Why Shopify sites are targeted
Shopify stores are highly targeted because of their visibility, product volume, and often-customized themes that break accessibility. Plaintiff firms scan thousands of Shopify stores using automated tools.
Recent lawsuit examples:
- $35K settlement by a 50-employee Shopify fashion store (NY Federal Court, 2024)
- $12K settlement by a Shopify health supplement brand (CA Superior Court, 2024)
Most common Shopify accessibility issues
Product images without alt text
Stores with 1,000+ products often have hundreds of images missing descriptive alt attributes.
Color-contrast failures on PDP
Theme button colors frequently fail WCAG 4.5:1 contrast ratios.
Cart/checkout keyboard traps
Custom checkout themes often break keyboard navigation in the cart drawer.
Form labels missing on signup
Newsletter and contact forms commonly use placeholder text instead of proper labels.
Dynamic content announcements
Add-to-cart confirmations often don't announce to screen readers.
Shopify-specific fixes
1
Add alt text through Admin > Products > Media for every image2
Use Shopify's "accessibility" theme section settings3
Install our widget via theme.liquid before </body>4
Audit your theme with Liquid debug mode5
Check your Shopify Online Store 2.0 sections for ARIACompliance guides for other platforms & industries:
Popular Shopify Stores + state combinations
Targeted guides combining Shopify compliance with state-specific laws: