Online stores are the single most common target of website accessibility claims. The reason is volume and repetition: every product page repeats the same template, so one unlabeled button becomes hundreds of failures, and a shopper who cannot complete checkout has a concrete, provable complaint.
Where online stores break
- Product images without alt text, which is also a missed search opportunity.
- Variant pickers for size and color built from unlabeled swatches, so a screen reader says “button” over and over.
- Filters and sorting that update results silently, leaving screen reader users unaware anything changed.
- Carts and checkouts with keyboard traps, or error messages that appear visually but are never announced.
- Coupon and quantity fields without labels.
- Countdown timers and session limits that give people too little time.
- Slideshows and promo banners that auto-rotate with no way to pause.
Shopify, WooCommerce and the theme you bought
Most store owners did not write their theme, and most themes were not built with accessibility in mind. Apps and plugins add more layers: review widgets, upsell popups, live chat, loyalty bars. Each one can introduce barriers after launch. That is why a one-time fix does not hold for a store. Monitoring matters more here than anywhere else.
The revenue argument
Set the legal risk aside for a moment. Every accessibility barrier in a checkout is an abandoned cart. Keyboard and screen reader users are shopping with the stores that work, and disability-related spending power in the United States is substantial. Fixing labels, contrast and error messages tends to lift conversion for everyone, because the same fixes help people on phones, on bad connections and in bright sunlight.
How we work with stores
We scan, install and configure accessibility tooling, publish an accessibility statement with a reporting channel, focus first on the product and checkout path, and keep monitoring as you add products and apps. We are clear about the limits: an automated layer fixes a meaningful share of common issues, and your checkout still deserves a human test. If you also collect customer data, we cover the CCPA and CPRA and GDPR side at the same time.
Start with a free scan. Enter your domain on our free website accessibility scan page and see where your store stands today. Then call 1-866-677-4443 or send a message and we will go through the results with you. Plans start at $79 per month, most sites are set up within 24 hours, and there is a 7-day free trial.