Let's talk numbers.
£274 billion. That's the annual spending power of disabled people and their households in the UK—often called the 'Purple Pound'.
75%. That's the percentage who have walked away from a purchase because of poor accessibility.
Do the maths. That's billions in revenue walking out the door.
The Click-Away Pound
Online, it's even starker. Research shows that businesses lose approximately £17.1 billion per year because disabled customers can't use their websites. They literally click away to competitors.
But this isn't just about websites. It's about the whole customer journey.
The In-Person Experience
Consider a wheelchair user trying to buy a new kitchen:
**Without preparation:** They arrive, discover the showroom layout is inaccessible, wait while staff scramble to clear a path, can't reach the design consultation desk, and leave frustrated—taking their £15,000 kitchen purchase elsewhere.
**With preparation:** Their requirements are known in advance. The route is clear. A suitable consultation space is ready. They have the same experience as any other customer—and buy the kitchen.
Same customer. Same product. Same staff. The only difference is whether barriers were removed in advance.
It's Not Just Wheelchair Users
The Purple Pound includes:
When a group of friends includes one wheelchair user, where do they go? The venue that's prepared—or the one that isn't?
The Ripple Effect
Disabled customers talk. When they find a venue that gets it right, they tell others. When they find one that gets it wrong, they tell everyone.
Social media has amplified this. A single bad accessibility experience can reach thousands. A good one can too.
The Business Case
This isn't charity. It's revenue protection and growth:
1. **Direct sales** from disabled customers
2. **Group bookings** where accessibility determines venue choice
3. **Loyalty** from customers who know they'll be prepared for
4. **Reputation** in an age of social sharing
5. **Staff confidence** that reduces awkward interactions
What WelcoMe Does
WelcoMe turns accessibility from a scramble into a system:
The Purple Pound isn't a niche market to 'accommodate'. It's a massive commercial opportunity that most of your competitors are fumbling.
Want to capture the Purple Pound? Book a demo to see how WelcoMe prepares your venue for every customer.