Back in 2023, we published a guide on ADA compliance for Shopify stores. Since then, lawsuits have kept coming, “quick fix” tools have multiplied, and more small and mid‑sized merchants have found themselves on the receiving end of demand letters. The basics are the same—but the stakes and expectations are higher.
Do you run a Shopify store? Or any online store? If so, it’s time to look at your ADA compliance again and take some simple steps to get in line with the law and reduce your risk.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is the civil rights law from 1990 that pushed buildings to add ramps, required “reasonable accommodation” in hiring, and generally made sure people with disabilities could access public places. Over the last 20+ years, regulators and courts have made it clear: your website is part of that picture, not just your front door.
Why You Should Care (Beyond “Because Lawyers”)
The best reason to care is simple: you want everyone who wants to buy from you to be able to browse, shop, and check out—no matter what device or assistive tech they use.
The less fun reason: if your site is not accessible, someone with a disability who can’t use it can sue you or send a demand letter. Web accessibility lawsuits have steadily moved from “rare edge case” to a normal cost of doing business for e‑commerce. Many companies end up spending thousands of dollars fixing ADA issues on a single site—often only after a scare pushes it to the top of the list.
And remember, it’s not just giant brands. One of our smallest clients runs seven Shopify sites, mostly stock themes with very little refinement, and is doing just fine revenue‑wise. But with that many stores and no formal ADA work, they’re essentially rolling the dice seven times a day. In 2023 that felt risky; in 2026 it feels like asking for a demand letter.
First Step: Add an Accessibility Statement
Reading this article is a solid first step. The next easy win: add an Accessibility Statement page and link it in your footer on every site you run.
This page:
- Tells visitors how to reach you if they have trouble using your site.
- Shows that you’re paying attention and willing to fix issues.
- Can redirect some people from “call a lawyer” to “send you an email or pick up the phone.”
Think of this as your “front desk” for accessibility issues. If someone using a screen reader or keyboard navigation hits a problem, you want them to have a clear place to go and clear instructions on how to get help.
Use the W3C Template as Your Backbone
You don’t have to start from a blank page. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has an excellent guide to accessibility statements here: https://www.w3.org/WAI/planning/statements/
Their examples are written for organizations of all sizes, but the structure works perfectly for Shopify and other e‑commerce sites. In practical terms, you can:
- Use their sections as your checklist (scope, contact info, known issues, future work).
- Tone down the legalese to match your brand voice.
- Keep the page short enough that real humans will actually read it.
Example Accessibility Statement You Can Adapt
Here’s a streamlined example based on that structure, in a voice that fits most independent stores. Swap in your own name, contact info, and details:
[WEBSITENAME] Website Accessibility Statement
[WEBSITENAME] is committed to making our website’s content accessible and user‑friendly to everyone. If you are having difficulty viewing or navigating the content on this website, or notice any content, feature, or functionality that you believe is not fully accessible, please:
* Call us at [PHONE] or
* Email us at [EMAIL]
with “Website Accessibility” in the subject line and a description of the specific feature you feel is not fully accessible or a suggestion for improvement.
We take your feedback seriously and will consider it as we evaluate ways to accommodate all of our customers and our overall accessibility policies. While we do not control third‑party content or apps, we strongly encourage these vendors to provide accessible and user‑friendly content.
We view accessibility as an ongoing effort and will continue to improve our website over time.
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You can expand or tighten this, but those core elements—contact, intent, feedback, ongoing effort—are what matter most.
“I Bought a Shopify Theme, So I’m Good… Right?”
We wish. In a perfect world, everything would be 100% ADA‑compliant right out of the box. In the real world, the biggest reason to use Shopify—customization—also means part of ADA is your responsibility.
From what we see:
- Many themes start out reasonably accessible on paper.
- Then you add apps, custom code, images with no alt text, funky headings, and creative design choices.
- The “score” slowly drops as you build out a real store.
So no, buying a theme from Shopify does not guarantee compliance. It gives you a good starting point. What you and your team do next is what really counts. That was true in 2023, and it’s even more true now that plaintiffs’ attorneys know the common patterns and weak spots in popular themes and app stacks.
The Truth About Toolbars and “Magic AI Fixes”
Since our original post, the number of “drop this script in and you’re compliant” tools has exploded. The marketing has gotten better. Unfortunately, the core problem hasn’t changed.
You’ve probably seen the ads: paste one line of code, drop a toolbar on your site, and you’re suddenly “ADA compliant.” We get why they’re tempting. We also see why lawyers love them—for the other side.
The reality:
- These tools can help a bit, but they don’t fix the underlying problems in your theme, templates, and content.
- Some law firms point to these toolbars in complaints as proof that a store knew it had an accessibility issue and tried to paper over it.
- Relying only on a toolbar is like putting a fancy bandage on a broken leg.
If you use one, treat it as a small helper, not your main strategy.
Small First Steps That Actually Help
Here are practical, do‑able steps you can start on today, alongside your Accessibility Statement:
- Add meaningful ALT text to your images.
- Caption your videos.
- Fix color contrast and text size so content is readable.
- Use headings in a logical order (H1, H2, H3…) on every page.
These “small” changes make a real difference—and they’re exactly the kind of work that helps with both ADA and SEO at the same time.
Choosing the Right Third‑Party Audit Partner
At some point, automated tools and quick fixes aren’t enough. You’ll want a third‑party audit, especially if you’ve already had a warning shot from a lawyer or if you’re managing multiple brands.
A few things we tell our clients:
- Ask who actually does the testing (you want humans, not just a scanner).
- Make sure they know WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and U.S. ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) expectations.
- Check that they’ve worked on e‑commerce and, ideally, Shopify.
- Be wary of “we guarantee ADA compliance” promises.
- Watch out for vendors whose main product is a widget, not real guidance.
- Ask to see a sample report before you sign.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with working with a non‑U.S. team. Just make sure they have real U.S. clients, understand the legal landscape here, and communicate clearly when deadlines are tight.
Think Marathon, Not Sprint
One thing we stressed in 2023 that hasn’t changed: maintaining ADA compliance is a continuous project, not a one‑week fire drill. What has changed is that the “we’ll get to it someday” window has gotten smaller.
The “small steps” above—Accessibility Statement, content fixes, and better structure—are a great kickoff, but you’ll want a longer‑term rhythm:
- Baseline audit.
- Focused remediation sprint.
- Scheduled follow‑up audits (at least annually, ideally quarterly for fast‑moving stores).
- Simple checklists and training for your team.
- Good documentation of what you’ve done and when.
The same work that improves accessibility often cleans up your SEO and overall user experience. It’s still one of the rare areas where “do the right thing” lines up with “do the smart business thing.”
Want Help Sorting This Out?
If you’re revisiting ADA compliance because you remember our 2023 post—or because a demand letter finally landed—this is the right time to move from “research” to a workable plan. Our team can help you draft an Accessibility Statement that fits your brand, walk you through realistic first steps, prioritize fixes, and advise you on selecting and working with third‑party auditors.
The goal is to get you out of “we’re hoping no one notices” and into an accessible, defensible, and more customer‑friendly store you can live with—and budget for.