WestPoint Home Partners with TestParty to Achieve Seamless, Continuous Digital Accessibility

Location: New York, New York
Products Featured: TestParty SMB Compliance Platform
Use Case: Remediation and Continuous Monitoring

“When we first got the notice about the case, it felt like it was going to become a really difficult project for the company, a very costly project for the company. Fortunately, we were able to find TestParty. We were able to get this issue resolved within a short period of time, much shorter than anyone ever anticipated, at a much lower cost, and much better overall experience.”

- Senior Vice President & Chief Legal Officer of WestPoint Home

Highlights:

Swift Remediation: Resolved over 10,000 accessibility issues within two weeks, drastically reducing remediation time and effort.
Significant Cost Savings: Avoided initial vender quotes of over $40,000 for audits alone, saving tens of thousands of dollars in external consulting fees.
Continuous Compliance: Implemented TestParty’s automated auditing and remediation, ensuring ongoing ADA compliance with no additional workload.
Enhanced Business Performance: Experienced an increase in Black Friday orders year-over-year, partly due to improved website accessibility.
Industry Leadership: Transformed a legal and financial challenge into an opportunity to set new standards for digital accessibility in the bedding and textile industry.

The Scenario: Industry Leader in Multiple Categories

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital commerce, accessibility has become a pivotal component of customer experience. WestPoint Home, founded in 1880 and a leading provider of high-quality bedding and home goods, recognized this shift early on. When the company faced legal challenges due to non-compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it saw an opportunity to not only resolve the issue but to set a new standard for accessibility within the bedding and textile industry. This case study explores the successful partnership between WestPoint Home and TestParty, highlighting how their collaboration transformed WestPoint's digital presence, leading to enhanced compliance, customer satisfaction, and business growth which saved tens of thousands of dollars.

The Challenge: Overwhelming Letters and Reaching Compliance Quickly

In late 2023, WestPoint Home received a demand letter notifying them of a lawsuit related to ADA compliance just weeks before Black Friday. The news was a significant shock to the company. As one key player of WestPoint Home’s technology team put it, "I would describe it with the GIF or the meme of the person literally walking into their desk and just flipping the desk over." The team felt completely overwhelmed by the prospect of a lengthy and costly remediation process.

A meme of a frustrated employee pushing over their table at work.

Initial quotes from manual accessibility consultants were staggering, with some estimates reaching upwards of $40,000 just for a preliminary audit, “not including the actual remediation work,” emphasized WestPoint Home’s SVP & CLO. The potential financial burden, coupled with the looming legal threat, put WestPoint Home in a precarious position. They needed a solution that was both cost-effective and efficient, allowing them to meet compliance standards without disrupting their business operations.

The Solution: TestParty's Digital Accessibility Platform

Enter TestParty, an innovative digital accessibility platform that combines automation with human expertise to provide comprehensive ADA compliance solutions. Unlike traditional accessibility consultants who charge exorbitant fees for manual audits and remediation, TestParty offers a more streamlined and affordable approach with a monthly subscription. This combination of automation and expert oversight appealed to WestPoint Home, as it promised a faster, more cost-effective path to compliance.

TestParty's team, led by Jason Tan (CTO), quickly got to work, conducting an initial audit of WestPoint's digital properties. The audit identified several key areas for improvement, including issues with PayPal integration and banner accessibility on the WestPoint Home website. Within two weeks, TestParty had both completed the audit and resolved the over 10,000 issues found. In the months after, TestParty’s technology automatically audited and remediated WestPoint Home’s sites in real-time ensuring ongoing compliance with no added efforts.

The Results: Growing Sales, Reaching Compliance, and Saving Tens of Thousands

From the outset, the partnership between TestParty and WestPoint Home was characterized by clear communication and a shared commitment to excellence in digital accessibility.

One of the most significant outcomes of the partnership was the confidence it instilled in the WestPoint Home team. Before engaging with TestParty, the prospect of ADA compliance seemed daunting and unmanageable. However, TestParty's proactive approach, combined with their 24/7 support, reassured WestPoint that they were in good hands. "You've saved us a boatload of money and time,” reflected joint technology team members. “We feel confident that we can go out and say that we are ADA compliant and that we are addressing the disabilities of people outside of the company."

This confidence was not unfounded. WestPoint Home saw tangible results from their accessibility efforts. Despite the initial challenges, the company experienced an increase in orders Black Friday orders between 2022 and 2023, which could be partially attributed to their enhanced accessibility. While it was difficult to quantify the exact impact of accessibility on sales, the overall business performance indicated that compliance had not only mitigated legal risks but also supported business growth.

Furthermore, the cost savings were significant. Thanks to the timely and effective intervention by TestParty, WestPoint Home not only settled for less than the initial fee but also saved on attorney’s fees and their team’s time. The cost of compliance through TestParty’s AI-enabled tools was substantially lower than quotes from other vendors, which often reached into the tens of thousands for audits alone.

The Conclusion: Leading the Industry with Compliance

The WestPoint Home x TestParty partnership is a testament to the power of innovative solutions in overcoming complex challenges. What began as a daunting legal and financial crisis which was projected to cost over $100,000 transformed into an opportunity for WestPoint Home to lead by example in the realm of digital accessibility at a much more reasonable price. By partnering with TestParty, WestPoint Home not only achieved compliance, but also enhanced its reputation, improved customer satisfaction, and set the stage for future growth.

Sound Familiar?

This case study serves as a model for other companies facing similar challenges. It demonstrates that with the right partner, digital accessibility can be an attainable, manageable, and even profitable goal. For WestPoint Home, the journey to ADA compliance has become a cornerstone of their commitment to inclusivity, ensuring that their digital presence is accessible to all, now and in the future.

If you have recently faced an ADA lawsuit or received a digital accessibility demand letter, consider TestParty as your solution. Contact us today and get a demo directly from our CEO!