I hate to complain publically about this, but I have to do so. I am blind, and this morning tried to register for an account at Totally Wicked. They use an anti-spam measure that requires customers to type the letters/numbers shown in a graphic, which is not accessible via my screen reader software. I called the toll-free order line and was informed that they (the order takers) had nothing to do with running the site. So, I went back to the website to try and communicate with the webmaster about this. Guess what? One has to enter the Captia code to even complain that the site is inaccessible. Okay, no big deal. I can buy as a "guest," right? Wrong. The site is so poorly organized (products are shown in grids, for instance), that I cannot even browse. Sorry TW, you've lost my business. Maybe it won't matter to you; I mean, what's the loss of one customer, right? Incidentally, I have encountered similar problems, although not as egregious at Vapor4Life (catalog arranged in grids), Johnson Creek (catalog arranged in grids)...even this Forum is difficult to navigate (too much redundant information on every page/unclear links). Guys, blind floks and those with reading disabilities are a part of the consumer public. If you ran a brick and mortar store which lacked access to people in wheelchairs, you'd get sued...but this is the Internet, and settled law (NFB v. Southwest Airlines) makes it clear that disabled people aren't protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act as far as access goes. Still, do you really want to exclude any potential buyers? Something to think about. I'll put up with the bad English grammar on www.e-cig.com; at least their site is more or less accessible to folks with vision impairments. To the owners of web-based businesses who don't care to make their sites accessible, I wish you much success and blessings. End of rant.
TW = Totally Inaccessible
- Thread starter Ciego
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The 'captcha' is just part and parcel of using the internet i'm afraid to say. Some even I cannot interpret, and I have 20/20 vision.
They are annoying for sure.
They are annoying for sure.
Ciego, welcome to the forum, and I hope you find enjoyment with this forum like I have. I hope you find a way to order from the suppliers you want to do business with.
I have seen many sites where they have a button to click for audible clip of the captia code for sight impaired users.
Not arguing with you but just stating that 99 percent of the sites I have ordered from require setting up an account and having to enter a captia code. Personally I wish it wasn't so but thats the way it is, though useful for sites I keep ordering from.
Hope you find a solution that satisfies you
Not arguing with you but just stating that 99 percent of the sites I have ordered from require setting up an account and having to enter a captia code. Personally I wish it wasn't so but thats the way it is, though useful for sites I keep ordering from.
Hope you find a solution that satisfies you
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Ciego,
Accessibility is a serious issue and we all need to do better. It's a shame that vendors don't do better but perhaps they are restricted by the ecommerce software they use.
This forum could be arranged better, we do know that. There are two main problems: the forum software and the template we use. All forum software produces very poor web page code compared to other webapps like CMS, it's something we have to put up with. For example it is possible to build a CMS at very little cost that produces web pages to AAA (triple-A or Level 3) accessibility level, which would be impossible with this forum or any other I know of. However we just upgraded it and there may be some plugins that would help, I'll take a look. For example there are plugins for things like making an iPhone work better on the site, and so on.
Also we are going to change the template, and no doubt it would help if that has no glaring errors in the accessibility area.
Please tell me if any of the alternative templates we offer for visitors are any better than the stock one? The link to swap them is at the bottom left, a spin box / jump menu with options such as Kirsch and Blackend. There might be a template optimized for screen readers somewhere, we'll take a look.
Can you let us know how the registration for ECF went, please?
You can email me on admin[AT]e-cigarette-forum[DOT]com , the address needs @ and a dot replaced in order to work.
By the way, e-cig .com is a Chinese site so I think they do OK considering
Accessibility is a serious issue and we all need to do better. It's a shame that vendors don't do better but perhaps they are restricted by the ecommerce software they use.
This forum could be arranged better, we do know that. There are two main problems: the forum software and the template we use. All forum software produces very poor web page code compared to other webapps like CMS, it's something we have to put up with. For example it is possible to build a CMS at very little cost that produces web pages to AAA (triple-A or Level 3) accessibility level, which would be impossible with this forum or any other I know of. However we just upgraded it and there may be some plugins that would help, I'll take a look. For example there are plugins for things like making an iPhone work better on the site, and so on.
Also we are going to change the template, and no doubt it would help if that has no glaring errors in the accessibility area.
Please tell me if any of the alternative templates we offer for visitors are any better than the stock one? The link to swap them is at the bottom left, a spin box / jump menu with options such as Kirsch and Blackend. There might be a template optimized for screen readers somewhere, we'll take a look.
Can you let us know how the registration for ECF went, please?
You can email me on admin[AT]e-cigarette-forum[DOT]com , the address needs @ and a dot replaced in order to work.
By the way, e-cig .com is a Chinese site so I think they do OK considering
Don't know much about software, but WOW, I never thought about that, makes you think about how much we take things for granted. I truly hope you find some solutions
Ciego,
I am sure it is just something they overlooked. People are just unaware in general (including myself) of needs of disabled. Thanks for bringing out the issue and I hope it will get fixed at some point.
I am sure it is just something they overlooked. People are just unaware in general (including myself) of needs of disabled. Thanks for bringing out the issue and I hope it will get fixed at some point.
I have done plenty of customer service in my life. If I ever owned a business, nobody would ever say it wasn't their job - if they wanted a job. A simple note taken and passed to the proper department would be excellent customer service.
I hope you find a good experience soon. You've found a good forum here with great people. This can be a good hub for you. You can always post a question here, and we can help answer it for you - about any site, any product.
I hope you find a good experience soon. You've found a good forum here with great people. This can be a good hub for you. You can always post a question here, and we can help answer it for you - about any site, any product.
Sorry to hear about the troubles you're running into. Not to be rude, but rather just curious, would it not be much easier for you to place phone orders? Don't get me wrong, I'd rather not talk to someone if I don't have to, I'm antisocial like that lol. I'd much rather point and click and make my purchase. But there's obvious limitations between being vision impared and trying to navigate the net. Those captchas are a necessary evil to prevent spammers from signing up with fake accounts and other forms of membership abuse. I'm sure the vendors would be happy to take a phone order. Hopefully things get sorted out.
haha....I just keep hitting the little refresh button till I get a really easy one.
Thanks so much, Admin. Man, I just realized how lacking in social skills I am...my first two posts were a.) a dumbass newbie question and b.) a rant. You'd think by now I'd know better. Sorry, please forgive.
To answer your question: The registration process was fairly intuitive and quick. I used my skull a bit and tweaked my profile, which is something I failed to do when I first registered. No problems. I need to read the FAQs fo that I can actually communicate with suppliers, for instance on their sub-forums. Otherwise, I'm figuring this template and this site out.
99% require Captia? Not hardly. I have now ordered twice from V4L. I have also successfully ordered from LECitg (via telephone), Johnson Creek, litecigusa and a couple others, just to test out their service and to get started in a big way. I've bought several starter kits for smoking friends that want to try something new. So no, 99% are not inaccessible. Funny though: I may never use Facebook, Twitter or Yahoo groups, simply because they are all very difficult (if not downright impossible) to access.
Say, before I forget...thanks a million for all the incredible education I've received since joining this forum only a few days ago. Yes, I lurked a bit before I joined, but I get something new from this site everytime I log in. Well done!
I am now going to post a proper "Hello" thread and try to get off on a better foot. Again, thanks.
Paul a.k.a. Ciego a.k.a. Uncle Squinty
==
To answer your question: The registration process was fairly intuitive and quick. I used my skull a bit and tweaked my profile, which is something I failed to do when I first registered. No problems. I need to read the FAQs fo that I can actually communicate with suppliers, for instance on their sub-forums. Otherwise, I'm figuring this template and this site out.
99% require Captia? Not hardly. I have now ordered twice from V4L. I have also successfully ordered from LECitg (via telephone), Johnson Creek, litecigusa and a couple others, just to test out their service and to get started in a big way. I've bought several starter kits for smoking friends that want to try something new. So no, 99% are not inaccessible. Funny though: I may never use Facebook, Twitter or Yahoo groups, simply because they are all very difficult (if not downright impossible) to access.
Say, before I forget...thanks a million for all the incredible education I've received since joining this forum only a few days ago. Yes, I lurked a bit before I joined, but I get something new from this site everytime I log in. Well done!
I am now going to post a proper "Hello" thread and try to get off on a better foot. Again, thanks.
Paul a.k.a. Ciego a.k.a. Uncle Squinty
==
Ciego,
Accessibility is a serious issue and we all need to do better. It's a shame that vendors don't do better but perhaps they are restricted by the ecommerce software they use.
This forum could be arranged better, we do know that. There are two main problems: the forum software and the template we use. All forum software produces very poor web page code compared to other webapps like CMS, it's something we have to put up with. For example it is possible to build a CMS at very little cost that produces web pages to AAA (triple-A or Level 3) accessibility level, which would be impossible with this forum or any other I know of. However we just upgraded it and there may be some plugins that would help, I'll take a look. For example there are plugins for things like making an iPhone work better on the site, and so on.
Also we are going to change the template, and no doubt it would help if that has no glaring errors in the accessibility area.
Please tell me if any of the alternative templates we offer for visitors are any better than the stock one? The link to swap them is at the bottom left, a spin box / jump menu with options such as Kirsch and Blackend. There might be a template optimized for screen readers somewhere, we'll take a look.
Can you let us know how the registration for ECF went, please?
You can email me on admin[AT]e-cigarette-forum[DOT]com , the address needs @ and a dot replaced in order to work.
By the way, e-cig .com is a Chinese site so I think they do OK considering
thats to bad TW has been great for me, and there titan menthol fluid is the only stuff I vape, good luck finding websites that do not require entering in those codes...............
I don't understand why someone would refuse to help you on the phone...that's just rude. I wish you better luck in the future!
I hate those stupid codes anyway...you put it in and it still tells you it's wrong LOL
I hate those stupid codes anyway...you put it in and it still tells you it's wrong LOL
I hate that stupid captcha code or whatever it is. I have perfect vision and I nearly always get it wrong. It's one thing to make sure you're human when you sign up for a site but totally another to make sure you're super human with incredible code-breaking skills. lol I feel your pain.
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