INDUSTRY · E-COMMERCE & MARKETPLACES · BFSG · EAA · WCAG 2.2

Accessible online shop –
sell to everyone,
not just some people.

A checkout process that cannot be completed using a keyboard. A product filter that a screen reader cannot interpret. Contrast that disappears in sunlight. In e-commerce, each of these barriers is not just a minor flaw, but a lost sale. Since June 2025, accessibility has also been a legal requirement for online shops – the Accessibility Strengthening Act places direct responsibility on retailers, platforms and booking systems. IFDB makes your shop verifiably accessible: tested with real users, backed by a robust certificate. For greater reach, fewer cancelled purchases and clear conscience.

Hands holding a smartphone and a credit card whilst shopping online – an accessible checkout in an online shop in accordance with the BFSG and WCAG 2.2
A person is labelling a parcel whilst typing on a laptop – accessible ordering processes and returns handling for online shops in accordance with the BFSG
A man is sitting on the sofa, browsing an online clothes shop on his laptop – accessible product pages and navigation for e-commerce platforms in accordance with WCAG 2.2
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The barriers between shopping basket and final purchase

  • In e-commerce, every click counts. And it is precisely at the point where the customer journey is most critical that the most persistent barriers are found – often invisible to anyone who hasn’t experienced them first-hand.
  • The checkout that drops out along the way.
    Mandatory fields without labels, error messages that a screen reader does not announce, a ‘Buy’ button that cannot be accessed with a keyboard: anyone who fails here won’t come back. The revenue is lost before it’s even generated.
  • Product filters and search functions that cause exclusion.
    Complex filters, dynamic reload lists and drop-down menus are at the heart of modern online shops – and a minefield if focus guidance and status messages are missing.
  • Product images without alternative text.
    If you cannot see a product, you have to rely on its product description. If the alternative text is missing, half the product range remains invisible.
  • Platform themes that have never been reviewed for accessibility.
    Whether it’s Shopify, Shopware, WooCommerce or JTL – most standard themes and plugins are optimised for visual appeal, not accessibility. What looks nice on the surface can be full of pitfalls in code.
A man in a suit holds his smartphone up to a card reader during a contactless payment – inaccessible checkout processes and payment flows as an accessibility issue for online shops under the BFSG and WCAG 2.2
MANDATORY SINCE JUNE 2025

Why the BFSG is targeting online retail of all things

Porträtfoto von Lukas Maximilian Langer, Gründer und Leiter Audit & Zertifizierung der IFDB GmbH
Lukas Maximilian Langer

Founder | Head of Audit & Certification

If any law has a prime example, it is the online shop under the BFSG. E-commerce is explicitly listed in the Accessibility Strengthening Act as a service in electronic commerce – and has therefore been subject to direct compliance requirements since June 28th 2025.

This applies to online shops, marketplaces, and booking and reservation systems. The standards are WCAG 2.2 and EN 301 549. There is a minor exception for micro-enterprises with fewer than ten employees and an annual turnover of less than two million euros – but those who are growing or sell their products through a marketplace should not rely on this.

The risk is not just theoretical. Offences can be reported by competitors, trade associations and market surveillance authorities, and formal warnings regarding non-accessible online shops are already a reality. Added to this is the economic incentive: around one in ten people in Germany are living with a disability. An online shop that excludes them is not only failing to comply with regulations, but is also missing out on real money.

OUR APPROACH TO ONLINE RETAIL

Four key elements in a shop that doesn't exclude anyone

An online shop is never complete. The product range, promotions and themes are constantly changing – your accessibility solution must keep up. That’s exactly why these four products work together.

Book a Demo
Access Ready®

tests your shop where it really matters: during the actual purchasing process. Using assistive technologies such as JAWS, NVDA and VoiceOver, we navigate through the checkout, filters and product pages just as your customers would. What an automated scan might overlook in terms of dynamic features, real people will notice. The result is the IFDB certificate, which serves as reliable proof.

Access Doc®

Solves the silent problem in the background: invoices, returns forms, terms and conditions, and product data sheets in PDF format. Access Doc® converts these documents to the PDF/UA standard on a scalable basis, ensuring that even the paperwork remains accessible after the purchase.

Access Guard®

Keeps pace with your day-to-day shop operations. Every theme update, every new landing page and every sales promotion can introduce new barriers. Continuous monitoring detects them immediately after deployment – ensuring your compliance status remains intact through to the next campaign.

Access Protect®

provides you with back-up support should matters become serious. Once you have passed an audit, we contractually assume liability – should you receive a formal warning regarding a lack of accessibility, IFDB experts and partner law firms will take charge of the matter. Instead of being left to face it alone, you have a safety net.

FROM THE INITIAL ASSESSMENT TO THE CERTIFICATE

Four steps to an accessible online shop

From the first free scan to a reliable certificate – a clear process that fits seamlessly into your day-to-day shop operations, rather than holding them back.

  • Step 01 – The free quick check
    Access Score® automatically scans your shop and shows you, in a matter of minutes, where the biggest areas for improvement are. No obligation, no registration required – an honest first look at the current status quo.
  • Step 02 – The true purchase test
    Our audit team manually reviews your shop, working alongside users of assistive technologies. From the product filter right through to the final checkout step, we carefully examine the processes that generate your revenue – and where you lose them.
  • Step 03 – Resolve and certify
    You will receive a prioritised audit report containing specific recommendations that are ready for implementation by your development team. Once the issues have been resolved, we will issue the IFDB certificate – your visible proof for customers and partners.
  • Step 04 – Staying compliant, campaign after campaign
    With Access Guard®, the level of compliance achieved remains stable even amidst the daily hustle of shop operations. If you want to be on the safe side, you can supplement the contractual protection against complaints with Access Protect®.

The Access Ready® Award – awarded to pioneers of genuine digital inclusion.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about accessibility in e-commerce

In the majority of cases, yes. Since 28 June 2025, the BFSG has required online shops and marketplaces to ensure accessibility. The only exceptions are micro-enterprises with fewer than ten employees and an annual turnover of less than two million euros – a threshold that many exceed more quickly than they might think.

Unfortunately, no. No platform is ‘inherently’ accessible. Standard themes and plugins are usually designed with aesthetics in mind, not accessibility. What matters is how your specific shop is structured, customised and curated – and that is exactly what we check.

It’s usually the checkout stage. Unlabelled form fields, unexpected error messages and buttons that can’t be operated with a keyboard lead to cancelled purchases. Since this is where sales are made, we review the ordering process particularly thoroughly

Yes, and in a measurable way. An accessible shop reaches more people, reduces shopping cart abandonment and generally performs better in terms of SEO, as a clean structure and alternative text are favoured by search engines. Accessibility has a direct impact on revenue.

These are often overlooked, but they are also covered by the requirements. Access Doc® converts invoices, terms and conditions, returns forms and data sheets to the PDF/UA standard in a scalable manner.

With the IFDB certificate from the Access Ready® audit. It documents a comprehensive testing process in accordance with WCAG 2.2 and serves as robust evidence of your due diligence – both in the event of a formal warning and in response to an enquiry from the authorities.

That’s exactly what Access Guard® is for. The monitoring system automatically checks after every deployment and reports any new barriers immediately – ensuring that the next theme customisation or sales campaign does not compromise the standard achieved.

With Access Protect®, you are not on your own. Once you have passed your audit, we contractually take on liability; in the event of an emergency, IFDB experts and partner law firms will handle the entire process.

Every excluded customer is a lost customer.

An accessible online shop isn’t just a requirement – it’s a gateway to greater reach, fewer abandoned baskets and a shopping experience that truly works for everyone. Let’s figure out together where your shop stands today.

Start your free analysis

BFSG in online retail – what shop owners need to know now

For e-commerce, the Accessibility Strengthening Act is not a marginal issue, but a key concern: online shops and booking systems are explicitly included amongst the services covered. The Act transposes the European Accessibility Act into German law and aligns the requirements with the W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines – the criteria that determine when checkout processes, navigation and product pages are accessible to all users.

The quickest way to find out where your shop stands today is through a free initial analysis; a certified audit involving real users will then provide a more in-depth assessment. And because a shop is constantly evolving, continuous monitoring ensures that the standards achieved remain consistent even through every theme customisation and sales campaign – so that accessibility is not just a one-off achievement, but a lasting competitive advantage.