Janet Ingber
Welcome to the 2022 AccessWorld online shopping guide. This year I will review Nuts.com, QVC, and Amazon.com. Nuts.com does not have an app so I will review their web site. QVC and Amazon have iOS and Android apps. Apps tend to be less cluttered. This article covers iOS versions of Amazon.com and QVC but I am including links for the Android versions of the apps. Remember that app layout and accessibility can change from the time I wrote this article until it is published.
No matter whether you are using any of the retailers listed above or any other web site or app, make sure that you are using the real version. Check out this article from CNET about online shopping scams. If possible, try to support local businesses.
Nuts.com
Nuts.com can be found, you guessed it, at Nuts.com
Getting Help
Priority Hotline: (866) 376-0042 Phone: (800) 558-6887 Email: care@nuts.com They also have a Help Center.
The Home Page
At the top of the home page is an option to order online or by phone at (800) 558-6887. Next is your cart and a search form, which can be located with form navigation. I entered Gifts in the search box and below the search form was a long list of results. Another way to explore the site is with links and headings. Nuts.com has more than just nuts. They have chocolates, dried fruits, a variety of snacks, and a wide assortment of gifts. They even have a “build your own box” option. Each link had the product name. Using the arrow keys, you can locate the cost, weight, and a button to add the item to your cart. Headings navigation also works to review the list of products. Activating an item’s link brings up a new screen which contains the product’s rating, cost, and size. Some products can be bought in bulk. The cost and size will be below the single product. Next is a pop-up button for quantity. The arrow keys will just cycle you through all the options. Make your selection and then activate the tab key to get out of this section.
The next controls are radio buttons to choose how often you receive your product. When activated, VoiceOver did not say whether the button was selected or not selected. The final control was to add the item to your cart.
When the cart link was activated, my item was there and so were recommendations of related items. Below the list were buttons to Checkout, use Apple Pay, Edit Cart, or Keep Shopping.
The checkout form was relatively straightforward. I did have to enter some information twice.
Conclusion
This website was relatively easy to navigate. Their extensive list of products and their helpful phone support staff make this company a good option.
Amazon.com
Getting Help
I made many calls to Amazon’s Customer Service asking questions about products not made by Amazon. I could not get either their automated phone system or customer service to give me information.
Here are the numbers and ways to get support for Amazon related issues including tracking your order or Amazon device support.
- Customer Service: (888) 280-4331
- Accessibility Tech Support (888) 283-1678
You can access support through the Menu tab of the Amazon app. Go to Contact Us/Customer Service/Accessibility. On this page, choose from one of the help links. On the next page, there are options to chat or request a phone call.
The Amazon Help Center can be found here
App Layout
At the bottom of the app’s home screen are tabs: Home, Your Amazon.com, Cart, and Menu. The Home screen contains a list of deals. For example, there were holiday gifts and Black Friday deals. The Your Amazon.com tab has your profile, account information, orders, etc. The Cart tab lists items in your cart. The Menu tab has your settings, shopping by department and more.
At the top of the Home and Menu tabs there are a search box, a scan products option, and a voice search option. Both the search box and the voice search feature worked well. Results were listed below the search options.
I put “dog toys” in the search box and received a list of toys as well as ads. Once I made my selection, a new screen loaded with different options for the toy I chose. Using headings navigation, I found features and details, product information, and reviews. Using form navigation, I was able to locate the quantity button and the button to add the item to my cart.
I activated the checkout button. The checkout form contained the usual edit fields. Since I already had an account, my information was in the form.
Conclusion
Amazon.com’s app is useable if you have patience and are familiar with your screen reader’s navigation features. In addition, it appears that they only provide tech support for Amazon devices and issues relating to your Amazon account.
QVC (Quality, Value, Convenience)
It is possible to get help through the Customer Service phone - (800) 600-1105.
QVC has live programming in addition to the app and website.
The QVC app has five tabs on the bottom of the screen: Home, Shop, QVC TV, Cart, and More. Both the Home tab and Shop tab have a search form at the top of the screen.
The Home tab lists many products many product in different categories. Use headings navigation to go through the list. You can also flick left or right to find products.
The Shop tab contains an edit box and search button at the top of the screen. Results are listed below the search form. This tab also contains an extensive category list. Selecting a category brings up sub-category list. Once in the sub-category list, you can narrow your choice even further.
The QVC TV tab lets you watch QVC on your phone. There also is information about the item currently on air and items recently on air.
The Cart tab lists any items in your cart.
The More tab contains many links including My Account, Security Settings, Program Guide, and Help.
I used the search form and put in “petite sweater.” Results were below the search form. In the product information section of the app, the best way to navigate it is to use flick right and flick left. This would be much easier with links and headings. The product screen loaded with options to choose size and color, followed by the price. QVC has Easy Pay options where the cost is broken down into several installments. How many installments depends on the item. Next was the shipping cost. Sometimes QVC offers free shipping.
Next was quantity and product description.
In the Product Information section was a more detailed description. For example, my sweater was listed as a cowl neck hooded tunic and in the Description section was a Read More button, with additional information. Next were reviews and answers to questions viewers asked. This was followed by a Call to Order button. You can also use automated ordering: (800) 345-1212 or call an order representative at: (800) 345-1515.
Below the order button was a carousel that VoiceOver did not describe, even with image description activated. Next were options to Speed Buy or Add to Cart.
Since I already had an account, I could use the Speed Buy option. Controls for creating an account are accessible. If you have any difficulty, call customer service and they will assist you.
Conclusion
I have used QVC for over thirty years. In my opinion, their customer service is outstanding. They are excellent with returns and are glad to answer questions about an item. They have always been polite and very helpful.
AccessWorld wishes you a joyful holiday season. Happy Shopping!
This article is made possible in part by generous funding from the James H. and Alice Teubert Charitable Trust, Huntington, West Virginia.
