WCAG 2.2 checklist for an accessible online shop
WCAG 2.2 contains testable success criteria for accessible web content. Ecommerce needs special attention to the whole customer journey: search, filters, products, cart, forms and checkout.
Signals automation can check well
Technical scanning can quickly detect structural issues such as images without alt attributes, form fields without detectable labels, empty headings, broken ARIA references and controls without accessible names.
Sitewide detection is especially valuable when one template defect affects hundreds of pages.
- Page language and unique titles
- Image alternatives
- Labels and accessible names
- Heading structure
- Focus and zoom signals
- Table headers and ARIA references
Checks that still need people
Not every WCAG criterion can be reliably automated. The quality of alternative text, logical keyboard operation, understandable errors and the complete checkout experience need human judgment.
Use automation for fast risk discovery and prioritisation, followed by targeted manual validation.
- Test checkout using only a keyboard.
- Verify visible focus on every interactive element.
- Review whether instructions and errors are genuinely understandable.
FAQ
Can an automated WCAG scan test every success criterion?
No. W3C notes that some accessibility checks require manual evaluation.
Which ecommerce pages deserve priority?
At minimum: home, category/search, product, cart, account/login, forms and checkout.
Official sources: European Accessibility Act and W3C WCAG
W3C WCAG 2.2
General information, not legal advice or a formal WCAG conformance statement. Automated checks do not cover every accessibility criterion.
Map your technical accessibility risks first
The free Quick Scan checks up to 5 representative pages. The paid Risk Report scans up to 1,000 publicly discoverable pages in the background and is emailed automatically when complete.