Why Accessibility Matters
Accessibility isn't just about compliance—it's about reaching more customers, improving SEO, and building a better business. Here's why it should be a priority for your Shopify store.
The Numbers Speak for Themselves
1B+
People with Disabilities
15% of the global population has some form of disability
$13T
Annual Spending Power
Combined disposable income of people with disabilities
71%
Leave Inaccessible Sites
Users abandon websites that are difficult to use
Business Benefits
📈 Expanded Market Reach
Accessible websites serve more customers. When your store works for everyone—including those using screen readers, keyboard navigation, or voice control—you capture sales competitors miss.
🔍 Better SEO Performance
Accessibility improvements directly benefit SEO. Alt text, proper headings, descriptive links, and semantic HTML all help search engines understand and rank your content higher.
⚡ Improved Usability for Everyone
Accessibility features help all users. Captions benefit people in noisy environments. High contrast helps in bright sunlight. Clear navigation helps everyone find products faster.
💰 Higher Conversion Rates
Accessible forms are easier to fill out. Accessible checkout flows have fewer abandonments. Clear error messages prevent user frustration. Every improvement increases conversions.
💝 Brand Reputation
Accessibility demonstrates your values. Customers notice when you care about inclusion. It differentiates you from competitors and builds lasting loyalty.
The Legal Landscape
⚠️ Lawsuit Risk is Real
ADA web accessibility lawsuits have increased 400%+ since 2018. E-commerce sites are the #1 target.
| Year | US Web Accessibility Lawsuits |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 2,258 |
| 2020 | 3,550 |
| 2022 | 4,061 |
| 2023 | 4,500+ |
Settlement costs range from $5,000 to $150,000+, not including legal fees, remediation costs, and reputation damage. Proactive accessibility is far cheaper than reactive fixes.
Who Benefits from Accessibility?
Accessibility helps more people than you might think:
👁️ Visual Disabilities
Blindness, low vision, color blindness. 2.2B people globally have vision impairment.
👂 Hearing Disabilities
Deafness, hard of hearing. 430M people have disabling hearing loss.
🖐️ Motor Disabilities
Limited mobility, tremors, paralysis. Includes injuries and temporary conditions.
🧠 Cognitive Disabilities
Dyslexia, ADHD, autism, memory issues. Clarity and simplicity help everyone.
👴 Aging Population
Declining vision, hearing, motor skills. By 2050, 2B people will be 60+.
📱 Situational Limitations
Bright sunlight, loud environments, one hand occupied. Everyone experiences these.
Ready to Make Your Store Accessible?
Start with a free accessibility scan to see where you stand.