In today's digital landscape, your online store is often the first, and sometimes the only, point of interaction for potential customers. As businesses increasingly rely on e-commerce, ensuring that your digital storefront is welcoming to everyone is not just the right thing to do, it's essential for growth and risk mitigation. With 1.3 billion people globally living with disabilities, creating an accessible online shopping experience means opening your doors to a massive market segment while simultaneously reducing potential legal risks.

AudioEye’s recent 2025 Digital Accessibility Index, which analyzed 15,000 websites across various industries in Q4 2024, revealed that the average webpage currently has 297 accessibility issues. These aren't just minor glitches; each represents a potential barrier that could prevent a user from browsing, adding items to their cart, or completing a purchase. Alarmingly, the retail sector emerged as having the highest number of accessibility issues per page compared to any other industry examined, averaging a staggering 350.1 issues. While retail faces significant challenges, it's important to note that every industry analyzed failed to consistently deliver accessible, compliant web experiences. This underscores a widespread need for improved digital accessibility practices.

Many of these issues stem from fundamental accessibility challenges, such as inadequate color contrast, missing or faulty image alternative text, and non-descriptive links. Addressing these core problems is key to creating a more inclusive online environment. Drawing on AudioEye’s findings and expertise, here are some crucial areas to focus on to enhance your e-commerce site's accessibility:

1. Mastering alt text for images

Visuals are paramount in online retail. The sources indicate that 75% of online shoppers depend heavily on product photos to make purchasing decisions. However, retail sites struggle significantly in this area, having the second-most inaccessible images per page (14.0) across all industries studied. When images lack proper alternative text (alt text), shoppers who are non-sighted and use screen readers cannot understand the content or context conveyed by the images. This makes it incredibly difficult for them to browse products effectively. AudioEye’s analysis found that 38% of images across the surveyed websites had faulty or missing image alt text.

To improve: Think of alt text as describing the image to someone over the phone. What details are essential for them to get a complete picture of the product or image content? Include these details concisely in the alt text. Making this a standard practice ensures that visual information is available to everyone.

2. Ensuring adequate color contrast

Color contrast is another fundamental accessibility issue where retail sites frequently fall short. The average retail page contains a significant number of elements – 73 unique page elements on average – that fail to meet the minimum requirements for color contrast set by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). This lack of contrast makes it extremely challenging for shoppers with low vision to navigate pages, read product descriptions, and interact with form fields.

To improve: According to WCAG standards, the contrast ratio between foreground elements (like text) and their background should be at least 4.5 to 1. This ensures sufficient contrast for readability. Utilize available color contrast checkers to test your site's color schemes and ensure compliance.

3. Eliminating keyboard navigation barriers

Many users, including those who are blind or have mobility impairments, rely solely on a keyboard or keyboard-like device to navigate websites. AudioEye’s data shows that retail websites have a high average of keyboard accessibility violations – 9.5 per page. These barriers prevent users from easily moving between pages, adding items to their shopping cart, or completing the checkout process.

To improve: A simple yet effective way to identify these issues is to navigate your website using only your keyboard. Can you reach and interact with all clickable elements? Can you fill out forms and complete transactions? Referencing specific WCAG criteria can provide detailed guidance on technical implementation.

4. Writing descriptive links

Links are the pathways of your website, guiding users from one page to another. However, when links are not descriptive, they create confusion. AudioEye’s analysis found an average of 8 inaccessible links per retail page. Furthermore, 80% of pages surveyed had links that did not adequately describe their purpose to screen reader users. Imagine a screen reader user encountering multiple links that just say "click here" – they have no way of knowing where each link will take them without clicking it, which disrupts their flow.

To improve: Make your links informative. There are two main approaches: Version 1 is to embed the link within descriptive text, for example, "Learn more about our accessibility initiatives". Version 2 is to use a shortened link that is itself descriptive of the destination, such as "Check your site's accessibility at [your-domain.com/accessibility]".

5. Creating usable form fields

Forms are critical for many e-commerce interactions, from signing up for an account to completing a purchase at checkout. Retail websites exhibited one of the highest rates of inaccessible forms and input fields, with an average of 11.5 inaccessible input elements per page. When form fields lack proper labels or instructions, users with visual disabilities who rely on assistive technology may not understand what information needs to be entered into each field. In fact, 35% of pages had forms that failed to provide clear labels or instructions.

To improve: Implementing accessible forms is often straightforward. Crucially, avoid using color as the sole indicator for conveying information, such as showing an error only in red without any accompanying text or symbol. Be cautious with CAPTCHA systems, which can be challenging for users with visual or cognitive disabilities, and provide accessible alternatives for user verification. Finally, reinforce keyboard accessibility specifically for forms, ensuring users can easily navigate and interact with all input fields using only a keyboard.

An extra layer of support: accessible customer service

While fixing digital barriers is the primary goal, providing accessible customer service acts as a vital safety net. When users encounter difficulties online, having an easy and accessible way to contact a human can resolve issues and prevent lost sales.

To improve: Offer support through multiple channels to allow customers to choose the method that works best for their needs, including phone, email, social media, and potentially in-person assistance. Alongside chatbots, maintain options for live chat or phone support. Human agents can offer more nuanced assistance and adapt their communication style to individual customer needs, making the interaction more personalized and accessible.

Moving forward

The data from AudioEye’s 2025 Digital Accessibility Index makes it clear that there is significant room for improvement in e-commerce accessibility. While the challenges may seem daunting, focusing on these key areas – alt text, color contrast, keyboard navigation, descriptive links, and usable forms – can dramatically improve the experience for potentially 1.3 billion people globally, while also reducing legal exposure. By prioritizing digital accessibility, you not only comply with standards but also build a more inclusive, user-friendly, and ultimately more successful online business.