Given that the gains associated with creating an accessible website seem to pale in comparison to say the cost of delaying a launch, accessibility is often one of the first elements to be eliminated from designs. Unfortunately, such an approach is short-sighted, immoral, and illegal in some instances.

Accessibility has wider benefits than allowing people with disabilities to use your products. The curb-cut effect, which takes its name from the ramps cut into the surface of sidewalks, refers to the fact that designs created to benefit people with disabilities often end up benefiting everyone.

Improve your ecommerce website accessibility for persons with a disability by:

• Ensuring you include proper alt text for images, audio files, and video
• Providing captions and audio description options in all videos
• Providing detailed text descriptions for any complex graphics
• Using color with care and designing forms for accessibility
• Giving your links unique and descriptive names

Ever dined out where your meal was mediocre, but the service was exceptional? Such a restaurant likely generates more repeat customers than competitors with tastier entrees but subpar customer service.

How can a similar concept be applied to the ecommerce space? It’s simple, in addition to chat, text, and email, offer customers a warm body at the other end of a phone. There are few situations more frustrating, irritating, and anger-inducing than endlessly searching a website for a customer support line only to be told you can send the company an email or speak with a chatbot that is about as much help as a broken umbrella in a rainstorm.

The phone remains a preferred channel for customers because of its potential for empathy. Interacting with an invested and attentive human is crucial to fostering rapport with customers. And sure, offering multi-channel customer support like live chat, email, and text can enhance the customer experience, just be certain one of those options is also the telephone.

As we look to the future, no one can predict what 2022 may bring. But what we can do is be aware of trends, what's behind them, and how we respond to them in a way that puts customers' needs at the forefront.

This affects the way online commerce should behave to fulfill people’s needs:

• Formulate your mission. Think of why it is important for today’s world and for today’s people. Does your brand bring forth new approach and experiences? Does it embrace change or just serves as a cozy island of stability and clarity?
  
  
• Put the product on a pedestal. Help consumers realize how special your offer is, how much passion has been put in its development. Demonstrate your approach in action. Make an artistic, exquisite photo-shooting. Think of a story behind the product and its development; convey it in a creative way you would love to share the story.
  
  
• Try your best in providing the best seamless experience for e-shopping. If a simple adaptation of your online store for smartphones has been sufficient enough before, today one would be choosing a product via a smart phone and then make a purchase from a personal computer. Do not forget about the UX for an adaptive version of your site.
  
  
• Not only should you think about "online sales" and "conversion rates", but also a plan to create a friendly and welcoming shopping environment. Do you want to provide an atmosphere alike with a festive mall or should it be an exquisite boutique, offering a strict selection of original, unusual items? People will visit your site in various moods, and we take it for granted, but what we can affect is the mood that one has after having finished one’s shopping.
  
  
• At last, but not least, the world has changed, and now we all have to live through the lack of real personal contact and lack of hugs, so we should think of smart ways to give our consumers a feeling of a big, supportive virtual hug. And the relevant, proper ways to deliver it.