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

A close up of a person's hands, holding a credit card with one hand, and the other typing on a laptop. Photo.

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.

Copied url to clipboard

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.