How to fix dlitem on Shopify

Steps for Shopify

1. In your Shopify admin, go to Online Store → Themes → click 'Customize' on your active theme.
2. To edit template files directly: from the theme editor click the three-dot menu → 'Edit code'.
3. Search across all Liquid files (sections/, templates/, snippets/) for `<dt` or `<dd` using the search box at the top of the code editor.
4. For each occurrence, check whether the nearest ancestor element in the file is a `<dl>`. If it is a `<div>`, `<ul>`, or anything else, add `<dl>` immediately before the first `<dt>` and `</dl>` immediately after the last `<dd>` in that group.
5. Common locations: product description sections (sections/main-product.liquid or product.liquid), FAQ sections, and custom metafield templates.
6. Save each file and preview the page; use browser DevTools Elements panel to confirm the DOM structure.

What is dlitem?

HTML has a special "description list" structure made up of three tags working together: `<dl>` (the list container), `<dt>` (a term or label), and `<dd>` (the description or value for that term). The rule being violated means your page has one or more `<dt>` or `<dd>` elements that are sitting outside of a `<dl>` wrapper — like list items floating in the air with no list around them. This is a structural HTML error that breaks the semantic meaning of the content and violates WCAG 2.x Success Criterion 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships).

Screen readers used by blind and low-vision shoppers rely on correct HTML structure to announce content meaningfully — for example, reading out "Shipping time: 3–5 business days" as a paired term and value. When `<dt>`/`<dd>` elements lack a `<dl>` parent, screen readers cannot convey that relationship, making product specs, FAQs, and shipping information confusing or completely inaccessible for these customers. This directly violates WCAG 2.1 Success Criterion 1.3.1, which is a legal compliance requirement in many jurisdictions (ADA in the US, EN 301 549 in Europe). Beyond legal risk, accessibility failures can cost you customers, damage your reputation, and expose you to demand letters or lawsuits. Fixing this is also a trust signal: Google's crawlers increasingly reward semantically correct, accessible pages.

See the complete Dlitem guide for every platform and the full background.