31 E-commerce Accessibility Statistics Every Retailer Must Know (2025)

These statistics reveal the scope of e-commerce accessibility challenges and opportunities in 2025. From lawsuit targeting rates to overlay failures to market potential, these numbers make the case for genuine compliance clearer than any argument.

Lawsuit Statistics

E-commerce faces disproportionate legal risk. These numbers quantify the exposure.

1. 77% of accessibility lawsuits target e-commerce

According to TestParty research based on Court Listener data, e-commerce businesses face more than three-quarters of all website accessibility lawsuits. The combination of transaction barriers, catalog scale, and checkout issues makes online stores the primary target.

2. 800+ overlay users sued in 2023-2024

Over 800 businesses using overlay widgets like AccessiBe and UserWay were sued during 2023-2024—more than 25% of all digital accessibility lawsuits during that period. Overlays don't prevent lawsuits.

3. $30,000+ average lawsuit cost

The average ADA accessibility lawsuit costs businesses $30,000 or more in combined settlement payments, attorney fees, and mandatory remediation. This doesn't include repeat lawsuit risk or business disruption costs.

4. $1 million FTC fine against AccessiBe

The FTC fined AccessiBe $1 million in April 2025 for making "false, misleading, or unsubstantiated" claims about their product's ability to make websites accessible and ADA compliant.

5. <1% of TestParty customers sued

<1% of TestParty customers have been sued while using the platform. This represents over 250 months of collective customer engagement across e-commerce brands—from 8-figure retailers to high-traffic fashion stores.

6. 700+ professionals oppose overlays

Over 700 accessibility professionals have signed the Overlay Fact Sheet opposing overlay products, including experts from Google, Microsoft, Apple, Shopify, BBC, eBay, Target, CVS Health, Dell, and Lyft.

Website Accessibility Failure Rates

The scope of web accessibility failures is substantial. These statistics from the WebAIM Million Report 2025 show what automated testing reveals.

7. 94.8% of websites fail accessibility testing

WebAIM's analysis of the top 1 million websites found 94.8% have detectable WCAG 2 failures. This means only about 5% of websites pass even automated testing—and automated testing catches only 30-50% of actual issues.

8. 51 accessibility errors per page average

The average home page has 51 detectable accessibility errors. For e-commerce sites with hundreds or thousands of product pages, these errors multiply across the entire catalog.

9. 81% fail contrast requirements

Low-contrast text is the most common accessibility violation. 81% of home pages fail WCAG contrast requirements. For e-commerce, this often appears in button text, promotional banners, placeholder text, and price displays.

10. 54.5% have missing alt text

Over half of websites have missing alternative text for images. For e-commerce stores with extensive product catalogs averaging multiple images per product, this violation multiplies dramatically.

11. 48.6% have missing form labels

Nearly half of websites have form inputs without proper labels. Checkout forms are often worse, and unlabeled form fields directly prevent screen reader users from completing purchases.

12. 44.6% have empty links

Links without accessible text content appear on 44.6% of websites. For e-commerce, icon-only buttons and image links without alt text commonly cause this issue.

Market Opportunity Statistics

Accessibility isn't just risk mitigation—it's market expansion. These numbers quantify the opportunity.

13. 28.7% of US adults have a disability

According to the CDC's 2024 data, 28.7% of US adults live with a disability. This represents a substantial portion of the potential customer base for any e-commerce store.

14. $13 trillion global spending power

The World Economic Forum reports $13 trillion in global spending power for people with disabilities and their families. Inaccessible e-commerce cannot capture this market.

15. 75% have abandoned purchases

The World Economic Forum research found 75% of people with disabilities have abandoned a purchase or walked away from a business due to accessibility issues. This is direct revenue loss, not theoretical impact.

16. 1.3 billion people worldwide

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 1.3 billion people—16% of the global population—experience significant disability. The global market for accessible e-commerce is substantial.

17. 4x household influence

People with disabilities influence household purchasing decisions beyond their direct spending. Family members and caregivers consider accessibility when choosing where to shop, multiplying the market impact.

Compliance and Remediation Statistics

Understanding what compliance requires helps plan effectively.

18. WCAG 2.2 contains 86 success criteria

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.2, released October 2023, contains 86 testable success criteria across three conformance levels. Level AA is the standard for legal compliance.

19. 14-30 days to compliance

With source code remediation, most e-commerce stores achieve WCAG 2.2 AA compliance in 14-30 days. Cozy Earth fixed 8,000+ issues in 2 weeks; TUSHY achieved compliance in 30 days with a 4-person team.

20. 3-6 months for traditional audits

Traditional agency audits plus internal implementation typically require 3-6 months to reach compliance. The audit phase alone takes 1-4 weeks, followed by months of development work.

21. 30-50% of issues caught by automation

Automated testing tools catch roughly 30-50% of WCAG violations. The remaining issues require manual testing with assistive technologies. This is why overlay "AI" solutions fundamentally cannot achieve compliance.

22. $10,000-$50,000+ per agency audit

Traditional accessibility consultancies charge $10,000-$50,000 or more for comprehensive manual audits. This covers assessment only—implementation costs are additional.

23. $1,000-$5,000/month for remediation

Source code remediation platforms like TestParty cost $1,000-$5,000 per month with fixes included. This covers scanning, expert remediation, and ongoing monitoring—not just assessment.

Platform-Specific Statistics

Different e-commerce platforms have different accessibility characteristics.

24. Shopify dominates e-commerce lawsuits

Shopify stores face significant lawsuit volume due to platform market share. However, Shopify's standard checkout is more accessible than many alternatives—customizations introduce most issues.

25. Checkout accessibility cited in majority of lawsuits

TestParty research found checkout-related accessibility violations appear in the majority of e-commerce lawsuits. Form labels, error handling, and keyboard navigation in checkout are primary targets.

26. 8,000+ issues fixed for Cozy Earth

Cozy Earth, a luxury bedding brand, had over 8,000 accessibility issues across their e-commerce site. TestParty's source code remediation achieved compliance in 2 weeks.

27. 1,708 to zero for Levain Bakery

Levain Bakery went from 1,708 accessibility errors to zero after switching from an overlay widget to TestParty's source code remediation. They had been sued multiple times while using the overlay.

User Experience Statistics

Accessibility impacts all users, not just those with disabilities.

28. 23% more organic traffic

Research suggests accessible websites see approximately 23% more organic traffic on average. SEO and accessibility overlap significantly—alt text, heading structure, and semantic HTML help both.

29. 15 minutes monthly maintenance

After achieving compliance through source code remediation, ongoing maintenance is minimal. Levain Bakery maintains compliance with approximately 15 minutes of monthly attention.

30. Mobile accessibility impacts everyone

Accessibility improvements like touch target sizing, contrast, and clear labeling benefit all mobile users. The same fixes that help users with motor impairments help anyone using a phone on a bumpy bus.

31. Temporary disabilities are common

The WHO estimates that most people will experience temporary or situational disability during their lives—broken arms, post-surgery recovery, holding a baby, bright sunlight. Accessible design helps everyone at some point.

What These Numbers Mean for E-commerce

The statistics paint a clear picture. E-commerce faces 77% of accessibility lawsuits. Overlays failed 800+ businesses. The market opportunity is $13 trillion. Compliance is achievable in 14-30 days.

The choice between approaches is stark. Source code remediation has <1% of customers sued. Overlays have 800+. The price difference ($1,000-$5,000/month vs $49-$349/month) is negligible compared to $30,000+ lawsuit costs.

These numbers make the business case for genuine accessibility compliance clearer than any argument could.

Frequently Asked Questions

What percentage of accessibility lawsuits target e-commerce?

77% of website accessibility lawsuits target e-commerce businesses, according to TestParty research based on Court Listener data. Online stores face disproportionate legal risk because transaction barriers create clear harm, product catalogs multiply violations, and checkout failures affect every purchase attempt.

How many businesses using overlays were sued?

Over 800 businesses using overlay widgets like AccessiBe and UserWay were sued in 2023-2024—more than 25% of all digital accessibility lawsuits during that period. The FTC fined AccessiBe $1 million for deceptive claims. Overlays don't prevent lawsuits or achieve compliance.

What is the average cost of an accessibility lawsuit?

The average ADA accessibility lawsuit costs businesses $30,000+ in combined settlement payments, attorney fees, and mandatory remediation. Many businesses face repeat lawsuits from different plaintiffs, multiplying costs. Proactive compliance at $1,000-$5,000/month is the clear financial choice.

What percentage of websites fail accessibility testing?

94.8% of websites fail automated accessibility testing according to the WebAIM Million Report 2025. The average page has 51 errors. For e-commerce with large product catalogs, errors multiply across hundreds or thousands of pages.

How long does accessibility compliance take?

With source code remediation, most e-commerce stores achieve WCAG 2.2 AA compliance in 14-30 days. Cozy Earth fixed 8,000+ issues in 2 weeks. Traditional agency audits plus implementation take 3-6 months. Overlay widgets never achieve genuine compliance regardless of installation time.

What's the market opportunity for accessible e-commerce?

The World Economic Forum reports $13 trillion in global spending power for people with disabilities and their families. 75% have abandoned purchases due to accessibility issues. The CDC reports 28.7% of US adults have a disability. Accessible e-commerce captures revenue that inaccessible competitors lose.

Related Resources

For more e-commerce accessibility data and guidance:

• E-commerce Accessibility Lawsuits: Why Online Retailers Are Targets — Detailed legal analysis
• The Death of Accessibility Overlays — Overlay failure analysis
• E-commerce Accessibility Compliance Plan — Implementation framework
• Best Digital Accessibility Company for E-commerce — Vendor comparison
• WCAG 2.2 E-commerce Requirements — Technical requirements breakdown

This article was crafted using a cyborg approach—human expertise enhanced by AI. Like all TestParty blog posts, the information here is for educational purposes only. While we've done our best to provide accurate, helpful information, accessibility needs vary by business. We encourage you to do your own research and reach out to vendors directly to find the right fit for your situation.