An online abortion store has opened in the US. It congratulates visitors with the message, “You’re having an unwanted pregnancy!”, and welcomes them with, “You’ve got 6 weeks, let’s shop!”

With pop-ups, alerts and a rapid pregnancy countdown, the site takes them through the steps.

But notice that it’s called The Inconvenience Store. Start using the site and you’ll find it’s not what you expected. The site exists to show the frustrations of the barriers to abortion in the US, blocking your  “purchase”, while the timer rapidly ticks down the weeks and days you have left to have what you want. At the six-week deadline, you’re faced with a decision – mail-in mifepristone or an in-clinic visit? But the mifepristone is out of stock. Your pregnancy is progressing, so you opt for in-clinic. Now there are even more barriers – upload an ultrasound, warnings about the mandatory 24-hour waiting period and counselling…

The Inconvenience Store was devleoped by women-owned creative consultancy, Schaaf. It was created with Dr Emily Boevers, OB-GYN and co-founder of the political action committee Iowans for Health Liberty and it responds to the six-week abortion ban in Iowa, that went into effect in July this year.

The project aims to show how the six-week deadline for abortions works as a barrier to getting an abortion at all. It looks bright and friendly. It isn’t. It mimics online stores that keep you engaged in your purchase, but thwarts you at every turn. And even if visitors choose the “Shop Now” option, a banner throughout the “checkout” experience that reads “Vote for your life,” links through to Vote.org.