Checklist for Mobile E-commerce Accessibility Compliance

Making your mobile e-commerce site accessible isn’t just ethical - it’s smart business. With over 61 million adults in the U.S. living with disabilities and an annual disposable income of $490 billion, accessibility opens doors to a massive market. Plus, accessible sites perform better overall: they see higher conversion rates, lower bounce rates, and improved SEO rankings.

Here’s why accessibility matters and how to get started:

Legal Risks: Accessibility lawsuits are on the rise, with fines reaching up to $150,000 for repeat violations.
Business Growth: Companies prioritizing accessibility grow sales 2.9× faster and profits 4.1× faster than competitors.
Global Reach: Accessible design benefits everyone, unlocking a global purchasing power of over $18 trillion USD.

Quick Checklist:

Perceivable Content: Add alt text for images, ensure proper color contrast, and support text resizing.
Operable Interfaces: Make buttons touch-friendly, avoid time limits, and ensure keyboard navigation works.
Understandable Design: Use plain language, offer form input help, and keep interactions predictable.
Robust Compatibility: Use semantic HTML, test with screen readers, and follow WCAG 2.1 standards.

Accessibility isn’t a one-time effort - it’s an ongoing process. Regular testing, updates, and user feedback ensure your site stays compliant and user-friendly. Start now to avoid legal risks, reach more customers, and create a better experience for everyone.

Mobile Accessibility Principles. Accessible Mobile Design

Checklist for Perceivable Content

When designing for accessibility, the first principle of WCAG 2.1 emphasizes that content must be perceivable by all users, regardless of visual, auditory, or cognitive challenges. This means every piece of information on your mobile e-commerce site should be accessible through multiple senses or assistive technologies. Shockingly, 55% of e-commerce sites fail to meet basic accessibility standards for informational images. Another key step is ensuring your visual design includes proper color contrast.

Provide Text Alternatives for Non-Text Content

Alt text is essential for making images accessible to users who rely on screen readers. It provides a description of the image's purpose, focusing on the core message without unnecessary detail.

"Alternative text, also known as alt text, is descriptive text that conveys the meaning of an image in digital content. It's designed to make visual content accessible to people with vision disabilities."
– Section508.gov

Here are some practical examples:

Product images: Use descriptive alt text that highlights the main features. For instance, Lowe's uses alt="Craftsman circular saw, Kobalt cordless impact driver, Dewalt cordless drill."
Promotional graphics: Be specific about the offer. Avoid vague alt text like alt="Shop this wonderful promotion", which leaves out critical details.
Complex information: Replace detailed graphics, like size guides or product comparisons, with HTML tables or structured text. For example, Ann Taylor uses HTML tables for size guides, ensuring accessibility, while others rely on unhelpful labels like alt="Men's Size Guide".
Decorative elements: For images that don't convey meaningful content, use an empty alt attribute (alt="") to prevent screen readers from interpreting them.

It’s worth noting that 64% of sites embed text within images, which screen readers cannot process.

Use Sufficient Color Contrast

Color contrast plays a big role in readability, especially on mobile devices where lighting can vary. With 2.2 billion people worldwide experiencing visual impairments that affect color perception, this is a critical consideration.

"Making colors accessible ensures individuals with visual impairments can distinguish between various web elements. More importantly, it can be the difference between a well-designed, easy-to-navigate site and one that is completely illegible."
– Sojin Rank, Director, Brand & Design, AudioEye

WCAG guidelines recommend the following contrast ratios:

WCAG Level	Text Size	Contrast Ratio
AA	Normal Text	4.5:1
AA	Large Text	3:1
AAA	Normal Text	7:1
AAA	Large Text	4.5:1

For example, black text on a white background achieves a 21:1 contrast ratio, which exceeds guidelines. In contrast, red text on white (3.9:1) doesn't meet the standard for normal text.

To ensure accessibility in mobile e-commerce, make sure key elements like call-to-action buttons, price tags, navigation menus, and form fields have adequate contrast. Tools like WebAIM Contrast Checker, the Stark plugin, and A11y Colour Contrast Table can help verify compliance with WCAG standards.

Support Text Resizing Without Breaking Layout

Many mobile users adjust text sizes for better readability, so your site must adapt without compromising layout. Start with a base mobile font size of 17px, with secondary text slightly smaller to maintain visual hierarchy.

To achieve this, use responsive font units like "rem" or "vw" instead of fixed pixels. For example, a Shopify store owner recently encountered issues where mobile text appeared oversized compared to desktop. The solution? CSS media queries paired with responsive units:

/* Base mobile font size */
body { font-size: 17px; }

/* Larger mobile screens */
@media (min-width: 768px) {
  body { font-size: 18px; }
}

Avoid embedding text within images, as it won’t resize when users adjust text settings. Instead, include text directly in the HTML so it scales naturally. Always test on real devices and adopt a mobile-first design approach to ensure every element remains accessible when text sizes are adjusted .

Checklist for Operable User Interfaces

The second principle of WCAG 2.1 is all about operability - making sure everyone can interact with your mobile e-commerce site, regardless of their physical abilities or the assistive tools they use. This means every button, link, and interactive feature must function smoothly across various input methods, whether it’s a touch screen, keyboard, or even voice commands.

Keyboard and Touch Accessibility

Your site needs to work for users relying on keyboards, voice commands, and assistive devices.

Interactive elements should be at least 44x44 pixels with enough spacing. This ensures users with limited motor skills can tap accurately and avoid accidental clicks. Think about key e-commerce elements like "Add to Cart" buttons, size selectors, and checkout links - they all need to be easy to use.
Avoid relying only on swipe gestures. For instance, in product galleries, include visible next/previous buttons that work with both touch and keyboard navigation.
Don’t depend on hover states for important information. Instead, make critical details accessible through direct touch interactions.
Test navigation on various devices and orientations. Your site should work seamlessly whether held vertically or horizontally, and content should adjust properly when users zoom in. Tablets, which often combine touch and keyboard input, need designs that accommodate both.

Addressing timing constraints is another step toward better operability.

Avoid Time-Limited Interactions

Rigid time limits can be a major hurdle for users who need extra time to process information or navigate with assistive technologies. To align with WCAG 2.1, give users control over time-sensitive features by offering options to disable, adjust, or extend time limits.

For mobile e-commerce, this might mean flexible shopping cart timeouts. If you must use time limits for security reasons, notify users at least 20 seconds before a session expires and allow them to extend it - repeatedly, if needed - without losing data.

Similarly, auto-advancing carousels or banners can be disorienting. Always include clear controls to pause, play, or manually navigate through rotating content. This ensures users have enough time to read offers or product details.

Beyond making buttons and links accessible, clear navigation is essential for helping users explore your site.

Group related items together and use clear, descriptive labels. For example, instead of vague terms like "Shop" or "Browse", use labels like "Women's Clothing", "Men's Shoes", or "Electronics".
Keep menus simple. Limit the number of options in the main navigation and use dropdowns or expandable sections for subcategories.
Ensure consistency. Place navigation menus in familiar spots, like at the top of the screen or inside a hamburger menu, and use breadcrumbs for context in deeper categories .

Keyboard navigation deserves special attention. Make sure focus indicators - like borders or color changes - are easy to see as users tab through elements. Maintain a logical tab order and include a "Skip to Content" link at the top of each page to help users bypass repetitive navigation.

Dropdown menus should also be keyboard-friendly. Users should be able to open them with the Enter or Space key, navigate through options using arrow keys, and close them with the Escape key. When collapsed, dropdown contents should be removed from the tab order, and the aria-expanded attribute should reflect the menu's state.

Use semantic HTML elements like <nav> for navigation sections, and include aria-label attributes (e.g., "Main Navigation" or "Footer Links") to clarify their purpose. Regularly test your navigation with real users, especially those relying on assistive technologies, to catch and fix issues that automated tools might miss. This ensures your site remains accessible as you add new products, categories, or features.

Checklist for Clear Content and Design

Building on the basics of accessible design, clear content plays a key role in making your mobile e-commerce site easier for everyone to use. The third principle of WCAG 2.1 emphasizes understandability - ensuring your content is straightforward, predictable, and easy to follow. This is particularly important for the 13.9% of U.S. adults who may face challenges with cognitive disabilities, learning differences, or simply being unfamiliar with your platform. Clear content and design benefit all users, but especially those who need extra support. Let’s explore how to make your content and interactive elements more user-friendly.

Use Clear and Simple Language

Keep your language plain and easy to understand across your site, from product descriptions to checkout instructions and error messages. For instance, instead of writing, "The software update, released to enhance system security and optimize performance, addresses key user feedback", simplify it to: "The latest update improves security and performance based on user feedback".

When explaining complex ideas, break them into simple steps. For example, instead of dense legal text for a return policy, use clear, numbered instructions:

Contact customer service within 30 days.
Print the return label we email you.
Pack your item and attach the label.

Use active voice wherever possible. For example, replace "Your order will be processed by our team" with "Our team will process your order." Structure your content with clear headings, bullet points, and tables to make it scannable. If technical terms like "SSL encryption" are necessary, briefly explain them in plain language.

Once your content is clear, focus on helping users avoid mistakes during interactions.

Provide Input Help

Forms are a critical part of e-commerce, so make sure they’re easy to use. Each form field should have a label and clear instructions placed nearby. Avoid relying solely on placeholder text, as it disappears when users start typing. Offer real-time validation and feedback. For example, if someone enters an invalid ZIP code, provide specific guidance like: "Please enter a 5-digit ZIP code (e.g., 90210)."

"It's especially critical on e-commerce sites to let assistive technology users select product options like size and color. Also ensure that product filters - like brand or price range - are fully keyboard accessible. These filters are often tucked into sidebars that can be hard to reach without a mouse."
– Ricky Onsman, Principal Technical Writer at TPGi

Break longer processes, like checkout, into smaller, manageable steps. Use clear headings for each step and show progress indicators so users know where they are in the process. Enhance feedback with ARIA attributes to improve accessibility for assistive technologies.

The risks of poor form accessibility are real. In 2019, Domino’s Pizza faced a lawsuit when a blind customer couldn’t use their website or app to place an order due to accessibility issues. The individual, who relied on screen-reader software, sued under the Americans with Disabilities Act. This case highlights both the legal and financial consequences of neglecting accessibility.

Make Interactions Predictable

Consistency is key when it comes to interactive elements. Predictable interactions reduce frustration, helping users navigate your site more easily.

For example, navigation menus and buttons should work the same way across your site. A menu that expands when tapped should behave the same on every page. Similarly, shopping cart icons should always lead to the cart, and "Add to Cart" buttons should perform the same action on all product pages.

Keep your layout and functionality consistent by using the same icons, buttons, and navigation elements throughout your site. If your search icon is in the top-right corner of your homepage, it should stay there on product pages and checkout screens. Breadcrumb trails or other navigational aids can help users always know where they are.

When errors occur, provide clear, actionable feedback. For instance, instead of saying "Error in form submission", specify what went wrong: "Your email address is missing the '@' symbol." Avoid overwhelming users with distracting animations or flashing elements, and design interactive components with enough size and spacing to reduce accidental clicks.

Checklist for Compatible Systems

Ensuring compatibility across systems is just as important as thoughtful design when striving for accessibility.

Start by using HTML sectioning elements like <article>, <nav>, and <footer> to create a meaningful structure that screen readers can interpret. For example, wrap product listings in <article> tags and use <nav> for navigation menus. Use proper heading levels (H1 through H6) to organize checkout flows and other sections logically.

When native HTML elements fall short, ARIA roles can step in to enhance interactivity. These roles and attributes are particularly useful for dynamic elements like shopping cart counters or live price updates. However, always follow this principle: "No ARIA is better than bad ARIA".

"If you can use a native HTML element or attribute with the semantics and behavior you require already built-in, instead of adding ARIA roles, states, or properties to an element to make it accessible, then do so." – W3C (World Wide Web Consortium)

It's best to rely on native HTML controls like <button> whenever possible, as they come with built-in keyboard functionality. Use ARIA to enhance, not replace, semantic HTML. Structure your page so that sections like product categories, customer reviews, and related items are clearly defined and easy to navigate. Also, include descriptive alt text for product images and ensure your headings form a logical, accessible outline .

Neglecting semantic structure can lead to legal troubles. In 2018 alone, over 2,000 web accessibility lawsuits were filed, with many targeting e-commerce websites that lacked proper HTML structure or misused ARIA attributes.

"Technology not only eases tasks for most but makes them possible for people with disabilities." – Mary Pat Radabaugh, Director of IBM National Support Center for Persons with Disabilities

To keep your site accessible, regularly audit your HTML and ARIA implementations with screen readers. This helps ensure your semantic structure remains effective and inclusive.

Accessibility Testing and Maintenance

Design choices shape usability, but regular testing and updates ensure your mobile e-commerce site remains accessible across all devices. Keeping accessibility in check requires consistent evaluation and maintenance.

Manual and Automated Accessibility Testing

A combination of automated tools and human evaluation is key to effective accessibility testing. Automated tools can quickly scan large volumes of content and flag code-related issues, making them ideal for large-scale assessments. However, these tools have limitations - they often miss context-specific issues that only a human evaluator can identify. Manual testing, though more time-consuming and costly, uses assistive technologies to evaluate real-world compliance with accessibility standards.

Several tools can simplify this process. BrowserStack, for instance, offers cloud-based testing across over 3,500 real Android and iOS devices. It supports compliance with WCAG, ADA, Section 508, AODA, and EAA regulations by providing automated scans, screen reader testing, and detailed reports. For Android-specific needs, Google Accessibility Scanner evaluates UI components and suggests improvements by identifying issues like missing content descriptions, small touch targets, or poor color contrast.

Screen reader testing is especially useful for understanding how real users navigate your site. Android’s TalkBack provides audio feedback and gesture-based exploration, while iOS’s VoiceOver supports gesture navigation and tracks focus changes. Developers working on iOS apps can also use Xcode Accessibility Inspector to review accessibility metadata and focus order. Additionally, axe DevTools is a robust toolkit that can identify more than 80% of accessibility issues during development. It offers features like automated testing, guided testing, linting, and CI/CD integrations.

By combining automated tools with manual testing and real user feedback, you can uncover usability issues that automated scans alone might miss. Real user testing ensures your site truly meets accessibility standards.

Check Compliance with WCAG Standards

Achieving WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance is critical for mobile e-commerce accessibility. This standard focuses on four key principles: perceivability, operability, understandability, and robustness. Testing should also confirm compatibility with assistive technologies like screen readers, voice commands, and alternative input methods, ensuring users can complete essential tasks.

Accessibility audits during development are essential to spot and fix barriers before they affect users. This is particularly important given that, in 2023, 96.3% of the top million homepages failed to meet ADA standards, with an average of 50 accessibility barriers per site. Testing on real devices helps capture diverse user configurations, while cloud-based platforms make it easier to access these setups.

Regular Updates and Maintenance

Accessibility isn’t a one-and-done effort; it requires ongoing attention. For dynamic sites, monthly tests are recommended, while static sites should be audited every 4–6 months. Addressing issues during development is more cost-effective than fixing them post-launch. Each new feature should undergo accessibility testing before going live, and major updates should be reviewed against WCAG Level AA standards.

Building accessibility awareness within your team is vital to avoid recurring issues. Ignoring accessibility can have serious legal consequences. A notable example is the 2019 Domino’s Pizza case, where a blind customer couldn’t place an order using screen-reader software. The case highlighted that web accessibility is not optional but a business necessity.

Conclusion and Key Takeaways

Making mobile e-commerce accessible isn't just a moral responsibility - it's a smart business move. Accessible websites open the door to a vast, often overlooked market. Companies that prioritize disability inclusion see their sales grow 2.9 times faster and their profits increase 4.1 times faster compared to competitors .

What’s more, accessibility enhances overall performance. It improves SEO rankings, reduces cart abandonment, and boosts conversion rates for all users . These benefits make a strong case for integrating accessibility early in the development process.

Adding Accessibility to the Development Process

Start thinking about accessibility from the very beginning. Include it in project planning by involving key stakeholders and setting clear accessibility requirements in your specifications. Use detailed checklists for each development phase, and rely on automated testing tools with regular reporting to keep accessibility on track.

Creating an inclusive e-commerce experience is a team effort. Designers, developers, and QA specialists all play a role. Regular training, peer reviews, and post-launch audits - especially after updates or new features - are essential. Encourage feedback from users, particularly those with disabilities, to continuously refine and improve your platform.

Commitment to Design for All Users

Beyond technical fixes, a real dedication to inclusive design can take your brand to the next level. Designing with all users in mind not only strengthens your ethical reputation but also enhances customer loyalty .

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) offer a solid framework based on the POUR principles: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust. As Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, put it:

"The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect".

FAQs

What are the risks of not making a mobile e-commerce site accessible?

Failing to meet accessibility requirements in mobile e-commerce can lead to some serious issues. For starters, businesses might face legal penalties, including hefty fines for not complying with laws like the ADA. These fines aren't small - initial violations can range from $55,000 to $75,000, and repeat offenses can climb to as much as $150,000.

But the trouble doesn’t stop there. Companies could also find themselves dealing with lawsuits, suffering reputation damage, and even losing federal funding if they're eligible for it. Making accessibility a priority does more than just help you avoid these risks - it ensures a better, more inclusive experience for all users while keeping your business on the right side of the law.

How can I keep my mobile e-commerce site accessible as I add new features and updates?

To keep your mobile e-commerce site accessible as it grows and changes, it's essential to stick to WCAG guidelines and regularly perform accessibility audits - especially after rolling out new features. These audits help spot and fix any barriers, ensuring your site remains compliant.

Incorporate responsive design and semantic HTML to make your site accessible across a variety of devices and screen sizes. It's also crucial to stay informed about legal standards like the ADA and any updates to WCAG requirements so you can adjust your site accordingly.

By weaving accessibility into every update, you not only create a more inclusive shopping experience but also minimize potential legal challenges.

What are the best tools and strategies for testing and maintaining accessibility compliance on mobile e-commerce websites?

Ensuring your mobile e-commerce site is accessible requires a mix of tools and hands-on methods. Automated tools like Axe and browser extensions such as ARC Toolkit can help spot common accessibility issues quickly. But to catch more subtle challenges, manual audits and testing with assistive technologies - like screen readers - are absolutely necessary.

To stay compliant over time, consider these steps: conduct regular code reviews, involve users who rely on assistive technologies in testing, and simulate real-world scenarios. By combining automated tools with manual efforts, you can create a more inclusive experience for all users while aligning with accessibility standards like WCAG.