Accessibility is a customer journey, not a standalone technical score
The European Accessibility Act has applied across the EU since 28 June 2025 and includes ecommerce services. National implementation, enforcement and exemptions still matter, so the exact obligations depend on the business and market. In the Netherlands, for example, the government describes an exemption for small service providers with fewer than ten employees and annual turnover of no more than two million euros. Seek legal guidance when the scope is unclear.
Regardless of legal scope, ecommerce accessibility is a practical quality question. Can someone independently find a product, understand the information, choose a variant, correct an error and pay while using a keyboard, screen reader, magnification or limited dexterity? These nine checks translate the principles of perceivable, operable, understandable and robust into the ecommerce journey.
1. Test the priority journey without a mouse
Open the homepage and move through search, category, product, basket and checkout using only Tab, Shift+Tab, Enter, Space and the arrow keys. Focus needs to remain visible, the order should make sense and every interactive element must be reachable and usable.
Pay particular attention to menus, filters, variants, carousels, modals, consent banners and payment steps. The journey can stop when focus disappears behind a popup, a filter works only on hover or a button cannot be activated from the keyboard. Test editing, returning and cancelling as well as the ideal path.
2. Make the structure clear before judging the styling
A logical heading structure helps people and assistive technology scan a page. Give each page one clear main heading and use descriptive subheadings in a meaningful order. Do not choose headings purely for their font size; presentation should follow the content hierarchy.
Review page titles, the declared language, navigation labels and recognisable regions for the header, navigation, main content and footer. Without visual context, a product page should still identify the product, available choices and the point at which ordering begins.
3. Review contrast, zoom and reflow
A premium brand palette can still produce insufficient contrast. Test body text, prices, errors, badges, input borders, icons and focus indicators. Never communicate information through colour alone; combine a red state with a clear error label or symbol.
Zoom to 200% and confirm that text remains readable, controls stay available and elements do not overlap. Review a narrow mobile viewport too. An accessible layout adapts without forcing someone to pan across the complete page or letting a fixed banner cover essential actions.
4. Write alt text around the image's purpose
A product image needs a different alternative from a decorative lifestyle image. Describe useful information that is not already clear from the surrounding copy, such as the product type, colour or a visible detail relevant to the decision. Decorative images should use an empty alt attribute so screen readers can skip them.
Do not turn alt text into a keyword list. Google recommends descriptive, contextual wording and warns against keyword stuffing. Ensure that essential details — material, dimensions, use or warnings — also exist as normal text rather than only inside an image.
5. Give forms persistent labels and useful errors
Placeholder text disappears when a person types and is not a replacement for a label. Connect every field to a persistent programmatic label and explain required input, expected formats and why information is needed.
When validation fails, say what went wrong and how to correct it. Place the message beside the field, provide a summary when several inputs fail and move focus logically. A generic 'something went wrong' does not help someone repair a postcode, password or billing address.
6. Make buttons, links and selections unambiguous
Labels such as 'Continue' or repeated 'Learn more' links lose meaning outside their visual context. Name the action: 'Add to basket', 'Continue to payment' or 'View delivery information'. Icon-only controls need accessible names that communicate the same function.
Use generous pointer targets and spacing around actions with significant consequences. Review variant selectors for size, colour and delivery: selected, unavailable and error states must be distinguishable beyond colour, both visually and programmatically.
7. Keep product information and content understandable
Accessible content is concrete, predictable and scannable. Put important information early, use concise paragraphs and explain unfamiliar terms. Present price, delivery, returns and conditions at the point where they shape a decision.
Video needs appropriate captions and important audio information requires a text alternative. Avoid autoplaying media without clear controls. Product tables and downloads deserve the same scrutiny as the visible page; an inaccessible size guide can block a purchase as effectively as a broken button.
8. Include accounts, payment and third-party components
For ecommerce services, identification and payment belong inside the accessibility review. The complete service still needs attention when external suppliers provide parts of it. Include payment providers, address finders, chat widgets, reviews, consent platforms and account tools.
Test expired sessions, two-step verification and failed payments. Can someone understand the issue, return without losing the basket and select an alternative? Include essential emails and documents used for signing in or paying, because the customer journey does not end at the website boundary.
9. Publish an accessibility statement and build an ongoing process
Where the applicable rules require it, publish an easy-to-find accessibility statement explaining how the service works, how assistive technologies are supported and how requirements are met. A statement does not replace an accessible store; it should describe the real situation accurately.
Build accessibility into design, content and release workflows. Define who tests components, how issues are prioritised and when critical journeys are reviewed again. WCAG 2.2 is the current W3C Recommendation and adds criteria including focus visibility, target size, consistent help and accessible authentication.
Start with blockers, not perfection
Prioritise issues that prevent independent purchasing: unreachable navigation, invisible focus, unusable forms, missing product information and barriers during sign-in or payment. Then continue systematically through contrast, content, media and supporting components.
Automated scanning can flag issues quickly, but it cannot prove complete accessibility. Combine technical checks with manual keyboard testing and, where appropriate, an expert WCAG review and user research. Accessibility then becomes an operational quality standard for the whole store rather than a final compliance checkbox.