of all retail sales on a global scale, and they are expected to reach an
impressive 22% by 2023. Accessibility is a key feature for optimal success
of e-commerce sites, yet it is often overlooked. Imbuling an e-commerce site
with accessibility features not only ensures that it complies with official
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1), but also increases a
business' potential audience. If you are building a new e-commerce site or
renovating an old one, make sure it is accessible to those with a range of
disabilities - including people who are blind or visually impaired
<https://www.ncbi.ie/supporting-you/technology/our-technology/> , deaf,
and/or cognitively impaired. Below you will find a few tips for making sure
your e-commerce site is accessible to people with visual impairments.
o make sure your online store is accessible
<https://avidonmarketinggroup.com/blog/key-accessibility-features-ecommerce-
store> , you should read the WCAG 2.1 guidelines to discover specific
suggestions for different disabilities - including visual, auditory and
cognitive impairments. A study by D Green and colleagues, published in Value
in Health
<https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280273146_PSS19_The_Cost_of_Blindn
ess_in_the_Republic_of_Ireland_2010-2020> , estimated that the number of
blind individuals in Ireland amounts to almost 13,000, so this is a huge
audience that needs to be catered for. Of course, there are many more web
users with visual impairments who can read text and see images with varying
degrees of difficulty.
Ensuring Visual Acuity
To make your text more clearly perceived by an audience with visibility
issues, bear in mind that some people need larger text in order to read. You
can cater to all audiences by permitting users to change the font size of
all text without zooming the entire interface. Font choice is likewise key:
avoid those which are arty but hard to read. Opt for clear fonts like
Courier and Times instead. You should also ideally allow your audience to
change aspects such as style (underline, italics), capitalisation (some
people find it easier to read all caps or small caps), interface size,
leading (the space between lines in a block of text), and other aspects
mentioned in the WCAG 2.1 rules.
Catering to Light and Contrast Sensitivity
Some audiences have photophobia or low contrast sensitivity (the inability
to discern writing from its background). Your retail site should therefore
cater to those with both conditions
<https://www.w3.org/TR/low-vision-needs/#tracking> as much as possible. It
should ideally contain high contrast combinations, but also enable users to
set the background colour and text colour. Because very bright screens can
be difficult or uncomfortable to read for those with photosensitivity, users
should be able to adjust the brightness until they are comfortable.
Remembering Those with Field of Vision Issues
Shoppers on your site may have field of vision problems. For instance, they
may have central vision or peripheral vision loss, which means that they
cannot read an entire line of text (for instance, a product description) by
simply looking at the screen. The WCAG guidelines provide instructions on
how to help your audience track (move along lines of text) more optimally -
for instance, by creating blocks of text that require the reader to scroll
in only one direction. Vertical scrolling should be preferred over
horizontal scrolling. Audiences should also be able to see text in one
continuous block if they wish, instead of in multiple columns, because it
can be difficult to move from the bottom of one column to the top of the
next.
The WCAG 2.1 guidelines are the ideal starting point if you wish to create a
more accessible site for people with visual impairments. Issues such as
contrast, text size, and brightness are just three of many that need
addressing. The guidelines go through various visual impairments and their
needs, aiming to provide a complete accessibility guide for retail and other
sites.
Written by Bianca Hilton 05/05/2021.
https://www.ncbi.ie/why-should-businesses-invest-in-accessibility-features/
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