Challenges of Online Shopping for Those With Visual Impairments

Online shopping can be a real headache if you’re blind or have low vision. Imagine scrolling through a website, only to come across descriptions like “brave,” “chrome truth,” or “Tara peacock.” What do those even mean? As someone without sight, I have no concept of color, tone, or what objects look like, making online shopping a real challenge.

Recently, I bought a straw hat online, only to find out that the brim was way too big. If only the description had included the width, I could have made an informed choice. The same goes for a see-through top that I purchased—no mention of the fabric or style details in the description, so it’s now gathering dust in my wardrobe.

Shopping in-store isn’t much better. Retail staff often ask the person I’m with how I’ll be paying or what I might like. And when it comes time to pay, touch-screen card machines can be a nightmare. While tap-and-go is handy, entering a PIN for larger amounts can be impossible without tactile buttons, leading to extra charges for split payments.

Overall, online shopping isn’t as enjoyable for me as it might be for sighted folks—especially during sales or holidays like Christmas. It’s stressful and leaves me feeling dependent on others to describe what they’re seeing. While I appreciate the help, it often sways my purchasing decisions based on their accidental opinions.

An event called “Blackout Friday” shed light on the challenges faced by those who are visually impaired when shopping online. Participants received packages with basic descriptors, mimicking the online shopping experience for the blind or low vision. The frustrations were evident, with inaccurate descriptions leading to wrong sizes or colors, leaving shoppers disappointed and feeling overlooked.

The lack of accessibility online goes beyond shopping—it affects things like reading digital bills or watching videos without closed captions. With international guidelines for web accessibility in place, it’s disheartening to see that only a small percentage of websites are truly accessible, with shopping sites in particular falling short.

As we dive into the holiday season and do our online shopping, let’s remember the half a million Australians who may be struggling with poor product descriptions. It’s time for a change to make the online world more inclusive for everyone.