In the digital world, accessibility is central to ensuring that all people - regardless of their physical or mental abilities - have equal access to information and services. For example, there are more than 1.3 million people with disabilities in the world, yet only a small fraction of the web is fully accessible to this group. E-commerce is about designing online stores so that they can be used without restriction by people with a range of disabilities, including those with visual, hearing and motor impairments.
The design of your shop should therefore take a number of factors into account to make it as easy to use as possible. This article will show you how to do this, the tools you can use, and the benefits of an accessible shop.
Challenges for people with disabilities in e-commerce
Approximately 15% of the world's population lives with some form of disability, representing a significant proportion of society. This includes in particular:
- Visual impairment: People with low vision may have difficulty seeing thin lines, small fonts or low-contrast colours on websites. This includes limitations due to colour vision problems, such as red-green deficiency. They also experience problems on the Internet.
- Hearing impairment: People who are deaf or hard of hearing may have difficulty understanding audiovisual content, such as videos that do not have captions or transcripts.
- Engine restrictions: People with motor impairments may have difficulty using a mouse to operate small buttons or complicated navigation components. A mouse-only website may exclude them.
An accessible online store allows users with visual impairments to navigate the site, for example by providing keyboard shortcuts. Audio and video content should also be captioned so that people with hearing impairments can access the content.
The importance of accessibility in e-commerce
Accessibility means that everyone can use digital services, regardless of their physical or mental abilities.
The question of why your shop should be accessible is easy to answer, especially from a social point of view: Everyone has the right to participate - even on the Internet. In an open society there is no room for discrimination and exclusion.
However, there are now a number of legal frameworks, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the USA and the European Accessibility Act (EAA) in Europe, which regulate accessibility in e-commerce in a wide range of countries.
Legal aspects of accessibility in e-commerce
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a landmark piece of US federal legislation designed to provide equal access to public accommodations and services for people with disabilities. Originally limited to physical spaces, it has been extended to the Internet to ensure that people with disabilities have the same opportunities online as people without disabilities. The law applies not only to US-based online stores, but also to international companies that offer their services in the United States.
European Accessibility Act (EAA)
In 2019, the EU also launched the European Accessibility Act (EAA) with similar requirements for businesses in Europe. This means that all EU member states are now obliged to create and implement a legal and nationally applicable basis by 2025.
Actions to improve e-business accessibility
Making your web store an inclusive shopping experience may seem super complicated. But there are many small, simple things you can do to make your content more accessible. These include making websites usable for keyboard only users, resizing text without losing content, and providing alternative text descriptions for images. To ensure that people with hearing impairments can understand the content of the website, your shop should be captioned for audio and video content.
In addition to the points mentioned above, there are other measures that can make your store more inclusive:
- Forms and input fields: Clear labelling and helpful error messages make it easy for everyone to use, including those with motor impairments. Clear and intuitive navigation with highly visible links and buttons further simplifies operation.
- Responsive design: Responsive design ensures that your store is optimised for different devices and screen sizes.
- Fonts and readability: Use fonts that are easy to read and make sure there is sufficient line spacing.
- Graphics and charts: Stelle sicher, dass Grafiken und Diagramme für alle verständlich sind, indem du alternative Textbeschreibungen hinzufügst. ALT-Texte erklären, was zu sehen ist beziehungsweise welche Funktion Buttons besitzen. Diese können von sogenannten Screenreadern in Audio-Formate umgewandelt und vorgelesen werden, damit auch Menschen mit Sehbehinderungen die Inhalte verstehen können.
- Customer support: Provide accessible customer support. This includes phone numbers with voice output and an easily accessible email address for visually impaired customers.
To help you get started, Shopify offers a rough guide to making your store accessible. Extensions from the Shopify App Store can also be used to integrate options such as automatic text reading or pre-built colour schemes for buttons, etc.
Costs, benefits - or both?
On a more sober note, there are some personal benefits to having an accessible shop.
Including all customers, regardless of their limitations, contributes to a positive brand image and demonstrates a sense of social responsibility. An accessible online store can also lead to more conversions and sales by appealing to a wider audience. In addition, creating an accessible web store is future-proof, as accessibility laws and regulations become increasingly stringent.
Accessible websites also improve SEO rankings, as search engines consider accessible content to be more relevant. In addition, websites with good accessibility can have a lower bounce rate, as users have a positive experience and stay on the page longer.
Consequences of ADA violations
In recent years, several companies have failed to comply with ADA requirements. However, non-compliance can have serious consequences for companies. Lawsuits filed by people with disabilities are not uncommon and can result in large fines and damages for individuals. Penalties for non-compliance depend on the nature of the violation and the severity of the case.
An inclusive shopping experience for all
Accessibility in e-commerce is crucial to creating an inclusive digital world where everyone has access to information and services. According to the EAA, all websites and online shops in Europe must be accessible by 2025. In this context, an accessible shop is not only a legal obligation, but also an ethical concern. Those who ensure their digital presence is accessible to all promote a positive brand image, expand their target audience and contribute to an inclusive online world. At the same time, accessibility addresses the issues of SEO and UX that should be on every ecommerce agenda.
An accessible shop - well designed, easy to use, understandable and compatible with a wide range of devices - can be your contribution.