As a Shopify store owner or agency partner, you’re likely focused on driving sales, improving user experience, and growing your brand. But there’s a critical factor many overlook that can expose your business to serious legal risks: website accessibility compliance.
In recent years, lawsuits and regulations around digital accessibility have skyrocketed — and Shopify stores are increasingly targets. Ignoring accessibility isn’t just bad for your customers; it could cost you dearly in fines, legal fees, and brand damage.
This article breaks down what you need to know to protect your Shopify store and your business with accessibility compliance.
1. The Legal Landscape: What Are the Rules?
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
In the U.S., the ADA requires businesses to provide equal access to goods and services, which courts have increasingly interpreted to include websites. Non-compliance has led to thousands of lawsuits against retailers, including eCommerce stores.
European Accessibility Act (EAA)
Starting June 2025, the EAA mandates that online stores selling to EU consumers meet specific accessibility standards, mainly aligned with WCAG 2.1 Level AA. Non-compliant sites may face penalties or be blocked from selling.
Other Global Standards
Many countries have accessibility laws inspired by WCAG guidelines. Whether you sell in Canada, Australia, or Latin America, accessibility is becoming a universal legal requirement.
2. Why Shopify Stores Are Vulnerable
Shopify is a powerful platform, but its flexibility means accessibility is often the responsibility of the store owner or agency. Common vulnerabilities include:
Themes and templates not fully compliant out of the box
Third-party apps that don’t meet accessibility standards
Content (images, videos, forms) lacking necessary tags or labels
Complex checkout flows that aren’t keyboard navigable
Without a thorough audit and remediation plan, these gaps expose your store to risk.
3. What’s at Stake? The Real Consequences
Ignoring accessibility compliance can lead to:
Lawsuits: Plaintiffs increasingly target eCommerce stores for ADA violations, resulting in costly settlements or court orders.
Fines and Penalties: Regulatory bodies in some countries can impose fines for non-compliance.
Brand Damage: Negative publicity around accessibility lawsuits harms trust and loyalty.
Lost Sales: Excluding people with disabilities means losing a significant customer segment.
Being proactive is essential to mitigating these risks.
4. Why “Accessibility Overlay” Tools Aren’t Enough
Some Shopify stores rely on automated overlay tools that promise instant compliance by adding a widget or modifying the site’s code dynamically. Unfortunately, these solutions:
Often fail to fix core accessibility issues
Can create new problems or conflicts with site functionality
Do not meet legal standards as a standalone fix
Provide a false sense of security
A comprehensive, manual audit and remediation is the only reliable path to true compliance.
5. How Reguweb Protects Shopify Stores from Legal Risk
At Reguweb, we specialize in accessibility audits and remediation tailored to Shopify stores. Our approach includes:
Full evaluation of your Shopify theme, apps, and content against WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards
Manual testing combined with automated scanning tools
Fixing issues at the code and content level, not just patching
Clear documentation and compliance certification for your records
Ongoing monitoring and updates to keep your store compliant
With Reguweb, you get peace of mind knowing your Shopify store meets legal standards and welcomes all customers.
Don’t Wait for a Lawsuit — Act Now
Accessibility compliance is no longer optional — it’s a legal imperative for Shopify merchants who want to protect their business and customers, and for agencies to protect their clients from lawsuits.
The cost of doing nothing far outweighs the investment in proper accessibility upgrades.
Contact Reguweb today for a Shopify accessibility risk assessment and secure your store’s future. It is complimentary and could help you prevent many problems in the future.