

Simplify site navigation: Organising your site with a clear structure, clear headings and logical sitemap will improve navigability. Utilise Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) landmarks to help screen reader users navigate your site more effectively. Clear and consistent navigation aids users, especially those with cognitive differences, to understand their location within your site.

Enable customisation and ensure content accessibility: Include options for users to customise visual elements, like font sizes and colours, to suit their needs and consider integrating text-to-speech functionality for those with visual impairments. If you have audio and video content, provide captions and transcripts to aid users with hearing impairments. Avoid content that could affect users with photosensitive epilepsy and clearly label any content that could pose a risk.

Optimise customer service channels and checkout processes: Some users have difficulty communicating via traditional channels such as phone or text. Offer various customer service channels, including email, phone, video calls with sign language support and real-time chat, to accommodate diverse communication needs. Simplify the checkout process with clear instructions and error messages to minimise confusion and enhance the user experience.

Test with real users and commit to ongoing improvement: Conduct site testing with a diverse group of users, including people with various disabilities. This will provide valuable feedback on accessibility issues that automated testing tools cannot. View accessibility as a continuous effort, regularly auditing and updating your site to keep pace with changing technology and standards. Utilise accessibility tools and solutions, like “accessiBe” to receive consistent feedback and make necessary adjustments.

Transforming challenges into opportunities: Building accessible digital shopping experiences

Complying with accessibility standards, while ensuring the site works with various assistive technologies can be daunting, particularly for small businesses with limited technical expertise. Many e-commerce sites have dynamic content that changes frequently, which can be difficult to keep accessible. 

Some businesses may also be concerned about the costs involved in making these changes and become hesitant to make the necessary investment, particularly if they aren’t aware of the potential return on investment that comes with catering to a wider market. There’s a misperception that focusing on accessibility can limit a website’s design or functionality. However, many inclusive websites are both aesthetically pleasing and functional when designed with accessibility in mind from the get go. 

Accessibility isn’t just about being inclusive; it’s also a smart business strategy. By increasing your platform’s accessibility, you can design digital experiences that cater to a wider audience, including those who are often overlooked, ultimately broadening your customer base. Better yet, a greater focus on accessibility fosters greater innovation, pushing your developers to reconsider how you design and deliver your online shopping experiences and evolving design features that benefit all. 

Kerry Kingham is the CEO of The Chooze Shop.