• Success Criterion 3.3.2
  • Conformance level A

Numeric Field With No Stated Unit of Measurement

3.3.2 — Labels or Instructions

Scenario

Setting

A community forum's discussion thread

What’s wrong

Unit expectations unstated (kg vs lb, currency).

Example 

<!-- 'Post a listing' form used to start a For Sale thread in the forum's gear marketplace -->
<label for="weight">Item weight</label>
<input id="weight" type="number">
<!-- no kg or lb shown anywhere, and the thread's auto-generated shipping estimate silently assumes kilograms -->

Why it matters

A member posting gear for sale in the marketplace thread enters '10' expecting pounds, but the thread's shipping estimate treats it as kilograms, more than doubling the quoted cost shown to interested buyers.

How to test

Check for a stated unit (kg vs lb, currency) near any numeric input where units matter: if unstated, it fails.

How to fix

State the expected unit directly in the label whenever a number's meaning depends on it, especially in a listing form that feeds an automatic calculation.

<label for="weight">Item weight (kg)</label>
<input id="weight" type="number" aria-describedby="weight-unit">
<span id="weight-unit">Enter weight in kilograms</span>

Outcome

The seller enters the weight in the right unit and the thread's shipping estimate comes out accurate for buyers browsing the listing.

Who is affected

Screen reader users and forum members unfamiliar with the site's regional defaults, who have no visual cue like a unit toggle to catch the mismatch.

Learn more

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