Evaluating Keyboard Accessibility of Product Filters on Fashion e-commerce Websites

Abstract

In the rapidly expanding e-commerce market, particularly in the fashion industry, the accessibility of online shopping platforms is becoming increasingly crucial. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 16% of the global population experiences some form of disability, and many of these individuals rely on the keyboard, a widely used input method, for website navigation. This study evaluated keyboard accessibility of product filters on ten leading fashion e-commerce websites in Finland. We conducted a manual expert evaluation of the website’s compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and the European Accessibility Act (EAA). Our findings indicate a need to improve the accessibility of product filters. Nine out of ten websites exhibit severe accessibility issues, failing to comply with basic WCAG criteria, thus hindering keyboard users. This highlights the urgent need to enhance accessibility in e-commerce product filters, not only to comply with the guidelines and regulations but also to improve the overall user experience.