Shopify ADA Demand Letter? Accessibility Fixes in Your Theme

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Got a demand letter?

If you’re reading this, you probably have a letter, a deadline, and a settlement number you didn’t plan for. That’s stressful. Here’s what I’d do first.

Talk to a lawyer about the letter itself. I’m a developer, not an attorney, so I can’t advise you on the claim or respond to it for you.
Don’t rush to install a widget. Overlays don’t change the code where the barriers are, and stores that use them still get sued.
Get the real issues fixed in your theme, and get it in writing. That’s the part I do, and I’m happy to work alongside your lawyer.

You’re not the only one dealing with this. E-commerce sites accounted for 79% of the digital accessibility lawsuits UsableNet tracked in the first half of 2026 (UsableNet 2026 Midyear Report), and Shopify was the most-targeted platform in EcomBack’s count for the same period (EcomBack 2026 Mid-Year Report).

What you get

Real fixes, written down.

01

Audit

We review the agreed templates against WCAG 2.2 Level AA, using automated scans (axe) plus manual keyboard and screen-reader passes (VoiceOver and NVDA). That means the templates on the agreed list and nothing else.

02

Fixes in your theme code

We fix what the audit finds in your theme itself: Liquid, CSS, JavaScript, and related theme assets. All fixes are made in the theme code itself. We don’t install accessibility overlays or widgets. We work in a duplicate, unpublished copy of your theme, and you decide when to publish it.

03

A written, dated report

A short report covering what we fixed, what is out of scope or still unresolved, and what we recommend you do next. It is dated because it describes the store as of the day we did the work. You can share it with your lawyer if you choose.

04

A dated test record

A dated log of the tests we ran (automated scan results plus manual keyboard and screen-reader checks), listing each in-scope page, the issues found, and their status at delivery. It shows the state of your store on the test date only. Later theme, app, or content changes aren’t covered.

05

A draft accessibility statement

We draft an accessibility statement for you to review, edit, and publish at your discretion. It describes your commitment, the standard targeted (WCAG 2.2 AA), known limitations, and a contact method for accessibility feedback. Once it’s published, you’re responsible for its accuracy, and you should have your attorney review it, especially while a demand letter is pending.

06

30 days of fixes on our own work

For 30 days after delivery, if something we fixed on the in-scope templates isn’t right, or we introduced a new problem, tell us in writing and we’ll fix it at no extra charge.

How it works

Four steps, on a schedule you can plan around.

Step 1 · Today

Send the basics

Your store URL, the date on the letter, your deadline, and whether your theme is stock or custom. Attach the letter if you want to.
Step 2 · Within 48 hours

Fixed quote and template list

From your store URL and the letter’s list of issues, we send a flat fee and the exact templates in scope. You confirm the list in writing before any work starts.
Step 3 · 2–3 weeks from kickoff

Audit and fixes

You give us collaborator access and a duplicate theme. We audit, then fix Liquid, CSS, and JS in that duplicate — no overlay or widget.
Step 4 · End of engagement

Report and handoff

You get the dated test record and a draft accessibility statement (your lawyer reviews; you publish). You publish the theme when you’re ready, and the 30-day warranty starts.

Timelines are estimates. Delays with store access, theme setup, or responses can push them out.

Scope

A set list of templates, not your whole catalog.

Before we start, we agree in writing on exactly which templates are in scope — up to 8 on the small-store tier, up to 15 on custom. Extra templates are quoted separately.

Typically in scope

Up to 8 templates for a small store. Up to 15 for a custom theme.

Header, footer, and navigation
Home
Collection
Product
Search
Cart
Content page
Customer login / account
Any additional pages we list in your agreement

Not included

Shopify’s hosted checkout — merchants can’t edit it. Shopify Plus checkout extensibility can be quoted separately.
Third-party app embeds (reviews, chat, upsells, loyalty, popups): we list their issues and contact the vendor, but we don’t rewrite their code.
Product content beyond fixing alt-text patterns in the templates themselves.
Content you add or change after we deliver: new products, blog posts, landing pages, or theme changes made by someone else.
Ongoing monitoring, re-audits, or maintenance, unless you buy those separately.
Platform, browser, or device bugs outside the theme. Also email templates, paid ads, social embeds, and PDFs or downloads unless they’re on the agreed list.
Legal advice, or responding to the demand letter for you. Your lawyer handles that, and we work alongside them.

Pricing

One flat fee, quoted up front.

Small store, stock theme

[PRICE – Andy to confirm]

A standard Shopify theme with light customization, on the agreed template list.

Custom theme

[PRICE RANGE – Andy to confirm]

A heavily customized or fully custom theme. Quoted after we look at your code.

Each quote is a flat fee for a fixed scope. Extra templates, apps, re-audits after content changes, or emergency work on your live theme are handled through written change orders.

Why not an overlay

No overlay widgets. Ever.

An overlay is a script that adds an accessibility toolbar to your store. Your theme code stays the same, and so do the barriers screen-reader and keyboard users run into.

Overlays also haven’t stopped lawsuits. EcomBack counted 983 ADA website lawsuits in 2025 against sites that already had an accessibility widget installed (EcomBack 2025 Annual Report). In April 2025, the FTC finalized an order requiring accessiBe to pay $1 million and barring it from claiming its automated product can make any website WCAG-compliant without evidence to back that up (FTC press release).

We fix the code. That’s slower than pasting in a script, but it’s the approach that actually changes what your customers experience.

Who you’re working with

Hi, I’m Andy.

I’m Andy Brudtkuhl, and I run 48web, a small product engineering shop in Iowa. I’ve been building for the web for a long time, and I still write the code. When you hire us for this, you’re working with developers who will open your theme files and fix them, not a sales team.

I’ll be straight with you about what we can fix, what we can’t, and what’s outside our control. That same information goes into the report.

FAQ

Common questions

Will this make the demand letter or lawsuit go away?

We can’t promise that, and you should be wary of anyone who does. What we do is fix real accessibility barriers in your theme and give you a dated written report of what we fixed and what’s still open. What happens with the claim is between you, your lawyer, and the other side. We don’t guarantee that any plaintiff or attorney will drop a claim, or that no new claims will come.

Is this legal advice? Will you respond to the letter for me?

No to both. We’re developers, not attorneys. We don’t draft responses to demand letters, negotiate with plaintiffs or their lawyers, or contact them for you. Please talk to your own lawyer about the letter. Our work is the technical fix.

Do you work with my lawyer?

Yes. You can hire us directly, or your lawyer or agency can bring us in. We can answer your lawyer’s technical questions about the work, and you can share our report with them if you choose. They handle the legal side and we handle the code.

Will my store be “ADA compliant” afterward?

We don’t certify compliance, and we don’t guarantee your store will be fully accessible or free of future complaints. We work toward WCAG 2.2 Level AA on the agreed templates, and the report documents where things stand on the day we finish. New apps, new content, and Shopify updates can introduce new issues later.

What can I hand my lawyer?

You get a written report and a dated test record. The test record is a log of the tests we ran (automated scan results plus manual keyboard and screen-reader checks), listing each in-scope page, the issues found, and their status at delivery. It shows the state of your store on the test date only; later theme, app, or content changes aren’t covered. You can share both with your lawyer at your discretion. Neither is a legal opinion or a certification of compliance.

Do you write our accessibility statement?

We write a draft. You review it, edit it, and publish it at your discretion. It covers your commitment, the standard targeted (WCAG 2.2 AA), known limitations, and a contact method for accessibility feedback. Once it’s published, you’re responsible for its accuracy. Have your attorney review it before you publish, especially while a demand letter is pending.

Do you fix the whole catalog?

No. The small-store tier covers up to 8 theme templates: header/footer/navigation, home, collection, product, search, cart, a content page, and customer login/account. The custom-theme tier covers up to 15. Extra templates are quoted separately. Fixing a template covers how every product that uses it is displayed. We fix alt-text patterns in the templates; we don’t rewrite your product content.

What about apps and third-party widgets?

Third-party app embeds like reviews, chat, upsells, loyalty, and popups are out of scope. We list their issues and contact the vendor, but we don’t rewrite their code.

Why not just install an accessibility overlay?

Overlays don’t change your theme’s code, which is where the barriers are, and they haven’t stopped lawsuits. In April 2025 the FTC finalized an order requiring accessiBe to pay $1 million over claims that its widget could make any website WCAG-compliant. We don’t sell or install overlays.

What if something you fixed breaks?

For 30 days after delivery, we’ll fix defects in our own work on the in-scope templates at no charge: issues we introduced, or issues we didn’t remediate correctly. That warranty doesn’t cover changes made by you or anyone else, new content or templates, apps, or Shopify platform changes.

Get a fixed quote

Tell me about the letter.

Just the basics. I’ll reply with a flat quote and a proposed template list. Would you rather use email? Write to andy@48web.com.

48web provides technical accessibility remediation, not legal advice. We are not attorneys, and we don’t respond to, negotiate, or communicate about demand letters or claims on your behalf. Please consult your own counsel. We don’t guarantee that your store will be fully accessible, legally “compliant,” or free of future complaints, or that any claim will be dropped. Work targets WCAG 2.2 Level AA on the agreed templates as of the date of our work. Liability is limited to the fees you paid us. Our 30-day warranty covers defects in our own work on in-scope templates. Full terms are in the engagement agreement.

Got an ADA demand letter for your Shopify store? We fix the theme itself.