Accessibility is no longer an option; it is a necessity. As supermarkets and online grocery stores continue to thrive, it’s imperative to ensure that everyone, regardless of their abilities, can access and navigate these platforms seamlessly. Digital accessibility not only caters to individuals with disabilities but also enhances the overall user experience for all customers.

The retail industry must ensure their stores (online and physical both) are functional and accessible to everyone including people with disabilities. Research data shows that approx. 61 million US adults suffer from some sort of disability and their essential shopping requirements must be addressed by online grocery stores and supermarkets.

In this article, we’ll explore digital accessibility impact on supermarkets and online grocery stores and their shopping experiences.

Efforts online grocery stores are making to implement digital accessibility!

• Assistive technology integration

  Retailers are actively implementing various digital assistive technologies with their online stores to improve the shopping experience. Assistive technologies such as reading aids, text-to-speech, adjustable font sizes, and color adjustments. These external software/tools make websites and mobile apps usable for people with disabilities, which increases the store’s reach to a huge potential customer base.

• Product images with the correct description and alt text

  Visually impaired users peruse text via screen readers that read aloud alt text to describe product images and if alt text is missing, screen readers cannot recognize and explain them. Thus, each product image needs relevant alt text to ensure its accessibility.

• Variety of payment options

  Disabled users find it more difficult to complete their transactions if there are limited payment options at the checkout. Thus, there must be popular payment gateways integration for diverse users so that users can pay via convenient option. Also, all instructions must be mentioned clearly to complete the transaction and the checkout should be short and simple.

• Accessible customer support

  AI chatbots are a new age go-to help for every user that shops from online grocery stores. They can reach out to them conveniently in case of any problem. Moreover, there should be a clearly mentioned phone number if a user needs assistance on something that chatbot cannot understand. Stores must provide a variety of communication methods for customers, for example, email, live chat, text messaging, etc. Quick help from stores enhances customer trust and loyalty, especially from people with disabilities because at times, they really need assistance.

• Accessible web design

  Online grocery store websites ought to adhere to WCAG standards to provide an accessible shopping experience to everyone.

  Font size, space, and color contrast should be appropriate to read and perceive the content correctly.

  Keyboard navigation must be seamless to avoid confusion for users with limited mobility issues.

  If there are videos about product descriptions, they must be accompanied by captions and transcripts.

  All links must have understandable text to let users know where the link will take them.

  CTAs should be clear and visible to perform desired actions.

  Readable instructions help users with cognitive and learning disabilities to do login and on the checkout page. And there is much more to make accessible web design.

Some profound use cases of incredible online grocery store’s growth

• Amazon prioritized its customers’ unique needs by offering digital accessibility and its success is evident.

• Walmart launched its Accessibility Center of Excellence (ACE) in 2021 to improve its website accessibility for all customers, resulting expanded user base for them worldwide.

• Similarly, Target and Best Buy also focus on accessibility for their customers and reaping more profits.

• One of our gourmet grocery store clients (from San Diego) doing more numbers now after implementing WCAG requirements on their website. They were facing lawsuits due to ADA compliance issues and the website had several other bottlenecks as well that were profound reasons behind business numbers stagnancy.

  We applied WCAG 2.1 level AA standards to the website including page structure remediation, alt text for images, form corrections, etc. We also worked on their social media and Google Map integration. With our custom ADA remediation services, they were able to overcome all accessibility-related issues and thrive.

Benefits of embracing digital accessibility for online grocery stores!

One of the most significant advantages of digital accessibility implementation is an expanded customer base. The accessible store is open for everyone for example, a visually impaired user may use Braille or a screen reader to explore the store, while an individual with hearing issues can rely on captions. So, it ultimately increases the store’s online reach to new territories.

Other benefits are:

• Compliance with regulations
  Many countries have laws and regulations mandating digital accessibility, so ensuring compliance helps online grocery stores avoid legal issues.

• Enhanced reputation
  Demonstrating a commitment to inclusivity and accessibility can enhance the reputation of online grocery stores, leading to rapid business growth.

• Improved SEO
  Implementing accessibility features can improve search engine optimization (SEO), as search engines favor websites that are user-friendly for all.

• Long-term cost savings
  Investing in accessibility from the outset can save money in the long term by reducing the need for costly retrofits or redesigns later.

• Competitive advantage
  Accessible online grocery stores achieve high profits that can be twice or more than their competitors because they offer a user-friendly online experience for everyone visiting their stores.

Wrapping up

The idea behind digital accessibility for online grocery stores and supermarkets is to provide an easy experience for everyone regardless of their age, skills, or abilities because buying groceries is one of the basic needs for all. Thus, designing and maintaining an accessible store is imperative.

“Accessibility is an outcome. Inclusive design is a process.”

So, follow the process to create an inclusive design to achieve accessible results; accessible online stores for users, and accessible business growth for these stores. A perfect win-win for everyone!

Unlock the potential of your supermarket or grocery store with our reliable and cost-effective digital accessibility widget All in One Accessibility. At Skynet Technologies, we also offer a complete website accessibility remediation solution. From accessible website design to inclusive mobile apps and assistive technology integration, we empower our clients to create an inclusive shopping environment for everyone. Elevate customer satisfaction, increase brand loyalty, and tap into new markets by prioritizing digital accessibility. Request a full website accessibility remediation quote or reach out to us at [email protected] to improve your supermarket's digital presence and enhance the shopping experience for all, including people with disabilities.