How to Create an Accessible E-Commerce Website

What is an accessible website?

An accessible website is one that can be fully used by anyone, including individuals who are deaf or blind or who navigate by voice, as well as anyone with a speech, visual, auditory, cognitive, or physical disability.

That may sound like a daunting list of considerations, but creating an accessible website isn’t as difficult as you may think. Bear in mind the Four Principles of Accessibility when designing your website and testing user experience: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.

Perceivable

Make sure the information on your website is presented in a way that can be easily perceived by all users. That means considering sight, sound, and other senses. You should also consider how color works on your website — colors should be contrasted enough that they aren’t hard to see. You should also avoid directing users to interact with specific colors on your site, since color-blind users may not be able to recognize certain colors. 

Operable

Make sure your website can be navigated by users who may not be able to use a mouse. All elements of your site should work with keyboards, voice dictation, and other alternative methods of browsing a page.

Understandable

The information displayed on your webpage should be clear and understandable. The operation of the user interface should also be clear, including for users navigating the site using alternative methods of browsing rather than a conventional mouse.

Robust

Your website should be built to incorporate all modern technologies and anticipate future advancements. That will ensure that your website has some staying power in terms of accessibility, even as software such as voice-recognition tools or screen readers advance.

Here are two examples of how your e-commerce site could easily be altered to accommodate people with special needs:

• Resizing, respacing, or recoloring the text or graphics to accommodate viewers with vision impairments
• Providing a button that pauses animations and flashing designs so the page is more accessible for people with epilepsy

You don’t have to make these changes on your own. There are many affordable resources available to help you create an accessible e-commerce website with the power of artificial intelligence. You can also hire a web design agency to build an accessible website, although that can be difficult because not all firms understand what website accessibility is and how a site must be created and updated to be compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). [See our small business website design tips.]

How do you create an accessible e-commerce website?

If you decide to create an accessible e-commerce website yourself, you can do it quickly and effectively if you have the right information and know-how. See the following three tips to get you started, and be sure to read more about how to open an online store.

1. Start with visual and hearing considerations.

There are many types of disabilities. Although it’s important to consider everyone, you need to start somewhere. Begin by making your website accessible to people who are blind or deaf, or who have limited vision or hearing.

Think about users who navigate the internet through voice and design. Make sure your site’s text can be accessed by people who are blind or have limited vision. Build a screen reader into your e-commerce store, for example, so the text can be read to an individual who may otherwise use Braille to read. Other important elements to include are text transcripts for visual content for users who need another way to understand the content they can’t see.

2. Focus on the finer details of website accessibility.

When building your e-commerce site with accessibility in mind, you need to think about usability, appearance, presentation, and user control. For a breakdown of the latest guidelines on website accessibility, check the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines from the World Wide Web Consortium (W3c).

Here is what that means in practice:

Usability

Make sure every part of your website has more than one point of access. If a person with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) uses their eyes as a cursor, for example, they may need an on-screen keyboard to fill out a form. A physical keyboard shouldn’t be the user’s only option for information input.

A search field should also be available so users can look up information quickly and be able to access what they need. It’s smart to include a site map that informs users where other information on the site can be found too.

Appearance

Users need to be able to zoom in on content. They should be able to increase the text to 200% with easy readability. You also need to show clearly what information is hyperlinked and, ideally, tell the user where the link will redirect them. Hyperlinks should be underlined, bold, italicized, and/or a different color to look distinct from normal text.

Also make sure your design stays consistent throughout every page and section. If underlined text usually denotes a hyperlink, don’t also make underlined text signify that something is important. You must be consistent with your layout and design meanings so your website is more easily accessible and understood.

Presentation

Descriptive text is written content that clearly outlines the meaning and provides information. Nested headings allow users with assistive devices to better understand the outline and structure of content on your website.

Color should be used as a design element and should not be needed to understand the content. If color conveys meaning, an alternative or explanation should also be present. Forms also need to be easy to fill out and easy to fix. Your form can be simple, but it needs to clearly define what’s required, point out errors, and help users understand the path to resolution.

Employ labels, which allow all images, videos, and other visual elements to be useful for individuals even if they can’t clearly see the information. Also make sure your HTML code is free of errors, such as broken links. No consumer will be impressed with a site that’s not functional.

User control

Automatic pop-ups can be a marketer’s dream and a customer’s worst nightmare. Avoiding pop-ups in the first place is a best practice for accessible design, but if you must use them, do so carefully. If your site includes pop-ups, ensure they’re easy for all your customers to exit.

The more you can avoid automatic elements, the better. You don’t want a video to play automatically or the appearance of your site to change without input from the user. The user should be able to change any portion of your site that’s time-dependent, because some individuals need a longer time to complete activities. Make sure your website isn’t timing out or otherwise hindering someone who needs an extended amount of time to use your site.

3. Provide seamless customer service.

It’s wise to have your site automatically offer to help any user who’s struggling to navigate your website. Regardless of whether the person has a disability, being offered an alternative when something feels difficult can greatly improve customer satisfaction.

Your customers should be able to get in touch with your business through various channels. E-commerce users want to be able to reach you by email, live chat and phone. Make sure your website is capable of easily initiating those communication methods so consumers have a smooth way of reaching out regardless of whether they have disabilities. After all, technology should enhance communication, not hinder it.

Why do accessibility and ADA compliance matter?

As a small business owner, web accessibility may seem like a technical detail, but it’s actually a critical aspect of creating an inclusive and legally compliant online presence. The ADA requires businesses to ensure their websites are usable by people with various disabilities, which includes more potential customers than you may realize.

Expanding your customer base

By making your e-commerce website accessible, you’re not only avoiding potential legal issues, but you’re also opening your business to a significant market segment. Nearly 1 in 4 adults in the United States lives with some form of disability. These customers want to shop online, and they’ll gravitate toward websites that provide a smooth, inclusive experience. Accessible design means people with visual impairments, motor disabilities, hearing challenges, and cognitive differences can easily navigate your site, view products, and complete purchases.

Legal and financial considerations

Noncompliance with ADA guidelines can result in costly legal challenges. Businesses have faced lawsuits and substantial financial penalties for websites that aren’t accessible. Beyond avoiding legal risks, an accessible website can actually improve your overall site performance. Many accessibility improvements — such as clear navigation, alternative text for images, and clean site structure — also enhance search engine optimization (SEO) and create a better experience for all users, not just those with disabilities.

Practical steps to accessibility

Making your website accessible doesn’t require a complete overhaul. Start with key improvements such as:

• Using high-contrast color schemes
• Ensuring keyboard navigation works smoothly
• Providing text alternatives for images
• Creating clear, logical site navigation
• Making forms and checkout processes screen-reader friendly

By prioritizing accessibility, you’re demonstrating your business’s commitment to inclusivity, potentially attracting more customers, and protecting yourself from legal complications.

Tejas Vemparala and Jamie Johnson contributed to this article.