What the Domino’s digital accessibility decision means for businesses
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The 3 things businesses need to know about Domino’s and digital accessibility right now.
The backstory:
In 2016 a man who is blind brought a lawsuit against Domino’s when he was not able to place an order on their website. A Federal Court ordered the pizza chain to update its digital experience to be accessible to people with disabilities. Domino’s asked for the case to be heard by the Supreme Court, and the Supreme Court decided not to hear it. Domino’s makes this key argument: their pizza is accessible, by phone.
What’s next?
Whether Domino’s decides to comply with the Federal Court’s previous direction or continues to fight remains unknown. Domino’s, and the retailers that support them, have argued that their products are accessible by phone. But we all know that ordering by phone is a last resort. And so does Domino’s, which is why they added an app.
Meanwhile, earnings are down for Domino’s and the story is getting coverage everywhere, from Morning Brew to People magazine.
What this means for businesses:
- The door is open for more lawsuits. Businesses who do not make their digital properties accessible are now even more at risk for a lawsuit. We’ll call it “The Domino’s Effect.”
- Bad press is bad for business. Consider this one from People magazine, with an estimated reach of 36 million people: “Supreme Court Allows Blind Man’s Lawsuit to Proceed Against Domino’s Pizza for Online Accessibility.”
- The ROI of digital accessibility is rising. It’s estimated that 1 in 4 people in the U.S. have a disability. And it’s estimated that people with disabilities control over $8 trillion in disposable income globally. It just makes business sense for companies to be accessible. The Real ROI Guide to Digital Accessibility is the only case you need to make. Let’s be real: accessibility is about a lot more than ordering a pizza. It’s about equal access to the world — whatever your takeout or shopping preferences might be.
Top headlines about the Domino’s decision:
- Los Angeles Times: Supreme Court allows blind people to sue retailers if their websites are not accessible
- Bloomberg Law: Supreme Court Won’t Hear Domino’s Pizza Website Access Dispute
- Fast Company: Domino’s Pizza was just dealt a Supreme Court blow that could reshape the ADA in the digital era
- People: Supreme Court Allows Blind Man’s Lawsuit to Proceed Against Domino’s Pizza for Online Accessibility
The bottom line:
Digital accessibility doesn’t have to be hard — and we can help. Contact us.
