What are the biggest accessibility issues stopping disabled users from shopping online?
Accessibility barriers include unlabeled forms, inaccessible carousels, and moving content that confuses or harms users.
Accessibility barriers differ by disability. For blind users, unlabeled form fields prevent them from completing checkout because their screen readers cannot identify what data is required. Carousels and automatically moving content also cause problems, as they disorient users or even trigger health issues like epilepsy. For this reason, every rotating carousel must have a pause button.
Top accessibility pitfalls ecommerce owners must address:
- Forms:
- Always use descriptive labels for form fields (e.g., “Credit Card Number” not just “Field 1”).
- Provide clear error messages (e.g., “Invalid expiry date format”).
- Navigation:
- Ensure your site can be navigated fully by keyboard only.
- Provide consistent navigation menus and skip-to-content links.
- Color Contrast:
- Low contrast makes text unreadable for people with visual impairments.
- Use tools to check compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA contrast ratios.
- Media Content:
- Add captions and transcripts to videos.
- Provide alt text for images.
- Dynamic Content:
- Avoid unexpected page refreshes or content shifts.
- For moving elements, always provide user control (pause/stop).
The list is not extensive, but fixing accessibility issues not only makes your site usable by people with disabilities, but also improves overall UX.
Related questions
What’s the first step for webshop owners to improve accessibility?
