People around the world are uncertain about how long they’ll be homebound due to current global conditions. They are increasingly turning to the internet for digital and eCommerce solutions. This is a sure way to affect their behavior. This is quite evident.

The pandemic is accelerating the transition to a digital world where online shopping is more common. Research has shown that online sales have increased by 6%-10% in most product categories, including F&B, Healthcare, and Household Items. 48% US buyers will likely shop more online once the pandemic ends.

Website accessibility: A looming problem

This is great news for eCommerce companies, but there’s more to the internet story. While the web has certainly helped those who are unable to travel, it is not the same for the millions of people with disabilities who have to navigate eCommerce websites.

A 2019 study showed that eCommerce websites are not in compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Surprisingly, 98% of these sites didn’t meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) for their menus. Many sites couldn’t be navigated using a keyboard, or had code that could communicate with screen readers.

Website accessibility is a major problem for people with hearing, visual, neurological, cognitive, cognitive and visual processing impairments. This makes it difficult to access the internet, much less eCommerce websites.

It is important that everyone can access your website. Businesses cannot tap into their websites’ full potential if this does not happen. You may be wondering how? Let’s discuss this more in detail.

Failure to comply can cause business damages

People with disabilities are left with little choice but to search online for information, or order food, medicine, or other supplies. This arrangement is also detrimental to the bottom line for eCommerce businesses, whose business is dependent on customers visiting their online shops to place orders.

However, the ADA lawsuits can be costly and really harm businesses long-term. Companies that sell goods or services must make their websites accessible to all customers with disabilities, according to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Different courts in the United States have differing opinions about how eCommerce compliance should be interpreted. As more people with disabilities demand accessibility to online browsing, website accessibility lawsuits have increased in the past few years.

More than 2,250 web accessibility lawsuits have been filed in 2018, and this number is expected to rise 7% over the previous year. Website and app accessibility lawsuits have been a problem for many businesses, including those in retail, F&B and entertainment. There is a solution. It takes action and research.

Take note of Ecommerce businesses.

Although there are specific requirements for commercial websites to comply with, they don’t need to be overwhelming. Experts suggest that every eCommerce site should comply with the ADA to provide a user-friendly experience for everyone. This will avoid any lawsuits.

This article outlines seven steps they can take in order to make sure their stores are accessible and used by everyone. Let’s take a look at these steps:

1. Add alt text to all images

Alt text is required by screen readers and other assistive technologies to help customers understand the purpose of every image on the website. Alt text is what describes the image. This means that screen readers will be able to hear the “image” as it appears on the eCommerce site.

It is important to make sure all images include appropriate alt text. If an Archie’s wrapping paper is used in an image, the alt text should give the context so that it can be incorporated into the rest of your web content. This is an example of creativity:

Archie’s wrapping paper makes gift-giving more personal!

This is much more helpful for a visually impaired person. Absolutely! You can set the alt tag to null (alt =””) if the image is only decorative) so the screen reader doesn’t notice it. Alt-text can also be used for audio clips and video files. Don’t forget to include alt text for any images.

2. Ensure adequate color contrast

Many visually impaired customers interact with websites in high-contrast mode, with appropriately resized text. It is important to see how eCommerce websites interact with text when they are in high contrast.

It is important that they ensure that the website doesn’t use only color to communicate any information. Italics, bold, underlines and bold can be used to help people with impaired vision distinguish between different content headings.

It is best to test an eCommerce site by using high-contrast mode in your browser. Then browse through the store while changing the font size. This can be done by using a combination shortcut: Alt + left Shift + print Screen

You might also want to check out Color Contrast Accessibility validator, which offers free color contrast analysis. This resource is a must-see if you’re new to website accessibility. You can analyze the color contrasts of your site with this tool.

3. Use descriptive anchor text to link

When they come across a link in an eCommerce store, different-abled customers will say “Click Here” to get context.

It is therefore important to provide each eCommerce link with relevant anchor text. This could be something like ‘Click Here to Access the Limited-Edition Easter Crockery’. So that the user can decide whether to click.

This would allow them to easily check out a product and increase their conversion rate on the eCommerce site. It’s a win-win situation for the business. Your in-house content team should scan all links and create descriptive anchor text.

4. Make your eCommerce store keyboard-friendly

Visually impaired people navigate websites and online stores using the keyboard. The eCommerce store should be simple to navigate using the keyboard, regardless of whether the user has difficulty using a touchscreen or a mouse.

There are some key standards for site interaction that you should keep in mind. These keys can make your eCommerce store easily accessible to all.

Tab should allow users to toggle between interactive elements. Up and down arrows should allow them to move between options on a toolbar or menu Return/Enter should enable them to select a link or button. Spacebar should allow them to check a box or choose an option from an existing element.

To test for keyboard navigation ease, you can simply do it yourself and see what accessibility issues need to be addressed. Unplug your mouse to test how easy it is to navigate the site using the “Tab,” Shift,” and Enter keys as well as both the arrows.

5. Accessibility tools are available to help you test the eCommerce website.

Many useful tools are available for free, including Google Lighthouse and this ADA Testing Tool. These tools can help you identify areas that need improvement. Don’t hesitate to ask for help if you are stuck.

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines are a tool that helps eCommerce businesses determine how accessible their content is for people with motor, visual, and auditory impairments.

A screen reader and keyboard navigation are another option. This allows them to pick up details that the software may miss. All embedded content or third-party content should be subject to the same testing. These tests should be scheduled periodically to verify that all parameters are functioning properly.

6. Create a content hierarchy

For users to use their keyboards more easily, the arrangement of content should be clear and adhere to specific site hierarchy standards.

The content hierarchy is the order in which tabs, menus and the items below each are displayed on your website.

An excellent way to test whether the actual interaction sequence matches the intended sequence is by unplugging the mouse and doing it yourself with the Tab, Shift and arrow keys–just how one would check the keyboard-friendliness ratio of the store.

Proper labeling allows images, video and other visual elements to be accessible for people with low vision. Different formatting techniques such as bold, underlines and italics can be used to help visually impaired people distinguish between different types of content headings.

7. Publicate an accessibility statement

Experts suggest that eCommerce websites clearly state their intentions in order to offer a more inclusive browsing experience. Then, they deliver. It is your responsibility to do the same!

If a website wants to make its content more accessible to screen-readers and provides a toll free number for disabled users, it should publish a statement on the homepage or in terms. Transparency is key.

It is about making the website accessible to people with disabilities. eCommerce businesses will be able to perform better if this problem is solved.

Wrap it up

Website accessibility does not only benefit those with audio-visual impairments. It also benefits those with cognitive, neurological and verbal processing capabilities.

Websites that do not provide equal access for all users risk falling foul of the ADA compliance requirements, which can lead to costly and lengthy lawsuits.

Ecommerce businesses are not an exception. Therefore, it is important to ensure that web accessibility is a priority in your marketing plan.

This allows them to avoid unnecessary hassles later on and increase their customer base. What are you waiting to do? Are you sure your eCommerce store is ADA-compliant? What changes can you make to make your eCommerce store ADA-compliant?