The European Accessibility Act (EAA) 2025 deadline has passed, and enforcement is ramping up. While many organizations are focused on ticking boxes and deploying accessibility overlays, they're often missing the crucial point: true accessibility isn't about compliance; it's about providing a usable and enjoyable online experience for everyone. We've seen countless companies face hefty EAA fines – some exceeding hundreds of thousands of euros – not because they actively ignored accessibility, but because they misunderstood the nuances of how assistive technologies like screen readers function. This article cuts through the noise and shares three things screen reader users consistently wish online stores understood.
Understanding the User: Beyond "Compliance"
Compliance is a starting point, not a destination. The European Accessibility Act (EAA) 2025 sets a legal baseline, but it doesn’t guarantee a great user experience. For users relying on screen readers like JAWS, NVDA, or VoiceOver, navigating an inaccessible website is a frustrating obstacle course. It's a constant battle against unclear labels, missing alternative text, and illogical page structure.
"It's not enough to just have alternative text. It needs to be good alternative text that accurately describes the image's purpose and context." - Sarah, Screen Reader User & Accessibility Advocate
Many businesses are focusing on achieving WCAG conformance, which is essential, but often neglecting the why behind the guidelines. Let's explore the three key areas where many online stores fall short.
1. Meaningful Sequence and Focus Order: It's Not Just About "Linearity"
Screen reader users navigate websites sequentially, relying on the HTML source order and focus indicators to understand the page layout. A poorly defined sequence makes it incredibly difficult to find essential information, like add-to-cart buttons or product descriptions. This isn’t just a cosmetic issue; it's a fundamental barrier to purchasing.
The Problem: Broken Focus Order
Often, developers prioritize visual design over semantic HTML. They might use CSS to rearrange elements on the page, disrupting the natural flow for screen reader users. Complex JavaScript interactions can further exacerbate the problem, hijacking focus and leaving users disoriented. Consider a clothing store website where product images appear before the product names in the screen reader output – a nonsensical experience.
The Solution: Semantic HTML and Logical Focus Management
- Use semantic HTML elements: Employ
<header>,<nav>,<main>,<article>,<aside>, and<footer>tags to structure the page logically. - Control focus order: Ensure the focus order aligns with the visual flow. Use the
tabindexattribute sparingly and thoughtfully, primarily to bring non-interactive elements into the focus order. - Manage focus with JavaScript: When JavaScript dynamically changes content or focus, ensure the screen reader is notified and the user’s focus is appropriately managed. Use ARIA attributes like
aria-liveto announce updates.
We've seen significant improvements in user satisfaction scores when websites prioritize a clear and logical focus order. This is often overlooked in favor of visual aesthetics.
2. Product Images and Alternative Text: Beyond "Decorative"
Alternative text (alt text) for images is a perennial problem. Many developers default to empty alt="" attributes for images they deem "decorative," effectively silencing the image for screen reader users. While decorative images should have empty alt text, the vast majority of product images on e-commerce sites serve a functional purpose.
The Problem: Vague or Missing Alt Text
Vague alt text like "image" or "product photo" provides no useful information. Missing alt text altogether is even worse, leaving users in the dark about what the image represents. Imagine trying to purchase a pair of shoes without knowing what they look like – that's the experience many screen reader users face.
The Solution: Contextual and Informative Alt Text
- Describe the image's purpose: If the image is a button, the alt text should describe the button's action (e.g.,
alt="Add to Cart"). - Provide context: For product images, include key details like color, style, and any distinguishing features. For example,
alt="Red leather boots with lace-up closure and a 2-inch heel." - Consider functional images: If an image links to a product page, the alt text should be a concise description of the product.
- Complex Images: For complex images like infographics or charts, provide a long description (using
aria-describedbyor a dedicated "more information" link) that explains the image's content in detail.
Case Study: A sporting goods retailer significantly improved their screen reader usability by rewriting alt text for all product images. They moved from generic descriptions to detailed, informative text, resulting in a 30% decrease in support tickets related to product identification.
3. Dynamic Content and ARIA Live Regions: Keeping Users Informed
Online stores are increasingly reliant on dynamic content – product reviews, stock levels, personalized recommendations – that changes without a page refresh. These updates are often silent to screen reader users, leaving them unaware of important information.
The Problem: Silent Updates
When dynamic content appears or changes, screen reader users need to be notified. Otherwise, they may miss crucial information, leading to confusion and frustration. Imagine a user adding an item to their cart only to discover later that it's out of stock because they weren’t notified of the change.
The Solution: ARIA Live Regions
- Use
aria-liveattributes: Employaria-live="polite"oraria-live="assertive"to indicate regions of the page that contain dynamic content.politeis generally preferred, as it allows other screen reader announcements to interrupt the live region.assertiveshould be used sparingly for critical updates that require immediate attention. - Provide context: When using
aria-live, provide context to the screen reader user about the nature of the update. For example, "Stock level updated: 2 remaining." - Consider
aria-atomic: Usearia-atomic="true"to ensure the entire live region is announced when it changes.
Accessio.ai excels at identifying and correcting these dynamic content issues. Their AI-powered platform automatically detects missing or incorrect ARIA attributes and provides developers with clear, actionable recommendations for fixing them at the source code level, significantly reducing remediation time compared to manual testing and overlay solutions.
Key Takeaways
- Prioritize semantic HTML: Structure your website logically using appropriate HTML elements.
- Write descriptive alt text: Provide meaningful alternative text for all images, considering their purpose and context.
- Manage dynamic content with ARIA live regions: Keep screen reader users informed of updates and changes.
- Focus on user experience: Accessibility isn’t just about compliance; it’s about creating a usable and enjoyable experience for all.
- EAA fines are a real risk: Ignoring accessibility can result in significant financial penalties.
Next Steps
- Conduct an accessibility audit: Use automated tools and manual testing to identify accessibility issues.
- Train your development team: Educate developers on accessibility best practices and WCAG guidelines.
- Involve users with disabilities: Get feedback from screen reader users to ensure your website is truly accessible.
- Explore AI-powered accessibility tools: Consider solutions like Accessio.ai to automate accessibility remediation and ensure ongoing compliance.
- Review your EAA compliance strategy: Ensure your approach goes beyond basic checks and addresses the underlying user experience challenges.