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Accessibility in eCommerce: Legal Requirements and Support from Shopware

November 27, 2024 09:30

Accessibility on the internet is no longer a "nice-to-have", but a "must-have". In e-commerce in particular, the accessibility of online shops plays a crucial role in appealing to everyone equally - regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities. After all, online shopping has become part of our everyday lives and should therefore be accessible to everyone. In the DACH region, where our shopware agency signundsinn GmbH is active, there are clear legal requirements for accessibility that online shops must comply with. In this article, you will not only find out which legal requirements apply to accessibility in e-commerce, but also how the Shopware platform can help you to make your online shop accessible. You will also receive practical tips for implementation and exciting background information that illustrates why this topic is more relevant than ever.

1. Legal basis for accessibility in e-commerce

The legal requirements for accessibility in the digital space have become increasingly strict in recent years. The following guidelines and laws in particular apply to compliance with accessibility in e-commerce, which every online shop operator should be aware of:

Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG):

In Germany, the BFSG regulates accessibility requirements for the public and commercial sectors, including online shops. The law was promulgated in July 2021 and comes into force on 28 June 2025. It obliges private economic operators to make certain products and services accessible. The aim of the BFSG is to enable equal participation for all people.

EU Directive 2019/882 (European Accessibility Act):

This European Union directive obliges all member states to provide accessible digital services, including online shops, by 2025. It defines the accessibility requirements for products and services and was implemented in Germany by the BFSG. This applies to both private and public sectors and includes not only web content, but also apps and other digital media.

WCAG 2.1 Guidelines: The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)

are international guidelines that define standards for accessible web content. They provide specific guidance on how websites should be designed so that they can be used by all users, including people with disabilities. These guidelines form the basis for the design of accessible websites worldwide and are often used as a binding standard.

An accessible online shop must ensure that people with visual, hearing or motor impairments can easily access the information. This means, for example, that content must also be navigable via keyboards, media must be provided with alternative texts and colours must be high-contrast.

Interesting fact:

Did you know that around 15% of people worldwide have a disability? That's more than 1 billion people. By making your online shop accessible, you are not only addressing a new customer group, but also making an important contribution to inclusion.

2. Why accessibility is important in e-commerce

There are numerous reasons why accessibility in e-commerce is of immense importance. Here are some aspects that show how important this topic can be for your online shop:

Increasing reach:

As already mentioned, around 15% of the world's population lives with some form of disability. People with visual impairments, hearing problems or motor impairments are often excluded from using online shops. If you remove these barriers, you automatically increase your potential customer base. Accessibility therefore means a direct increase in reach.

Image building and trust:

Companies that are committed to accessibility show that they take social responsibility. Customers perceive such companies as more trustworthy, as they take equal care of all user groups and do not discriminate. A positive brand perception is worth its weight in gold - especially in the highly competitive online retail sector.

Legal security:

Compliance with legal requirements protects against expensive legal disputes and fines. There have already been numerous cases in recent years in which companies have been sued for web content that is not accessible. To avoid such scenarios, the requirements should be implemented from the outset.


Interesting fact:

In the USA, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has been in place since 1990, which obliges companies to make their offerings accessible to people with disabilities. Violations of this requirement have already led to hundreds of lawsuits - and this has prompted many online shops to adapt their websites.

3. Support from Shopware for accessibility

As one of the leading e-commerce solutions, Shopware offers a variety of tools and features to ensure accessibility. Here are some of the features that will help you make your online shop accessible to all users:

Responsive Design:

Shopware relies on a responsive design from the ground up, which adapts to different devices and screen sizes. This enables people with visual impairments to use the shop on mobile devices or tablets without any problems.

Text alternatives for images:

Images play a major role in e-commerce. People with visual impairments use screen readers to capture image content. With Shopware, alt texts can easily be added to describe the content of images and thus improve accessibility.

Contrasts and colour selection:

High legibility through good contrasts is essential for people with visual impairments. The templates offered by Shopware are provided with high contrasts as standard and can be adjusted in colour to enable better accessibility.

Simple navigation:

Accessible navigation is key to a positive user experience. People who rely on keyboard navigation must be able to use the shop intuitively. Shopware attaches great importance to simple and accessible navigation so that users can reach their destination quickly without getting lost in a multitude of menus.

WCAG-compliant structures:

Shopware makes it easy to create WCAG-compliant page structures. For example, headings can be organised in a meaningful way and forms can be designed in such a way that they can also be used by people with disabilities.


Interesting fact:

Shopware provides plugins that offer specific tools for accessibility, e.g. a read-aloud function or enlarged fonts. This makes it easier for shop operators to specifically remove barriers.

4. Practical tips for implementing accessibility with Shopware

Even with a good platform like Shopware, you need practical steps to implement accessibility. Here are some tips to help you:

Conduct regular testing:

Use accessibility testing tools such as WAVE or axe. These tools check your website for the WCAG criteria and help you to identify weak points. In particular, check contrasts, alternative texts and keyboard navigation.

Use accessible design:

Use clear typography with sufficient line spacing and easy-to-read font sizes. Shopware offers design customisations to help you with this. Make sure that buttons are large enough to be used by people with motor impairments.

Obtain user feedback:

An effective way to improve your shop is to gather user feedback. Ask people with special needs to test your shop and provide feedback. This is the only way to ensure that no unintended barriers remain.

Use clear language:

Simple and easy-to-understand language helps all users, but especially people with cognitive impairments. Avoid complicated technical terms and use clear and understandable language.


Interesting fact:

studies show that simple language on websites is not only helpful for people with cognitive impairments, but can also increase the conversion rate. This is because people without disabilities also prefer clear and concise information.

Make multimedia content accessible:

Videos should always be subtitled so that hearing-impaired people can also understand the content. Shopware offers the option of easily integrating videos and providing them with appropriate subtitles.

5. The importance of accessibility for search engine optimisation (SEO)

Accessibility is not only a must in terms of legal requirements and a positive user experience - it can also significantly improve your SEO performance.

Better user experience:

Google measures user experience through factors such as dwell time and bounce rate. An accessible website ensures a better experience for all users, which has a positive impact on these factors.

Alt texts for images:

These are not only important for accessibility, but also a relevant ranking factor for Google. Alt texts should always be meaningful and describe the image in a meaningful way.

Clean HTML code:

A well-structured HTML code with correctly named headings is not only helpful for screen readers, but also for search engines that scan and evaluate a page.


Interesting fact:

Google is increasingly prioritising a good user experience, and adhering to WCAG guidelines can help your website rank better in search results too.

Conclusion

Accessibility in e-commerce is no longer an option - it is a legal obligation and at the same time a valuable opportunity to strengthen your market position and tap into new customer groups. The legal requirements in the DACH region are clear and the deadlines for their implementation are approaching. A platform like Shopware provides you with the tools you need to make your online shop accessible and also offers numerous options for improving the user experience.

However, accessibility means more than just meeting legal requirements - it means that everyone has equal access to the offers and services on the Internet. This creates trust, strengthens your brand and offers long-term benefits for your company.

Our agency signundsinn GmbH will be happy to support you in implementing an accessible online shop. We will help you find the best solutions and optimally fulfil the legal requirements. Let's work together to make the internet a more accessible place for everyone.

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