Accessibility: A smart business decision with lasting benefits

Let’s be honest, accessibility might not always be at the top of your to-do list, but here’s why it absolutely should be: it’s one of the smartest business decisions you can make today, unlocking opportunities you didn’t even know were there. Over the past 20 years in my roles as a designer and concept developer, I’ve seen firsthand how companies that embrace accessibility can tap into significant market potential and improve user satisfaction. In this article, we explore how accessibility delivers tangible business outcomes while creating a more inclusive user experience.

How accessibility drives business success

Accessibility is not just about doing the right thing; it’s a practical approach that can help your business grow. Companies that focus on accessibility open up new revenue streams, reduce operational costs, and strengthen their brand perception. Here’s how:

• Access to a larger market: Over 1 billion people globally live with disabilities, representing more than $8 trillion in disposable income. Ensuring your website is accessible helps you reach this underserved market and prevents potential customers from turning to competitors [1].
• Improved brand equity: Recent research confirms that companies that prioritise disability inclusion are 28% more likely to outperform their peers in profitability and two times more likely to have higher total shareholder returns [2].
• Lower operational costs: According to Forrester, integrating accessibility into early development processes can significantly reduce customer service costs by minimising usability issues. These improvements not only lower the need for ongoing technical fixes, but also enhance customer satisfaction by providing a more seamless experience for all users [3].
• Enhanced user experience: Many businesses still believe that accessibility optimisations only benefit a small group of permanently disadvantaged users. However, these improvements also help many others in temporary or situational limitations, like a parent holding a child or someone navigating a website in a second language.

Why accessibility is good for business

An increased brand value, for example, will only indirectly fill your coffers. However, it is possible to evaluate your efforts to achieve good accessibility on a financial basis. For this purpose, I would like to calculate the economic potential of improved accessibility in the form of revenue, based on an individual example. Let us take a look at the underlying assumptions:

Let’s assume we operate an e-commerce website with 25,000 visitors per month:

• Of these, 2,500 people (10%) add an item to their shopping cart.
• Of these 2,500, 750 people (30%) start the checkout process.
• Due to accessibility problems, however, only 150 people complete the checkout, resulting in an 80% abandonment rate. This rate is 10% higher than the global average of 70% [4], as reported by Statista. While this 10% difference is an assumption, research suggests that accessibility barriers such as complex navigation or unclear forms significantly contribute to higher abandonment rates among users with disabilities. [5][6][7].

Let’s say our website generates an average of CHF 100 per completed checkout. This gives us a turnover of CHF 15,000 per month, or CHF 180,000 per year.

Now let’s consider one of the factors influencing this turnover: 15% of the population has a disability. This means that out of our 25,000 visitors, around 3,750 people might have difficulties using the site, especially when it comes to the checkout process. Of course, we can’t assume that improving accessibility will convert all of these visitors into buyers, but reducing the abandonment rate by 10% – bringing it down to the average of 70% – could make a significant difference.

Here’s how the numbers would look after improving accessibility:

• The site still gets 25,000 visitors per month.
• 2,500 people (10%) place an item in their cart.
• 750 people (30%) begin the checkout process.
• After improving accessibility, 225 people complete the checkout (a reduction in the abandonment rate to 70%).

As a result, the website now generates CHF 22,500 per month, or CHF 270,000 per year.

Our efforts have clearly paid off: the monthly income has increased by CHF 7,500, which adds up to CHF 90,000 per year! A considerable return on investment, all thanks to some strategic accessibility improvements.

Accessibility is an opportunity

In today’s digital age, accessibility is not just about compliance – it’s an opportunity to foster innovation, reach new customers, and build a stronger brand. Forward-thinking companies understand that creating an inclusive digital experience drives long-term success and builds lasting connections with their audience. By making accessibility a priority, you’re not just meeting legal requirements – you’re opening the door to a future of growth, trust, and opportunity.

References:

1. The 2024 Global Economics of Disability Report
2. Latest Accenture Research Confirms Disability Inclusive Companies Are More Profitable
3. Forrester, Total Economic Impact Report on accessibility
4. Online shopping cart abandonment rate worldwide between 2006 to 2024
5. 4 eCommerce Statistics That Should Make Accessibility a Priority in 2022 (And Beyond)
6. Cart & Checkout Usability Research
7. 40+ Essential Shopping Cart Abandonment Statistics (2024)