Turn WCAG compliance into cash: Why accessibility guidelines are good for business
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Imagine your website is a store where 1 in 5 potential customers are unable to enter because of accessibility barriers. This is a more common circumstance than you might sense.
Over 4,000 digital accessibility law suits were filed in the U.S., many of which targeted eCommerce sites in 2024. These law suits often stem from non-compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Repercussions are huge financial and reputational damage.
WCAG testing is not just about avoiding lawsuits but it is a strategic move that can boost your bottom line. Research by Accenture highlights that companies that prioritize accessibility and provide ADA-compliant internet access are four times as likely to outperform their competitors in total shareholder returns.
The Cost of Non-Compliance
Every business with a digital presence must meet WCAG standards. Failure can have dire consequences.
Consider the case of a small online retailer in Florida that believed its website was adequately accessible. However, a customer using a screen reader noticed barriers while making a purchase. The company faced the ADA lawsuit and had to pay $50,000 in fees and settlements. Additionally, the website was temporarily offline to implement necessary accessibility fixes. Consequently they lost sales and customer trust.
- Legal repercussions: Lawsuits can result in settlements averaging $20,000, excluding legal fees and remediation costs.
- Loss of customers: Approximately 15% of the global population lives with a disability. Inaccessible websites alienate this significant market segment.
- Reputational damage: Negative publicity from accessibility lawsuits can erode customer trust and brand loyalty.
Cases similar to the Florida retailer show the importance of proactive accessibility measures. Investing in comprehensive accessibility audits and remediation can prevent such costly legal challenge sand protect your brand's reputation.
The business case for accessibility
Brands that face increased scrutiny over website accessibility have to shut down their site for a week to fix issues quickly, which means they lose more money because people cannot buy anything during that time. Their bad reviews also go up. People start to say the brand does not care about accessibility or customers with disabilities.
Additionally, if a business uses a cheap plugin that claims to make their website “100% accessible” overnight. The truth is that tools do not work the way you expect. You can avoid lawsuit only with real manual accessibility audit and proper fixes.
Fixing accessibility the right way at the start can save money. Secondly, it protects your brand and helps you grow.
Tangible business benefits of investing in routine WCAG test
Many businesses unknowingly fall short of color contrast standards, missing ALT text errors, non-keyboard friendly navigation and inaccessible forms.
If you emphasize WCAG testing and embrace accessibility then you can reap the following benefits.
- Market expansion: Make your website accessible and tap into a broader customer base including individuals with disabilities.
- Improved SEO: Accessible websites often rank higher in search engine results. Better rankings mean increased visibility and higher sales.
- Enhanced user experience: Fix your website, have clear navigation, and readable fonts to improve the experience for all users.
- Positive brand image: Demonstrate a commitment to inclusivity and your brand’s reputation and customer loyalty will be enhanced consequently.
Case Study: KitchenAid's accessibility challenge
Whirlpool Corporation, the parent company of KitchenAid faced a class-action lawsuit in 2023. The lawsuit alleged that the KitchenAid website was inaccessible to customers with visual disabilities. The lawsuit claimed that barriers on the website forced customers to visit physical stores to make purchases which constituted discrimination under the ADA. This case illustrates how accessibility issues lead to legal action and also impact brand perception.
Businesses should address accessibility proactively to enhance user experience, expand their customer base and avoid legal complications.
Trust ADACP for manual accessibility audit sand effective remediation strategies. Our team can help your business meet WCAG requirements. Our ongoing support makes your digital platforms accessible. Provide inclusive services to all users and protect your business from potential legal challenges.
The growing importance of the WCAG test
Digital accessibility lawsuits are on the rise. In 2024 alone, serial litigants targeted eCommerce sites and filed 13lawsuits per day. Notably, 41% of these lawsuits were against companies that had been sued previously. This indicated recurring accessibility issues.
This trend highlights the necessity of achieving and maintaining compliance. Regular audits and updates are your key to ongoing adherence to accessibility standards.
An automated WCAG compliance checker is not enough to save your business
More than 70% of websites tested in 2024had WCAG failures on their homepage alone. There were issues of low contrast, missing alt text, or broken keyboard navigation.
It highlights the importance of ongoing support but the question is- are WCAG testing tools enough?
While automated tools can detect some accessibility issues, they often miss context-specific problems. For instance, a study found that 95.9% of websites failed automated WCAG 2 checks. It indicates the need for manual audits to uncover deeper issues.
At ADACP, we perform thorough manual audit sand fixes. We help you stay compliant as things change. New content? New design? We will make sure it is still accessible by achieving the hybrid approach of an automated WCAG compliance checker plus audits via human intervention.
Good accessibility is not a one and done. This is an ongoing journey where real humans performing professional WCAG audits are required. Make ADACP your partner on that road.
ADACP's Expert WCAG Test Services and Remediation
We offer comprehensive services to ensure your website meets WCAG standards:
- Manual Accessibility Audits: Our experts conduct thorough evaluations to identify and address compliance issues that automated tools might miss.
- Fast and Effective Remediation: We implement necessary changes promptly, ensuring your website becomes accessible without delay.
- Ongoing Support: We provide continuous monitoring and updates to maintain compliance as standards evolve.
Think of accessibility as a strategic advantage
Accessibility is a legal obligation but it is also a business imperative. Make your website accessible to avoid potential lawsuits. Additionally, this measure will open your business to a wider audience and build a positive brand image.
At ADACP, we're dedicated to helping your business meet accessibility requirements beyond the results of a WCAG compliance checker. Choose our manual audits and effective remediation to achieve total compliance with the ADA and the EU Accessibility Act. Connect with us for a free 30-minute consultation and partner with us to turn accessibility compliance into a competitive advantage.
Imagine your website is a store where 1 in 5 potential customers are unable to enter because of accessibility barriers. This is a more common circumstance than you might sense.
Over 4,000 digital accessibility law suits were filed in the U.S., many of which targeted eCommerce sites in 2024. These law suits often stem from non-compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Repercussions are huge financial and reputational damage.
WCAG testing is not just about avoiding lawsuits but it is a strategic move that can boost your bottom line. Research by Accenture highlights that companies that prioritize accessibility and provide ADA-compliant internet access are four times as likely to outperform their competitors in total shareholder returns.
The Cost of Non-Compliance
Every business with a digital presence must meet WCAG standards. Failure can have dire consequences.
Consider the case of a small online retailer in Florida that believed its website was adequately accessible. However, a customer using a screen reader noticed barriers while making a purchase. The company faced the ADA lawsuit and had to pay $50,000 in fees and settlements. Additionally, the website was temporarily offline to implement necessary accessibility fixes. Consequently they lost sales and customer trust.
- Legal repercussions: Lawsuits can result in settlements averaging $20,000, excluding legal fees and remediation costs.
- Loss of customers: Approximately 15% of the global population lives with a disability. Inaccessible websites alienate this significant market segment.
- Reputational damage: Negative publicity from accessibility lawsuits can erode customer trust and brand loyalty.
Cases similar to the Florida retailer show the importance of proactive accessibility measures. Investing in comprehensive accessibility audits and remediation can prevent such costly legal challenge sand protect your brand's reputation.
The business case for accessibility
Brands that face increased scrutiny over website accessibility have to shut down their site for a week to fix issues quickly, which means they lose more money because people cannot buy anything during that time. Their bad reviews also go up. People start to say the brand does not care about accessibility or customers with disabilities.
Additionally, if a business uses a cheap plugin that claims to make their website “100% accessible” overnight. The truth is that tools do not work the way you expect. You can avoid lawsuit only with real manual accessibility audit and proper fixes.
Fixing accessibility the right way at the start can save money. Secondly, it protects your brand and helps you grow.
Tangible business benefits of investing in routine WCAG test
Many businesses unknowingly fall short of color contrast standards, missing ALT text errors, non-keyboard friendly navigation and inaccessible forms.
If you emphasize WCAG testing and embrace accessibility then you can reap the following benefits.
- Market expansion: Make your website accessible and tap into a broader customer base including individuals with disabilities.
- Improved SEO: Accessible websites often rank higher in search engine results. Better rankings mean increased visibility and higher sales.
- Enhanced user experience: Fix your website, have clear navigation, and readable fonts to improve the experience for all users.
- Positive brand image: Demonstrate a commitment to inclusivity and your brand’s reputation and customer loyalty will be enhanced consequently.
Case Study: KitchenAid's accessibility challenge
Whirlpool Corporation, the parent company of KitchenAid faced a class-action lawsuit in 2023. The lawsuit alleged that the KitchenAid website was inaccessible to customers with visual disabilities. The lawsuit claimed that barriers on the website forced customers to visit physical stores to make purchases which constituted discrimination under the ADA. This case illustrates how accessibility issues lead to legal action and also impact brand perception.
Businesses should address accessibility proactively to enhance user experience, expand their customer base and avoid legal complications.
Trust ADACP for manual accessibility audit sand effective remediation strategies. Our team can help your business meet WCAG requirements. Our ongoing support makes your digital platforms accessible. Provide inclusive services to all users and protect your business from potential legal challenges.
The growing importance of the WCAG test
Digital accessibility lawsuits are on the rise. In 2024 alone, serial litigants targeted eCommerce sites and filed 13lawsuits per day. Notably, 41% of these lawsuits were against companies that had been sued previously. This indicated recurring accessibility issues.
This trend highlights the necessity of achieving and maintaining compliance. Regular audits and updates are your key to ongoing adherence to accessibility standards.
An automated WCAG compliance checker is not enough to save your business
More than 70% of websites tested in 2024had WCAG failures on their homepage alone. There were issues of low contrast, missing alt text, or broken keyboard navigation.
It highlights the importance of ongoing support but the question is- are WCAG testing tools enough?
While automated tools can detect some accessibility issues, they often miss context-specific problems. For instance, a study found that 95.9% of websites failed automated WCAG 2 checks. It indicates the need for manual audits to uncover deeper issues.
At ADACP, we perform thorough manual audit sand fixes. We help you stay compliant as things change. New content? New design? We will make sure it is still accessible by achieving the hybrid approach of an automated WCAG compliance checker plus audits via human intervention.
Good accessibility is not a one and done. This is an ongoing journey where real humans performing professional WCAG audits are required. Make ADACP your partner on that road.
ADACP's Expert WCAG Test Services and Remediation
We offer comprehensive services to ensure your website meets WCAG standards:
- Manual Accessibility Audits: Our experts conduct thorough evaluations to identify and address compliance issues that automated tools might miss.
- Fast and Effective Remediation: We implement necessary changes promptly, ensuring your website becomes accessible without delay.
- Ongoing Support: We provide continuous monitoring and updates to maintain compliance as standards evolve.
Think of accessibility as a strategic advantage
Accessibility is a legal obligation but it is also a business imperative. Make your website accessible to avoid potential lawsuits. Additionally, this measure will open your business to a wider audience and build a positive brand image.
At ADACP, we're dedicated to helping your business meet accessibility requirements beyond the results of a WCAG compliance checker. Choose our manual audits and effective remediation to achieve total compliance with the ADA and the EU Accessibility Act. Connect with us for a free 30-minute consultation and partner with us to turn accessibility compliance into a competitive advantage.
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