Novel method to explore the efficiency of e-commerce websites for persons with disabilities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17411/jacces.v15i2.568Abstract
With an expanding number of e-commerce websites, many people with disabilities rely largely on online purchasing because they find it difficult to travel freely. However, many users, including those with disabilities, are unable to access the website's content, creating an inequitable barrier for people with visual impairments. Many websites are sometimes accessible, but it takes a while to understand what the website’s effectiveness means. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel method entitled AMEEW (A Method to Examine the Efficiency of Websites), which computes the efficiency of websites for persons with disabilities. The purpose of the paper is to evaluate the most popular e-commerce sites and provide guidance to website designers on how to create effective websites that are easy to use for all user groups, including those who are disabled. Initially, the data are analysed using four plots, including a run sequence plot, lag plot, histogram, and normal probability plot. The experiment’s findings indicate that 5.08% of top e-commerce websites are ineffective for those with visual impairments.
References
Acosta-Vargas, P., Salvador-Acosta, B., Salvador-Ullauri, L., & Jadán-Guerrero, J. (2022). Accessibility challenges of e-commerce websites. PeerJ Computer Science, 8, e891. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj-cs.891
Akgül, Y. (2024). Evaluating the performance of websites from a public value, usability, and readability perspectives: A review of Turkish national government websites. Universal Access in the Information Society, 23(2), 975–990. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-022-00909-4
Balaji, V., & Kuppusamy, K. S. (2016). Accessibility Evaluation of Indian Railway Websites. Proceedings of the International Conference on Informatics and Analytics, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1145/2980258.2980393
Berners-Lee, T. (2013). The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect. World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). https://www.w3.org/WAI/fundamentals/accessibility-intro
Campoverde-Molina, M., Luján-Mora, S., & Valverde, L. (2023). Accessibility of university websites worldwide: A systematic literature review. Universal Access in the Information Society, 22(1), 133–168. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-021-00825-z
Coleman, M., & Liau, T. L. (1975). A computer readability formula designed for machine scoring. Journal of Applied Psychology, 60(2), 283. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/h0076540
Filliben, J. J., & Heckert, A. (2005). Exploratory data analysis. Engineering Statistics Handbook, Internet, National Institute of Standards and Technology, https://www.itl.nist.gov/div898/handbook/eda/eda.htm
Fipke, A. D. (2024, April). An Investigation and Application of Usability and Accessibility for an Online Queuing System. https://doi.org/10.14288/1.0443556
Flesch, R. (1948). A new readability yardstick. Journal of Applied Psychology, 32(3), 221. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/h0057532
Gay, G., & Li, C. Q. (2010). AChecker: Open, interactive, customizable, web accessibility checking. Proceedings of the 2010 International Cross Disciplinary Conference on Web Accessibility (W4A), 1–2. https://doi.org/10.1145/1805986.1806019
Gunning, R. (1952). The technique of clear writing. McGraw-Hill.
International Trade Administration, U.S., D. of C. (2024). eCommerce Sales & Size Forecast. https://www.trade.gov/ecommerce-sales-size-forecast.
Ismailova, R., & Inal, Y. (2018). Accessibility evaluation of top university websites: A comparative study of Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkey. Universal Access in the Information Society, 17(2), 437–445. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-017-0541-0
Kirkpatrick, A., O Connor, J., Campbell, A., & Cooper, M. (2018). Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. W3C. https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21
Kurt, S. (2017). Accessibility of Turkish university Web sites. Universal Access in the Information Society, 16(2), 505–515. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-016-0468-x
Macakoğlu, Ş. S., & Peker, S. (2022). Accessibility evaluation of university hospital websites in Turkey. Universal Access in the Information Society, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-022-00886-8
Macakoğlu, Ş. S., Peker, S., & Medeni, İ. T. (2023). Accessibility, usability, and security evaluation of universities’ prospective student web pages: A comparative study of Europe, North America, and Oceania. Universal Access in the Information Society, 22(2), 671–683. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-022-00869-9
Mc Laughlin, G. H. (1969). SMOG grading-a new readability formula. Journal of Reading, 12(8), 639–646. https://www.jstor.org/stable/40011226
Raj, S., Sharma, V. L., Singh, A. J., & Goel, S. (2016). Evaluation of Quality and Readability of Health Information Websites Identified through India’s Major Search Engines. Advances in Preventive Medicine, 2016, 4815285. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/4815285
S, R., & B.l, M. (2016). Government Websites of Kerala: An Evaluation using Government of India Guidelines. International Journal of Computer Applications, 140(1), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.5120/ijca2016909166
Similarweb. (2024). Top Ecommerce & Shopping Websites Ranking in August 2024. Similarweb. https://www.similarweb.com/top-websites/e-commerce-and-shopping
Smith, E. A., & Senter, R. J. (1967). Automated readability index (Vol. 66). Aerospace Medical Research Laboratories, Aerospace Medical Division, Air …. https://books.google.co.in/books?hl=en&lr=&id=vuZD9Q3g2_sC&oi=fnd&dq=Smith+EA,+Senter+R+(1967)+Automated+readability+index.+Tech.+rep.&ots=tBXVm_8BCE&sig=I783t6JxVUjNPDTWETAlniGZ1zw
Sonowal, G. (n.d.). Accessibility Issues for Students with Visual Impairments in Online Classes through Zoom App. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349128533_Accessibility_Issues_for_Students_with_Visual_Impairments_in_Online_Classes_through_Zoom_App
Sonowal, G. (2023). Social Engineering Attack: Rethinking Responsibilities and Solutions – Nova Science Publishers. Nova Science Publishers. https://doi.org/10.52305/KSOA7898
Sonowal, G. (2025). Design Thinking: Innovative Solutions for a Better World . https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003509950
Balaji, V. & Kuppusamy, K.S. (2017). Accessibility Analysis of Multilingual Websites for Persons with Visual Impairments. International Journal of Scientific Research in Computer Science, Engineering and Information Technology, 2(5), 239–242. https://ijsrcseit.com/paper/CSEIT172556.pdf
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. (2008). https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20
World Report on Disability. (2018). https://www.who.int/teams/noncommunicable-diseases/sensory-functions-disability-and-rehabilitation/world-report-on-disability
WHO (2023), https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/blindness-and-visual-impairment
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Sonowal G., Kuppusamy K. S., Balaji V.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share or adapt the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal. Use of the work for commercial purposes are not allowed.
- Authors are able to publish the journal's published version of the work in other media (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), as far as they inform the Journal of Accessibility and Design for All of that fact. When publishing their work in other sources, authors must mention the name of the Journal of Accessibility and Design for All, its ISSN, the number and issue in which the article was published and a link to the main page of the Journal of Accessibility and Design for All. Optionally, they can also include a link to the article published in the Journal of Accessibility and Design for All.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website), as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.