How to Know If You Can Trust an eCommerce Website

Doing business online is convenient in today’s quick-paced, advancing world. However, purchasing things online can also be sketchy, if you can’t trust the website. This is why it is important to know how to trust a website. 
 

The main thing to look for is a secure trust seal. Besides having an SSL certificate, most secure websites will display a third-party security seal on their main page to show consumers that their information is kept private and secure.

So, what is a Trust Seal? A trust seal is an image or logo that online business owners can obtain for their website from trusted third-party verification companies like Trust Guard.

This trust seal is not easy for business owners to acquire. In order to have a trust seal displayed on your website, businesses must go through a series of privacy, business identity and website and server security vulnerability tests to see if they are processing credit cards safely. They must be PCI Compliant to obtain one of these trust seals.

Being PCI Compliant means that you comply with all of the security standards of the Payment Card Industry. In order for a business to be compliant they are also required to take a self-assessment questionnaire. This verifies that they are running credit card transactions securely. This SAQ goes through a detailed set of questions that must be answered correctly in order for the business owner to be approved as a PCI Compliant company.

Also, to obtain a secure trust seal, the website and server have to go through a security scan. This security scan goes through the business owner’s website and internet to check for viruses and ensure that everything is protected. This decreases the chances of allowing hackers to access and infiltrate the site.

When purchasing a product online, it is important that consumers know whether or not they are visiting a website that can be trusted. The best way for consumers to know if they can trust a website for online purchases is to see if the site has a security seal boldly displayed on it.

                                             

                                             

Convert Your Consumers Into Loyal Customers

One of the most important things business owners should focus on is creating their customer’s loyalty. When you have customers who trust you and are loyal to the services and products you offer, you will build a successful business. Consumers that trust a business and its owners talk about it in a positive manner and promote it to their friends and family. Marketing via word of mouth is without a doubt the #1 way to promote your business.

Why? Because, for the most part, people trust other people. People are going to be more willing to go to a business if someone they know refers them. Think about yourself as a consumer. If your best friend tells you about an awesome company with discounts on furniture, shoes, or sports accessories then you are more likely to go in and check it out.

If a customer hears about a promotion from their friend versus seeing an Ad about it on a TV commercial, they are 78% more likely to visit the advertised business. Word of Mouth Marketing is crucial to a successful business, and this is why business owners must create loyal customers who trust their businesses.

The best way to convert your customers into long-term loyal consumers is to create a bond of trust with them. When your consumers feel like they can trust you, they are going to purchase from you more often. This is why it is so important to have a secure trust seal boldly displayed on e-commerce websites.

Trust Seals are the #1 way to build your customer’s loyalty because of three key concerns they address for your consumers.

1.                  Sense of Security. Customers want to know that your website is secure and that you care about being compliant with the security standards created by the Payment Card Industry. A Security Seal shows your customers that you care about the security of their personal information.

2.                  Personal Privacy. Before anyone makes a purchase online, they want to know that their personal information is going to be kept private. They want their privacy be kept secure and they only want it used for the specific purchases they are making. Privacy Seals help customers feel a sense of privacy which creates more sales.

3.                  Business Identity. One of the scariest things about online purchases is that there are so many crooked companies that are set up for the sole purpose of stealing your money and your identity. By having a Verified Business Identity Seal on your website, customers will know that your website is secure and legitimate. Having this business identity seal on the main page of your site is guaranteed to increase your conversion rate because customers trust that you are a legitimate business.

You can create loyal customers simply by having secure trust seals on your website. Loyal customers will market your business for free, increase traffic and conversion rates, and provide your company with constantly increasing profits.

What Trust Logos Can Do for Your Online Business

Do you know what Trust Logos can do for your online business? Millions of business owners conduct their business online. They have websites connected to social networking sites, because they understand that this is a proven method to increase their customer base. 

Of these millions of businesses, about 85% of them (the most successful online companies) use Trust Logos to enhance the level of trust visitors have when coming to a new website. Trust logos convey a message of security and honesty to consumers.

When your customers visit your business website, they are interested in your services. But in most cases, consumers won’t buy from someone they do not trust. Many statistical case studies have shown that websites that have a trust logo displayed on the top of their front page, almost immediately increase conversion rates by as much as 30%.

When you have a trust logo displayed on your website,consumers don’t just see a logo, they see that this is a website they can trust. The purpose of a trust logo is to allow your customers to identify a qualified, respected security verification organization likeTrust Guard, Norton, and MacAfee. When your online visitors recognize the secure trust logo on your site, they know that the company values its security as well as the safety and security of their visitors.

When consumers feel a sense of security, they are more willing to purchase products. This increases conversion rates and ultimately your business’ profits.

The best way to have trust logos do more for your business is to post them to your website correctly.

1.      Don’t display more than two Trust Logos on your website. Having too many trust logos tells people that you are trying too hard to gain their trust and research shows it actually makes them trust you less. If your site has too many trust logos, it is guaranteed to actually have the opposite effect and reduce your conversion rate.

2.      Place the trust logo on the top right hand side of your website. You want this to be seen right from the beginning of the buying experience but you don’t want it to over power the rest of your site. Keep it small and simple. Big enough for consumers to notice, but no so big that it is distracting.

Just by adding Trust Logos to your website you will be able to create an all around more successful business. It is easy, inexpensive and guaranteed to almost instantly increase your conversion rates. People purchase products from companies they trust, and that is a fact.

Trust Marks Show You Who to Trust

As a consumer in today’s business world, it is hard to know whom you can and cannot trust. Especially

when it comes to purchasing products and services online. Today anybody can create a website and start processing credit cards online. It is difficult to know which websites are validated and which ones are scams unless they use a reputable trust mark.

I have been a victim of online companies that I thought were legit, but they were actually insecure. They ended up just taking my money and then they never delivered my products. Because I had to learn how to find which companies I could trust the hard way, I wanted to share what I learned so that you will be able to easily spot scam websites from websites that are trustworthy.

After much research I have found some key features to look for on their websites are secure and that their companies are legitimate:

1.                  Does the web page have contact information? Try calling the phone number, emailing the support staff and visiting the physical address if you feel like this may not be legit. I made the mistake once of purchasing laser hair removal once at a clinic that did not exist. Now I know to verify this information ahead of time.

2.                  Verify their refund policy. All businesses that are secure and follow the security standards of the Payment Card Industry are required to display some type of refund policy for the benefit of their consumers.

3.                  The most important thing of all to look for on a website is to see if they have a secure Trust Mark, Logo or Seal. Secure websites display a Trust Mark on their website. This trust mark lets consumers know that the company has completed the security qualification tests and have been verified to run transactions securely.

The trust mark company that I trust the most when it comes to finding businesses that I trust is Trust Guard. Trust Guard has some of the most secure testing and verification policies online. You have to be a legitimate company to display Trust Guard’s Logos on your website. One hint at foul play and they will remove their seal. Period.With Trust Guard’s Trust Marks, I know I am purchasing products securely.

Find a Third-Party Entity to Secure Your Website

Website security and constantly testing against that security are extremely critical parts of the success of your online business. Statistics show that having a secure website should be business owners’ first priority. It is so important for the fact that a secure website proves your business’ credibility. Security trust seals display the protection you are offering your online visitors.

When you, as an online business owner understand the importance of website security, you will be able to take the needed steps to properly implement online security like daily scanning. These practices will help you generate a more successful and profitable online business.

The first step to having a secure business is to find a third-party security trust seal and scanning provider that you can trust. You want to find a business that will take the first three steps to help you become a secure website:

1.     1.  Daily perform a security scan on your website. These scans find vulnerabilities accessible by viruses and hackers and provide specific instructions on how to eliminate them from the website. By having a third-party trust seal provider perform a security scan, you will know that you area secure website that is ready to process credit cards for your customers and accept their email addresses.

2.      2. Display a respected, third-party trust seal. Once you have had a security scan preformed, a trust company can provide you with a security trust seal or logo and accompanying security certificate. As soon as you obtain the code, copy and paste it to your website. You want all of your clients to know that you are a secure website that they can trust.

3.      3. Let your third-party trust seal provider help you increase your sales! When you display this trust seal to your website you will be able to almost instantly see the increase in your sales.