Digital Accessibility Audit for E-Commerce

Digital accessibility is about creating an inclusive environment where all users, regardless of their abilities, can navigate, understand, and interact with online content. There are five main categories of disabilities that can impact how users interact with your website or service: visual, hearing, speech, motor and cognitive disabilities. Each of these requires specific considerations to ensure that your digital platform is accessible to all.

On June 28, 2025, the new EU directive, the European Accessibility Act (EAA), will come into force, requiring that digital products and services be accessible to the approximately 101 million people in the EU living with some form of disability. The objective is to ensure equal access to digital products and services for people with disabilities within the EU. This directive affects nearly all e-commerce businesses selling to consumers within the EU and sets specific accessibility requirements.

The EAA includes a number of requirements that each business needs to ensure they understand and implement. In general, e-commerce businesses must: 

• Ensure their websites and digital platforms are accessible to all users, regardless of disability. 
• Implement accessibility standards according to WCAG 2.1 AA.
• Offer accessible customer support.
• Provide an accessibility statement on the website. 
• Conduct regular accessibility audits and updates. 

There are also specific requirements that may apply to your industry or business model. It’s important to read the EAA documentation carefully to ensure you understand what your business needs to do to be compliant.