Shopify ADA Compliance: 5 Simple Ways to Make Your Store Accessible and Avoid Lawsuits in 2025

Running an online store on Shopify? You might be missing out on potential customers if your website isn’t accessible to everyone.

While Shopify itself doesn’t automatically make your store ADA compliant, it’s your responsibility as a store owner to ensure your website follows accessibility guidelines.

Web accessibility isn’t just nice to have—it’s essential for serving customers with disabilities and keeping your business legally protected.

According to recent findings, a whopping 98% of Shopify stores aren’t fully accessible, which means most shop owners are facing potential legal risks and missing sales opportunities.

We understand making your store accessible might seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. With the right tools and approach, you can make your Shopify store more inclusive while protecting yourself from ADA compliance issues.

Let’s dive deeper into what Shopify ADA compliance means and the simple steps you can take to make your online store accessible to everyone…

Getting to Know ADA and Web Accessibility

Making your Shopify store accessible isn’t just good business—it’s often a legal requirement. Let’s explore what ADA compliance means and why it matters for your online store.

What Is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a civil rights law passed in 1990 that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. While it didn’t originally mention websites (the internet wasn’t widespread then!), courts have interpreted Title III of the ADA to apply to online businesses.

What does this mean for your Shopify store? If you sell products or services online in the US, your website needs to be accessible to people with disabilities. This includes customers who:

• Use screen readers due to visual impairments
• Navigate by keyboard instead of mouse
• Have hearing disabilities and need captions for videos
• Experience seizures from flashing content

The ADA doesn’t provide specific technical standards for websites, which is why most businesses turn to WCAG (more on that below) as the benchmark for compliance.

The Importance of Web Accessibility

Web accessibility ensures everyone can use your Shopify store, regardless of their abilities. Beyond avoiding legal troubles, here’s why it matters:

Expanded customer base: About 1 in 4 US adults have some type of disability. That’s a huge market segment you might be missing!

Better user experience: Accessible sites are typically easier for everyone to use, not just those with disabilities.

Brand reputation: Showing you care about inclusivity builds trust with all customers.

Many accessibility features are simple to implement but make a big difference. High-contrast text, keyboard navigation, and image alt text help people with disabilities shop on your site.

We’ve seen clients boost sales by 15-20% after making their stores more accessible. Plus, they’ve avoided costly lawsuits that have hit many ecommerce businesses.

Understanding WCAG

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the gold standard for web accessibility. They provide specific technical standards that your Shopify store should follow to be considered accessible.

WCAG is organized around four key principles:

1. Perceivable: Information must be presentable in ways all users can perceive
2. Operable: Interface components must be operable by everyone
3. Understandable: Information and operation must be understandable
4. Robust: Content must be robust enough to work with various technologies

WCAG has three compliance levels: A (minimal), AA (standard), and AAA (optimal). Most legal requirements reference WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the benchmark.

Some essential WCAG requirements include proper color contrast, text resizing without loss of content, keyboard accessibility, and screen reader compatibility. The latest version, WCAG 2.2, adds new success criteria focusing on mobile accessibility and cognitive disabilities.

Making Your Shopify Store Accessible

Creating an accessible Shopify store isn’t just good for compliance—it’s good for business! When your online shop works well for everyone, you reach more customers and build a better reputation.

The Role of Assistive Technologies

Assistive technologies help people with disabilities use your Shopify store. These tools bridge the gap between your website and users with various needs.

Screen readers are super important! They convert text to speech for visually impaired shoppers. To work properly, your site needs proper HTML structure and text descriptions for images.

Keyboard navigation is another big one. Many people can’t use a mouse and rely on keyboard shortcuts to browse your site. Make sure all your store’s functions work with tab keys and arrow keys.

Voice recognition software helps people who have mobility challenges. These customers speak commands instead of typing or clicking. Your Shopify store should respond correctly to these commands.

Remember that real people use these tools every day to shop online. When your store works with assistive tech, you’re not just checking a box—you’re opening doors!

Key Accessibility Features for Your Store

Alt text for images is a must-have feature. These short descriptions help screen readers explain what’s in your product photos. Keep descriptions clear and relevant to the product.

Good alt text: "Blue denim jacket with brass buttons, front view"
Bad alt text: "jacket3.jpg" or "Check out this awesome product!"

Proper heading structure helps people navigate your content. Use H1 for your main title and H2, H3 for sections in a logical hierarchy. This creates a “map” for screen readers.

Color contrast matters more than you might think! Text should stand out clearly from backgrounds. The WCAG guidelines recommend a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text.

Form fields need clear labels and error messages. When customers fill out shipping information or payment details, they should get helpful feedback if something goes wrong.

Video content should include captions or transcripts. This helps deaf or hard-of-hearing customers enjoy your product demonstrations and brand stories.

Picking the Right Accessibility Apps

Shopify’s App Store offers several tools that can boost your store’s accessibility. These apps can save you time and ensure you don’t miss important compliance elements.

AccessiBe is a popular choice that automatically scans and fixes many accessibility issues. It adds an accessibility menu to your site and helps with image recognition and keyboard navigation.

A.Checker offers auditing tools to identify problems before they affect customers. It gives you a report of issues to fix and explains how to resolve them.

When choosing an app, consider these factors:

• Automatic vs. manual fixes (or a mix of both)
• Price and subscription model
• Customer support availability
• Updates to stay current with guidelines
• Impact on site loading speed

Remember that no app is a complete substitute for thoughtful design. Apps work best when complementing your own accessibility efforts.

Ensuring Seamless Accessibility Customizations

Customization is where many Shopify stores struggle with accessibility. When you modify your theme or add custom code, you can accidentally create barriers.

Test your customizations with actual assistive technologies. Try navigating your store using only your keyboard. Then, install a screen reader extension and listen to how your site sounds.

Keep accessibility in mind during seasonal updates. Holiday promotions and sales banners often introduce new elements that need to be accessible too.

Document your accessibility features for your team. Everyone who updates your store should understand how to maintain accessibility standards when making changes.

Quick accessibility checklist:
✓ Images have descriptive alt text
✓ Forms have clear labels
✓ Videos have captions
✓ Site works with keyboard navigation
✓ Text has good color contrast

Staying current with guidelines will future-proof your store. Accessibility standards evolve, and keeping up shows your commitment to all customers.