Best Holiday Shopping Tips For Blind or Visually Impaired Consumers!

The holiday season is a merry time when families come together. People travel back home, friends and old acquaintances meet, and people take time off to be with one another. Every holiday has its theme and purpose, nevertheless, they all have one thing in common. 

You cannot have your family or friends over without food, nor can you arrive empty handed to a Christmas party. This is why we have prepared the following guide for safe and easy visually impaired holiday shopping. 

Plan Your Holiday Shopping! 

Prepare a Holiday Shopping list. Based on your meal plan and snack options, write down everything you think you might need to buy. This tip goes for holiday gifts and clothes shopping as well. 

To be the perfect host or guest you will need to consider the details: thanksgiving banner, holiday plates or napkins, Christmas desserts… If you are not sure what to buy, search the term “what to buy when grocery shopping for the holidays”

Next, you will need to figure out which store you want to go to and plan your route there and back. Search for the best route and learn it to remember where to go and when. 

Before going, consider asking the shop for assistance or going to an accessible supermarket around you to see where you can get better assistance. 

If you can, we recommend going shopping with a friend or a neighbor. This can also be an enjoyable time for you both. 

Start your Holiday Shopping Early. 

Most sales begin on Thanksgiving day, but we don’t recommend going shopping then. Shopping centers will be crowded and disordered. It is best to go a week or two before each holiday to avoid these conditions. 

Some people start Christmas shopping right after Thanksgiving to get good deals and discounts. In this case, the best way to do holiday shopping and get good deals without going to the store is online of course. Order what you want and have it delivered to your address.  

While in store

Shop smart. Learn the outline of the shop to maneuver the aisles safely and with more confidence. Once you know where everything is located, think of a route to get to the food or clothing sections you need. Most people get the perishable foods last to help everything stay cool until they get home. 

Go grocery shopping with your bags. Plastic bags tend to tear easily and products can drop without notice. Plus, this is a smart way to categorize your goods: Vegetables in a cotton bag, and perishable food in an insulated food bag.

Prepare your money ahead of time by separating your bills. When paying the cashier, use bills that are closest to the amount of the sale, to minimize the change you’ll need to identify and sort. It is also good to say the bill’s amount out loud. The cashier will know you are expecting the right change. 

Consider Ordering Your Holiday Shopping Online. 

Online shopping is a great way to avoid a lot of these difficulties. Searching for an item on the computer is much easier than finding it in a big mall or supermarket. Today many Shopping apps can help you shop easily from your phone!

Shopping online can also be good if you already know what you want to order and know the brand. You can never go wrong if you order based on previous experience. A shirt similar to what you often wear or a preferred product.  

Don’t wait for the holiday season to start browsing your favorite shopping sites or items. When the sales start, your shopping cart will be ready so lay back and enjoy the discounts at checkout! 

Assistive Technology For The Best Shopping Experience!

Having trouble reading your shopping list? Recognizing a product, or a delivery guy’s uniform? OrCam MyEye can help you. 

A device designed for visually-impaired people that can scan and read text from every surface, recognize faces, scan barcodes, identify bills, and more! Vision made audible. 

Technology to help you start this holiday season with confidence and independence. Happy Thanksgiving with love, OrCam.