Designing Accessible & Inclusive E-Commerce Stores

Good eCommerce website design must go beyond aesthetics — it must also meet all users’ accessibility needs. Accessibility means ensuring that everyone can use your eCommerce store, regardless of physical or cognitive abilities

It measures how easily and effectively users can access and use your product. Since abilities vary widely among individuals, effective accessibility accommodates this spectrum.

In this article, we will discuss all the key practices you need to adopt to maximize accessibility and make your eCommerce store more inclusive. First, let us clarify the meanings of some terms.

What Does Designing for Accessibility Mean?

• Accessibility recognizes that abilities exist on a spectrum; everyone has limits to what they can do or understand
• Good accessibility accommodates this diversity and considers the context in which users interact with a product
• Poorly designed eCommerce websites create barriers that prevent people from using them effectively
• When design overlooks the range of human abilities, it leads to a disabling environment

To maximize accessibility, designers must adopt practices that prioritize ALL user needs. By putting people first, designers can create solutions that meet real needs and eliminate barriers.

What is Inclusive eCommerce Store Design?

Design + Accessibility = Inclusive Design

• Inclusive eCommerce store design focuses on creating a user experience that accommodates everyone
• An inclusive web is accessible to all, regardless of geography, language, or culture
• It welcomes users of all abilities, skills, and perspectives
• Effective eCommerce store design should not only remove barriers but also prevent them from being created in the first place

Building a Framework for Accessible eCommerce Store Design

Our goal with this blog is to help you adopt an eCommerce store design approach, where accessibility is not seen as a last-minute checklist of additions piled onto the product, but rather a set of features designed in place from the start.

Here are the main design principles you need to follow to adopt this approach

• Design with the needs of all users in mind
• Create designs and design elements with clear objectives that resonate with the target audience
• Ensure designs are stable, robust, and secure to instill user confidence
• Enable users to interact seamlessly across various devices and modes.
• Facilitate navigation with clear, self-explanatory signposts
• All design elements should be easy to perceive and understand
• Use clear language that users can read and comprehend easily
• Ensure media content (images, audio, video) is understandable and usable by all
• Anticipate user needs to enhance their overall experience
• The design should not disadvantage any group of users

Along with following these design principles, adhering to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) is also vital for eCommerce store designers.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)

Here are four WCAG principles eCommerce store designers need to know about

• Perceivable: All information inside the eCommerce site must be presented in ways users can see/hear
• Operable: User interface components should be easy to interact with and support assistive technologies
• Understandable: Content and interface operations must be clear and consistent
• Robust: Content should be compatible with various user agents, including assistive technologies

Adhering to the WCAG principles helps designers create accessible eCommerce stores that serve ALL users.

Specific Design Guidelines to Make Your eCommerce Store Inclusive

Now that we have discussed the principles, let us dive into some specific eCommerce store design instructions:

Contrast

• Ensure sufficient contrast between text and background colors
• Although minimum contrast is not always a requirement for basic accessibility compliance, using high-contrast colors is essential for readability
• This is especially true for users with visual impairments

Language

• Use clear, simple language that a 12-year-old can understand
• Use short sentences — 20 words or fewer
• This approach benefits all users, including those with cognitive challenges
• If you must use complex language, provide simpler alternatives

Typography

Content is key for eCommerce store success and effective typography is vital for enhancing readability and accessibility:

• Follow WCAG rules — present text hierarchically to convey meaning clearly
• Ensure your typography adapts well across devices and viewing preferences
• Text must resize up to 200% without losing content or functionality
• For better legibility, keep text boxes narrow and set line heights to at least 1.5 times the font size
• Choose easy-to-read fonts; avoid overly decorative or difficult-to-read styles

Remember that not every guideline applies universally. Design your content based on the specific needs of your target audience. Aim for maximum accessibility within the context of your project while recognizing that some information may only interest a select group of users.

Animated Graphics

• Avoid flashy animations
• They can distract users and may trigger seizures in sensitive individuals
• Ensure animations do not overlap important content and limit flashing to no more than three times per second
• If necessary, use low-contrast flashing elements to minimize visibility

Color

• Do not rely solely on color to convey information
• Use icons or text labels alongside color cues
• For example, indicate errors with a red border and an icon to ensure all users understand the message

Focus States and Focus Order

• Design visible focus indicators for interactive elements like buttons and links
• Ensure these indicators contrast well with their backgrounds
• Maintain a logical focus order so that users can navigate your site easily using a keyboard or voice commands

Forms

• Create logical and user-friendly forms
• Use clear labels for each field and present the error message in plain language
• Mark required fields with an asterisk or the word “Required” next to the label

Page Layout

• Design clean and organized layouts
• Use headings to define sections clearly, helping users understand the content structure
• Follow a logical heading order (H1 to H6) to aid assistive technologies in navigation

Tables and Lists

• Use tables only for presenting data, not for layout purposes
• Include headers and alternate row colors to enhance readability
• Always add captions to tables for context
• For lists, use simple bullet points for unordered lists and numbers for ordered lists to ensure screen readers can announce items correctly

Keyboard Navigation

• Ensure all interactive elements are accessible via keyboard navigation
• This is crucial for users who cannot use a mouse
• Test your site to confirm that all functions can be performed using keyboard shortcuts

Video and Audio Accessibility

• Provide captions and transcripts for all multimedia content
• This ensures that users who are deaf or hard of hearing can access the information presented in product videos

Consistent Navigation

• Maintain a consistent navigation structure across all pages of your site
• This helps users predict where they can find information, making navigation easier

Accessible Product Filters and Sorting Options

• Ensure product filters and sorting options are clearly labeled and keyboard-accessible
• Allow users to apply multiple filters simultaneously and provide feedback on the number of products matching their criteria

Testing with Assistive Technologies

• Regularly evaluate your website using various assistive technologies like screen readers to identify accessibility issues
• This proactive approach helps maintain an inclusive online shopping experience

Clear Call-to-Action Buttons

• Ensure that call-to-action buttons are prominent and easy to identify
• Use descriptive text that clearly indicates the action, such as “Add to Cart” to help all users understand the purpose of the buttons

Avoid Automatic Media Playback

• Do not set videos or audio to play automatically
• This can be disruptive, especially for users with auditory sensitivities
• Provide clear controls for play, pause, and stop, along with captions and transcripts for multimedia content

Simplified Checkout

• Break the checkout process into smaller, manageable steps
• This reduces cognitive load and makes it easier for all users to complete their purchases
• Provide clear instructions at each step and confirm successful actions with feedback messages

Responsive Design

• Implement responsive design to ensure your eCommerce site functions well on various devices and screen sizes
• Test your site on mobile devices, tablets, and desktops to provide a consistent user experience

Accessible Error Messages

• When users encounter errors (e.g., in forms), provide clear and specific error messages that explain what went wrong and how to fix it
• Avoid technical jargon and ensure messages are easy to understand

Sufficient Clickable Area

• Increase the size of clickable elements like buttons and links
• Ensure there is enough space between them to prevent accidental clicks, particularly for users with motor impairments

Use of Icons with Text Labels

• Incorporate icons alongside text labels for navigation and actions
• This visual aid can help users with cognitive disabilities or those who may struggle with reading

Provide Language Options

• If your audience is multilingual, offer language options on your site
• Ensure that all content is accurately translated and culturally relevant to enhance accessibility for non-native speakers

User Testing with Diverse Groups

• Conduct usability testing with a diverse group of users, including those with disabilities
• Gather feedback on accessibility features and make adjustments based on their experiences

Conclusion

All professional providers of Ecommerce store design services follow these guidelines and so should you. While it is impossible to accommodate every individual need, adhering to these accessibility standards boosts your store’s overall usability and accessibility.

Also, remember that not every guideline applies universally. Design your store based on the specific needs of your target audience. Aim for maximum accessibility within the context of your project while recognizing that some information may only interest a select group of users.