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.