Accessibility

As of 15 October 2026

We want you to be able to browse, buy and download your files at STEPMASTERS without obstacles, whether you use a mouse, a keyboard, a screen reader, a screen magnifier or voice control. On this page you can find out how accessible our shop is today, where barriers still remain and how to report a problem to us.

Scope of this statement

This statement covers the online shop at stepmasters.de. This includes the home page, the project overview, product pages, search, the cart, the contact form, the withdrawal function and the legal texts.

Some parts are provided by other companies, and we can only adapt them to a limited extent:

  • Checkout, order status and the customer account are provided by Shopify, the platform our shop runs on. The same applies to the cookie notice that appears on your first visit.
  • Depending on the payment method, a payment window from the respective payment provider opens.

The partner area at partner.stepmasters.de, where partners submit projects, is not covered by this statement.

Our approach

STEPMASTERS is a microenterprise. Under Section 3(3) of the German Accessibility Strengthening Act (Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz, BFSG), we are therefore not obliged to make our shop accessible. We do it anyway, because everyone should be able to shop with us.

We use the European standard EN 301 549 as our benchmark, and with it the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at level AA. Where possible, we also implement the newer requirements of WCAG 2.2.

Buying at STEPMASTERS step by step

At STEPMASTERS you buy digital projects to download and build yourself. Each one is a 3D CAD model as a STEP file or a build plan as a PDF, with drawings for some projects. We do not send anything by post.

  1. You choose a project from the project overview or via the search. The product page sets out the description, scope of delivery, file formats and price as text.
  2. You add the project to your cart. There you agree that we make the files available to you immediately, and you confirm that your right of withdrawal ends as a result.
  3. At checkout you enter your email address and choose a payment method. You don't need a customer account for this.
  4. After payment, you receive the order confirmation together with the confirmation of the contract by email. You can download your files directly after your purchase.

How accessible is the shop?

The shop is partially compliant with WCAG 2.1 at level AA. We continuously check and improve the pages that we design ourselves. According to their providers, the checkout and the payment windows do not yet meet every requirement. That is why we describe the shop as "partially" compliant.

What is already in place

  • The "Skip to content" link lets you jump past the menu straight to the main content using the keyboard.
  • You can reach links, buttons and form fields with the keyboard. The element that is currently selected has a clearly visible outline.
  • The pages have a clear heading structure and named regions such as header, main content and footer, so you can find your way around quickly with a screen reader too.
  • The orange main buttons have dark lettering with a contrast ratio of at least 5.3 to 1.
  • If you have turned on "Reduce motion" on your device, animations stay still. You can also pause the animation on the home page at any time.
  • Form fields have labels. Error messages are technically linked to the relevant field.
  • The language of each page is specified, so screen readers pronounce the text correctly.
  • You can have text read aloud: product descriptions, pages like this one, the frequently asked questions and the legal texts have a "Read aloud" button for this. While text is being read, you can use "Pause", "Resume" and "Stop", and choose the speed under "Speed". If you select text, an additional "Read selection aloud" button appears for just that text. The paragraph currently being read is highlighted. Reading uses your device's own speech output, and the text does not leave your device. If no "Read aloud" button appears, there is usually no voice installed on your device for the language of the page. On Windows, for example, you can add a voice in Settings under "Time & language".
  • You can zoom the pages to 200 percent without any content being lost.

Where barriers remain

  • Checkout: According to Shopify's conformance report (as of March 2026), some requirements in the checkout are only partially met. These include, for example, the contrast of some text and field borders, how visible the focus indicator is, the order in which you move through the page with the Tab key, and error messages being shown immediately. We have no direct influence over these parts. Depending on the browser, you may not be able to zoom into the checkout with two fingers on a mobile phone, and some of the info buttons there are small. If this stops you, please contact us (see below) and we will find another way.
  • Payment windows: Depending on the payment method, a window from the payment provider opens. The provider in question is responsible for its accessibility.
  • Customer account: We do not have a conformance report for Shopify's sign-in and customer account. We therefore cannot say how accessible this area is.
  • Cookie notice: This notice is provided by Shopify. When it appears, it does not receive focus automatically, and it cannot be closed with the Escape key. With the Tab key, you only reach the link to the privacy policy inside the notice at the end of the page. In the cookie settings dialog, screen readers announce the close button in English (“Close dialog”) on every language version of the shop.
  • Spam protection: For the newsletter and the contact form, Shopify may show an hCaptcha challenge. If you cannot complete it, email us directly at info@stepmasters.de or give us a call.
  • CAD files: STEP files contain 3D geometry. You open them with a CAD program, and they are visual by nature. How well you can use them with assistive technology depends on your program. That is why we also describe what belongs to each project as text on the product page.
  • Drawings and build plans: Technical drawings and build plans in PDF format are not yet fully prepared for accessibility. On request, we will gladly send you parts lists and explanatory text from them as plain text.

Found a barrier? Let us know

If you come across a barrier or need information in a different form, please get in touch. We will help you and fix the problem as quickly as we can.

It helps if you tell us which page the problem occurs on and what you are using, for example your browser, device and screen reader. You will usually receive a reply within 5 working days.

If you get stuck while buying, for example at checkout, please let us know as well. We will then work out another way together for you to order your project.

How we test

We test the shop with automated testing tools (Lighthouse and axe), with the keyboard and by reviewing the structure that screen readers read out. The most recent test took place on 15 October 2026. Tests with screen readers such as NVDA on Windows and VoiceOver on the iPhone are still pending. We repeat the test at least once a year and after every major change to the shop.