If Your Website Isn't Accessible, It Isn't Working
The Problem with 'Quick Fix' Accessibility
Overlay tools, automated-only scans, and one-time audits are everywhere. They're also not enough.
A script that layers onto your existing site can't fix a broken keyboard experience. It can't make your link text meaningful to a screen reader. It can't address a contrast issue in your CSS.
And, the moment your team makes a change to the site (a copy edit, a new image, a theme update) any ground you thought you'd covered shifts.
Accessibility isn't something you apply after the fact. It's something you build in.
Our Approach
Bear has been building accessibility into eCommerce sites since before it became a legal headline. Here's how we work →
01
Assess
We start with a thorough audit; automated scanning plus human review across your most important pages and user flows. We look at code, design, copy, and keyboard behavior. You get a clear picture of where you actually stand.
02
Prioritize
Every issue gets an estimate and an impact score. The result is a ranked remediation list that helps you make smart decisions: what to fix first, what can wait, and why.
03
Remediate
Our developers and designers fix the underlying issues: in your code, in your design system, in your copy. We work through the list the same way we'd approach any other project.
04
Maintain
Your site changes. Standards evolve. Accessibility isn't a one-time event, and we don't treat it like one. Whether we're your ongoing development partner or you need a periodic check-in, we'll help you stay on top of it.
Accessibility is a Passion of Ours
Bear has been building accessibility into eCommerce sites since before it became a legal headline.
We build it right the first time.
Accessibility is part of every Bear project from kickoff, never an afterthought. Designers check contrast ratios. Developers build keyboard navigation that actually works. Copy gets reviewed for screen reader usability. By the time a project ships, there's very little for an external audit to find.
We fix what actually matters.
Most accessibility tools can scan. Not all of them can tell you what to do about what they found or help you do it. Bear does both. We prioritize by impact, estimate the work honestly, and fix things at the code level.
We work with the right tools, not just one.
We partner with best-in-class scanning and remediation tools and bring our own engineering expertise to everything those tools can't handle: platform-agnostic sites, design and copy issues, complex component behavior.
We've been thinking about this longer than it's been a trend.
Phil, our Head of Engineering, has built accessibility standards into our development practice for years and his team builds interactive components to W3C ARIA Authoring Practices Guide specifications, the same standard used to train specialist accessibility tools.
We Work with Brands at All Stages of Their Accessibility Journey
"We received a legal notice."
It happens more than it should. We'll help you understand what your actual exposure is, what needs to be fixed immediately, and what a defensible remediation timeline looks like.
"We want to get ahead of this before it becomes a problem."
About 30% of the brands that come to us about accessibility are being proactive. This comes with a real advantage: they control the timeline, the pace, and the narrative.
"We're building something new and want to do it right from the start."
This is the ideal scenario. Accessibility built in from day one costs a fraction of what remediation costs later, and means a site that works for more people on launch day.
Let's Start with an Honest Look
Common Accessibility Questions
Does installing an accessibility widget make our site compliant?
Not on its own. Overlay tools can address some surface-level issues, but they don't fix your underlying code. They can't resolve keyboard navigation failures, copy problems, or design issues. They're also not immune to the changes your team makes after install. We'd always recommend treating them as a supplement to real remediation, not a replacement for it.
Do you work with platforms other than Shopify?
Yes. We work with both Shopify and other platforms and will use accessibility best practices no matter the platform. (For Shopify specifically, we often partner with TestParty for automated scanning and some remediation, but we bring our own engineering to everything that falls outside their scope.)
Can you guarantee we won’t be sued after remediation?
Short answer: No. We’re also not lawyers and we do not offer legal advice. As we’ve said before, any change your team makes to a site after a remediation can be flagged by the tools that legal teams use in lawsuits. Additionally, guidelines and laws can change from time-to-time which can require a site update. However, our team always uses W3C ARIA Authoring Practices Guide specifications and the latest best practices to mitigate risk for our clients and put them in a more defensible position against these lawsuits. And, as an aside: any tool or company that *guarantees* 100% ADA compliance is not one you should likely trust.
See What Bear Builds
Clearly Filtered
- Refreshed the brand’s identity to balance its scientific focus with consumer-friendly messaging.
- Redesigned and rebuilt the website on a headless architecture, seamlessly integrating content and commerce.
- Positioned Clearly Filtered as a leader in water filtration by making their message clear and accessible to a wider demographic.
- Helped the brand outperform competitors across all categories by connecting with a broader direct-to-consumer market.
- Checkout completion+36%Increase in checkout completion
- Revenue Boost+38%Increase in revenue
Only Natural Pet
- Simplified the PDP allowing shoppers to understood the upside instantly—no fine print, no confusion.
- Re‑invented loyalty making every future email and SMS feel like it was written for your pet.
- A/B tested at campaign speed, not development ‑cycle speed.
- Set up dashboards tracking sales lift, subscriber count, margin per order, and tested velocity.
- Mapped the complete purchase flow.
- Total Sales+40%
- New Customers+25%
- Active Subscriptions+22%
Bag Balm
- Shopify 2.0 flexibility — A scalable foundation for campaigns, content, and merchandising.
- Conversion-first UX — Optimized pages, navigation, and checkout smoothed the path to purchase.
- Tools that drive value — Rebuy recommendations boosted cart size; back-in-stock alerts turned demand into sales.
- Retail story, powered by ecommerce — Strong online results gave Bag Balm proof points to expand distribution.
- Conversion Rate+22%
- Gross sales+78%
- orders fullfiled+68%
Owlet
Our work was focused on bringing Owlet’s digital presence back into alignment with its original purpose: showing up for parents.
- Developed a content strategy focused on reassurance over technology
- Created a composable design system for flexible storytelling
- Guided photography and video direction toward real, lived moments
- Simplified the paths for both direct buyers and prescription users
- Integrated authentic customer stories to increase perceived value
Micro Kickboard
Reimagining Movement Through Digital Transformation
- Consolidated four sites (Micro Kickboard, Chilli Pro + Wholesale) into a unified Shopify Plus experience
- Developed new content strategy — establishing brand voice, merchandising system, and narrative hierarchy
- Implemented new style guide to align design, typography, and tone with Micro’s playful, premium identity
- Reduced operational overhead by streamlining inventory, content, and order management under one platform
The brands we work with? They're kind of a big deal.
