BigCommerce ADA Compliance: A Guide for Online Stores

What ADA compliance for BigCommerce websites means

ADA compliance for BigCommerce websites means designing and maintaining your store so people with disabilities can perceive, operate and transact without barriers. The ADA itself is US civil rights law, while most technical audits use the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, commonly WCAG 2.1 at level AA, as the testable standard.

Standards auditors and courts reference

Accessibility work usually targets WCAG 2.1 AA because it is widely accepted by accessibility auditors, agencies and many courts. Use correct accessibility markup and WAI-ARIA roles when required. For public sector US sites, Section 508 may apply. In the EU, the European Accessibility Act sets separate obligations for certain digital goods and services.

How to audit a BigCommerce store

Start with a staged plan. Use automated scans first, then follow with manual tests and assistive-technology checks.

Automated scans

• Run a site-wide automated tool to find obvious issues such as missing alt attributes, low colour contrast, and ARIA errors. Automated tools catch many surface problems but not everything.
• Export the issues into a spreadsheet and mark severity and page priority, for example: homepage, category pages, product pages, cart, checkout.

Manual checks

• Keyboard-only navigation. Ensure all interactive elements are reachable with Tab and that focus order is logical.
• Screen reader testing. Test the full purchase flow with NVDA on Windows and VoiceOver on iOS or macOS. Check form labels, error announcements and link names.
• Mobile accessibility. Test with a screen reader and with touch exploration, and confirm responsive layouts do not obscure content.

Pages and flows to prioritise

• Homepage and category lists
• Product pages and product image galleries
• Search results and filters
• Cart, guest checkout and account login
• Order confirmation and transactional emails

Step-by-step remediation plan for BigCommerce stores

This sequence reduces disruption and delivers measurable progress.

1. Quick wins (low effort)

• Add meaningful alt text to product images. Avoid repeating SKU strings as alt text.
• Ensure link text describes destination. Replace “click here” with descriptive text.
• Fix colour contrast on buttons and important text to meet WCAG AA ratios.
• Provide visible focus styles for interactive elements.

2. Theme and template fixes

Most BigCommerce stores run Stencil themes such as Cornerstone. Edit the templates to improve semantic HTML and ARIA usage.

• Use proper heading structure (h2, h3) and avoid skipping levels.
• Replace non-semantic containers used as buttons with native button elements.
• Ensure product images include alt attributes derived from product title or descriptive copy.

3. Forms and checkout

• Label every form field with a visible label. Use aria-describedby for helper text and error messages so screen readers announce them.
• Announce form validation errors programmatically and move focus to the first error.
• Confirm payment fields remain accessible when using hosted payment widgets.

4. Navigation, menus and search

• Make skip-to-content links available at the top of every page.
• Ensure drop-down menus are operable with keyboard and have correct aria-expanded states.
• Provide accessible autocomplete and filters with proper role attributes and live region updates when results change.

5. Modals, carousels and dynamic content

• Manage focus: trap focus inside open modals and return focus when closed.
• Pause automatic carousel movement and provide controls to move slides manually.
• Use live regions for content loaded dynamically so assistive tech is notified.

6. Third-party apps and scripts

Audit every third-party widget, chat tool and analytics overlay. These can break keyboard order or hide content from screen readers. Replace or configure them when they are inaccessible.

7. Media and documents

• Provide captions and transcripts for video and audio used in product pages and help content.
• Convert PDFs to accessible HTML where possible. If PDFs are necessary, tag them and include a summary on the page.

Testing checklist for BigCommerce

• Automated scan across the full site and export results
• Keyboard-only checkout from product to confirmation
• Complete purchase flow with NVDA or VoiceOver
• Colour contrast checks on calls to action and form fields
• ARIA roles and landmarks present and correct
• All images and icons have descriptive alt text or are marked presentational
• PDFs and downloads have accessible alternatives or summaries

Common mistakes BigCommerce stores make

• Relying only on automated tools. They miss keyboard, focus and live-region issues.
• Using images of text for product details, which screen readers cannot read.
• Installing apps without accessibility checks. Widgets can introduce traps and hidden content.
• Not testing checkout flows with assistive tech or mobile screen readers.

Ongoing maintenance

Accessibility is not a one-off project. Include accessibility checks in design sprints, theme updates and app reviews.

• Add accessibility tests to your staging environment and release checklist.
• Keep a public accessibility statement that describes current coverage and how customers can request assistance.
• Train content editors on writing alt text, using headings and avoiding images of text.

When to hire a specialist or legal adviser

Bring in an accessibility specialist for a full manual audit when you have many dynamic pages or complex checkout integrations. Consult legal counsel if you receive a compliance notice or demand letter so you understand your obligations and options.

Final quick checklist

• Run automated scans and prioritise issues
• Test keyboard and screen reader checkout
• Fix theme templates for semantic HTML and ARIA where needed
• Audit and replace inaccessible third-party apps
• Publish an accessibility statement and set a maintenance plan

Following this plan will reduce barriers for customers and lower the risk of accessibility complaints. Start with high-traffic pages and the checkout flow, then expand fixes site-wide.