How To Ensure ADA Compliance for Your E-Commerce Website: Compliance Principles And Tips

ADA compliance, accessibility, ecommerce accessibility
Yotam Flohr
Researcher

Our methodology

Our unique research methodology for digital accessibility combines user testing, feature analysis, and hands-on experience. We review various remediation software and platforms to provide top recommendations.

Written and researched for humans by humans

Yotam Flohr
Researcher
Ajay Sohal
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ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Compliance for e-commerce websites is mandatory, as you can read in our definitive guide to ADA compliance in 2024

Since the Internet is meant to be used by all, people living with disabilities from all aspects of life should have unlimited and unabated enjoyment of the World Wide Web. This includes those who have physical, cognitive, visual, or auditory impairments. 

Recently, websites have been targeted by lawyers in violation of ADA compliance, making web accessibility a key focus for all site owners belonging to various domains, especially eCommerce.

In this guide, we will cover some core ADA compliance principles as well as some tools such as UserWay and accessiBe that can help you during this process.

How to make your e-commerce website compliant?

Before we get into the core ADA principles you should focus on, let’s look at a few tools that come highly recommended and can make the compliance process that much easier.

1. accessiBe

Ideal for small-to-medium-sized businesses, accessiBe is a simple and affordable accessibility tool that was built according to WCAG, ADA, and Section 508 requirements. In just 48 hours, your website can be fully compliant, ensuring a more inclusive experience for every shopper. This is done through the addition of an accessibility panel on the front end of your site that makes it possible for visitors to customize their shopping experience according to their needs.

accessibe logoaccessiBe
  • WCAG
  • ADA
  • Section 508

accessiBe is one of the most talked-about web accessibility tools available today. It helps take a lot of the manual work out of becoming ADA compliant by making it quicker and easier to identify web accessibility issues on your site.

Pros

  • Account managers available to guide you
  • 5 min installation and 48-hour compliance process
  • 100,000+ clients use accessiBe
  • Includes accessibility statement and certification

Cons

  • Built specifically for websites and small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs)

Existing Clients

2. UserWay

Compatible with the top 20 CMS platforms, UserWay is an ideal choice for eCommerce sites. Along with making your site compliant with ADA Title II, WCAG, and Section 508 guidelines, you will also be able to provide shoppers with a more personalized experience thanks to an easy-to-use accessibility panel. And if your site happens to offer video and PDF content, there’s the option to make these accessible too, ensuring full compliance on every level.

Userway service logoUserWay
  • WCAG
  • ADA
  • Section 508

UserWay is trusted by thousands of leading brands that want to create a more inclusive experience for their online users. With the help of an easy-to-use accessibility overlay, it’s never been easier to ensure your Magento site is compliant with some of the top ADA requirements.

Pros

  • Quick and easy process
  • 1M+ website installations
  • Affordable cost & dynamic pricing
  • Multiple solutions and services offered

Cons

  • Customer support is lacking

Existing Clients

logo of the company porche
logo of Duke University

In case you want to do a manual accessibility audit, here is the checklist you should be conscious about:

  • Familiarize yourself with the law using our Definitive guide to ADA compliance in 2024.
  • Hyperlinks should have sufficiently descriptive and relevant link text
  • All website pages should have “skip navigation” links
  • Proper heading tags should be used in hierarchical manner with text content
  • All PDF files should be easily and readily accessible
  • Create a website accessibility statement or policy page
  • The contact details where users can request accessibility information and submit their feedback should be easily located.
  • Test your website in compliance with WCAG
  • Prevent missing critical accessibility problems by automating the website accessibility check

What are the media requirements for an ecommerce store compliance?

  • Subtitles, audio descriptions, and transcripts should be available for video content
  • Web pages’ color contrast should be WCAG compliant
  • Fonts should be accessible
  • Column Headers, cell information, and row identifiers are required at all HTML tables.
  • Written captions should be available for all audio files
  • CTA buttons should have an accessible name or an ARIA label if required.
  • Keyboard navigation is a must
  • Photos, videos, and maps should have alt tags
  • All online forms need descriptive HTML tags

Importance of ADA compliance for ecommerce websites

The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) was established in the 90s to help end the discrimination and bias against differing abilities.  It was based on the monumental Civil Rights Act of 1964. However, they went further, stating that it requires organizations to put an end to discrimination and enact “reasonable accommodations” for disabled employees.

The ADA is one of the major reasons why modern society enjoys wheelchair access and other equal-access accommodations in the workplace and even in public. 

Nonetheless, no legislators were prepared for the boom of Internet access that radically changed how people do business.

Most of the time, it falls to the courts in determining how the ADA applies to websites. That is if they even apply at all. 

What does the Title III of the ADA demand?

Title III of the ADA demands that every “owner or operator” of any “place of public accommodation” give equal access to those meeting the ADA’s disability standards.

Many courts have found that since people “own” e-commerce websites, these websites are supposed to “accommodate the public.”

However, the e-commerce ADA compliance still lies in a grey area from the legal lens.

With this, judges have upheld the rights of those differently-abled. The courts found that online retailers and e-commerce websites must comply with the rules and regulations indicated in the ADA. 

If your e-commerce website is not ADA compliant, this can make you liable.

For example, a lawsuit may be filed against your company if differently-abled people cannot or have trouble accessing or using your website. 

Even if you don’t mean to exclude or discriminate against them, it could still happen. This could result in lawsuits that would cost you thousands of dollars. This shows why e-commerce website accessibility is signifcant.

What do you have to keep in mind other than legal grounds?

First, non-compliance with ADA policies means that you are potentially turning away customers for the sole reason that they basically cannot shop with you.

Second, and most importantly, if your e-commerce website complies with the ADA, you’re giving people with disabilities the amount of attention and care that they deserve.

The Core Principles You Should Focus On

In the grey area of e-commerce ADA compliance, it’s safest to default to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines or WCAG.

WCAG indicates the goals for enacting ecommerce ADA compliance. Such core principles of an ADA Compliance  ecommerce guide state that your website should be:

  • Easy to perceive. Site visitors should easily perceive all the information on your site, including images, text, and video. You need to provide alternatives in case a user cannot see or hear the content.
  • Easy to operate. Users should navigate your website and access any of its features, no matter what.
  • Easy to understand. You want potential customers to understand the content of your website, including text, images, and videos. To wit, you can add instructions, text-to-speech, and such.
  • Robust. All those who visit your website should receive the same experience, care, and attention. For example, text-to-speech content should be the same or equivalent as the content received by those who do not need this assistive technology.

What To Test On Your Website

To achieve ADA compliance on your e-commerce website, it should undergo testing for accessibility at Accessibility Checker. Here are some factors you should take a look at.

The Check-out Process

It is the most crucial part of any e-commerce website to get right. Those who shop online tend to abandon their carts almost 70% of the time (1). 

You’ll lose more if your checkout process is not optimized for people with disabilities. Imagine their frustration if, after all the functions and inputs, they can’t finalize the transaction.

The Color Schemes

Website designs should have sufficient color contrast (2) for people with low vision or color blindness. If not, you should at least have a color contrast option available.

color contrast

The Form Fields

If not coded properly, website forms are a big hassle for some people with disabilities. Forms need a proper label, error messages, and instructions.

The Alt Text

E-commerce can be heavily reliant on vision. That said, product images should have accurate and sufficient alternative text that sufficiently and exactly describes each picture. 

People with disabilities, especially those visually impaired, rely on screen readers and such assistive technology.

ADA Compliance is Great for E-Commerce Websites

If your e-commerce website is ADA Compliant, you’re doing yourself a favor while making sure that every single customer, no matter what disability or status, can enjoy your website.

ecommerce website

From the business side, it means securing yourself against liabilities and lawsuits.  

Not only that, but this also means that there will be fewer abandoned carts, more possible returning customers, retaining happy ones (3), and increasing revenue. Additionally, ADA compliance enhances the website SEO.

On the other hand, you know that you’re doing the right thing. People with disabilities need these accommodations to get the full experience of online shopping and the Internet as a whole.

If you are looking for an ADA compliant solution, check our guide here.

By making your e-commerce website ADA compliant, you’re ensuring that they receive the same care, attention, and experience as everybody else.

Found this article informative? Check our other resources to guide you in making your website accessible:

Frequently Asked Questions

ADA laws are no longer just linked to physical stores. All eCommerce websites need to be accessible and comply with WCAG standards. People with disabilities should have equal opportunities to engage with and purchase your products.

Regardless of whether you run a B2C or a B2B website, it cannot discriminate against those living with disabilities. All users should be able to access your B2B site and engage with your content, regardless of ability – it’s a legal requirement.

Even though Shopify continues to take steps that cater to the needs of customers living with disabilities, it doesn’t mean your site is automatically accessible. Keep in mind that the theme you’re using on your site isn’t necessarily accessible, which is why it’s important to scan your site and correct any accessibility issues to comply with legal requirements.

Start by auditing your Shopify site to get an accessibility score. From there, you can evaluate and deal with any accessibility issues. Some of the most basic steps you can take include using the correct header structures, adjusting your color contrast ratio to 4:5:1, adding alt tags to your images, and ensuring your navigation is consistent across all pages.

Building your site on the Magento platform (now Adobe Commerce) doesn’t necessarily mean it’s accessible and compliant. Website owners still need to audit their sites and make certain adjustments to ensure all users can access and engage with their content and online products.

How we reviewed this article
  1. Current version
  2. Modified March 7, 2024

    What we changed

    Article was reviewed by an expert

  3. First Draft of the Article December 20, 2023
I have been helping global businesses bring their brands to life online for over 14 years now and I still love it! I am particularly passionate about ensuring online content is accessible to everyone. I’ve spent years learning as much as possible about web accessibility, ensuring I can educate others on its importance no matter what sector they are in.
Yotam Flohr
Researcher
Yotam Flohr is a prominent digital accessibility expert with over five years of experience in the field. Before specializing in accessibility, Yotam worked on various online projects and collaborated with major internet companies like Wix. His transition to digital accessibility was a natural progression, driven by his commitment to creating inclusive web experiences.

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