WCAG 1.3.6: Identify Purpose
Level AAAQuick answer: Beyond form fields, the purpose of common components, icons, and regions should be programmatically identifiable.
What This Means
On ecommerce sites, Identify Purpose usually shows up in repeating storefront components such as product cards, PDP media, search results, cart drawers, checkout forms, and support content. If the live experience depends on patterns like search, cart, and account icons are unlabeled and indistinguishable to assistive tech. or landmarks like promo rails and recommendation regions have no descriptive labels., disabled shoppers can lose context or get blocked before purchase.
This criterion matters because D2C teams often fix the homepage but miss reusable app blocks, campaign pages, and mobile-specific UI. The practical standard is simple: build the same outcome for keyboard users, screen-reader users, low-vision users, and anyone relying on captions, labels, structure, or predictable behavior.
For Shopify, WooCommerce, and custom storefronts, the fastest remediation path is usually template-level work. Fix the repeated component once, then retest every place it appears across browse, buy, and post-purchase journeys.
Common Violations on Ecommerce Sites
- Search, cart, and account icons are unlabeled and indistinguishable to assistive tech.
- Landmarks like promo rails and recommendation regions have no descriptive labels.
- Reusable buttons all announce as 'button' with no purpose.
- CMS icon cards rely on visuals to imply shipping, returns, or payment meaning.
How to Fix It
Start with the live customer journey, not isolated components in Storybook or Figma. Audit the problem on category pages, product detail pages, quick views, cart, checkout, account, and help templates.
- Give recurring components descriptive names and landmark labels.
- Use accessible labels for icons and regions that have a clear functional purpose.
- Standardize naming patterns in the design system for search, cart, account, and promo modules.
- Audit reusable iconography in merchandising components.
On Shopify, fix the theme section or app block that repeats the defect. On WooCommerce and WordPress, update the template override or plugin output. In custom React or headless storefronts, move the fix into shared components so merchandisers cannot reintroduce the issue with every campaign.
Code Example
<!-- Before -->
<section><h2>You may also like</h2></section>
<!-- After -->
<section aria-labelledby="recommendations-heading"><h2 id="recommendations-heading">Recommended products</h2></section>FAQ
What is WCAG 1.3.6?
Beyond form fields, the purpose of common components, icons, and regions should be programmatically identifiable.
How does WCAG 1.3.6 affect ecommerce sites?
It affects ecommerce anywhere shoppers interact with search, cart, and account icons are unlabeled and indistinguishable to assistive tech. and landmarks like promo rails and recommendation regions have no descriptive labels. If those patterns are inaccessible, customers can miss product information, fail forms, or abandon checkout.
How to fix WCAG 1.3.6 violations?
Start by auditing the live storefront, then Give recurring components descriptive names and landmark labels.; Use accessible labels for icons and regions that have a clear functional purpose.; Standardize naming patterns in the design system for search, cart, account, and promo modules.. Prioritize templates and apps that repeat the issue across product, cart, checkout, and account pages.
Check if your store passes WCAG 1.3.6 → Free ADA Compliance Scan