Five common accessibility mistakes that could cost you your e-commerce customers


Words
Gaia Möller
Forecasts suggest that by 2040, 95% of all purchases will be made through digital platforms*. Convenience, lower prices and a wider range of products have converted many traditional store shoppers. However, as many E-commerce sites struggle with accessibility, the benefits of online shopping are not available to all. People with disabilities are the world’s largest minority group, representing around 15-20% of the world’s population** It is not only about inclusion - excluding a fifth of potential customers is not a wise business move.
Share
Copied url to clipboard
Category
User-Centricity
Enhance brand reputation and mitigate legal risks
Accessibility issues in e-commerce are being addressed with new EU regulation. The European Accessibility Act, which is coming into effect in June 2025, includes E-commerce as one of the areas that will need to adhere to accessibility standards. Compliance with accessibility regulations can both enhance brand reputation and mitigate legal risks. By prioritising accessibility, e-commerce businesses can stay ahead of regulatory requirements, attract a wider audience, and ultimately drive business growth.
Five common accessibility mistakes that are easy to fix
There are more business advantages to accessibility. Websites that prioritise accessibility tend to have lower bounce rates and perform better on other user experience metrics. Google favours sites with good user experience metrics, which means an accessible site has a higher probability of showing up in people’s Google searches.
But what are the issues that often are overlooked? Some of the most common mistakes we come across as designer and accessibility experts include:
1. Missing alternative texts for images
Alt texts describe the content of an image, enabling users with visual impairments to understand its purpose. Without alt text, important information may be inaccessible to screen reader users.
2. Missing names for buttons (especially icon-buttons)
Buttons without clear names or labels are difficult to use, particularly for users relying on screen readers. Icon-only buttons should always have a descriptive label explaining their function.
3. Poor contrasts between text and background
Poor contrast between text and background makes content difficult to read, especially for people with visual impairments. Clear text-background contrast improves readability and user experience.
4. Poor contrasts between components and background
Low contrast between components and their background can make them hard to distinguish, negatively affecting accessibility for users with vision issues. High contrast enhances usability for everyone.
5. Confusing link names
Vague or generic link texts like "Click here" make it hard for users to understand the link's purpose. Use descriptive link texts to clearly indicate where the link leads and its relevance.
These issues are not necessarily costly to fix. And with the right knowledge, they’re very easy to prevent. So, don’t wait! Make sure your web store is compliant with new regulations ahead of June 2025 and that your products are available to all.
*Nasdaq
** World Health Organisation
Get in touch
Want to know more about how to create an accessible site? Reach out to Gaia.
Get in touch if you would like to know more about how you can get started in your journey towards an accessible, user-friendly site.

Gaia Möller
Digital Designer, Stockholm
Related articles

Design6 min read
Designing tomorrow: The crucial role of accessibility and WCAG
Accessible services will shape the future

Our People6 min read
Meet Glenn – the developer gone universal design guru
On accessibility, gaming and cake-making

Design7 min read
Succeeding with digital inclusion – five steps to get a head start