Inclusely

Accessibility statement generator

Fill in the form and get an honest accessibility statement for your store, in English and Canadian French. It says what you aim for, what you do, what still needs work and how shoppers can reach you.

Your store

For example, northfieldgoods.com

Your goal
Standard you are working toward
What you do now

Tick only what is true today.

Known limitations

Parts of the store you know are hard to use. Name the page and the problem in plain words, for example “Product videos have no captions yet.”

    Other companies and other ways to shop

    For example, reviews, chat or size charts that another company runs.

    Other ways shoppers can buy or get help

    Add a phone number above to offer this.

    Your statement

    Language

    Accessibility statement for [store name]

    [store name] wants everyone to be able to shop at [store address], including people with disabilities. This statement explains what we aim for, what we do, what we know still needs work and how to reach us.

    Our goal

    We are working toward the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 at level AA. These guidelines, published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), explain how to make websites easier to use for people with disabilities.

    We do not claim that every page meets these guidelines today. We have not checked every page by hand, and some parts of the store may not meet them yet.

    What we do

    • We check the store with automated accessibility tests.
    • We write text descriptions (alt text) for our product images.

    Known limitations

    We have no known problems to list at this time. If you find one, please tell us using the contact details below.

    Content from other companies

    Our checkout is provided by Shopify. We choose its colours and logo, but Shopify builds and maintains the checkout itself.

    Other ways to shop with us

    If something on the site gets in your way, you can:

    • Place an order by email at [email address].

    These options cost nothing extra.

    Contact us

    Tell us if you have trouble using any part of the store, or if you have ideas to make it better:

    • Email: [email address]

    We aim to reply within 5 business days.

    About this statement

    We last reviewed this statement on [date of last review]. We review it at least once a year and after any major change to the store.

    Copy HTML leaves out the title, because the Shopify page title becomes the heading.

    Everything stays in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to us.

    What a good statement says.

    The template follows the structure the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative recommends, and the approach of the Accessible Canada Regulations: name the real gaps, offer another way to get the same thing, and put a date on it.

    • A goal, not a claim. “We are working toward WCAG 2.2 level AA” is true on day one. “Our store is fully compliant” is not something anyone can prove.
    • What you actually do. Only tick the measures that are true today. You can add more as you go.
    • Known limitations. Shoppers would rather know that product videos have no captions than find out halfway through a purchase.
    • Another way to buy. An order by phone or email is often what turns a blocked shopper into a customer.
    • A contact and a reply time, so feedback reaches a person.
    • A review date, so shoppers can see the statement is kept up to date.

    Coming to the Inclusely app

    When Inclusely launches, the app will publish this statement as a page in your Shopify store, fill in known limitations from your real scan results, and remind you when it is due for review.

    Ontario stores

    The AODA asks every Ontario business to tell the public that accessible formats and communication supports are available on request. The “Other ways to shop” section of this statement is a good place for that. See the AODA checklist.

    Statement questions

    Do I have to publish an accessibility statement?

    Most stores are not required to by law. Some rules ask for one, such as the federal Accessible Canada Regulations for federally regulated organizations and the European Accessibility Act for some stores that sell into the EU. Ontario businesses must tell the public that accessible formats are available on request, and a statement is a simple place to do that.

    Why does the statement not say the store is compliant?

    Because nobody can honestly promise that. Automated tests catch only part of the problems, and a store changes every time you add a product, an app or a theme update. A statement that names a goal, lists known problems and gives a real way to reach you is more useful to shoppers and safer for you.

    Should I choose WCAG 2.2 or WCAG 2.1?

    WCAG 2.2 is the current version and includes everything in 2.1, so it is the better goal for most stores. Ontario's website rule still refers to WCAG 2.0 level AA, and a store working toward 2.2 AA covers that too.

    Is the French version a machine translation?

    No. The French template is a fixed text written in Canadian French, not a translation made on the fly. The parts you type yourself, such as known limitations, are not translated. Add your own French text for those, or have a French speaker check them.

    Where should I put the statement on my Shopify store?

    Create a page under Online Store, Pages, and paste the HTML into the page editor's code view. Then link to the page from your footer menu so shoppers can find it from every page.

    How often should I update it?

    At least once a year, and whenever you fix a known problem or find a new one. The federal Accessible Canada Regulations ask covered organizations to update their statements every 12 months, which is a good habit for any store.

    This tool writes a plain-language statement. It is not legal advice and does not make a store meet any law or standard. For advice about your business, speak with a lawyer.

    A statement written from your real scan results.

    Early access stores get a free scan of their whole store and a call with our team to go through it.

    Get early access