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Making your e-commerce store accessible is not just about compliance—it’s about reaching a larger audience. Around 1.3 billion people globally live with disabilities, controlling an estimated $13 trillion in spending power. Ignoring this demographic can result in missed opportunities, with businesses potentially losing up to $16 billion in sales annually.
For most, online shopping is simple and straightforward. However, for individuals with disabilities, what seems easy for others can quickly become a challenge. Many online stores have poorly structured content, buttons that are hard to see, and navigation that’s impossible without using a mouse. These barriers make it difficult for people with disabilities to engage with your site, complete a purchase, or even find the products they need.
For example, a user with a visual impairment may rely on a screen reader to interpret the content of your website. If your images lack descriptive alternative text or your content isn’t properly structured, they might not get the information they need to make a purchase. Similarly, someone with limited mobility may depend on a keyboard to navigate through your site. If your site isn’t keyboard-accessible, they could get stuck on certain pages or be unable to complete forms. These everyday experiences highlight the importance of building accessibility into your e-commerce platform.
Approximately 27% of surveyed individuals with disabilities report abandoning a purchase at least once a month due to accessibility issues, and 8% experience this frustration weekly. Accessibility barriers affect not only the checkout process but also the overall shopping experience.
By creating a site accessible to people with disabilities, you improve the user experience for everyone, retain more customers, and ensure your business aligns with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
Challenges People with Disabilities Face When Shopping Online
Many websites still present barriers for individuals with disabilities. 73% of disabled consumers encounter accessibility barriers on more than one in four websites they visit. Common challenges include:
- Missing ALT tags for product images, making it difficult for users with assistive technology like screen readers to access important information.
- Forms that are not keyboard-navigable, blocking users with motor impairments.
- Poor color contrast, making text difficult to read for those with low vision.
- Complex navigation that’s confusing for users with a cognitive disability.
Furthermore, about 69% of consumers will leave a website if they find it difficult to use, which makes accessibility standards a key factor in retaining potential customers.
The Four Principles of Accessibility
When designing a more accessible online shop, you can follow four fundamental principles that help guide your efforts:
- Perceivable: All of your site’s content should be easy to access and understand. This includes providing alternative text (ALT tags) for images so that screen readers can describe them to visually impaired users. It also means selecting appropriate colors and contrast levels, ensuring that text is easily readable against its background for users with visual impairments, such as color blindness or low vision.
- Operable: Your site should be fully navigable with a keyboard and other assistive technologies. This means that users who can’t use a mouse should still be able to browse your store, add items to their cart, and complete the checkout process without difficulty. All interactive elements—such as buttons, links, and menus—should be easy to use with alternative input methods.
- Understandable: The content on your website needs to be easy to read and understand. This principle calls for clear, concise language, especially in product descriptions and forms. Errors should be communicated in a straightforward manner so that users can easily correct them. For instance, when a user makes a mistake filling out a form, your website should clearly highlight the error and explain how to fix it.
- Robust: Your website must function on a wide range of devices, including desktops, smartphones, tablets, and different browsers. It should also be compatible with various assistive technologies, such as screen readers and speech recognition software. Ensuring compatibility with these tools will allow your site to remain accessible as technology evolves.
Practical Tips for Improving Accessibility
To make your online store more accessible, there are several practical steps you can take right away:
- Use ALT Tags for Product Images: Every image in your store should have an accurate and descriptive ALT tag. This helps visually impaired users understand what’s being shown on the screen. Additionally, ALT tags improve your site’s SEO performance, making your products easier to find in search engine results.
- Ensure Accessible Forms: Forms are an essential part of any e-commerce website, from sign-ups to checkout. Make sure all your forms are easy to complete by adding clear labels for each input field, providing helpful error messages, and ensuring they can be navigated and submitted using a keyboard.
- Optimize Colors and Contrast: The colors you choose for your website play a crucial role in accessibility. High-contrast text is easier for everyone to read, especially users with vision impairments. Use online contrast checkers to ensure your text is readable, and avoid color combinations that might confuse users with color blindness.
- Simplify Your Navigation Structure: A clear and intuitive navigation system benefits all users, but it’s especially important for those with disabilities. Use consistent layouts across your pages, group related products together, and ensure that users can reach any part of your site with just a few clicks.
Technical Solutions for Implementation
There are various technical tools and methods available to improve your website’s accessibility:
- ARIA Labels: Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) labels are essential for making complex web elements understandable to assistive technologies like screen readers. ARIA labels can provide additional information about buttons, links, and other interactive elements.
- Accessibility Testing Tools: Use automated testing tools, such as WAVE or Axe, to evaluate your site’s accessibility and identify areas for improvement. These tools can scan your site for common accessibility issues, such as missing ALT text, improper headings, or lack of keyboard functionality.
- Accessible PDFs: If you provide downloadable content, like product catalogs or manuals, ensure that your PDFs are accessible. This means including proper headings, alternative text for images, and ensuring that the document can be navigated with assistive technology.
Legal Requirements: What You Should Know
Beyond the ethical and business benefits, accessibility is also becoming a legal requirement in many countries. In Germany, the Barrier-Free Information Technology Ordinance (BITV 2.0) mandates that public sector websites be accessible, and private businesses are increasingly expected to comply. Starting in 2025, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) will introduce stricter regulations that will apply to e-commerce websites across the EU.
By ensuring your website is accessible now, you can avoid potential legal risks and fines, while also preparing for future regulatory changes. Moreover, making your online store accessible is a proactive step towards aligning with global accessibility standards, which are becoming a key part of modern digital services.
The Benefits of an Accessible Online Store
Creating an accessible online shop has many advantages that go beyond meeting legal requirements:
- Reach a Broader Audience: By making your store accessible, you open it up to millions of potential customers who rely on accessible online services. In fact, an estimated 15% of the global population lives with a disability, and these individuals can become loyal customers if their needs are met.
- Boost SEO and Visibility: Accessibility features, such as ALT text, clear content structure, and fast load times, also improve your website’s search engine ranking. This leads to better visibility in search results and increased organic traffic.
- Enhance Customer Satisfaction: Accessible websites offer a smoother, more enjoyable shopping experience for everyone. Happy customers are more likely to return, recommend your store, and leave positive reviews, all of which help drive future sales.
- Legal Compliance: Ensuring your website is accessible protects your business from potential legal action and helps you comply with national and international laws on accessibility.
Enmedia’s Support for Accessible E-Commerce Solutions
If you need assistance in making your online store accessible, Enmedia is here to help:
- Web Accessibility Audits: We evaluate your website for accessibility and identify areas for improvement.
- Consulting and Implementation: We develop custom solutions tailored to your shop’s needs and implement them efficiently.
- Technical Optimizations: From ARIA labels to screen reader optimization, we ensure your store is technically accessible.
- Ongoing Support and Maintenance: We provide regular updates and maintenance to ensure your website stays accessible and meets future standards.
Have questions or want to learn more about how we can help make your online shop accessible to everyone? We’d love to hear from you. Contact us, and let’s work together to create an inclusive online experience for all.