Redesigning a Shopify Store for Accessibility: Insights from Shopify Web Designers

Accessibility is more than just a legal requirement—it’s about making sure everyone, regardless of ability, can use and enjoy your Shopify store. By focusing on accessibility, you create a seamless shopping experience for all users, improve SEO, and reach a wider audience. Here, we provide expert insights from Shopify web designers on how to redesign your store to meet accessibility standards.

1. Start with a WCAG Framework

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the international standard for web accessibility. Shopify designers recommend using WCAG 2.1 as the baseline for your redesign, focusing on the four key principles of accessibility: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust (POUR).

Perceivable

Your content should be easy for all users to perceive. This means:

• Adding alternative text (alt text) for images.
• Offering transcripts for video and audio content.
• Ensuring high contrast between text and background colors.

Operable

All functions of your site should be operable via keyboard alone, as many users with disabilities rely on keyboard navigation:

• Enable keyboard-friendly menus and forms.
• Provide clear focus states (indicating which element is active).
• Avoid features that rely solely on mouse gestures.

Understandable

Make sure your Shopify store is easy to understand and use:

• Write clear, concise language with logical navigation.
• Avoid overly complex jargon or industry-specific language.
• Ensure consistent layout and functionality across pages.

Robust

Your site should work across various devices and assistive technologies:

• Test across different browsers and screen readers.
• Regularly update your site to ensure compatibility with evolving technology.

2. Choose an Accessible Shopify Theme

One of the easiest ways to redesign your Shopify store for accessibility is to start with an accessible theme. Many Shopify themes are WCAG-compliant, but not all of them meet the latest standards. Web designers suggest looking for themes that emphasise:

• Responsive design: Ensuring your site adjusts well across all devices.
• Clear typography: Fonts should be legible and scalable.
• Accessible forms: Input fields should have clear labels and easy navigation.

Shopify's Debut and Brooklyn themes are often recommended for their accessibility features, but you may need to customise them further to meet all accessibility requirements.

3. Focus on Colour Contrast and Typography

Low-contrast text can be a major barrier for people with visual impairments. A well-designed Shopify store should have sufficient contrast between text and its background to ensure readability.

Colour Contrast

• WCAG 2.1 recommends a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for larger text.
• Use tools like WebAIM’s contrast checker to ensure compliance.
• Avoid relying on color alone to convey meaning (e.g., use text labels along with color cues).

Typography

• Ensure text is resisable without breaking the layout.
• Use simple, sans-serif fonts like Arial or Verdana for better readability.
• Set a minimum font size of 16px to cater to users with visual impairments.

4. Improve Navigation and Usability

Accessible navigation is crucial for creating a user-friendly Shopify store. Designers recommend optimising both your primary navigation and product search capabilities.

Simplify Navigation

• Use a clear, hierarchical menu structure.
• Limit the number of submenus, which can confuse screen reader users.
• Include a site search function with easily identifiable input fields.

Provide Descriptive Links

• Ensure that all links have descriptive text. Instead of “Click Here,” use text like “Shop Men’s Clothing” so that screen reader users know exactly where the link leads.

5. Test Your Store with Assistive Technologies

Finally, always test your redesigned Shopify store with various assistive technologies to ensure it meets the needs of all users. Shopify designers recommend testing with:

• Screen readers like JAWS, VoiceOver, and NVDA.
• Keyboard-only navigation to simulate how users with mobility impairments interact with your store.
• Accessibility tools like WAVE or Axe to identify and fix potential issues.

Conclusion

Redesigning a Shopify store with accessibility in mind not only enhances the user experience but also opens up your store to a broader audience. By following WCAG guidelines, choosing the right themes, and prioritising usability and readability, you can create an inclusive online shopping environment. Whether you’re starting from scratch or redesigning an existing store, these insights from Shopify web designers can guide you to success.