PlaceWise Says Digital ADA Compliance is Good Business for the US Shopping Center Industry
DENVER, June 13, 2019 (Newswire.com) - With court rulings now extending ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessibility requirements to the digital space, savvy shopping center operators are embracing the opportunities compliance opens: In the U.S., annual discretionary spending of people with disabilities is over $200 billion*, according to John Dee, president of PlaceWise, a digital service provider to the shopping industry for more than 20 years.
Although ADA Title III website accessibility lawsuits tripled in 2018, Dee views the pressure on shopping centers to provide digital accessibility on their websites and apps in a positive light.
“In addition to enjoying a larger audience, shopping centers that take steps to ensure their digital channels are ADA compliant will find themselves well-positioned on three fronts. First, they are simply doing the right thing. They are also mitigating the risk of non-compliance. And, finally, by extending the convenience and accessibility of their brick-and-mortar centers to their digital presence, shopping centers are creating a positive experience for shoppers of all abilities regardless of where they engage—at the brick-and-mortar center or on its digital channels,” states Dee.
“The industry is very familiar with ADA compliance as it relates to physical barriers. With all of us being more reliant on the Internet and our phones, digital compliance is a natural extension of the physical shopping center. Shopping center operators are beginning to take steps to educate themselves and move toward compliance for all of their digital assets,” says Dee.
On June 19, beginning at 12 p.m. CDT, PlaceWise will present a webinar “What You Need to Know About Digital ADA Compliance.” The webinar examines the potential impact on shopping center websites and mobile apps, and resources to achieve compliance.
Jon Bomberger, an attorney at Faegre Baker Daniels who specializes in digital ADA compliance, will join Dee in the June 19 webinar. The webinar will cover:
· How to bring shopping center websites into compliance
· How ADA compliance could apply to centers’ mobile apps
· Resources center operators can tap into to assess their current level of compliance
The 30-minute webinar includes ample time for Q&A.
In addition to the free webinar, PlaceWise has created a full range of resources available for free download from its website. These include a white paper, “ADA Title III and the Shopping Center Website,” that covers the issue in detail, a podcast “What You Need to Know About Digital ADA Compliance,” and a “Quick Tips” flyer.
Webinar registration is available at placewise.com/webinar
PlaceWise Digital is the leading provider of digital services to the shopping center industry. Established in 1998, the company delivers over 200 million digital engagements annually, enabling unique data-driven insights and connecting local shoppers to over 800 shopping center clients throughout North America. We Make Shopping Better.
*Source: https://www.w3.org/WAI/business-case/ “The Business Case for Digital Accessibility”
Contact: Stephanie Shriver-Engdahl
Phone: (703) 795-0958
Email: Stephanie.shriver@placewise.com
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Source: PlaceWise Digital
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