How to test and improve e-commerce accessibility for UK users

Testing and improving e-commerce accessibility helps UK users with disabilities to browse, shop and complete purchases more easily on your online store. It involves checking your site against established guidelines, fixing barriers such as poor colour contrast or missing image descriptions, and verifying improvements with both automated and manual methods.

Following good accessibility practices can broaden your customer base and create a smoother user experience without requiring major redesigns. This guide outlines free and paid tools, common issues to watch for, success criteria to aim for, and clear steps to test and report on your Shopify, WooCommerce or Magento store.

Understanding common accessibility barriers in e-commerce

Many online stores unintentionally create obstacles that prevent some UK users from shopping comfortably. Common barriers include images without alternative text, links that only use colour to convey meaning, and forms that lack clear labels or error messages. Videos without captions and keyboard navigation that does not work properly are also frequent problems on product pages and during checkout.

Small text sizes, low colour contrast between text and backgrounds, and content that moves automatically can make sites difficult to use for people with visual impairments or cognitive differences. On mobile devices, buttons that are too close together or checkout flows that time out quickly add further frustration. Identifying these early helps you focus your testing efforts on the areas that matter most to users.

Free tools for testing accessibility

Start with free automated checkers that scan your site quickly and highlight potential issues. The Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool (WAVE) from WebAIM lets you paste a URL or install a browser extension to generate reports on errors and alerts directly on the page. It flags missing alt text, contrast problems and structural issues without any cost.

• Use the Axe browser extension from Deque for Chrome or Firefox to run scans and receive plain-language explanations of failures.
• Google Lighthouse, built into Chrome DevTools, provides an accessibility audit alongside performance and SEO checks.
• The NVDA screen reader (free for Windows) and VoiceOver (built into Mac and iOS) let you experience your store the way many users do.

These tools give a good starting point but cannot catch every issue, so combine them with manual checks.

Paid tools and professional services

Paid platforms offer deeper analysis, ongoing monitoring and prioritised issue lists. Tools such as axe DevTools Pro, Accessibility Insights, or full-service providers like AccessiBe and Userway provide automated scans, manual testing by experts, and dashboards that track progress over time. Many include plugins that work directly with Shopify, WooCommerce and Magento.

Consider budgeting for a one-off audit from a specialist agency if your store handles high transaction volumes or if you want detailed WCAG compliance reports. These services often include user testing with people who have a range of disabilities, giving insights that automated tools miss. Prices vary, so request quotes based on the size and complexity of your site.

Success criteria and how to meet them

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) set the international standard. Aim for Level AA compliance, which covers most legal expectations in the UK. Key success criteria include providing text alternatives for all non-text content, ensuring sufficient colour contrast (at least 4.5:1 for normal text), and making all functionality available from a keyboard.

Other important criteria are clear headings and labels, consistent navigation, and the ability to resize text up to 200 percent without loss of content or function. During checkout, error messages must be identifiable and suggestions for correction provided. Test each criterion on product pages, category listings, the cart and payment steps to ensure the whole buying journey works for everyone.

Step-by-step testing process

Begin by running an automated scan with WAVE or Axe on your homepage, a typical product page, the cart and the checkout flow. Record every error and warning. Next, turn off your mouse and navigate the site using only the Tab key, Shift+Tab and Enter. Check that focus indicators are visible and that you can reach every interactive element.

Then use a screen reader to listen to your pages. Ensure product images have descriptive alt text such as “Blue cotton crew-neck jumper, size medium” rather than generic phrases. Test colour contrast with the free Colour Contrast Analyser tool by entering hex codes from your design. Finally, try zooming the page to 400 percent and confirm that no content overlaps or becomes unreadable. Repeat these steps after every major update to your store.

Creating useful accessibility reports

Document your findings in a simple spreadsheet or report that lists each issue, the page or element affected, the relevant WCAG success criterion, the severity, and the suggested fix. Include screenshots to show problems clearly. For example, note that a “Buy now” button fails colour contrast because the text is light grey on a white background and recommend changing it to dark blue.

Prioritise issues that block core tasks such as adding items to the cart or completing payment. Share the report with your developer or agency and set deadlines for fixes. Re-test after changes and update the report to show before-and-after results. Keeping records demonstrates ongoing effort to improve accessibility, which can be helpful if questions arise about your approach.

Practical improvements and long-term habits

Write descriptive alt text for every product image and decorative images should have empty alt attributes. Use semantic HTML headings in the correct order on product descriptions and category pages. Add ARIA labels only where native HTML falls short, such as for custom interactive elements in your theme.

Choose payment and shipping options that include clear instructions and do not rely on colour alone. Provide multiple ways to contact customer support and ensure help content is written in plain language. Schedule quarterly accessibility checks as part of your store maintenance routine. Many founders working from shared spaces such as Loomworks find that regular small improvements are easier to manage than occasional large projects.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading: Setting up abandoned cart recovery emails for UK stores, How fast should e-commerce product pages load in the UK?, Choosing effective colour schemes for UK e-commerce brands. Browse all e-commerce setup guides or apply to Loomworks.