Website accessibility standards: WCAG and ADA compliance for your store
Following the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) makes your website easy to use for everyone and, as a result, grows your sales and brand loyalty. We audit your store against the website accessibility standards (WCAG, ADA and Section 508) and fix what fails.
- Before2.63 : 1AA failAAA fail
- After7.09 : 1AA passAAA pass
- Technical errorsFixed
- Keyboard accessPassed
- Contrast levelFixed
- Text alternatives and labelsIn progress
- Page structureNext
Why website accessibility matters
About ¼ of people on Earth live with permanent disabilities, and even more face temporary difficulties. The number of lawsuits based on accessibility discrimination rises each year, and eliminating the profit loss can bring increased sales.
people in the world live with some form of disability
lost annually by non-accessible eCommerce retailers to their accessible competitors
of internet users are people with disabilities
of websites on the internet are accessible
What is website accessibility?
An accessible website is easy to use for everyone. People with disabilities still shop, learn and get entertained online; an accessible store helps them do it and increases your market share. And, profit aside, it’s just the right thing to do.
Permanent disabilities
Auditory, cognitive, neurological, physical, visual
Screen readers, voice control and the keyboard instead of a mouse: your store has to work with all of them.
Temporary injuries
A broken hand or arm
People who can’t use their hands as usual for a while still need to find a product and check out.
Age-related problems
Poor eyesight, bad coordination
Readable contrast, clear structure and visible focus help older customers buy without asking for help.
Everyday situations
No headphones, no mouse, slow internet
The girl on the subway who left her headphones at home, the customer whose mouse is broken, anyone on a poor connection.
An accessibility audit in 5 main checks
Our expert checks your website against the official WCAG 2.2 guidelines, then our developers fix what fails. This is how we took Harmless Harvest to level AA.
Your website
- Technical errors
- How accessible it is from the keyboard
- The contrast level
- Text alternatives for graphics, labels for buttons and links
- The page structure
by the official guidelines
Code and design
- Recommendations on what to improve, element by element
- Fixes in bite-sized chunks, each element checked
- Menus, headings, landmarks, forms and carousels built by W3C patterns
- Advice for your designer on accessible elements
then we audit again
An accessible store
- The level you need, usually AA
- A store that works from the keyboard and with screen readers
- A detailed report on your accessibility status
- Recommendations to keep the level as the store grows
Which WCAG level does your store need?
There are 3 WCAG levels, based on the needs of different groups of people in different situations. For eCommerce and Shopify, accessibility level AA is required.
Level A
Basic requirements
Level AA
Medium requirements
Level AAA
High-scale requirements
Each level includes the one before it. The rows are the fixes we make on a typical news block and newsletter form; we follow the same guidelines on our own website.
Read the official WCAG 2.2 guidelinesWCAG standards on accessibility
Different countries have different laws aimed at making the internet accessible for everyone. These are the three you will meet most often.
WCAG 2.0, 2.1 and 2.2
The international standard
A single standard for accessible web content. WCAG 2.1 includes 2.0, so a website that follows 2.1 is compliant with 2.0 too. We work to the latest WCAG 2.2, mostly focused on mobile accessibility for people with poor eyesight and cognitive disabilities.
WCAG 2.2ADA compliance requirements
Americans with Disabilities Act
One of the laws aimed at making the internet accessible for everyone. It sets specific requirements for websites in certain businesses.
ADA standardsSection 508 compliance
Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Government websites must be accessible to people with disabilities, regardless of whether or not they work for the government.
Section 508How we make your website accessible
- 01 · done
Audit
Technical errors, keyboard access, contrast, text alternatives and page structure, checked against WCAG 2.2.
- 02 · done
Recommendations
What needs to be improved, element by element, for the level you need.
- 03 · in progress
Implementation
Our developers fix the code in bite-sized chunks, checking each element.
- 04 · next
Re-audit
We audit again until the required level, usually AA, is reached.
- 05 · next
Report
A detailed report on your accessibility status and how to maintain it.
Accessibility in our projects
View portfolio
Deck of Scarlet
Task
A custom theme for a US-based brand with strict requirements for speed, accessibility and code quality.
Solution
Menus, headings, landmarks, forms and the carousel built by W3C patterns and WCAG 2.1 Level AA, usable from the keyboard and with a screen reader: +100% accessibility.
Read the caseDr. Alkaitis
Task
A store design concept for a health and beauty brand.
Solution
Brand identity, web accessibility requirements and the latest design trends blended in one concept.
Read the caseTurtle Fur
Task
A store design concept that keeps the brand’s values and traditions.
Solution
Brand values and traditions united with accessibility compliance and modern design trends.
Read the caseBefore you start with accessibility
Why is website accessibility important?
Making your website accessible means helping all people use all the services available on it, whether they live with a permanent disability, have a temporary injury or simply left their headphones at home.
Why do I need accessibility if I work in eCommerce?
If your shop is accessible, all people can use your services and place an order, whether they suffer from permanent or temporary disabilities or not. An accessible website also improves your SEO and increases your market share.
What is WCAG?
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the standards and recommendations that describe how to make the web accessible for all people, including the blind, deaf, and those who must navigate by voice, screen readers or other assistive technologies. We work to the latest version, WCAG 2.2.
Why is ADA compliance important?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was enacted to ensure that people with disabilities are given the same opportunities as non-disabled people. It is mostly focused on government websites and sets specific requirements for websites in certain businesses.
Which WCAG level does a Shopify store need?
For eCommerce and Shopify, accessibility level AA is required: it’s the minimum level required by law. Level A is the simplest, but insufficient; level AAA is a must for websites aimed at people with permanent disabilities.
Reviews
Everything from market research, testing phases, and ongoing support, they build our company back from the ground up. Very impressed with them.
SpurIT is our IT trusted partner. We have been working with them for years now and are extremely satisfied with their professionalism, dedication.
They turned it around quickly and communicated every step of the way. Looking forward to partnering on future sites.
Want to increase your market share and online presence?
Apple, Adobe, Starbucks, Amazon, eBay and Walmart already do what matters. Be the next: send us your website and get a free express audit of the issues that show on the surface. A full audit with a VPAT report is a paid project.