eCommerce Web Accessibility: Setting an Achievable Goal

You know that you need to make your e-store accessible for as many users as possible. Hopefully, you also know how web accessibility benefits key eCommerce metrics. How can you get started? 

For any web accessibility initiative, the first step is to set a goal. For most websites, that goal is simple: Meet the Level A/AA standards of the latest version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). WCAG is the consensus international standard for digital accessibility, and Level AA conformance is achievable for e-stores. 

Below, we’ll explain why WCAG is so important for retailers. We’ll also provide a few tips for making your web accessibility strategy successful — and sustainable.

WCAG: A Framework for Building Better Content

So, why WCAG? For starters, it’s a straightforward guidebook for accessibility. Published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), WCAG contains simple pass-or-fail rules called success criteria, which help designers and developers determine whether content is accessible for people with disabilities.

To be clear, it’s impossible to make a website that works exactly the same for every type of user. WCAG is simply intended to address the barriers that are most likely to impact your customers. 

 WCAG success criteria are sorted into three levels of conformance (conformance means voluntarily following the guidelines): 

• Level A - The least strict level of conformance addresses serious barriers that are likely to impact a wide range of users with disabilities.
• Level AA - Level AA addresses additional barriers that are likely to impact users. Note that Level AA also includes all Level A success criteria. 
• Level AAA - The most strict level of conformance, Level AAA may not be attainable for certain types of content. Level AAA includes all Level AA and A requirements. 

While Level AAA success criteria are certainly worth your attention, Level AA is widely considered to be sufficient for compliance. This year, the Department of Justice (DOJ) finalized a rule establishing WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the standards for Title II ADA compliance, so it’s reasonable to assume that those standards are applicable to Title III (which applies to private businesses).

Related: eCommerce Tips: 5 Reasons to Think About Accessibility

To Build a Better eStore, Embrace Accessibility

There’s another reason to follow WCAG Level AA: The guidelines help you build content that works for a wide range of users.

Your customers aren’t just shopping on a desktop computer in perfect conditions. Some of them use mobile devices in bright ambient light; some browse with their sound muted. Some people have color vision deficiencies (CVD, also called color blindness) and some have trouble remembering passwords. 

WCAG is written for all of those users. 

By using a principle-based approach, the guidelines contain simple guidance for creating a more effective eStore: 

• Avoid using low-contrast text, which may be unreadable for people with vision disabilities and people browsing in bright ambient light.
• Use a straightforward checkout process that proceeds in a predictable way. 
• Use headings and other semantic HTML as intended, which makes your website more compatible with assistive technologies (and more crawlable for search engines). 
• Avoid relying on color alone to convey meaning, which ensures that all users can understand your content. 
• Label form fields and provide clear instruction text, which improves usability (and may decrease shopping cart abandonment rates). 

From a web design perspective, all of these are simply good practices. They’re not specific to users with disabilities, and they have practical benefits for your audience. When you make a commitment to WCAG, you’re making an achievable commitment — which will pay off over time. 

An experienced accessibility partner can help you take the first steps. To start building your strategy, get started with a free automated WCAG conformance analysis or send us a message to connect with an expert.