Janet Ingber
Happy Holidays! It’s time for AccessWorld’s online shopping guide. This year we focus on food gifts and review offerings from Harry & David, Hickory Farms, Nuts.com, and See’s Candies.
All four companies maintain accessible websites, and Harry & David is also part of the Celebrations Passport app, available in the App Store.
For this article, I used an Apple Mac running macOS 26.1 Tahoe.
Harry & David
Harry & David offers phone assistance at 877-322-1200, and the representative I reached explained that he could guide me through selecting items as well as completing checkout.
The website features an extensive range of products including gift baskets, wines, and gourmet foods. Although the home page contains a substantial amount of information, it is laid out clearly and does not feel cluttered. Headings navigation gives a straightforward overview of the structure, and the search form is easy to locate. A checkbox on the home page allows users to include search results from all “sibling brands.”
I selected the Holiday Gift Baskets category. The next page offered filters to refine results, including options by price and item type, although none matched my initial criteria. I continued exploring the page using headings, links, and VoiceOver’s Find command and eventually chose “Holiday Sweet Treats.” The product page included suggestions for add-on items such as wines and other foods, followed by an “Add to Bag” button.
During checkout, I encountered some difficulty entering information and selecting certain options, but I was ultimately able to complete the process.
Hickory Farms
Hickory Farms provides live customer support at 1-800-753-8558, and my call was answered quickly by a representative who was exceptionally pleasant and happy to help with choosing gifts and placing an order.
The company offers a wide variety of food and wine gifts for the holiday season. Sign In, Cart, and Search options are located clearly near the top of the clean, uncluttered home page.
You can reach the holiday items by navigating to the Holiday link or by using VoiceOver Find and searching for the word “holiday.” The Holiday section sits considerably farther down the page. I chose to send a Thanksgiving basket.
Within the section, a pop-up button allowed me to sort results by price or by Most Popular. After reviewing the options, I selected a basket with a good variety of items. The product page provided pricing, product details, and ratings.
The Add to Cart button was easy to locate. The checkout process worked smoothly overall. I did experience some difficulty with the shipping section, but I was able to work through it. Hickory Farms accepts PayPal as well as credit cards, and PayPal users do not need to enter their card information again.
Nuts.com
Nuts.com lists a dedicated phone number for customers with disabilities at 1-866-376-0042, although it was not functioning during several days of testing. After emailing, I was directed to their general number at 1-800-558-6887, where a representative was able to help me.
The site offers far more than nuts; it includes an array of candy, dried fruits, snacks, coffees, teas, and gifts.
At the top of the home page is a Skip to Main Content link that takes you to a set of broad categories such as Best Sellers, Sale, Thanksgiving, and Holiday Guide. When I activated the Holiday Guide link, a new page loaded with additional options. The first set of links included Gifting and Greatest Hits, followed by the Seasonal Favorites heading.
Seasonal Favorites was simple to navigate using headings and links, although neither method places you directly on the Add to Cart button. Once you find an item you want, flick right to reach it.
You can access more detailed product information by activating the link at the top of each product entry. This page also contains another Add to Cart button. Navigating further down the product page by headings reveals ratings, pricing (in this example, $49), and another Add to Cart button.
Below that is the Overview heading, which includes shelf life and product origin, followed by the Product Details section. By default, this section is collapsed and includes everything contained in the package as well as nutrition information.
The checkout process had a few form-related issues but remained usable.
See’s Candies
See’s Candies offers screen reader assistance via 800-347-7337 or 310-604-6200. My call initially reached an AI system. After I explained that I was blind and needed ordering help, I was transferred immediately to a very capable human representative.
The company produces an extensive assortment of chocolates, toffees, and peanut brittle. It was founded in 1921 in Los Angeles by Charles A. See, using recipes created by his mother, Mary See.
The top of the home page includes Search, Cart, and My Account. Farther down are links to Fall Gifts, Holiday Gifts, and Chanukah Gifts. When the Holiday page loads, filter buttons appear, allowing users to sort by Best Sellers or by Price (low to high). After making a selection, new filter categories such as dark chocolate, nut-free, and kosher become available.
Search results were easy to find and included the product name, price, rating, and an Add to Bag button.
I began the checkout process but encountered difficulty adjusting the quantity. When modifying the number, I nearly entered 56 instead of 6. I called See’s again, and the representative who assisted me was helpful and patient. The company uses an automated system to enter credit card information.
Conclusion
Although each site had some accessibility challenges, the availability of courteous live assistance made the shopping experience manageable. Enjoy your holiday shopping!
