Ecommpay gains DAC certification for accessible payments platform

Ecommpay has achieved full certification from the Digital Accessibility Centre (DAC) for its payments pages and dashboard, ensuring compliance with the World Wide Web Consortium's (WC3) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 AA standards.

This accreditation follows a comprehensive three-strand testing process conducted by the DAC, examining elements such as design, usability, and technical development. The certification covers Ecommpay's mobile SDK and Hosted Payment Page, reflecting the company's drive to provide an accessible payments experience to all users.

Accessibility overhaul

In September 2024, Ecommpay relaunched its brand, website, and payments platform as part of its ongoing inclusivity programme, Ecommpay for Good. The redevelopment focused on accessibility features, including the use of colours, fonts, and layouts intended to assist users with visual and hearing impairments and those with cognitive or physical disabilities.

According to the company, the DAC's endorsement of their platform and dashboard means that merchants using Ecommpay can now offer an inclusive payments experience to their customers.

Commitment to inclusion

"Inclusivity 'by default' is the ethos across all areas of Ecommpay product development. Inclusion isn't an afterthought - it is built into all aspects of product design and development from the outset. Whether it's feature enhancements, mock-ups for new products or coding, we align to the WCAG guidelines to ensure all our services are accessible," commented Max Ryzhov, Chief Product Officer at Ecommpay, who led the audit process with the DAC. 

Ryzhov explained that the close working relationship with the DAC facilitated a swift resolution to minor issues encountered during the certification process. This outcome not only secured approval but also provided insights for future enhancements.

"Working closely with the DAC, we quickly fixed minor issues raised during the audit enabling us to achieve full certification as well as learn from the insight for future product development. This is an incredibly important landmark for the business and we are excited to bring its benefits to our merchants and their customers."

DAC's role and approach

The Digital Accessibility Centre operates as a testing and consultation body, collaborating with organisations across public, private, and voluntary sectors to ensure digital products are accessible. Much of the DAC user testing team is made up of individuals with disabilities, offering first-hand experience and feedback. This perspective is valued by Ecommpay, who recognised that feedback from testers with disabilities was crucial to achieving best practice accessibility standards and meeting relevant legislation.

Ongoing inclusion programme

"While we are proud to have gained DAC certification, we are far from finished with our mission. To further support improved inclusion across the payments ecosystem we are continuing to empower merchants to create the most inclusive eCommerce presence, so that their customers can also have an accessible and inclusive payment experience," added Max. 

Ecommpay is offering merchants free access to a Guide to Digital Accessibility, detailing steps required to achieve WC3 WCAG 2.2 AA compliance. The guide includes a developer checklist and is available as HTML or PDF formats, with the aim of supporting ongoing accessibility improvements throughout the eCommerce sector.