Touchland's Journey to Web Accessibility

About Touchland

Touchland is a lifestyle brand that has redefined personal care essentials on the go starting with a new approach to hand sanitizer. They’ve developed an award-winning formulation that delivers moisturizing sanitizer without the sticky feeling or chemical—or alcohol-based smell, earning them ten different beauty awards to date.

Touchland initially launched in 2010 in Barcelona, Spain, by owner Andrea Lisbona. In 2018, she launched the company in the U.S. with a Kickstarter campaign that surpassed 450% of its initial fundraising goal and over 1,5000 pre-orders in a month. Touchland products are now distributed via their Shopify website and in over 4,000+ retail stores, including ULTA, Target, and Sephora.

Touchland’s Challenges

As Touchland experienced rapid growth, they encountered challenges with their Shopify website’s accessibility. With limited internal resources and expertise at the time, they struggled to meet accessibility standards.

Recognizing the importance of inclusivity, they sought a solution to ensure all customers could access their site.

After researching vendors, they chose UsableNet for their proven track record and customizable solutions, confident in our ability to address their unique needs and uphold accessibility standards.

UsableNet’s Solution

UsableNet has been working with Touchland since March of 2022. After learning about the various ways UsableNet could help them, they quickly focused in on UsableNet Assistive Managed Service, which took the heavy lifting of fixing and maintaining accessibility off Touchland’s plate.

UsableNet Assistive Managed Service Provides the Following for Touchland:

• UsableNet developers use the UsableNet platform to remediate the website to WCAG 2.1 AA
• Automated and manual accessibility testing
• Testing conducted by people with disabilities, including screen reader users
• The first accessibility fixes were delivered in just a few weeks
• Recommended fixes for multimedia content like videos to ensure they were accessible with transcripts or closed captions
• Online accessibility training across teams
• Robust accessibility monitoring and reporting
• Monthly website tests with assistive technology such as screen readers

Examples of What UsableNet Fixed Include:

• Keyboard navigation
• Adding colored backgrounds to interactive elements for sufficient contrast
• Adding skip links for improved navigation for people with disabilities

From now on, when Touchland updates content or code on its website, UsableNet’s experts and technology keep the site accessible.

UsableNet still works with Touchland, providing ongoing support with a personalized approach to ensure the continual success of Touchland’s accessibility initiatives.

The Results

Touchland’s relationship with UsableNet has produced positive impacts on their business, including the following:

• Improved accessibility of the website that directly resulted in an enhanced user experience for all customers, including those with disabilities.
• Mitigated potential legal risks associated with accessibility non-compliance.
• Enhanced brand reputation as a socially responsible and inclusive company.
• Tangibly increased website traffic, conversions, and customer satisfaction metrics.

Touchland’s team now has an improved understanding of accessibility standards and a more successful implementation of current standards. Shortly after implementation, rapid results were observed, with noticeable improvements in website accessibility metrics.

Work with UsableNet

Touchland chose UsableNet for several reasons, including our proven track record of success in improving site accessibility and expertise in navigating complex and always-evolving accessibility regulations. They also wanted ongoing guidance from a provider that offered tailored solutions for their business’s needs and objectives.

By prioritizing accessibility, they could improve customers’ digital experiences and simultaneously advance the business’s success.