Is My Shopify Store ADA Compliant? A Complete Accessibility Guide

Running a Shopify store, you've probably seen the headlines about accessibility lawsuits. E-commerce is one of the most-targeted industries for ADA website accessibility claims. And you might be wondering: is my store one of the vulnerable ones?

The short answer is probably yes—but that's fixable.

Shopify stores face the same accessibility requirements as any other website, but they also have unique challenges and advantages. I've audited hundreds of Shopify stores, and consistent patterns emerge. This guide breaks down what compliance actually means for Shopify merchants and how to get there.

Q: Is my Shopify store ADA compliant?

A: Probably not by default. While Shopify's core platform has accessibility features, most themes have issues, and merchant customizations frequently introduce barriers. Common problems include inaccessible product images, form labeling issues, and keyboard navigation problems. The good news: Shopify's architecture makes remediation more manageable than many other platforms.

Why Shopify Stores Get Sued

E-Commerce Is High-Target Territory

According to data tracked by accessibility researchers, retail and e-commerce consistently rank among the most-sued industries for website accessibility. The reasons are straightforward:

Money changes hands. Courts view transaction capability as core to "public accommodation." A store that can't be used by people with disabilities is directly denying them access to commerce.

High volume of businesses. Millions of e-commerce sites create a large target pool for plaintiff attorneys scanning for accessibility issues.

Clear user paths to test. Product search, product pages, cart, and checkout represent testable flows. Issues in these paths have obvious impact.

Merchant often unaware. Many Shopify merchants are small businesses focused on products, not web technology. They genuinely don't know about accessibility requirements.

Common Issues in Shopify Stores

The same problems appear repeatedly across Shopify audits:

Product images without alt text. This is the number one issue. Every product image needs descriptive alternative text so screen reader users understand what they're potentially buying. "IMG_4521.jpg" doesn't cut it.

Inaccessible product variants. Color swatches, size selectors, and customization options often rely on visual presentation without accessible labels. A screen reader user might hear "option 1, option 2" with no indication what those options are.

Keyboard trap in menus. Mega menus and mobile navigation frequently trap keyboard focus or can't be operated without a mouse.

Cart and checkout barriers. Form fields without proper labels, quantity adjusters that require mouse clicks, and review steps that don't announce to screen readers.

Filter and sort accessibility. Product filtering—often the primary way to navigate large catalogs—frequently can't be used with keyboards or screen readers.

Third-party app issues. Reviews, wishlists, size guides, and other Shopify apps inject accessibility problems the merchant can't directly fix.

Understanding Your Accessibility Status

What "Compliant" Actually Means

The ADA doesn't specify technical standards for websites. WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) has emerged as the de facto standard courts reference. Most settlements and consent decrees specify WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 at the AA conformance level.

WCAG AA compliance means your store:

• Has text alternatives for non-text content (alt text)
• Provides captions for videos
• Works with keyboard navigation
• Has sufficient color contrast
• Has forms that are properly labeled and give clear feedback
• Maintains consistent navigation and functionality

For Shopify stores specifically, this translates to your theme, your content, and your third-party apps all working together accessibly.

How to Check Your Store

Quick self-assessment:

Try navigating your store using only your keyboard (Tab to move forward, Shift+Tab backward, Enter to activate). Can you:

• Use the main navigation menu?
• Search for products?
• View product details?
• Add items to cart?
• Complete checkout?

If you get stuck anywhere, that's an accessibility barrier.

Automated scanning:

Tools can identify many (not all) accessibility issues automatically. TestParty's scanner is built specifically for Shopify and identifies common e-commerce accessibility problems.

Browser extensions like Lighthouse (built into Chrome) provide basic scanning for free, though they miss many issues that Shopify-specific tools catch.

Professional audit:

For comprehensive assessment, professional accessibility audits combine automated scanning with manual testing using actual screen readers. This catches issues automation misses.

Shopify's Built-In Accessibility

What Shopify Provides

Shopify has improved platform accessibility over time:

Core checkout is relatively accessible. Shopify's hosted checkout (which most merchants use) meets basic accessibility standards because Shopify maintains it centrally.

Theme accessibility guidelines exist. Shopify publishes accessibility guidance for theme developers and reviews themes in their marketplace.

Dawn theme as baseline. Shopify's default Dawn theme was built with accessibility in mind and passes most automated checks out of the box.

What Shopify Doesn't Solve

Theme customization breaks accessibility. Even if Dawn is accessible, the moment you customize—changing layouts, adding sections, modifying navigation—you can introduce issues.

Apps inject problems. That review widget, that popup, that countdown timer—third-party apps run their own code, and many aren't built accessibly.

Content responsibility is yours. Product descriptions, image alt text, video captions—Shopify can't make your content accessible automatically.

Theme choice matters. Many third-party themes in the Shopify marketplace have significant accessibility issues despite marketplace review.

Making Your Shopify Store Accessible

Theme-Level Fixes

Start with your theme foundation:

Evaluate your current theme. Run accessibility scans on your homepage, a product page, a collection page, and checkout. If issues are extensive, consider switching themes.

Choose accessibility-conscious themes. Look for themes that explicitly mention WCAG compliance. Dawn (Shopify's default) is a safe choice. Premium themes from reputable developers with accessibility sections in documentation are better bets.

Fix navigation accessibility. Ensure menus can be operated with keyboard. Dropdown menus need focus states and escape key handling. Mobile menus need the same.

Add skip links. Users should be able to skip to main content without tabbing through every navigation item.

Product Content Fixes

Content issues are often the most time-consuming but also the most important:

Alt text for every product image. Describe what the image shows in ways relevant to purchase decisions. "Blue cotton t-shirt with v-neck and short sleeves" is useful. "T-shirt" is too vague. "IMG_4521" is useless.

Accessible variant selectors. Color swatches need accessible names ("Navy Blue" not just color-coded dots). Size selectors need clear labels.

Descriptive link text. "Buy now" buttons need context. "Add Navy Blue V-Neck T-Shirt to cart" is better than generic "Add to cart" repeated for every product.

Video captions and transcripts. Product videos need captions. If videos include important information, transcripts help users who can't access video content at all.

Technical Fixes

Some issues require code-level changes:

Form labels and error handling. Newsletter signups, contact forms, and account creation need properly associated labels. Error messages must be announced to screen readers.

Focus management. When modals open, focus should move to the modal. When modals close, focus should return to the trigger. Quick view, cart drawers, and popups need this.

ARIA where appropriate. Custom interactive elements need ARIA attributes to communicate state to assistive technology. Overuse of ARIA causes problems too—use it correctly.

Third-Party App Strategy

Apps create significant accessibility challenges:

Audit your apps. Identify which apps inject front-end content. Test those specific features for accessibility.

Contact app developers. If an app has accessibility issues, report them. Some developers are responsive; others aren't.

Consider alternatives. If an app can't be made accessible, evaluate whether alternatives exist or whether the functionality is truly necessary.

Custom implementations. For critical functionality with no accessible app option, custom development may be necessary.

Ongoing Accessibility Maintenance

The Continuous Nature of Compliance

Accessibility isn't a one-time project. Your store changes constantly:

• New products with new images
• Seasonal content updates
• Theme modifications for promotions
• New apps installed
• Shopify platform updates

Each change can introduce accessibility issues. Without ongoing monitoring, compliant stores drift toward non-compliance.

Building Maintenance Processes

Content guidelines for your team. Anyone uploading products needs to understand alt text requirements. Create templates and examples.

Pre-launch testing for updates. Before pushing theme changes or installing new apps, test accessibility.

Regular automated scanning. Continuous monitoring catches regressions before they accumulate. TestParty's Shopify integration provides this for Shopify stores specifically.

Periodic manual review. Automated tools miss things. Quarterly manual review of key user flows catches what scanners can't.

The Business Case for Shopify Accessibility

Legal Risk Reduction

The obvious benefit: accessible stores are less likely to be sued, and if targeted, are in better position to demonstrate good faith compliance.

Settlement costs for Shopify store accessibility lawsuits typically run $10,000-$50,000 plus remediation requirements. Proactive accessibility investment is often comparable or less—without the legal stress.

Market Expansion

According to the CDC, approximately 26% of American adults have some type of disability. Many prefer shopping online because it's often more accessible than physical stores—when the websites work.

Accessible stores convert visitors that competitors lose. This isn't theoretical—it's market share available to businesses that remove barriers.

SEO and Performance Benefits

Accessible sites tend to rank better because:

Alt text improves image search. Proper alt text helps search engines understand images, improving visibility in Google Shopping and image search.

Semantic structure aids crawling. Proper heading hierarchy and semantic HTML help search engines understand content structure.

Performance often improves. Accessibility work frequently reveals performance issues. Fixing accessibility often improves speed metrics.

FAQ Section

Q: Does using Shopify's checkout make my store compliant?

A: Shopify's checkout is relatively accessible, but checkout alone isn't enough. If users can't navigate your product pages, find products, or add items to cart, accessible checkout doesn't help them. Compliance requires the entire shopping journey to be accessible.

Q: Are paid Shopify themes more accessible than free themes?

A: Not necessarily. Theme price doesn't correlate with accessibility quality. Dawn (free) is often more accessible than expensive premium themes. Evaluate themes specifically for accessibility, regardless of price.

Q: Should I use an accessibility app from the Shopify App Store?

A: Be cautious. Most "accessibility apps" are overlay widgets, which don't achieve compliance and can create problems. Apps that help you find and fix issues (scanning tools) are useful; apps that claim to make sites accessible automatically are not.

Q: How long does it take to make a Shopify store accessible?

A: Depends on your starting point and store size. Simple stores with accessible themes might need only content fixes (alt text, labels) achievable in days to weeks. Complex stores with inaccessible themes and many apps might need months. Understanding remediation timelines helps planning.

Q: Will Shopify accessibility changes affect my conversion rate?

A: Typically positive or neutral. Accessibility improvements make stores easier to use for everyone—clearer navigation, better form handling, more descriptive content. Some merchants report conversion improvements after accessibility work. Negative conversion impact would be unusual.

Getting Started

If you're unsure about your Shopify store's accessibility status:

1. Run a basic scan to understand your issue volume
2. Test critical paths manually using keyboard navigation
3. Evaluate your theme's accessibility foundation
4. Audit third-party apps for accessibility issues
5. Create a prioritized remediation plan starting with highest-impact areas

Shopify's architecture actually makes accessibility more manageable than many platforms—themes provide consistent structure, and centralized checkout handles a critical piece. The work is achievable.

Want to know where your Shopify store stands? Get a free accessibility scan built specifically for Shopify stores.

Related Articles:

• Why Am I Getting Sued for Website Accessibility?
• E-Commerce Accessibility: The Complete WCAG Guide
• Accessibility Audits: What to Expect

AI tools helped research and draft this article. TestParty provides automated WCAG testing and remediation, but for legal or strategic decisions, please speak with qualified advisors.