BigCommerce accessibility manual audit, and website ADA remediation for America's Largest Bonsai Nursery!

About Client

The client has a largest nursery in the United States; an established ecommerce business offering premium bonsai trees, tools, and accessories. Their online store is built on BigCommerce, enabling customers to browse products, learn bonsai care, and make purchases with easy and seamless shopping experience. Accessibility plays a critical role in supporting inclusive shopping experiences and improving usability for all users.

Challenges

  • Ecommerce specific accessibility barriers : Include product pages, navigation menus, filters, and checkout flows presented accessibility gaps affecting keyboard and screen reader users.
  • Customization impact : BigCommerce themes are well-structured; however, accessibility can be impacted when custom content and interactive components are implemented.
  • Form and checkout accessibility : Ensuring accessible forms, input fields, and error handling within checkout processes requires detailed remediation.
  • Product image accessibility gaps : Several product images lacked descriptive alt text, impacting the experience for screen reader users.
  • Third-Party Integrations : Embedded tools such as payment gateways and marketing scripts create accessibility constraints beyond direct control.

Industry

Gardening Products Retailer

Project Size

Medium

Services

  • BigCommerce Accessibility Manual Audit
  • Website WCAG 2.2 AA Accessibility Remediation

Platform

BigCommerce

BigCommerce accessibility audit

Solution

A structured and results-driven accessibility process was followed to enhance the WCAG 2.2 AA website accessibility effectively.

BigCommerce store accessibility audit

We performed a detailed manual audit using keyboard navigation and screen readers (NVDA, VoiceOver), along with tools such as WAVE and Google Lighthouse. The audit was aligned with WCAG 2.2 Level AA success criteria and covered:

  • Product browsing experience, navigation, and menus
  • Forms and checkout flows
  • Dynamic content and interactive elements

A comprehensive audit report was delivered with issues categorized by severity (critical, major, minor), mapped to WCAG criteria, along with clear remediation recommendations.

Website ADA accessibility remediation

Accessibility remediation was implemented across the BigCommerce store, focusing on improving usability and compliance, without impacting the design, performance, and ecommerce store conversion flow:

  • Enhanced keyboard navigation across product pages and menus.
  • Improved focus indicators for better visibility.
  • Added meaningful alt text for product images.
  • Improved color contrast and text readability.
  • Optimized form labels, validation, and error messaging.
  • Enhanced screen reader compatibility for dynamic elements.
  • Custom accessibility statement.

Impact

The accessibility audit and remediation delivered significant improvements across the ecommerce experience:

  • Improved shopping experience for keyboard and assistive technology users across product pages.
  • Reduced accessibility risks associated with ecommerce transactions and user interactions.
  • Improved overall usability, contributing to better engagement, and potential conversion improvements.

Looking to get BigCommerce store accessibility Compliant?

Get Manual Accessibility audit, remediation, VPAT Report / ACR documentation, Custom Accessibility Statement done. Reach out hello@skynettechnologies.com to get started or request a free quote.