The accessibility revolution in e-commerce - removing barriers, one click at a time

Is your online store truly open to all?

Picture it: a visually stunning e-commerce site designed for conversion, mobile-optimized, running lightning-fast. Now imagine the same store from the perspective of a customer who is blind, uses a screen reader, can’t use a mouse, or is colorblind. Can they complete a purchase without frustration? Can they even browse your catalog or access customer service? If not, your business may be more exclusive than you think.

Accessibility in e-commerce is no longer a fringe issue or strictly a compliance box. It’s core to user experience, brand trust, and, increasingly, legal and financial risk. But how accessible is the modern online store, and what must the industry urgently do to bridge the gap between technical best practices and real-world, barrier-free shopping?

Why accessibility can’t be an afterthought

According to the World Health Organization, over 1 billion people live with a disability. Yet in 2024, the majority of e-commerce sites still pose daily obstacles for shoppers who need keyboard navigation, alternative text for images, accessible payment forms, or voice-command support. This invisibility can turn what should be seamless shopping into a maze of frustration, abandoned carts, and lost brand loyalty. Regulatory momentum is also surging. The U.S. Department of Justice and the European Union’s upcoming European Accessibility Act are raising the bar for web accessibility enforcement, making inaction a growing risk for online sellers. But the strongest argument? Accessibility benefits everyone. Enhanced navigation, clearer layouts, captioned product videos, and flexible UX design mean less friction for all users - mobile shoppers, tech novices, or anyone dealing with situational impairments.

The state of e-commerce accessibility: what works, what needs fixing

Let’s break down today’s e-commerce accessibility landscape across core pillars:

1. Equal access, not special cases

Truly inclusive stores are built so that customers with disabilities experience the same products, deals, and interactions, no separate "accessible" version required. This means keyboard-friendly layouts, screen reader-compatible navigation, and full use of ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) labels. For example, Shopify details accessibility as not an add-on, but a fundamental layer within their platform’s core features. They promote semantic HTML, color contrast checks, accessible form fields, and responsive layouts. This baseline approach empowers every store owner to work towards digital inclusion.

2. Success stories: retailers leading with accessibility

• ASOS - The British fashion giant reengineered its website and apps to be screen reader-friendly, fully keyboard navigable, and compliant with recognized standards. Their design team authored a comprehensive accessibility statement, outlining continuous improvement in digital equality.

  
  

• Walmart - A household name with a complex site, Walmart was once sued for inaccessibility. In response, they established an internal team dedicated to web accessibility, made substantial upgrades, and today maintain a public commitment to ongoing progress. Their journey is often cited as industry evidence that accessibility is both a journey and a business imperative.

  
  

• BigCommerce - This platform embeds accessibility into its architecture and provides merchants with checklists and resources to create compliant storefronts. They showcase brands that achieve inclusion through attention to ARIA labeling, readable product descriptions, and accessible checkout flows.

  
  

• Patagonia - A leader in environmental causes, Patagonia’s site excels at accessible product filtering and transparent messaging, with clear color contrasts, focus indicators, and robust alternative text.

  
  

• Microsoft Store - Garnered praise from accessibility advocates for their openly published roadmap and detailed accessibility documentation, including dedicated options for neurodiverse and assistive technology users.

  
  

What unites these brands? A mindset shift: Accessibility is not one-off, nor something you outsource and forget. It’s embedded in onboarding, QA, and every iteration.

3. Universal pitfalls, and why many stores still fall short

Despite many examples of progress, most e-commerce sites lag. Common accessibility failures include:

• Missing ALT text on product images, leaving screen reader users lost

• Forms or checkout buttons that can’t be focused or submitted via keyboard

• Reliance on "hover only" navigation or hidden menus not exposed to assistive technology

• Low color contrast that makes text unreadable for color-blind users

• CAPTCHA's and anti-fraud measures that block users with mobility or cognitive disabilities

• Videos and carousels without captions or pause controls

• Poorly labeled error messages, frustrating everyone (especially those using screen readers)

• Third-party integrations (chatbots, reviews, plugins) that disrupt the accessible experience

  
  

4. Accessibility is a journey, not a milestone

What makes accessibility so daunting? Unlike SEO or mobile-friendliness, accessibility isn’t a binary toggle. Storefronts are constantly evolving, with new features, seasonal campaigns, plug-ins, and accessibility is always at risk of drift. Major redesigns or campaign launches are notorious for accidentally reintroducing old barriers. The web’s dynamic, plug-and-play nature requires stores to continuously audit and adapt. Automated tools can flag obvious failures, but manual testing with real assistive technology and real users is essential. Consider these trends:

• AI-driven accessibility overlays are a hot controversy; they promise quick fixes, but often break as much as they attempt to repair.

• Some marketplaces (including Etsy and Amazon) are making accessibility a ranking factor for sellers, an emerging signal that "good enough" will not be enough for long.

• Reviews and social sharing increasingly influence purchases; inaccessible content becomes invisible to a large slice of potential brand ambassadors and critics alike.

How to make e-commerce inclusive?

So, what does it take to get e-commerce accessibility right? Here are actionable imperatives distilled from industry best practices, platform guidance, and real-world stories:

1. Stop Thinking of Accessibility as Secondary

Accessibility isn’t just for "special" users, nor does it mean a stripped-down or visually boring experience. It’s about universal usability. Begin projects with accessibility in your design system, design tokens, color palette, and content workflows. Make accessibility a required success metric at every project stage.

2. Involve shoppers with special needs from day one

Nothing beats usability testing with people who use screen readers, voice navigation, or who shop one-handed, or those with cognitive disabilities. Create feedback loops and enlist people with disabilities in your beta tests and focus groups. Their lived experience will spot issues overlooked by automated tools.

3. Master the foundations - semantic HTML and ARIA

Accessibility doesn’t always require sophisticated technology. Semantic HTML - proper headings, lists, labels, buttons - lets assistive tech interpret your store’s layout. Use ARIA attributes only to supplement, not to patch poorly structured code. See Shopify and BigCommerce for practical guides.

4. Design for keyboard (and beyond)

Every function - product search, add-to-cart, checkout - must be accessible with only a keyboard. Add clear visual focus states (not just "blue outlines") so users don’t lose their place. Test with “Tab Only” navigation as part of every release workflow.

5. Prioritize contrast and readability

Color isn’t decoration, it’s navigation and brand identity. Use tools like WebAIM’s Contrast Checker to ensure at least 4.5:1 contrast. Adjust for "dark mode" and always avoid color alone to communicate state (e.g., errors, discounts, or selections).

6. Make images and media work for everyone

Every product image must include meaningful ALT text. For collections and galleries, use concise group descriptions. Caption all promotional videos, add transcripts for audio, and avoid autoplay.

7. Don’t launch without an accessibility statement

Publicly share your accessibility road map, the standards you are working toward (e.g., WCAG 2.1 AA), and how customers can contact you about issues. This isn’t just regulatory; it builds trust and invites honest feedback.

8. Automate, but don’t abdicate

Tools like Lighthouse, Axe, or WAVE can help detect accessibility issues. Many platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce have built-in checkers. But never rely on automated scans alone. Manual spot-checks and user feedback must guide your sprints.

9. Tame third-party add-ons

The biggest accessibility regression often comes from third-party themes, plugins, chat widgets, or review modules. Make component-level accessibility a contract requirement and vet all integrations rigorously.

10. Stay transparent and keep learning

E-commerce platforms must make perpetual accessibility education part of onboarding and dev culture. Share wins as well as failures - for example, read how leading platforms like Shopify and BigCommerce document their progress, invite feedback, and push new resources as standards evolve.

Bonus: The Business Case Microsoft, Google, and Apple all maintain that accessible design reduces technical debt, increases test coverage, and converts more shoppers. In the age of social validation, accessible stores foster word-of-mouth and open untapped customer communities.

Why education about accessibility isn’t a luxury, it’s a strategic imperative

Accessibility in e-commerce isn’t merely about compliance risk or a sense of ethical obligation. It’s an opportunity. Each fix or feature unlocks a bigger addressable market, a stronger SERP (search) ranking, and a reputation for customer-first culture. If you’re in software, product management, marketing, or customer support, this isn’t a distant legal topic. It’s where your company’s promise meets the day-to-day experience of your users. For a deeper dive into accessibility as a broader digital responsibility, check out “Who benefits from accessible documents? The overlooked power of inclusive guidelines” and “Does Accessibility have an impact on SEO? It’s more than ALT tags,” both on the 1000.software blog.

Action steps and questions for reflection

1. Does every product, discount, and service on your site work for someone using a keyboard or screen reader?

   
   

2. How would a new release (major promo, new payment gateway, chatbot) be tested for accessibility regressions?

   
   

3. Who in your team (engineering, design, support) is accountable for inclusive UX?

   
   

4. Have you published an accessibility statement and invited direct user feedback?

   
   

5. Are you treating accessibility as an ongoing sprint or a box to check?

   
   

By answering these questions, you chart your store’s course from accessibility as an afterthought to a core business advantage, and ultimately, toward a more inclusive version of retail.

The future of e-commerce is (and must be) accessible

The accessibility movement has momentum, and in the coming years, "partially accessible" stores will fade from the mainstream. Legislation, consumer reviews, and everyday UX will push our industry closer to parity. But real progress won’t come from mandates or fear. It comes when online businesses embrace accessibility as a path to delight, differentiation, and data-driven growth. The question is not whether e-commerce can afford to care about accessibility. It’s whether anyone can afford not to.