Beyond Accessibility Compliance: Exploring the Role of Information on Apparel Shopping Websites for the Blind and Visually Impaired

In response to increasing numbers of people switching from offline to online shopping after the COVID-19 pandemic, this study sought to obtain an in-depth understanding of apparel website design and digital accessibility for all people, including people with visual impairments (PVI). Given the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Article 9, which mandates that all 191 international parties take measures to ensure people with disabilities have equal access to information and communication technology, this study explored the challenges PVI face while accessing informational content about apparel products online. To achieve this goal, Culnan’s dimensions of perceived accessibility to information, a lens for understanding how consumers experience and evaluate the accessibility of information systems, were used as the theoretical framework. We applied phenomenological methods to explore the daily “lived experience” in depth through observations and semi-structured interviews with eight female participants in their 20 s to 60 s, each lasting more than 45 min. Based on thematic analysis, the findings highlighted the unmet website meta descriptions for product information and navigation functionality for assistive technology, which, as a result, negatively impacts digital accessibility for PVI to shop online for apparel. The study concludes with contributions that extend the theoretical framework to the digital landscape, addresses the gap of inclusive digital apparel retailing practices, and emphasizes the opportunities for apparel educators to incorporate an inclusive design curriculum.