Common Small Touch Targets in Fashion Apps: Causes and Fixes

Small touch targets are a common issue in mobile apps, and fashion apps are no exception. A small touch target refers to a clickable element, such as a button or link, that is too small for users to e

Introduction to Small Touch Targets in Fashion Apps

Small touch targets are a common issue in mobile apps, and fashion apps are no exception. A small touch target refers to a clickable element, such as a button or link, that is too small for users to easily tap on. This can lead to frustration, errors, and a poor user experience.

Technical Root Causes of Small Touch Targets

The technical root causes of small touch targets in fashion apps are often related to:

• Insufficient padding: Buttons or links with insufficient padding around them, making it difficult for users to tap on them accurately.
• Inconsistent font sizes: Font sizes that are too small or inconsistent throughout the app, leading to small touch targets.
• Complex layouts: Complex layouts with multiple elements close together, increasing the likelihood of small touch targets.
• Responsive design issues: Responsive design issues that cause elements to become too small on certain screen sizes or devices.

Real-World Impact of Small Touch Targets

Small touch targets can have a significant impact on fashion apps, including:

• User complaints: Users may complain about the difficulty of navigating the app, leading to negative reviews and ratings.
• Store ratings: Apps with small touch targets may receive lower store ratings, affecting their visibility and credibility.
• Revenue loss: Frustrated users may abandon their shopping carts or choose not to make a purchase, resulting in revenue loss for the app owner.

Examples of Small Touch Targets in Fashion Apps

Here are 7 specific examples of how small touch targets can manifest in fashion apps:

1. Small product image zoom buttons: A small button to zoom in on product images, making it difficult for users to tap on it.
2. Tiny filter and sorting options: Small buttons or links for filter and sorting options, such as size, color, or price, that are hard to tap on.
3. Miniature navigation menus: Small navigation menus with multiple options, increasing the likelihood of users tapping on the wrong option.
4. Small social media sharing buttons: Small buttons for sharing products on social media, making it difficult for users to tap on them.
5. Inaccessible promo code entry fields: Small entry fields for promo codes, making it hard for users to enter their codes accurately.
6. Unresponsive product category links: Small links to product categories, such as "dresses" or "shoes", that are unresponsive or difficult to tap on.
7. Tiny wishlist or favorites buttons: Small buttons for adding products to a wishlist or favorites list, making it difficult for users to tap on them.

Detecting Small Touch Targets

To detect small touch targets, you can use tools such as:

• SUSA: An autonomous QA platform that can automatically detect small touch targets and other accessibility issues.
• Manual testing: Manual testing by users with different devices and screen sizes to identify small touch targets.
• Accessibility auditing tools: Tools such as Lighthouse or WAVE that can identify accessibility issues, including small touch targets.

When detecting small touch targets, look for elements with:

• Small click areas: Elements with small click areas, making it difficult for users to tap on them accurately.
• Low contrast: Elements with low contrast, making it hard for users to see them.
• Inconsistent sizing: Elements with inconsistent sizing, leading to small touch targets.

Fixing Small Touch Targets

To fix small touch targets, follow these code-level guidelines:

• Increase padding: Increase the padding around buttons and links to make them easier to tap on.
• Use consistent font sizes: Use consistent font sizes throughout the app to avoid small touch targets.
• Simplify layouts: Simplify complex layouts to reduce the likelihood of small touch targets.
• Improve responsive design: Improve responsive design to ensure that elements are not too small on certain screen sizes or devices.

For example, to fix small product image zoom buttons, you can:

• Increase the button size: Increase the size of the zoom button to make it easier to tap on.
• Add a larger tap area: Add a larger tap area around the zoom button to make it easier for users to tap on.

Prevention: Catching Small Touch Targets Before Release

To catch small touch targets before release, follow these best practices:

• Conduct regular accessibility audits: Conduct regular accessibility audits using tools such as SUSA or Lighthouse.
• Perform manual testing: Perform manual testing by users with different devices and screen sizes.
• Use design guidelines: Use design guidelines such as the WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines to ensure that your app meets accessibility standards.
• Test with different user personas: Test your app with different user personas, such as users with disabilities or elderly users, to identify small touch targets and other accessibility issues.

By following these best practices, you can catch small touch targets before release and ensure that your fashion app provides a good user experience for all users.