Portfolio Details

Project information

  • Category: Shopify Website
  • Client: UsableNet (New York, United States)
  • Project name: Soludos
  • Project date: 14 Jun, 2019
  • Project URL: https://soludos.com

An e-commerce website for a fashion retailer that specializes in high-end shoes and accessories

Soludos is an e-commerce website for a fashion retailer that specializes in high-end shoes and accessories. Founded in 2010 and based in New York City, the brand is inspired by travel and known for its innovative style, high-quality materials, and craftsmanship. The website primarily targets young, professional women, with a strong focus on offering a superior direct-to-consumer experience.

The site’s e-commerce platform plays a key role in Soludos’ business, allowing customers to purchase directly online. It also incorporates accessibility features, thanks to UsableNet’s Assistive solution, ensuring that it is fully accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. Social media is a major channel through which Soludos engages its target market and drives traffic to the site.

Challenge

- Initial Accessibility Limitations

Although the new Shopify Plus site provided a solid e-commerce foundation, it was not fully accessible to all users.

- Need for Expert Assistance

Soludos recognized that their internal resources and existing partners were insufficient to address the accessibility issues identified in the audit.

- Time and Cost Efficiency

They required a quick and cost-effective solution, along with ongoing support to maintain accessibility as products changed seasonally.

- Complex Accessibility Improvements

The audit highlighted several areas needing in-depth work, including:

  • Images and Alt Text: Ensuring screen readers could access fallback text for images.

  • Icons: Making icons accessible for screen readers with appropriate text descriptions.

  • Forms: Properly labeling form fields for clarity and accessibility.

  • Tables: Customizing headers and labels in tables for screen reader compatibility.

  • Pricing Display: Clearly conveying prices without using confusing formatting.

  • Color Contrast: Ensuring proper contrast between text and backgrounds for readability.

- Proactive Legal Strategy

With increasing lawsuits against retailers for accessibility issues, Soludos aimed to take a proactive approach to avoid potential legal challenges while expanding access for all users.

Solution

- Switch to UsableNet Assistive

Soludos opted for the fully managed UsableNet Assistive service to address the extensive accessibility issues identified in the audit.

- Comprehensive Support

UsableNet provided a smooth and efficient process, offering a detailed plan, regular updates, and transparency throughout the quality assurance (QA) phase.

- Focus on Core Business

With UsableNet handling the accessibility improvements, Soludos' staff could concentrate on other areas of business growth.

- Conformance to Accessibility Standards

UsableNet ensured the site conformed to WCAG 2.0 AA standards by addressing issues through a combination of automated testing, manual reviews, and testing by users with disabilities, including those using screen readers.

Result

- Efficient Project Completion

The project resulted in a fully accessible WCAG 2.0 AA site in under a month.

- Ongoing Accessibility

Soludos' staff can easily update the site, maintaining its accessibility as they expand into new e-commerce areas with new products and features.

- Commitment to Inclusion

The accessible site reflects Soludos’ dedication to welcoming a broad audience.

- Brand Integrity

A fully accessible site enhances customer interactions, promoting positive experiences that encourage sharing and loyalty.

- Enhanced SEO

Improved accessibility contributes to better search engine rankings by positively affecting conversion rates, bounce rates, and user feedback.

- Custom E-Commerce Solution

The implementation of a custom e-commerce platform for Shopify Plus using Ruby on Rails drove a 25% increase in conversion rates for mid-size retailers.

- Cost Savings

Investing in accessibility now reduces potential future legal costs and emergency fixes, leading to long-term savings.

My responsibilities

- Website Analysis

  • Conducted a thorough analysis of the existing Soludos website, identifying areas for improvement in design, functionality, and accessibility.

  • Reviewed the website’s sitemap to ensure a logical structure and optimized navigation.

- Collaboration with Team

  • Worked closely with two other Shopify developers to plan and implement the migration strategy, ensuring a smooth transition to Shopify Plus.

- Site Rework and Design Optimization

  • Assisted in redesigning the site layout and user interface to enhance the overall user experience and align with brand aesthetics.

  • Implemented responsive design principles to ensure optimal viewing across various devices.

- Technical Implementation

  • Developed custom features and functionalities within the Shopify Plus framework, enhancing the site's capabilities to better serve the target audience.

  • Integrated third-party applications and tools to improve site performance and user engagement.

- Accessibility Improvements

  • Collaborated on addressing accessibility issues identified in the audit, implementing changes to conform with WCAG 2.0 AA standards.

  • Ensured that all elements of the site, including images, forms, and navigation, were accessible to users with disabilities.

- Quality Assurance and Testing

  • Participated in quality assurance processes, testing the site for functionality, usability, and accessibility prior to launch.

  • Conducted user testing and gathered feedback to make final adjustments and improvements.