A one-of-a-kind automated artificial intelligence (AI) accessibility compliance software for Shopify stores has been launched by Accessibility Spark. The tool will allow Shopify’s 1.5 million+ merchants to improve the accessibility of their sites and stay in compliance with Shopify’s criteria without having to comprehend the complexities of ADA and WCAG laws.
Clyde Schumaker, Accessibility Spark’s Head of Communications, said, “The internet is essential for every individual’s success, but it is woefully inaccessible to so many of us. With our new AI-powered app, Accessibility Spark will make it simple to massively expand web accessibility to over 1.5 million stores on Shopify, one of the world’s biggest eCommerce platforms.”
Compliance with web accessibility standards is vital for all website owners. Noncompliance may result in reduced traffic as well as penalties from Google and Shopify, lowering the exposure of the site to all potential users. Noncompliance can lead to litigation alleging that a website discriminates against disabled users. Each year, thousands of such lawsuits for non-compliance with online store policies are filed in federal court.
The majority of Shopify stores are run by independent merchants who may or may not be familiar with accessibility regulations. Accessibility Spark’s new Shopify software offers an automated method for ensuring that a store is always compliant.
Once installed, the software checks the seller’s website to ensure that it complies with accessibility guidelines. All non-compliance is identified and fixed within 48 hours, in accordance with ADA and WCAG guidelines. Every 24 hours, the app will scan the site for compliance concerns and make recommendations for how to fix them.
The app Accessibility Spark isn’t just for text-based content optimization. Video, GIFs, photos, widgets, forms, and pop-ups are all scanned as well. It’s Shopify’s first AI-powered web accessibility compliance app. It’s also the only Shopify merchants’ automated accessibility app.
