The Hidden Accessibility Issues That Are Costing Your Store Customers
|-----------------|---------------------|---------| | 3.0% | 300 | $15,000 | | 3.5% | 350 | $17,500 | | Difference | 50 extra orders | $2,500/month |
A 0.5% improvement in conversion rate — achievable by fixing form errors, navigation confusion, and keyboard traps — is worth $30,000/year in this example. That’s before you account for disabled users who literally cannot purchase at all on an inaccessible store.
Quick Audit: Finding Your Store’s Accessibility Problems
You don’t need a consultant to find the biggest accessibility problems on your store. Here’s a practical self-audit you can run in under 30 minutes.
The 5-Minute Automated Scan
Install the WAVE browser extension or axe DevTools. Visit your homepage, a product page, your cart, and your checkout. Note every error.
|-------|--------|----------------| | Missing alt text | Screen reader users can’t understand images | Easy | | Missing form labels | Users don’t know what to enter in fields | Easy | | Low contrast | Text hard to read in bright light, for colorblind users | Easy | | Empty links | Screen readers read out nothing useful | Easy | | Skipped heading levels | Confusing page structure for screen readers | Medium | | Missing document language | Screen readers can’t use the right pronunciation | Easy |
The 5-Minute Keyboard Test
Unplug your mouse. Open your store. Try to complete the entire purchase flow using only:
- Tab — move forward through interactive elements
- Shift+Tab — move backward
- Enter — activate links and buttons
- Spacebar — activate buttons
- Arrow keys — navigate within dropdowns and radio button groups