How To Improve Accessibility On Ecommerce Startup Websites

Welcome to the world of accessible web design, where we believe eCommerce should be as inclusive as a neighborhood potluck—everyone brings something, and everyone enjoys it! Whether you're building a brand-new eCommerce startup or looking to optimize your existing site, designing with accessibility in mind isn't just a nice-to-have—it's a must-have. Not only will this help your startup reach a wider audience, but it also shows your commitment to inclusivity and opens the door for loyal customers who appreciate the effort.

Let’s dive into the practical steps to improve accessibility on your eCommerce website, with plenty of tips, examples, and yes, a little humor to keep things light.

What Is Accessibility in Web Design?

Accessibility in web design is the practice of creating websites that everyone can use, regardless of their abilities or disabilities. It’s about designing with inclusivity in mind, ensuring that your site welcomes all visitors—just like how a physical store with a ramp allows wheelchair users to enter easily. Accessibility in the digital world addresses barriers for people with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive challenges.

Why Accessibility in Web Design Matters

1. Larger Audience

Over 1 billion people globally live with some form of disability. Ignoring accessibility is like shutting the doors on a massive potential customer base. Imagine running an online store that a significant chunk of people can't even navigate—ouch! Ensuring accessibility means opening your doors to everyone, whether they use a screen reader, voice navigation, or other assistive tools.

2. Legal Compliance

Accessibility isn’t just a moral obligation; in many places, it’s a legal one. For example, in the U.S., the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates that businesses, including websites, are accessible to people with disabilities. Non-compliance can lead to lawsuits and penalties. Staying compliant not only keeps you out of trouble but also positions your brand as ethical and forward-thinking.

3. Better SEO

Accessibility and SEO go hand in hand. Features like alt text for images, semantic HTML, and proper headings not only improve user experience but also make your site more understandable to search engines. As a result, accessibility improvements can help your website rank higher in search results.

4. Stronger Brand Loyalty

When users feel included and valued, they’re more likely to stick around. Accessibility demonstrates that you care about all your customers, fostering trust and loyalty. Brands that prioritize inclusivity often gain a reputation as socially responsible, which can set you apart from competitors.

Key Takeaways for eCommerce Inclusivity

1. Start with Semantic HTML

Semantic HTML is like the foundation of a house—strong, structured, and logical. It helps assistive technologies like screen readers make sense of your content. Think of it as a well-organized book, where clear headings and sections guide readers.

• Why It Matters: Without proper HTML structure, users relying on screen readers may experience a jumbled mess instead of coherent content. For example, skipping header tags (<h1> to <h6>) or using them incorrectly can confuse navigation.
• How to Implement:
  • Use descriptive tags like <header>, <main>, <section>, and <footer> to divide your content logically.
  • Label buttons clearly. For instance, instead of a vague “Click Here,” say “Add to Cart” or “View Details.”
  • Write meaningful alt text for images. Instead of “Image123.jpg,” describe what the image conveys: “Black leather handbag with a gold zipper.”

Example: At Prateeksha Web Design, we revamped a startup’s website by restructuring their HTML, making it user-friendly for screen readers and boosting their search engine rankings simultaneously.

2. Prioritize Keyboard Navigation

Keyboard navigation is a lifeline for people who can’t use a mouse due to motor impairments or other challenges. Your site should be fully functional using just a keyboard.

• Why It Matters: Imagine trying to shop on a site where you can’t click buttons or navigate menus—frustrating, right? For users with disabilities, this is a daily reality if a website isn’t optimized for keyboard use.
• How to Implement:
  • Ensure interactive elements like menus, forms, and pop-ups can be accessed via the Tab, Enter, and Arrow keys.
  • Add a visible focus state—a visual indicator (like a box or underline) that shows where the user is on the page.

Test It Yourself: Unplug your mouse and try navigating your website using only the keyboard. Can you reach every button, link, and form field? If not, it’s time to make changes.

Real-World Application: At Prateeksha Web Design, we recently worked with an eCommerce startup whose forms were impossible to complete without a mouse. By adding keyboard-friendly navigation and focus states, we ensured that all users could easily browse and purchase products.

3. Add Alt Text and Descriptions to Images

Images can convey powerful messages, but for visually impaired users relying on screen readers, they’re often a mystery unless you provide alt text—a concise description of what the image represents. Think of alt text as a tour guide narrating a painting in a museum. Without it, visitors are left guessing.

Why It Matters

• For Screen Readers: Alt text describes the content or function of an image to users who can’t see it. A product image without alt text is like a menu without dish names—confusing!
• For SEO: Search engines index alt text, so descriptive tags can boost your site’s visibility.

How to Use Alt Text

1. Be Descriptive: Instead of “Image123.jpg,” say, “Red running shoes with breathable mesh and a cushioned sole.”
2. Be Concise: Focus on what’s important. No need to describe every blade of grass in the background.
3. Skip Decorative Images: Use empty alt tags (alt="") for decorative visuals that don’t add meaningful context. This helps screen readers skip over them and focus on essential content.

Example at Prateeksha Web Design:
We helped a fashion eCommerce client by writing alt texts for all their product images. Not only did it improve accessibility, but organic search traffic increased by 20% within months—talk about a win-win!

4. Design for Color Blindness and Low Vision

Color is a fantastic design tool, but not everyone sees it the same way. Roughly 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women have some form of color blindness, and others may struggle with low vision. Your website should account for these variations to ensure an inclusive experience.

Why It Matters

If your site relies solely on color to convey important information, it can confuse or exclude users. For example, a checkout error message in red text alone might be invisible to someone with red-green color blindness.

How to Improve Visual Accessibility

1. Contrast Ratios: Ensure text and background colors have enough contrast. A minimum ratio of 4.5:1 is recommended for standard text. Use tools like WebAIM’s Contrast Checker to test your color choices.
2. Avoid Color-Only Indicators: Instead of just “Click the green button,” say, “Click the green button labeled Start.”
3. Text Resizing: Allow text to be resized up to 200% without breaking your layout. This benefits users with low vision who need larger fonts to read comfortably.

Pro Tip: Choose a clean, sans-serif font for better readability. It’s like upgrading from handwriting to a clear, printed typeface.

5. Provide Transcripts and Captions for Multimedia

Multimedia content like videos and audio files are a fantastic way to engage users, but they can leave out people with hearing impairments or those who prefer to read rather than listen.

Why It Matters

• Captions and transcripts make your content accessible to people with hearing disabilities.
• They also help users in noisy environments or those who want to consume your content without sound (like sneaky workday shoppers!).

How to Implement

1. Add Captions to Videos: Provide accurate captions for dialogue and essential sound effects. Many platforms, like YouTube, offer automatic captions that can be edited for accuracy.
2. Offer Transcripts: Include written transcripts for podcasts, webinars, or audio clips. This not only helps with accessibility but also makes your content more searchable by search engines.
3. Use Descriptive Audio: For videos showcasing visuals, like a product demo, include descriptive narration of key actions.

Example: Imagine you launch a promo video for your eCommerce startup featuring a new product line. Without captions or transcripts, you risk excluding a significant part of your audience—those who can’t hear the audio or prefer written content.

6. Simplify Forms

Forms are an essential component of eCommerce websites. They drive key interactions such as checkouts, user logins, and subscription sign-ups. However, poorly designed forms can frustrate users and lead to abandonment. Making forms accessible, intuitive, and user-friendly is critical.

a) Label Every Field Clearly

One of the most common mistakes in form design is relying solely on placeholders to indicate what users should input. While placeholders can provide guidance, they are not always the best solution. Here’s why:

• Accessibility Issues: Users with visual impairments or those using screen readers might not see or interact with the placeholder text as they navigate the form. This makes forms inaccessible.
• Ambiguity: Users may forget the placeholder text once they begin typing, which could lead to confusion.

To improve accessibility and clarity, ensure that each form field has a visible, descriptive label that remains visible at all times. For example, instead of just showing a placeholder like “Enter your email,” a label should read “Email Address.” The label should be placed next to or above the input field to ensure it's clearly associated with the corresponding box.

b) Group Related Fields with <fieldset> and <legend> Tags

Grouping related fields into sections helps organize your form and improve its readability. For instance, if your form collects personal information like a name, address, and contact details, it’s helpful to group them together under a clear section heading.

• <fieldset> Tag: This tag is used to group related form elements together, which is important for both visual and accessibility purposes.
• <legend> Tag: The <legend> tag provides a clear title for each group of form fields. For example, a section for shipping information might have the <legend> "Shipping Address." This is important for screen readers to communicate the grouping to users with visual impairments.

By grouping related fields together with these tags, you enhance both the visual organization of the form and its accessibility for users with disabilities.

c) Show Error Messages in Text, Not Just Color

Color can be an important visual cue, but it’s not always enough, especially for users with color blindness. Relying solely on color to indicate form errors (e.g., showing a red border or a red background) can leave some users unable to identify issues.

Instead, always provide clear, text-based error messages in addition to color cues. For example, instead of just turning the input field red when the password is too short, include a text message such as “Your password must include at least 8 characters.” This ensures that users understand exactly what they need to correct, regardless of their ability to perceive color.

At Prateeksha Web Design, we prioritize testing all forms with accessibility tools to ensure they are not only functional but also accessible to all users before launch. This includes checking for clear labels, meaningful error messages, and proper grouping of related fields.

7. Enable Resizable Text and Responsive Design

In the world of eCommerce, users access websites on a wide variety of devices—smartphones, tablets, desktops, and more. Accessibility means ensuring that your website adapts seamlessly to different screen sizes, resolutions, and user preferences, making it usable for everyone.

a) Use Relative Units Like em or % for Fonts and Layouts

One way to make your website more accessible across different devices is by using relative units for fonts and layouts. Unlike absolute units (such as px, which is fixed), relative units adjust to different screen sizes or user settings.

• em: This unit is relative to the font size of the parent element. It allows text to scale appropriately if a user prefers larger or smaller fonts.
• %: This unit is relative to the parent container’s size. Using percentages in layout properties ensures that the design adjusts fluidly when the screen size changes.

For example, using em for font sizes allows users to increase the text size in their browser settings without disrupting the layout. This can be crucial for users with visual impairments or those who need larger text to read comfortably.

b) Test Your Site with Various Zoom Levels and Screen Sizes

A fully responsive website should function correctly on all screen sizes, whether it’s being viewed on a small mobile device or a large desktop monitor. Testing your site across multiple devices and screen sizes is crucial.

Additionally, users often zoom in or out on websites to adjust for readability. Therefore, testing your website’s responsiveness with different zoom levels ensures that the design remains functional and user-friendly, regardless of how users are viewing the content. This includes verifying that:

• Text remains readable and doesn’t overlap or break out of containers.
• Buttons and clickable elements are easy to click, even on smaller screens.
• The layout adapts smoothly and doesn't require horizontal scrolling.

8. Use ARIA Roles Wisely

ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) roles are designed to enhance the accessibility of web applications, especially for users who rely on screen readers. These roles help screen readers interpret dynamic content and interactive elements, ensuring a more seamless experience for users with visual impairments.

a) Use ARIA Roles for Interactive Elements

Certain interactive elements like sliders, menus, and tabs can be challenging for screen readers to interpret by default. ARIA roles can provide additional information that helps screen readers understand the function of these elements. For instance:

• Sliders: Use the ARIA role slider to indicate that an element allows users to select a value within a range. This is especially helpful for users navigating with screen readers, as it gives them clear information about the type of control they are interacting with.

  Example:

  <input type="range" role="slider" aria-valuemin="0" aria-valuemax="100" aria-valuenow="50" />
  

• Menus: For interactive menus, ARIA roles like menu, menuitem, and menuitemradio provide a clear description of the function of each item within the menu.

  Example:

  <nav role="navigation">
    <ul role="menu">
      <li role="menuitem"><a href="#">Home</a></li>
      <li role="menuitem"><a href="#">About</a></li>
      <li role="menuitem"><a href="#">Contact</a></li>
    </ul>
  </nav>
  

• Tabs: Use the ARIA role tablist, tab, and tabpanel to define a set of tabs and their associated content, making it easier for screen readers to navigate through them.

  Example:

  <div role="tablist">
    <button role="tab" aria-selected="true" aria-controls="panel1">Tab 1</button>
    <button role="tab" aria-selected="false" aria-controls="panel2">Tab 2</button>
  </div>
  

b) Avoid Misusing ARIA

While ARIA roles can be incredibly useful for improving accessibility, they must be used correctly. Misusing ARIA roles can lead to confusion for users and may even make the website less accessible.

• Don’t Overuse ARIA: For example, using ARIA roles for static content that doesn't require dynamic interaction can create unnecessary clutter for screen readers. Instead, rely on native HTML elements with built-in accessibility support.

  • Use a <button> element for interactive buttons instead of adding role="button" to a <div>.
  • Use <nav> and <ul> for navigation menus instead of adding ARIA roles unnecessarily.

• Ensure Proper Pairing: ARIA attributes (like aria-live, aria-labelledby, etc.) need to be used in conjunction with the right elements. For example, using aria-describedby without an actual description element can lead to a confusing experience.

By using ARIA roles thoughtfully, you can make your site more accessible to users who depend on screen readers, enhancing their experience without creating unnecessary complexity.

9. Conduct Regular Accessibility Audits

Accessibility is an ongoing effort. It's not something that can be addressed once and then forgotten. Websites and digital experiences must be regularly evaluated to ensure they continue to meet the needs of all users, including those with disabilities.

a) Use Tools Like Lighthouse or WAVE

There are several automated tools available to help evaluate the accessibility of your website:

• Lighthouse: This is a Google tool that audits websites for performance, accessibility, SEO, and more. It generates detailed reports, helping you identify issues like missing alternative text for images, improper contrast ratios, and more.

  You can use Lighthouse directly in Chrome DevTools to audit your site for accessibility, or you can run it using the Lighthouse Chrome Extension.

• WAVE: WAVE is another popular accessibility testing tool that highlights accessibility issues directly on your website. It provides visual feedback, marking areas where improvements are needed, such as missing ARIA attributes or improperly structured forms.

Both of these tools help pinpoint accessibility barriers that may not be obvious, allowing you to make informed decisions on how to fix them.

b) Conduct Usability Testing with Real Users

While automated tools are helpful for detecting common accessibility issues, they can't always catch everything. Real-world usability testing is crucial to ensure that your website is truly accessible for users with disabilities.

• Involve users with disabilities: By testing your website with actual users who have visual impairments, mobility challenges, or other disabilities, you can gather valuable feedback on how accessible your site really is in practice.

• Test various devices and assistive technologies: Users might be interacting with your site using screen readers, voice commands, or alternative input devices like keyboard-only navigation or eye-tracking technology. Make sure to test across a range of assistive tools to ensure compatibility.

At Prateeksha Web Design, we understand that accessibility is a continuous journey. That's why we offer regular audits as part of our ongoing support packages. We know that startups have enough challenges to focus on, so we take the responsibility of keeping your site accessible off your hands, ensuring that it remains compliant with accessibility standards and usable for everyone.

Benefits of Accessible Web Design for Startups

1. Enhanced User Experience: When your site is accessible, it’s easier for everyone to use.
2. Increased Conversions: Accessibility improvements can directly impact sales by reducing friction in the buying process.
3. Future-Proofing: Accessibility standards are only going to become stricter. Getting it right now saves you from costly redesigns later.

Inspiration Corner: eCommerce Sites Doing It Right

Here are a few shining examples of accessibility in action:

1. Apple: Excellent keyboard navigation and alt text.
2. ASOS: Captions on videos and simple, clear forms.
3. Warby Parker: High contrast and easy navigation.

Interested in learning more? Contact us today.