What steps would help make a retail store more friendly for autistic people of all ages?

I work in a big box store and would like to see changes that make it easier for autistic people and their families to shop. I have ideas that would help an adult, but need a wider brainstorm to cover all ages and abilities.

AWESOME! Answers already, really good ones. I actually have a sign of interest from my store management and I am not even at work today.

IMPORTANT: What's in it for the store?

Here is what I wrote to my store :

I was thinking about doing something to make the store more autism friendly (for autism awareness month April) in some ways for both autistic adults and children and their families. It might be something as simple as publicizing days and times when we already have low traffic. This could be a very simple project. Just turn off the music, and everyone be autism aware because the likelihood of odd behaviors. The autism community is very active and the word would get around quickly.

You may not know that autistic adults can have a huge problem visiting a store like ours, a store selling the things they need. The reasons why are many, but our efforts to help out would get positive attention all around. And it would bring in visitors at times that we would like to see them.

Parents of autistic kids with odd or bothersome behavior would appreciate a welcoming place to go with their child, where outbursts are ok, and one is likely to meet a peer when they take a break in the restaurant. Autistic kids need to get out, too, and ours is already a much better autistic environment than other retail.

Update: your responses are excellent! I will be compiling and presenting here as soon as I can. Keep posting. This could turn into a good resource for practical accommodation advice.

Post non - busy hours online for uncrowded shopping.

That's a damn fine idea.

Many stores know this info but do not post it, Since if you make it fully public then you change when other people come shopping. In my experience in grocery, Early morning or late at night you can shop with little crowds, Weekends, esspecially Sunday morning starting at 10am the store is packed. Tuesdays/Weds we would get Seniors bussed in by the county to shop, Thursday County would bring in Assisted shopping for those who are Austic and such. Depends on what kind of Big box store you are, can affect your customer base. Best Buy doesn't have a regular weekly shopping crowd, Where as Sams Club or such would have a routine crowd.

Some places already do it, but if yours doesn't, handouts with a map of the store and where everything is

No super bright lights. And if using fluorescent lighting, look into getting lights that flicker at a rate that does not bother autistics and epileptics. I don't recall the exact specs, sorry.

High frequency ballasts. They're usually above 10kHz. Older ballasts are at the line frequency (60Hz in North America)

I'm seeing LED's starting to proliferate in stores these days.

There's a discount big box electronics store near me that I can't go in because their color scheme is bright yellow. I've walked out of stores because it was too hot/too loud. So pay attention to that sort of stimuli.

Is it the JB Hi-Fi chain of stores??

Acceptance training for staff.

This is actually crucial. I was helping out a friend of mine who was doing an online course on ASD for her retail work.

Turn down the music

I agree with the music thing. I like that Target (at least the one I go to) doesn't play any music at all.

Self checkout.

And provide a flag or something for "don't bother me". I HATE being asked if I need any help. Seriously rage inducing. They can still watch out for shoplifters or whatever, but I need something to keep people away until I ask for help.

Inversely, they could provide flags, pins or something for people who DO want attention but want to focus on finding what they want rather than flagging (no pun intended) down someone at the store.

Couldn't there be like buttons to press at an aisle to call for someone to help?

This can be handled with training mainly, When I worked in a grocery store, we were "Required" to acknowledge anyone within 5-10 feet of us as we worked. But you quickly learn to just be aware of who is around you and look for the people who look "lost" and trying to find something. We didn't do the "Can we help you" Every time we saw someone. But we didn't work on commission as some stores do.

My experience, in retail and as a customer, is that some stores do it better than others. Some require associates to ask anyone within 10 feet if they need help - not just acknowledge (bad enough for this Aspie) but actually ask if they want help. After the 3rd request in as many minutes, I leave.

Perhaps a self checkout?

Tone down the lights, tone down colors, sound dampening in the walls and aisles, wide aisles, self checkout OR take a number for check out, maps of the store, wi fi coverage for whole store, carpet not tile,...

Less shiny floors, in fact plain cement would be fine, the lines subliminally directing traffic are distracting and bothersome, to a higher degree for some. The ads placed in aisles that shout out commercials as you walk by..... No thank you.

A convenience store near me has an advertisement for beer on the floor that makes it look like there's a hole. I don't want to complain, but I hate that thing.

More constructively: Don't make announcements over loudspeakers. Don't play music. Don't make staff harass every person who enters the store--tell the staff to wait for a customer to approach them. Have trained staff who know the products who aren't idiots.

And staff who don't talk to customers like the customer is an idiot.

OK. I am trying to make this REAL, at least in one big box on the planet. Wholesale remodeling, redoing the lighting, etc is not going to happen in an existing store. These things might happen in the future. It will be incremental.

Going after the low hanging fruit is appreciated, even if it is not as good as a complete redesign. It's kinda the equivalent of having a handicap parking spot but not having a low customer service counter or ramp - some people will be helped, some will still need more help. Here are some things that are low hanging fruit, and they'll likely be appreciated by autistics and allistics alike:

If your lights take t8 or t5 tubes they already have the good kind of ballast. fix any that appear to be failing.

Turn off unnecessary noisemakers/ visual distractions like TVs, moving display signs, music, etc

Teach staff not to be so agressively "helpful" and not to be offended if someone does not do smalltalk or eye contact. Also no touching unless required for first aid purposes.

Have a hand dryer and paper towels in the bathroom - one person may not like the noise of the hand dryer, while another may not like scratchy paper towels - If you have civic compost collection used paper towels can be composted.

If you carry products like soaps and detergents etc that are usually scented and also unscented versions: Make an unscented products section and move all the unscented ones there, at least 2 aisles away from the scented products. Whether someone is scent sensitive autistic or just allergic to perfume, having to go down the detergent aisle to find the unscented laundry soap can be torture.

Don't use the blue ribbon or the puzzle ribbon. Some people are offended by it and those who are not will likely not be offended by it's absence.

If you must be affiliated with some organization, make it some local organization that helps autistic people, not Autism Speaks. Many people despise the alarmist rhetoric AutSpe uses, among other issues.

Don't use floor sticker advertisements.

Fix loud fridges and ventilation.

If you have one of those air-curtain things at the entrance, turn it off.

Fix carts with bad wheels. Consider how to make carts quieter: rubber wheels, hockey tape where the swinging part hits the basket?

If you have one of those air-curtain things at the entrance, turn it off.

Am I the only one that loves the air curtain when it's cold?

Acustic baffeling to limit echoing (sensory stuff). A quite room, many airports and shopping centers have these to allow people to pray or do whatever they need to do.

I'd also like to point out that just because we're more sensitive to this stuff doesn't mean other people don't get it on some level. Echo noisy places are also disliked by the elderly.

3 things make me avoid a store:

Too noisy. This is often caused by the background music being too loud. If there tend to be sudden loud noises like alarms, bells, or anything like that are also a problem.

Strong smells. Perfumes, air fresheners, or even scented cleaners can be overwhelming.

Too disorganized. If I can't find a price on an item or the shelf it's on, then I won't buy it. Also, if I cannot find what i need quickly, I will just leave. It really annoys me when stores take things that should be in a single category and split them up. For instance I was shopping for a computer chair at Target and found I had to go to office supplies, home furnishings, college supplies, and the clearance section in order to see all the ones they had. This was all spread out across 2 floors as well.

While a lot of these ideas are great, some of them aren't really feasible for the purposes OP posted. I sincerely doubt, for example, they can provide self checkout or cause shiny floors to be less shiny. That being said, posting non-peak hours, educating employees about ASD, not playing music and ensuring there's no harsh smells seem fairly straightforward and manageable. Depending on the store, asking employees to desist "May I help you" may cause management to cringe and/or be staunchly against it, so I'd be careful how I handled that one. Ensure everything is laser lined and priced correctly (which should be true anyway :P) Finally, and tying into employee awareness of ASD, stress to employees to not be forceful (too helpful). Having a salesperson who constantly seems to be just at the end of the aisle waiting for you to need help is quite annoying, and I know some retailers advise employees to not accept "I'm just looking/shopping" as an acceptable answer and to try to further the conversation by asking what customers are looking for.

I answer with, "please, sir/ma'am, I know you're doing your job, and not trying to harass or distract me, but I have autism/ sensory processing disorder/a really bad headache/a disability that makes having a conversation very hard. I don't need help, and if you continue to try to talk with me, I'll become overwhelmed and have to leave and switch stores.

Please pick up crap off the floor- rubber bands, tags, pieces of rubbish etc. As a child and sometimes even now, I would be attracted to objects on the floor and pick them up. Sometimes I'd even put them in my mouth. It's gross, but I used to hoard random bits of crap. It can be a choking hazard and it's generally unpleasant to see.

free earplugs

Have quiet hours! I would love to walk into a store where the music isn't on too loud, the lights aren't angry at my eyes and most importantly, where there aren't too many people around. This would be heaven. And I would spend money at a store just for that. :)

Smells. Don't forget that.

Any music must be calming. Some ambient music would be wonderful. Easy jazz, classical, anything but Janet Jackson pop! Hip hop is pretty annoying too.

Not fluorescent lights.

Fluorescent lights are torture. They've triggered so many sensory overloads.

I would recommend high quality full-spectrum lights and magnetic ballasts. You'd be surprised how much of a difference this makes for Autistics and non-Autistics. I say this as someone who observed the difference it made in an academic environment. It can get costly but it is worth every penny. I would recommend you get a lamp and a good full-spectrum bulb and go between that and a regular bulb while doing something critical like reading of having a conversation.

I doubt my school would replace all their lights just because I complain.

That's why you provide lots of information from outside resources.

I agree! I buy so many grow lights I worry the swat team will bust into my house looking for marijuana plants. But I figure if the light is good enough to make flowers bloom, it will make us bloom too!

Came here just to say this. I can see fluorescent lights flickering (not just the ones that are literally flickering, but all of them) and it is one of the major things that bothers me on a sensory level in a retail setting. Here's more information about red-blue pupillary flickering in autistic people.

I don't have Autism, my child does, I have PTSD and I have found the fluorescent lighting (and just overly bright days in general) can trigger that too. I think we could get a lot of people behind a light change.

OK, I'm a parent w/ two 7 year old boys, one autistic. Here's my perspective:

I need to get in and out fast. The longer I'm in there the harder it is. This leads to lots of points.

For me, good customer service is a delicate balance between (a) helping me find what I need, if you can really do it and speed things up; and (b) leaving me alone if you are just going to slow me down. Don't ask me to explain my whole project to you. Don't question whether I might need something different. Just help me get the heck out of here.

Friendliness goes a LONG LONG way!! this makes everything more pleasant. I love a friendly face. Please don't make faces because my kids behavior bothers you. On the other hand, please understand I can't linger to chat with you. I'd love to, because you seem nice, but I can't, so smile, wave, help me find my thing, then help me leave!

PLEASE remove those awful loud hand dryers from the bathroom if you can. Even my nonautistic son is scared of them. At least provide paper towels so we don't have to turn it on.

Please provide a stepstool so my kids can wash their hands in the bathroom.

If I could, I would NEVER enter a public restroom with my kids. I can't keep them from touching everything. Since I can't control their bladder, the cleaner you can keep ... well, everything! ... in there, the more I will love your store. Seriously, these days the state of your bathroom can definitely prevent me from coming back to your store.

someone else talked about the sensory overload, so I won't beat a dead horse. However, this is a big deal. please no flickering lights, no overly bright lights, make the music calm and soothing and not too loud, also smells, yes! I mentioned bathrooms, extra ventilation in the bathroom instead of a bunch of deodorizer would be an enormous relief.

Again, the key for us is getting in and out fast. Logically laid out goods, easy to find, good signs, etc. If you're a store where I am going to shop over and over at (e.g., Target), please don't keep rearranging the store so that I never know where anything is. This is more demoralizing than you can imagine.

No long check-out lines. Bad things happen here. I have previously had experiences where I managed to get what I need, after some time, only to have to abandon everything and just leave because we couldn't make it through the checkout line.

If this is possible, have carts that accommodate larger children, not just toddlers. My 7 year old tires out very very fast, but has really gotten hard to hoist into a cart.

Luxury items: OK, if I were Supermom, and also not pretty challenged myself in the areas of planning and organization, I would always come armed with the all the little things I should have with me. Hand sanitizer. Crayons and coloring book, maybe. Squishy handheld things. Little snacks and bottles of water. I can't even think of them all NOW. I'm so grateful when I go places where they actually provide the things I've forgotten but help me survive. The servers who bring me crackers and crayons at the restaurant. At the grocery store, the folks who offer up a little snack to my kid while I'm in the line at the deli.

Basically, the offers for extra help when I really really need it, I appreciate this so much. The guy at Home Depot who helped me to my car. The folks at Chik Fil A who tell me to go ahead to the playground because they're gonna bring me the food. These people make my day.

This covered almost everything I could think of. One that wasn't mentioned was maybe having a child-friendly checkout line, without all the candy and little tidbits that small hands like to go after. It isn't autism-specific, I'm sure, but my HFA daughter is VERY hands-on, especially in the checkout lines, and it's hard to pay for groceries while constantly prying things out of her hands.

YES! often I have done the old snack-and-shop. This cannot always really be planned out. However, sometimes I have kept them occupied the entire time by letting them eat potato chips and crackers the whole time. and of course, I FLY LIKE THE WIND! ah, good times.

I second the plea to stop moving things around in the store! This drives me crazy every few weeks it seems :'( Oh, and stocking items predictably, such as foods not disappearing from the store permanently would be good too, but that is almost definitely too much to ask. It is hard enough to find something that is right without it disappearing two weeks later...

I hear you on this one. My grocery store has the bananas scattered all over the store. You can really get your exercise this way

I am excited at the idea that someone might actually make these improvements!

I think the way it would "catch on" would be if just one store made the effort, and marketed it, and found it actually worked to attract business to their store. Then perhaps the other stores would also get on board with it.

The problem is all the other factors that compete with this one that ultimately dictate where we shop. Like price and location!

I think it's hard to get modern businesses to change how they do things (if it costs anything) because it's so hard to demonstrate that it will alter their bottom line.

Good...it isn't just me. Target keeps moving the batteries around. I just buy them online now. I have had to ask where the batteries are twice in a store which I go to often.

I know they scatter batteries around the store, but I use particular types of batteries which are not in the convenience locations. Plus, they changed brands which were available for some reason.

not just you! on any given day, at any given store, you can recognize that look of frustration in the other patrons. ("where are the corn chips? what happened to the ___?" they all do it!

Amazon.com has it done right as far as I am concerned. If it isn't easy in the store, then I do it in the comfort of my own home.

yes it's great to be able to order, but sometimes some of us aren't very good at planning ahead, unfortunately ....

Signs with pictures and words, but crucially pictures. People on the autistic spectrum tend to be quite visual and respond well to pictures. So, things like signs next to key areas and such are really helpful. Also, making sure the beginning of queue areas and tills are clear is crucial.

I've already posted something, but there is another issue I run into a lot. As I am gaining my independence, I find myself being followed around shops by security guards. I presume that this is because my stimming and the way I act makes me seem suspicious. This can make you feel alienated and awkward. Even if it is not possible for staff to recognise signs of autism, is following people around shops really a good idea? It isn't just me that this happens to. It happens to all my friends with ASD as well.

Thats shit. Treating me with suspicion for no reason is a temper trigger.

I start panicking, which makes usually makes them follow me more. It's not exactly like I can say, "Can you stop following me? I'm autistic, not a shoplifter".

Why not though? Its the truth.

I suppose. Kind of awkward though.

But how awkward do you feel being followed by someone who thinks you're a thief? You have the right to feel as comfortable as possible while shopping!

Very awkward and uncomfortable. It happened again and the security guard continued to stare at me as I left the shop. I almost had a panic attack. I immediately contacted the Tesco's customer service team via live chat. They were very supportive and understanding of my difficulties. They are contacting this shop and forwarding my complaint. Apparently, all staff are supposed to have disability awareness training and they are taking this complaint very seriously. They said they will get back to me with the results. I am glad that they have been so helpful. I wouldn't have the confidence to make a complaint directly to the manager. I hope this will stop at my local shop, but I am sure it will continue at other shops that I go to. If this was a one-off thing at one shop, that would be fine. However, this is something that happens all the time and it happens to many other of my friends on the autistic spectrum.

I think you handled that great!

It would be incredibly awkward for them actually. It is amazing how much social interaction affects neurotypicals. It can make me (us?) stressed and anxious, but it affects them on so many levels if understood, it can be quite useful to know.

I can understand how pointing out that someone is doing something that is making someone else uncomfortable can be embarrassing and awkward for everyone involved.

This never happened to me, but if it did, I'd probably be tempted to mess with them by acting suspicious on purpose or by leading them on a snipe hunt. Or, if you wanted to get rid of them, try asking them questions. I highly doubt they want to become your personal shopping assistant, so that would probably dissuade them.

I don't like to make myself stand out too much, I'm already the odd one out in most situations. Acting more suspicious would probably do me more harm than good. My mother said I should get little pieces of paper to give to people with information about Autism and Asperger's Syndrome.

I'm older now and a lot more comfortable and confident with myself. I have a bit of an impish personality. I was sharing that to show some diversity.

However, if this actually occured, I'd probably be mindful of my legal rights, and their discrimination against those with disabilities if it became an issue. If this is a store you go to often, I'd write a letter to management like this:

To Whom It May Concern:

I am an individual with Autism Spectrum Disorder, a developmental disorder which can cause significant differences in how I interact with others and sometimes how others perceive me. I like the selection at [store name and location], however, the security personnel do not seemed to be mindful of the civil rights of those with disabilities as required under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 [or whatever law is in effect where you live].

Discriminating against those with disabilities although widespread is illegal and it is very distressing to those affected. I would ask that the security personnel not follow me or anybody else around the store with suspicion just because we act a little different sometimes. If they have a genuine desire to assist, they should ask if we require any assistance. If they have a genuine suspicion, harassment is probably not the proper response.

Thank you for considering this matter and I look forward to a less stressful shopping trip next time.

By writing a letter like that you get to address the problem in a way which will almost guarantee correction. The customer service and legal implications are enough to get any manager to act immediately to fix the situation. If you include your name or contact information, you may get coupons or gift cards as well.

That is a good idea. Next time that this occurs, I'm going to write a letter. Unfortunately, it happens at quite a lot of stores I go to. However, my local convenience store is the main place it happens.

I hope it helps. If you use a computer, make a form letter and fill in the details as needed. You can send it about past events. You do not have to wait for it to occur again. Business are interested in business. If they can improve customer service and remove legal liability, they usually will do so. For the convenience store, it may be that this is normal suspicion for people of your age or description. Convenience stores are often attractive to shop lifters, and they usually have a lot of people coming through who they do not know. Following around is a bit extreme though...they should be using the mirrors.

There aren't any mirrors. I don't fit in to the typical shoplifter stereotype. In fact, according to demographics, I'm severely at risk of being a victim of crime, rather than committing a crime. They don't seem to like it that I look at things for a long time, which is because I have trouble making decisions, so I take my time.

I read labels a lot and do comparisons which require math. I do not know if this is regarded suspiciously by others though.

You should not have to experience that. I hope you can get it fixed.

Thanks for discussing this with me.

I love this idea!

OK. I am trying to make this REAL, at least in one big box on the planet. Wholesale remodeling, redoing the lighting, etc is not going to happen in an existing store. These things might happen in the future. It will be incremental.

I would put surveys near the exits and entrances labelled something like "Accessibility Survey" or something and ask the actual customers what they think. Rather than the "big picture" we can address here, there may be a lot of of smaller details which can be altered in the store, but we'd have to be in the store to find those.

It may be that your lights in one department are better than the others due to the bulbs or wiring in that particular area, or that something is incredibly distracting or otherwise undesirable near the bathrooms, or that the aisles are confusing, or that something is actually very useful and enjoyable which you did not know.

For example:

This survey is to get feedback on any aspect of your shopping experience concerning the accessibility of this store for those with developmental disorders. All information is anonymous and confidental.

Q1. Are you or someone with whom you are shopping directly affected by a developmental disorder such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual Disability, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder?

Yes | No

Q2. Do you shop here regularly?

Yes | No

Q3. If No, is the reason why you do not related to the presence of a developmental disorder and this store's accessibility?

Q4. Please describe in as much detail as you can anything which caused significant anxiety or distress in this store during your trip.

Q5. Was anything particularly pleasant or enjoyable about this store?

Q6. Please include any comments or suggestions here. Thank you for helping us to improve the accessibility of this store.

If things were organized in a way that makes sense like everything that's women's clothing be in one spot including socks bras and underwear I also shouldn't have to look forever to find something that used to be somewhere but now has been moved

I would like to see a corner where most people never go have a good generalized selection of the basics. It would be easier to find what you need and less activating of distress.

Or things easier to find like I don't wanna dig through shirts and find that biggest size isn't on the bottom but somewhere in the middle

Not having the registers right next to the exits.

HF Asperger's person here. I'm pretty much completely independent but I have really bad sensory issues that are getting worse as I get older.

I'm with the votes to turn off the blaring bloody music. If I walk into a shop and the music is thumping, loud, or being piped through those tinny speakers, I immediately want to leave. Crowds, long queues and loud screaming children are also an instant turn off for me. Florescent lighting makes my brain hurt, so maybe even turn off half the lights in the store? I prefer natural daylight or lamplight to the overheads in my flat, even.

Maybe have a quiet, calm area set aside in part of the store where parents can bring a distressed kid. Soft thing like beanbags or a couch, snack stations, etc. might help.

A weird thing: check your cart wheels more often. For whatever reason having a cart with a jiggly wheely freaks me out and I have to go find one that operates smoothly. This sometimes leads to me replacing two or three carts to find a newer one that doesn't wobble.

If you're in Target, turn all of the fucking shit off in the electronics department. I can hear it the second I enter the store. Turn off the sound coupon things. Turn off the fucking televisions stationed all over wal-mart last I checked. Turn off your shitty musak, no one is listening to it anyway and it's just creating more ambient noise.

Honestly? I don't shop in big-box stores because they're so horrifically unpleasant I'd rather just wait a few days and order my stuff online. Thankfully in Ireland people have a concept of how not to be obnoxiously loud in public spaces and there's not a television in every fucking bloody corner.

Sorry. Thinking about all this shit really riles me up because I hate it so much but yeah, anyway, best of luck. Frankly, if you really want something done well, find someone with autism or sensory disorders, take them through the store and ask them what they don't like.

Also? Stop your employees from asking me if I need help every five seconds. I'm staring down at two bottles of soap because I want to make sure I don't hate the smell or the texture, not because I'm gonna fucking steal them. It's hard enough for me to venture out into big chain stores, so I try to get in and out as fast as possible and I hate interacting with people anyway, so please leave me alone if I'm clearly engaged in something. If I'm wandering around looking lost, maybe ask if I need help, but otherwise leave me be.

If you're in Target, turn all of the fucking shit off in the electronics department. I can hear it the second I enter the store. Turn off the sound coupon things. Turn off the fucking televisions stationed all over wal-mart last I checked. Turn off your shitty musak, no one is listening to it anyway and it's just creating more ambient noise.

Many times I've been startled by the TVs. I never thought about it though. Yes, we know how TVs work. You do not walk into a car lot (I hope) and all the cars are running so potential buyers know what they do. Why do they do this with electronics?

Make sure there are no puzzle pieces "for autism", no ads for Autism Speaks, no materials talking referencing autism in regards to finding a cure, is being a burden, what we cost to care for, no referring to autism as a disease, nothing like that. If you wouldn't say it about any other minority group, don't say it about us. Also no loudspeaker announcements, beeps on little trolleys backing up, loud clanking ladders, people yelling, etc .

First of all, I want to say thank you for this! You are a wonderful person! I have a son with autism who can have a really tough time when a store is too overloaded sensory wise or crowded. Maybe a room in the store where individuals with autism/ disabilities could go where it is quiet & not too overloaded sensory wise. Sometimes if he can take a break in a quiet area it can help him to be able to make it out of the store. Sometimes amousement parks & fairs have areas like this for individuals with disabilities and it helps!

I always turn into a complete zombie in IKEA. There are two factors.

1 - Mazes leave me feeling disoriented. How would you like it if you felt lost for the entire time you were in a store?

2 - Must you really point your lights at all the brightly coloured wall displays you put up? It's like neon world in there.

3 - Lines convey such a lack of respect for your customer. I don't mind waiting 5 minutes or so, but I know that stores know how many boxes of Kleenex they are going to sell on the third Tuesday of the month. So stop wasting my time, I hate your store, I hate buying things and making me wait after I've looked at your walls, bought a bunch of crap and walked 6 miles through your maze while feeling lost the whole time is enough don't you think? You're a multibillionaire now it wouldn't kill you to add a bonus cashier.