ADA, or the Americans with Disabilities Act, was passed in 1990 and prohibits discrimination based on disabilities. When the law was introduced, its focus was making sure that people with disabilities could enjoy public locations. Since its introduction, ADA has expanded to ensure that people with disabilities can enjoy and use eCommerce and Shopify websites, made accessible by meeting the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. This means that a site should be easy to navigate and understands, regardless of any adaptive devices that a consumer may use. If a website is poorly designed, it can be present barriers to accessibility.

For online retailers, failure to create an ADA-compliant website can be costly. American adults with disabilities make up 26% of the US population, so websites that do no allow these users to efficiently navigate can lead to many missed revenue opportunities and exclude a large segment of the American population. Alternatively, ADA-related lawsuits can really add up; each customer with a complaint can file their own lawsuit in instances where non-compliance occurs which can lead to hefty legal fees or generate negative public opinions. Additionally, if their site was not ADA-compliant from the beginning, reengineering the site to meet accessibility standards can be another large expense.

However, beyond the cost aspect associated with ADA non-compliance, companies should strive to meet accessibility standards in order to best serve their customers. It should be considered a business best practice to implement measures to avoid discriminatory behaviors, like creating a website that is accessible to all users. When all users can equally use and enjoy a website, companies can be assured that every customer has the same opportunity for engagement and interaction.

At DMi Partners, we are skilled at creating ADA-compliant, accessible Shopify websites. Jessie Mele, our Lead UI Developer, has received Shopify’s Theme Development Certification, which certifies that she is knowledgeable on Shopify themes, Liquid, custom styling, front-end tooling, accessibility, SEO, and app integrations. As Lead UI Developer, Jessie does everything involved with front-end development and design. Integrating accessibility and ADA compliance is just another component of creating websites that work for the brand rather than against it.

Also on our team is David Lachowicz, Creative Director. David has a certification in UX Design, with a specialization in Interaction Design, from the Nielson Norman Group. The certification complements David’s in-depth UX knowledge of best practices and effective techniques. Overseeing brand, creative, and front-end development, David understands how to effectively integrate accessibility into web design.

By implementing accessibility into each eCommerce and Shopify site we build, we help our clients to meet the needs and expectations of their customers. No customer should be excluded because of a disability, so we stay up-to-date on the latest industry standards to ensure ADA compliance. Since the internet has become a facet of daily life, accessibility in web design is not a small factor to overlook, and accommodating each diverse client is simply a good business practice.