Happy holidays and welcome to AccessWorld’s 2024 Holiday Shopping Guide
In this year's guide, we bring you reviews of the desktop and iOS versions of Target and Macy’s online shopping platforms. Both companies offer an extensive range of products, and for this guide, I have chosen to focus on clothing items, as these often require careful consideration of details such as size, color, and style.
When shopping online, it is essential to ensure you are browsing on reputable websites. As always, exercise caution-if a deal seems too good to be true, it likely is and may be a scam.
For this review, I will evaluate features that may pose challenges for screen reader users. Specifically, I will review the browsing experience, search functionality, product pages, and the purchase process on both platforms.
The devices used for this evaluation include an iPhone 16 running iOS 18.1 and an M1 Mac running macOS Sequoia.
Target’s iOS App
The home screen of the Target app is well-organized, containing a wealth of information without appearing cluttered. A prominent search box is positioned at the top of the screen, accompanied by an option to scan codes. At the bottom, five tabs-Discover, Essentials, Wallet, Cart, and My Target-offer straightforward navigation to various sections.
Beneath the search box is a clearly labeled list of 11 product categories, followed by lists of popular items. While the app includes headings for different groupings of content, these headings do not always function as intended. To read all the available material, users can either flick right with one finger or use the scroll bar located on the right side of the page.
Importantly, the app contains no broken links or unlabeled graphics. However, navigation using headings is inconsistent, and links or forms navigation is unavailable for most sections of the app.
Finding an item and narrowing search results was a seamless process. Product descriptions were detailed and easy to understand, making it simple to select the desired size for an item. Adding the item to my cart was straightforward. When I realized I had forgotten my password, I was able to reset it using a passkey. Unfortunately, after resetting my password, I encountered an issue where the sign-in button failed to work. Closing the Target app and removing it from the app switcher resolved this issue. Upon reopening the app, my cart was intact, and I was able to complete the checkout process successfully.
Target’s Desktop Website
The Target desktop website mirrors the app in being uncluttered and user-friendly.
At the top of the homepage is a search box that not only prompts the user for input but also indicates that results will be displayed below. VoiceOver provides additional context by announcing, “search text field.” Search results are conveniently located directly beneath the search box, eliminating the need to navigate away. Filters for narrowing results are intuitive and easy to use.
Once a search result is selected, the subsequent page is navigable using headings, links, and forms. Item descriptions are clear and well-structured, and VoiceOver reliably announces links as the user interacts with them.
In addition to the search box, the homepage features links to highlighted or featured items. Headings navigation within this section functions significantly better than in the app, with VoiceOver properly announcing links and supporting forms navigation.
Below these deals were the same links to deals and categories that are present in the app. Selecting an item and narrowing results worked smoothly, and adding an item to my cart was effortless. The checkout process was equally efficient.
Target’s iOS App vs Target’s Desktop Website
In my opinion, the Target desktop website provides a superior navigation experience compared to the iOS app. The website offers comprehensive support for headings, links, and forms navigation, which makes browsing and purchasing more intuitive. However, both the app and the website excel in maintaining an uncluttered interface and avoiding broken links.
Macy’s App
The Macy’s app presents a search box prominently at the top of the screen, followed by options to check a price, create an account, or sign in. At the bottom of the screen, five tabs-Home, Shop, Favorites, Bag, and Account-allow access to key features.
The search box performed admirably, allowing results to be reviewed and refined effortlessly. As I typed a search term, the app dynamically narrowed the results, which appeared directly beneath the search form. Filters for refining search results were fully accessible and easy to navigate.
The main screen is divided into several categories, including Trending Now, Top Gifts, and Offers. Although the screen contains a substantial amount of information, it is well-structured and avoids the appearance of clutter. A scroll bar on the right-hand side provides an alternative means of navigation.
Finding a potential item for purchase was straightforward. Sorting items by brand and size posed no challenges, though garment color descriptions, such as “Fortress” and “Silver Spoon,” were occasionally ambiguous. Fortunately, this was not a universal issue. Initial product descriptions were often brief, but a helpful link provided additional information, aiding decision-making.
During an attempt to recover my Macy’s account password, I encountered a CAPTCHA that lacked an audio option, preventing me from completing the recovery process. As a result, I opted to create a new account. Unfortunately, navigating and filling out the account creation form proved cumbersome due to limited navigation options. For example, I missed the “Done” button after using a picker to input my birthdate.
Macy’s Desktop Website
Unlike the app, the search form on Macy’s desktop website is not located at the top of the page, but rather beneath the Macy’s Home Page link, making it inaccessible via forms navigation. VoiceOver, however, does announce the presence of the search form.
Near the top of the homepage, a section labeled “Today’s Top Deals” is displayed. Unfortunately, this section is not accessible via headings, links, or forms navigation, though the list of deals can be explored using links.
Searching for and selecting the same garments I had chosen in the app proved more challenging on the website. This was particularly true when choosing size, color, and brand. Radio buttons often failed to indicate whether they were selected. Moving focus away from a button and returning to it sometimes resolved this issue. Unlike the app’s pop-up interface for size and color selection, the website required navigating across the screen using the right arrow key.
When selecting boots, the radio button initially displayed only one size. With sighted assistance, I discovered that additional sizes were available, but VoiceOver failed to announce them.
Compared to the other parts of the site, The checkout form on the desktop website was more accessible and intuitive than the app version.
Macy’s iOS App vs Macy’s Desktop Website
In my view, the Macy’s app is significantly easier to navigate than its desktop counterpart. Although the website includes rotor options for headings, links, and forms, these do not reliably lead to the desired information. Additionally, radio buttons on the website frequently failed to provide accurate feedback regarding their selection status.
It is important to note that the inaccessible captcha is a very serious issue, and would be something that could potentially cause the most barriers for blind and low vision users. Several accessible captcha services are available and also happen to be those most used across the web, so this issue stands out.
Conclusion
Overall, the Target website and the Macy’s app emerged as the most accessible platforms in their respective categories, outperforming their counterparts in terms of user-friendliness and accessibility.
