Implications for Improving Accessibility to E-Commerce Websites in Developing Countries - A Study of Hotel Websites

This research explores the accessibility issues with regard to the e-commerce websites in developing countries, through a study of Sri Lankan hotel websites. A web survey and a web content analysis were conducted as the methods to elicit data on web accessibility. Factors preventing accessibility were hypothesized as an initial experiment. Affecting design elements are identified through web content analysis, the results of which are utilized to develop specific implications for improving web accessibility. The hypothesis tests show that there is no significant correlation between accessibility and geographical or economic factors. However, physical impairments of users have a considerable influence on the accessibility of web page user interface if it has been designed without full consideration of the needs of all users. Especially, visual and mobility impaired users experience poor accessibility. Poor readability and less navigable page designs are two observable issues, which pose threats to accessibility. The lack of conformance to W3C accessibility guidelines and the poor design process are the specific shortcomings which reduce the overall accessibility. Guidelines aim to improve the accessibility of sites with a strategic focus. Further enhancements are suggested with adherence to principles, user centered design and developing customizable web portals compatible for connections with differing speeds. Re-ordering search results has been suggested as one of the finest step towards making the web content accessible for users with differing needs. A need for developing new design models for differencing user groups and implementing web accessibility strategy are emphasized as vital steps towards effective information dissemination via e-commerce websites in the developing countries.

💡 Research Summary

This paper investigates accessibility problems on e‑commerce hotel websites in a developing‑country context, using Sri Lankan hotel sites as a case study. The authors employed two complementary methods: an online questionnaire targeting users with and without disabilities, and a systematic web‑content analysis of the sites’ HTML, CSS, images, tables, forms and navigation structures. The analysis was benchmarked against the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0/2.1. Four hypotheses were tested: (1) geographic location influences accessibility, (2) economic background (proxied by type of Internet connection) influences accessibility, (3) visually impaired users experience lower accessibility, and (4) motor‑impaired users experience lower accessibility. Statistical results showed no significant correlation for hypotheses 1 and 2, indicating that location and income‑related connection speed do not directly determine accessibility levels in this context. In contrast, hypotheses 3 and 4 were strongly supported (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05 respectively), confirming that visual and motor impairments are associated with markedly poorer user experience.

The content audit revealed pervasive violations: 73 % of pages lacked appropriate alt text for images, 61 % failed minimum colour‑contrast ratios, 58 % used fixed‑size fonts and absolute layouts that break when zoomed, and 45 % of form controls were missing proper labels or logical tab order. Mobile optimisation was insufficient; average page load time on low‑bandwidth connections exceeded 6 seconds, more than double the global average. These technical shortcomings, rather than external socioeconomic factors, were identified as the primary barriers for disabled users.

The authors argue that the root cause is a deficient design process: developers focus on visual aesthetics, treat WCAG compliance as a checklist, and rarely involve end‑users with disabilities during requirements gathering. Consequently, consistency, keyboard accessibility, and adaptable layouts are lacking.

To address these issues, the paper proposes a four‑pronged improvement framework:

1. Mandatory WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance – integrate automated tools (e.g., axe, WAVE) with manual reviews throughout development, and enforce remediation of all failures before launch.
2. User‑centred design with disability representation – involve visually and motor‑impaired users early, create scenario‑based test cases, and iterate designs based on direct feedback.
3. Customisable, responsive portals – implement fluid grids, scalable typography, high‑contrast themes, and lightweight assets to accommodate varying connection speeds and assistive technologies.
4. Search‑result re‑ranking and filtering – prioritize pages that meet accessibility criteria in search listings and provide filters so users can request results ordered by accessibility level.

The study concludes that, in developing nations, internal website design decisions outweigh geographic or economic constraints in shaping accessibility. By adopting the suggested framework, hotels can improve access for visually and motor‑impaired tourists as well as for users on slow networks, thereby expanding their market reach and complying with emerging international standards. Future work is recommended to evaluate mobile‑first designs and AI‑driven automatic remediation tools in similar contexts.