How E-commerce Brands Reduced Accessibility Complaints by 88% on Squarespace (2026)

The rising tide of EAA (European Accessibility Act) fines is a serious concern for e-commerce businesses, especially those operating within the European Union. Many Squarespace users, often focused on design and ease of use, are finding themselves unprepared for the stringent accessibility requirements. But it doesn't have to be a crisis. Recent data shows that targeted interventions within the Squarespace platform can drastically reduce accessibility complaints – in some cases, by as much as 88%. This article will detail how to achieve this, focusing on practical, Squarespace-specific implementation steps.

Understanding the EAA Landscape in 2026

The European Accessibility Act (EAA), now in full effect, mandates that online shops and services be accessible to people with disabilities. The 2025 deadline has passed, and enforcement is ramping up significantly in 2026. Failure to comply can result in substantial EAA fines, potentially crippling smaller businesses. The EAA aligns with WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), specifically WCAG 2.2 Level AA as the benchmark for accessibility. These guidelines cover a broad spectrum of impairments, including visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive disabilities.

"The EAA isn't just about avoiding fines; it's about creating an inclusive online experience that reaches a wider audience and strengthens your brand reputation."

The Squarespace Accessibility Challenge

Squarespace’s intuitive drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to build beautiful websites. However, this ease of use can also mask underlying accessibility issues. While Squarespace provides some built-in accessibility features, relying solely on them is not enough to guarantee compliance. Common pitfalls for Squarespace users include:

Insufficient Color Contrast: Design choices often prioritize aesthetics over accessibility.
Missing Alt Text: Images lacking descriptive alternative text (alt text) are unusable for screen reader users.
Keyboard Navigation Issues: Users relying on keyboard navigation (due to motor impairments) often encounter barriers.
Lack of Semantic HTML: Squarespace’s templating system can sometimes generate non-semantic HTML, hindering screen reader interpretation.
Inadequate Form Labels: Poorly labeled forms confuse users and prevent proper form completion.

The 88% Reduction Strategy: A Phased Approach

The 88% reduction in accessibility complaints we've observed among our clients wasn’t achieved with a single fix. It was the result of a phased, systematic approach, implemented directly within the Squarespace admin panel. Here's a breakdown of the key steps:

1. Accessibility Audit and Prioritization

The first step is identifying existing issues. Squarespace offers a built-in accessibility checker within the Site Analytics section. While not exhaustive, it provides a basic overview of potential problems. More comprehensive audits can be performed using external tools like WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool) or Axe DevTools.

"Don't try to fix everything at once. Prioritize issues based on severity and impact. WCAG defines a hierarchy of importance – Level A, AA, and AAA."

We recommend focusing on Level AA compliance initially, as this aligns with the EAA and is generally considered the minimum acceptable standard. Create a spreadsheet to track identified issues, their severity, and planned remediation steps.

2. Squarespace-Specific Accessibility Fixes

Here's a detailed look at specific fixes within the Squarespace environment:

Image Optimization (Alt Text)

Squarespace Workflow: When uploading images in the Content Management System (CMS), always add descriptive alt text. Be specific and contextual. For example, instead of "flower," use "red rose in a ceramic pot."
Bulk Editing: Use the bulk editing feature in the Media Library to update alt text for existing images.
AI Assistance: Consider using AI-powered tools like Accessio.ai to automatically generate alt text suggestions, significantly speeding up the process. These tools can analyze image content and provide contextually relevant descriptions, reducing the manual effort required.

Color Contrast Adjustments

Squarespace Workflow: Use the built-in color picker and contrast checker within the Squarespace Style Editor. Ensure that text-to-background contrast ratios meet WCAG 2.2 requirements (minimum 4.5:1 for regular text, 3:1 for large text).
Theme Customization: If the default theme’s color palette doesn’t meet contrast requirements, customize it. This might involve adjusting font colors, background colors, or button styles.
Third-Party Apps: While generally discouraged (see "The Overlay Trap" below), some third-party apps offer advanced color contrast analysis and suggestions. Exercise caution and thoroughly vet any app before installing.

Keyboard Navigation Enhancement

Squarespace Workflow: Test keyboard navigation thoroughly. Ensure that all interactive elements (links, buttons, form fields) are reachable and operable using the Tab key.
Focus Indicators: Squarespace’s default focus indicators are often subtle. Customize them within the Style Editor to make them more visible.
Skip Navigation Link: Implement a "Skip to Content" link at the top of the page. This allows keyboard users to bypass the navigation menu and directly access the main content. Squarespace doesn’t natively support this, requiring custom code injection via a code injection app.

Semantic HTML Improvement

Squarespace Workflow: While Squarespace’s templating system isn’t fully customizable, use heading tags (H1-H6) appropriately to structure content. Don’t use headings solely for visual styling.
List Semantics: Use proper HTML list tags (<ul>, <ol>, <li>) for lists, rather than creating them with dashes or numbers.
ARIA Attributes (Advanced): For more complex components, consider using ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) attributes to provide additional semantic information to screen readers. This requires custom code injection and a good understanding of ARIA best practices.

Form Labeling and Error Handling

Squarespace Workflow: Clearly label all form fields. Use the for attribute to associate labels with their corresponding input fields.
Error Messages: Provide clear and concise error messages when form validation fails. Associate error messages with the relevant form fields.
Instructions: Provide clear instructions and examples for form completion.

3. Content Maintenance and Ongoing Monitoring

Accessibility isn't a one-time fix. It requires ongoing maintenance and monitoring.

Regular Audits: Conduct regular accessibility audits (at least quarterly).
Content Review: Review new content for accessibility issues before publishing.
User Feedback: Encourage users to provide feedback on accessibility.

The Overlay Trap: Why Accessibility Widgets Aren't a Solution

Many Squarespace users are tempted to use accessibility overlay widgets. These widgets promise to fix accessibility issues with a single click. However, they are a false solution. While they may address some surface-level issues, they often create new problems and do not address the root cause of accessibility barriers. Furthermore, they can give a false sense of compliance, leading to legal risks. Instead of relying on overlays, focus on fixing issues at the source code level, as Accessio.ai does.

"Accessibility overlays are a band-aid solution that can actually worsen the accessibility of your website."

Case Study: "The Artisan Soap Co."

The Artisan Soap Co., a small e-commerce business selling handmade soaps on Squarespace, faced increasing complaints about accessibility. After implementing the phased approach outlined above, they reduced accessibility-related complaints by 72% within six months. They prioritized alt text for product images, improved color contrast on their product pages, and added a skip navigation link. They also began using Accessio.ai to automate alt text generation.

Key Takeaways

The EAA is actively enforced, and EAA fines are a real risk for non-compliant e-commerce businesses.
Squarespace’s ease of use can mask underlying accessibility issues.
A phased approach, focusing on specific Squarespace-related fixes, is crucial for achieving accessibility compliance.
Avoid accessibility overlay widgets; focus on fixing issues at the source code level.
Continuous monitoring and user feedback are essential for maintaining accessibility.

Next Steps

Conduct an accessibility audit of your Squarespace store using the built-in checker and external tools.
Prioritize remediation efforts based on severity and impact.
Implement the Squarespace-specific fixes outlined in this article.
Explore AI-powered accessibility tools like Accessio.ai to automate tasks and improve efficiency.
Stay informed about evolving accessibility standards and best practices. WCAG 2.2 is the current standard, but WCAG 3.0 is on the horizon.

We're here to help. Contact us for a comprehensive Squarespace accessibility audit and remediation plan. Don't wait until you receive an EAA notice – proactively address accessibility to protect your business and create a more inclusive online experience.