Web Accessibility for E-Commerce: Why and How to Make Your Website Compliant?

Digital accessibility ensures that people with special needs can fully use web solutions. This means designing websites or applications to accommodate a wide range of users, including those who rely on screen readers, cannot use a mouse, or require other assistive technologies. By following accessibility principles, websites become more user-friendly not only for individuals with special needs but for all visitors.

While EU regulations for public institutions regarding digital accessibility have been in place for several years, new directive that comes into effect on June 28 will expand these requirements to the private sector. What does this mean for e-commerce businesses? This topic was discussed on Estonian Äripäev Radio’s show “E-Commerce Development and Future,” featuring Jakob Rosin from Ligipääsuke, Rauno Raid from Finest, and Kuldar Kullasepp from Maksekeskus.

Listen to the show here (in Estonian):

Current State of Digital Accessibility in Estonia

Accessibility expert Jakob Rosin noted that the situation with accessibility is improving, partly due to the increased focus brought by the upcoming regulation. “The more we discuss it, the more we could broaden our perspective and view accessibility not just as a requirement by the law, but as an opportunity to make services more convenient, faster, and better for the user,” he explained.

Rauno Raid, who works daily on developing digital solutions, mentioned that although e-commerce businesses are beginning to pay more attention to accessibility, progress has been slow.

One of the biggest obstacles, in his opinion, is a lack of knowledge. “Many merchants don’t know their customers well enough — they don’t understand their needs or anticipate what could be improved,” he said. Rosin encourages e-merchants to engage more with their customers and ask for feedback regarding website accessibility. On the technical side, Ligipääsuke can help assess the accessibility of an online store in detail and provide practical recommendations for improvement.

Who Is Affected by the New Digital Accessibility Directive?

The new digital accessibility requirements don’t just impact e-commerce—they extend to banks, transport companies, ticket and payment machines, smartphones, e-books, and many other digital solutions. This significant change will affect a large segment of the population.

Rosin pointed out that 27% of people in the European Union report having some form of special need, which equates to over 100 million individuals. It’s also vital to consider the aging population, making accessibility increasingly important in our society.

The directive, which comes into force this summer, does not apply to micro-enterprises with a yearly turnover of less than 2 million euros and fewer than 10 employees. However, growth-oriented e-commerce businesses should start considering accessibility now, the guests of the radio show noted.

How to Get Started?

“The scope of the changes required to ensure accessibility depends on the complexity of the e-commerce site,” explained Raid. “The larger and more customized the online store, the more work needs to be done.” However, there are several simple steps that merchants can take on their own. For example, they could add alternative text (Alt-text) to product images, describing what is depicted, or review the website’s color contrasts, as in some cases, adjusting colors or text tone may be necessary for better readability.

Rosin emphasized the importance of properly describing website functions. Common issues include empty links and unclear buttons that screen readers can’t interpret. To ensure all users, including those relying on screen readers, can navigate the site comfortably, it’s crucial that the screen focus is clearly defined.

The show’s guests advised against relying solely on widgets that claim to make websites accessible with minimal effort. While many tools are available, they are not 100% reliable. These widgets can help analyze the site, but the next step should be to consult an expert to interpret the analysis results and implement the necessary improvements.

What Happens After the Directive is Implemented?

Estonian Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority will be responsible for checking compliance with digital accessibility requirements. Raid explained that if it’s clear that a company hasn’t made visible efforts to bring its website into compliance, the authority may issue orders or even impose fines of up to 10,000 euros. However, it is likely that businesses will be given a smooth transition period. “It would be wise to ensure maximum readiness by June 28,” he recommended.

“After the directive takes effect, customers will also have the right to demand an e-commerce site to be accessible,” Rosin noted.

Accessibility and SEO

Web accessibility enhances a website’s readability for programs and machines, including search engines. As a result, an accessible page is easier for Google to understand, which can improve SEO. Alt texts, for example, describe the content of images, making the entire page more comprehensible.

Raid pointed out that a user-friendly and accessible online store is likely to engage customers more, making them stay on the webpage longer, which is also a positive factor for search engines.

“Most e-commerce platforms today already offer themes that comply with accessibility requirements or allow merchants to easily add the necessary accessibility information,” Rosin noted.

Accessibility Brings More Website Traffic

Rosin believes that the ease of use of an e-commerce site can often be more important than price and plays a crucial role in maintaining customer loyalty. When a website is user-friendly and easy to navigate, visitors are more likely to stay longer and return. This is particularly important for people with special needs, for whom accessibility is essential in daily life.

If competitors have already prioritized accessibility, e-commerce stores that haven’t may lose customers who value a better user experience.