27 Jul Ecommerce Surges and The Americans with Disabilities Act
Ecommerce is booming as more and more companies look to move their business online, and more consumers turn to the internet to purchase the goods or services they need. Before the coronavirus pandemic, lawsuits against websites for non-compliance to ADA law were already on the rise. However, with the massive increase in internet use by the entire global population due to COVID-19, more disabled individuals are finding websites to be incompatible to their specific disabilities and choosing to pursue ADA lawsuits to get the access they need.
ADA Law
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, anyone with a website, mobile version of their website, or a mobile application must provide accessibility options to disabled individuals that allow the same access as non-disabled persons. Websites that fail to meet these requirements may be sued if found non-compliant.
The Rise of E-Commerce
After looking at the development of e-commerce over that past two decades, a few statistics stand out:
Ecommerce sales in the United States are estimated to jump approximately
18% percent in the coming year due to COVID-19. This may not come as a surprise; most people under quarantine in the U.S. are primarily making purchases of goods and services digitally due to shutdowns and the inability to visit physical locations.
Online grocery shopping has seen significant growth in recent months, which is contributing to a majority of digital sales. Businesses such as Walmart, Amazon, Costco and Target, to name a few, majorly benefit from these digital sales, however smaller grocery chains benefit as well from online orders and delivery service requests.
Sales are primarily rising in the categories of electronics, online grocers, restaurant delivery, apparel, and other merchandise.
With increases in online shopping in general, chances are that most websites have seen a slight rise in activity and online sales. With that understanding, it’s important to ensure that your website is available for complete access by
all internet users.
Ecommerce and Rises in ADA Lawsuits
People need certain online services now more than ever, and similarly, disabled individuals may find that websites of local services are not compliant to their disability. With growing frustrations derived from the interruption of the normal daily life due to COVID-19, it’s no wonder that a rise in ADA lawsuits should occur.
What Businesses May Be at Higher Risk of Lawsuits?
Any business with a website that does not provide accessibility capabilities to disabled persons are at high risk of being sued. However, due to the current state of the world because of the coronavirus pandemic, businesses that provide public and essential services to all members of their community are at the highest risk if their website is not ADA compliant.
What Businesses Can Do
To avoid facing a lawsuit for a website that is not accessible to handicapped persons, you may need to contact an expert to make your site:
- Recognizable – All site users, including those with disabilities, need to be able to recognize information and content in an easily perceivable fashion
- Operable – Navigation of your site as well as it’s interface must be able to be operable by every site user
- Understandable – Website content must be easy to understand and have options for translation, screen reading, and other accessibility options
- Multi-faceted – Your site will need to be multi-faceted and interfaced with assistive technology to allow all visitors to access the same information to achieve the same outcome.
Website owners may need to seek additional help making their websites ADA compliant, since re-structuring the site to accommodate disabled persons and their specific needs may be necessary. Applications within a website such as closed captioning and a screen reader are just a couple of ways that a site can adjust to accommodate the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Do you need assistance with making your website ADA compliant? Refer them to us today! Our team is eager to connect with businesses in any industry. We serve the local needs of Ventura County and Santa Barbara as well as anywhere in the United States.
Social Spice Media provides a variety of
packages that will improve the exposure of your business or organization and keep your website in line with ADA Compliance Standards. After thoroughly assessing your marketing goals, we’ll increase the digital presence of your business through social media marketing, business blogging, and email marketing. Our talented web developers will improve the appearance of your website and business as a whole.
