The RealReal - WCAG Audit
About the project
Date:
Apr 16, 2025
Client:
Academic Project
Services:
Accessibility
Individual Project
Project Details
The goal of this project was to gain hands-on experience evaluating real-world websites for accessibility conformance. Working independently, I planned and carried out a full WCAG 2.2 AA-level audit, referencing the official WAI and W3C testing guides.
The evaluation covered five major page types: Homepage, Product Category Page, Product Detail Page, Cart Page, and Checkout Page. Each page was tested against all applicable WCAG criteria, excluding AAA, using a combination of automated and manual methods. At the end of the process, I delivered a professional accessibility report that summarized testing results, tool outputs, and improvement recommendations
Evaluation Process
To begin, I filtered the WCAG 2.2 AA checklist to include all A and AA criteria, then used the W3C Evaluation Methodology (EM) Reporting Tool to track and organize my findings.
Testing evaluation methods:
Automated tools: WAVE, ANDI, and Axe DevTools for quick detection of issues like low contrast, missing alt text, and heading order errors.
Browser inspection: Chrome DevTools and contrast analyzers (Stark Chrome Plugin) for color and semantic structure.
Manual testing: Keyboard navigation, focus order testing, and VoiceOver screen-reader review to validate how users would experience the site without a mouse.
ANDI overview of the homepage, demonstrating the lack of alt text for an image that contains promotional content. Without the content as plain text or as alt text, screenusers are completely excluded from sale content.
Example of a manual check, using the Inspect Element within the Chrome web browser. I performed manual checks like this when I identified issues using the accessibility tools, this allowed me to look within the HTML to see how the content was structured.
Findings & Analysis
Overall, The RealReal shows effort toward accessibility but in my opinion still fell short of full WCAG 2.2 AA conformance. The site’s visual design and layout make it attractive and engaging, but several recurring issues create barriers for screen-reader users, keyboard users, and those with low vision.
Main Findings:
Alt text inconsistencies: Many product and promotional images were missing alternative text or used placeholder phrases that lacked context.
Low color contrast: Pagination links and some text in form fields failed to meet the 4.5:1 contrast ratio.
Heading hierarchy problems: Repeated H1s and skipped levels disrupted logical page structure for assistive technologies.
Missing input labels: Checkout and login fields relied on placeholders instead of persistent labels, making them difficult for screen-reader users.
Focus visibility issues: Some interactive elements lacked clear focus indicators or followed an illogical order.
No “Skip to Main Content” option: Users relying on keyboard navigation had to tab through repeated location elements that were hidden from view, requiring nearly 20 tabbing actions before accessing the main content.
While these issues don’t render the site unusable, in my opinion, they do prevent The RealReal from meeting WCAG 2.2 AA conformance and create friction for users who depend on accessible interactions. To me, this was especially concerning since many of the images missing alternative text displayed promotions, deal codes, and limited-time sales; content that directly impacts users who are often already overlooked.
WAVE scan of "product category" page, showing missing alternative text, contrast errors, and confusing aria labeling.
WAVE demonstrating a significant amount of images without any alt text - which is especially troublesome as items defects are "as pictured," however there is no alt-text to describe any defects. These are used items and noting defects is very relevant to the purchaser.
Recommendations & Design Implications
My recommendations focused on practical improvements that would make The RealReal more inclusive without compromising its visual appeal.
Suggested Improvements:
Writing meaningful alternative text for all product and promotional images so screen-reader users can access the same content and deals as everyone else.
Applying consistent heading levels to clarify structure and improve navigation for assistive tools.
Using persistent form labels instead of placeholders alone
Improving color contrast across pagination links, form text, and secondary content.
Adding a Skip to Main Content link and ensuring all focus indicators are visible and follow a logical order.
Implementing status messages (for actions like “Added to cart” or “Coupon applied”) to keep screen-reader users informed.
These adjustments would bring The RealReal closer to full WCAG 2.2 AA conformance while also improving the overall shopping experience.
Project Reflection
This project gave me a more practical understanding of how accessibility evaluations work in the real world. I got comfortable navigating the WCAG 2.2 AA criteria, testing with multiple tools, and learning where automated results fall short. It also helped me practice writing accessibility feedback clearly and professionally. I learned how to describe issues in a way that development teams could act on, using the right terminology and level of detail.
Evaluating The RealReal helped me see how accessibility issues often come down to missed opportunities rather than technical failures. Things like missing alt text or poor contrast aren’t hard to fix, but they make a big difference in whether users can fully engage with a site. Overall, this project made me feel more confident translating technical accessibility checks into realistic feedback. Additionally, it reinforced that accessibility is about improving experiences for everyone, not just checking for errors.
