Ever tried to buy something online with your eyes closed? That's roughly what shopping feels like for screen reader users on most ecommerce sites. And the numbers back it up - 94% of ecommerce checkouts are inaccessible, according to a 2025 study by the Contentsquare Foundation.

If you're running an online store, accessibility isn't just a nice-to-have anymore. With the European Accessibility Act now enforceable and ADA lawsuits against ecommerce retailers up 37% year-on-year, getting this right is both a legal requirement and a genuine competitive advantage.

I've put together a practical checklist covering every stage of the shopping journey - from product browsing to payment confirmation. No legal jargon, just actionable steps you can work through today.

Why Ecommerce Accessibility Matters Right Now

Three things have changed the urgency here:

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) came into force on 28 June 2025. If you sell to customers in the EU and have more than 10 employees or over EUR 2 million in annual turnover, your entire shopping experience - product pages, cart, checkout, receipts and support channels - must meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards. Fines can reach EUR 500,000 depending on the country.

ADA litigation is accelerating. In the first half of 2025 alone, over 2,000 ADA website accessibility lawsuits were filed in the US, with nearly 70% targeting ecommerce retailers. Average settlements sit between $25,000 and $75,000 - and that's before legal fees.

The business case is real. There are over 1.3 billion people globally living with disabilities, representing an estimated $13 trillion in annual disposable income. An inaccessible store isn't just a compliance risk - it's a revenue leak.

If you want to understand the broader accessibility landscape, our post on why 96% of websites are still failing accessibility checks covers the full picture.

The State of Ecommerce Accessibility

The data is sobering. A 2025 study by AccessibilityChecker.org audited 100 high-traffic online retail platforms and found that only 11% of cart and checkout pages met minimum WCAG standards, with an average accessibility score of just 65 out of 100.

The Contentsquare Foundation's audit of the 50 most-visited ecommerce sites across five European markets painted an even bleaker picture:

Product pages scored just 3.5 out of 10 - the weakest stage in the customer journey
84% of checkout pages failed to properly label buttons and form fields
Not a single European market achieved 50% compliance across audited sites
Sites with accessibility statements scored 8 points higher than those without

The good news? Many of these issues are fixable. The Contentsquare study found that 68% of form-related failures could be resolved through simple label and error message improvements. Let's go through what to fix.

Your Ecommerce Accessibility Checklist

Product Pages

Product pages are where customers decide whether to buy. If they can't access the information, they can't make that decision.

Add descriptive alt text to every product image. Don't just write "product photo" - describe what's shown. "Red leather crossbody bag with adjustable strap and brass buckle" helps screen reader users understand what they're looking at. 38% of images on ecommerce sites lack alt text entirely.
Use proper heading hierarchy. The product name should be an H1. Sections like "Description", "Specifications" and "Reviews" should be H2s. This lets assistive technology users navigate the page structure.
Ensure colour isn't the only indicator. If a product comes in multiple colours, don't rely solely on colour swatches. Add text labels alongside them. A colour-blind user can't distinguish between "Burgundy" and "Forest Green" from a swatch alone.
Make size and variant selectors keyboard-accessible. Users should be able to Tab to every selector, use arrow keys to change options, and see a clear focus indicator showing where they are.

Navigation and Search

If customers can't find what they're looking for, nothing else matters.

Ensure full keyboard navigation. Every link, button, dropdown and menu item must be reachable and operable using only a keyboard. Test by pressing Tab through your entire site - can you reach everything? Can you open and close menus with Enter and Escape?
Add skip navigation links. A "Skip to main content" link at the top of each page lets keyboard and screen reader users bypass repeated navigation and get straight to the content.
Label your search input properly. Use an HTML <label> element associated with the search field via the for attribute. Placeholder text alone is not sufficient - it disappears when users start typing.
Make filter and sort controls accessible. Dropdown filters, price sliders and checkbox filters all need proper labels, keyboard operability and screen reader announcements when results update.

Cart and Checkout

This is where most ecommerce sites fall down hardest. An inaccessible checkout means abandoned revenue.

Label every form field. Every input needs a visible <label> element. Placeholder text is not a label. The 84% failure rate on button and form labelling shows how widespread this problem is.
Provide clear error messages. When validation fails, tell the user exactly what went wrong and where. "Please enter a valid email address" is helpful. A red border with no text is not.
Don't rely on colour alone for errors. Pair red borders with text messages, icons or both. Approximately 8% of men have some form of colour vision deficiency.
Ensure the "Place Order" button is keyboard-focusable and clearly labelled. It sounds obvious, but if the primary call to action isn't reachable by keyboard, the sale is lost.
Allow sufficient time. If your checkout session expires, warn users before it happens and give them the option to extend. Timed sessions disproportionately affect users who navigate more slowly.

Forms and Payment

Group related fields logically. Use <fieldset> and <legend> to group sections like "Billing Address" and "Payment Details". This gives screen readers the context they need.
Support autocomplete attributes. Adding autocomplete="given-name", autocomplete="postal-code" and similar attributes to form fields helps browser autofill work correctly. This benefits everyone, but it's especially valuable for users with motor impairments.
Make payment method selection accessible. Radio buttons for payment options need clear labels. If you use custom-styled selectors, ensure they have the correct ARIA roles and states.
Provide an order confirmation page. Don't rely solely on email. Show a clear on-screen confirmation with the order details. Make sure it's announced to screen readers.

Media and Content

Meet colour contrast ratios. All text must have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 against its background (3:1 for large text at 18px or above). Use a tool like the WebAIM Contrast Checker to verify.
Add captions to product videos. If you use video on product pages, provide captions. This helps deaf and hard-of-hearing users, but it also helps anyone watching without sound.
Ensure text can be resized. Users should be able to zoom to 200% without content breaking or overlapping. Test this in your browser with Ctrl/Cmd and +.

Testing Your Store

Automated tools catch roughly 30-40% of accessibility issues. The rest requires manual testing.

Automated testing:

Run your key pages through an accessibility scanner. Tools like axe DevTools or Lighthouse flag the most common WCAG violations in seconds.
Focus on your highest-traffic pages first: homepage, top product pages, cart and checkout.

Manual testing:

Keyboard test: Unplug your mouse and navigate your entire purchase flow using only Tab, Enter, Escape and arrow keys. Can you complete a purchase?
Screen reader test: Try VoiceOver (Mac), NVDA (Windows, free) or TalkBack (Android). Navigate a product page and attempt a checkout. Listen for confusing announcements or missing context.
Zoom test: Set your browser to 200% zoom and check that nothing breaks, overlaps or becomes hidden.

For a broader view of your site's health across accessibility, SEO, security and performance, a comprehensive website audit can identify issues you might miss.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Relying on an overlay widget. Accessibility overlays don't make your site compliant. They're a surface-level fix that can actually make things worse for assistive technology users. Fix the underlying code.
Only testing the homepage. Your homepage might pass with flying colours, but if the checkout fails, your customers still can't buy. Test the entire journey.
Treating accessibility as a one-off project. Every new product, design change or plugin update can introduce new issues. Build accessibility checks into your development workflow.
Ignoring mobile. Over 60% of ecommerce traffic comes from mobile devices. Test touch targets (minimum 44x44 pixels), zoom behaviour and screen reader performance on mobile.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ecommerce accessibility legally required?

Yes, in most major markets. The European Accessibility Act requires WCAG 2.1 AA compliance for ecommerce sites selling to EU customers (with exemptions for micro-enterprises). In the US, courts consistently treat online stores as public accommodations under the ADA. The ADA web accessibility deadline has been a moving target, but enforcement is actively increasing.

What WCAG level should my online store target?

WCAG 2.1 Level AA is the standard referenced by the EAA and most legal frameworks. This covers the four principles - perceivable, operable, understandable and robust - across 50 success criteria. If you're starting from scratch, focus on Level A first, then work up to AA.

How much does ecommerce accessibility cost to fix?

It depends on the size and complexity of your store, but many of the most impactful fixes - adding alt text, labelling form fields, fixing colour contrast - are low-cost changes. The Contentsquare study found that 68% of form-related failures could be fixed through simple label improvements. The cost of not fixing them - lawsuits averaging $25,000-$75,000 and lost customers - is typically far higher.

Can automated tools make my store fully accessible?

No. Automated scanners catch roughly 30-40% of WCAG violations. They're excellent for identifying low-hanging fruit like missing alt text and contrast failures, but they can't evaluate whether your checkout flow makes sense to a screen reader user or whether your keyboard navigation is logical. You need both automated and manual testing.

Do I need an accessibility statement on my ecommerce site?

It's strongly recommended. The Contentsquare study found that ecommerce sites with accessibility statements scored 8 points higher on average than those without. An accessibility statement shows commitment, provides a feedback channel for users who encounter barriers, and is a requirement under the EAA for organisations in scope.

Wrapping Up

Ecommerce accessibility isn't as overwhelming as it sounds once you break it into stages. Start with the checkout - it's where the biggest failures are and where the most revenue is at stake. Then work backwards through cart, product pages and navigation.

The stores that get this right aren't just avoiding lawsuits. They're reaching more customers, improving their conversion rates, and building something that genuinely works for everyone.

If you want to see how your online store measures up across accessibility, SEO, security and performance, join early access for an audit and get 50% off any plan for life!