By Chris Barling
It seems that a whole industry has been built around articles warning on the dangers and pitfalls of buying on the Net. Many readers will be better informed then this, especially online vendors, but may not have a succinct list of reasons to present to their buyers. Here are some points that may help persuade your customers that the Web isn't as dangerous a place as they may think.
Credit card companies protect buyers. Many people don't realize the extent of protection that their credit cards companies provide. It's simple. If you get transactions charged to your account which you didn't authorize, you can request a refund from your credit card issuer.
Buying online is as safe as buying by mail order. Risks on the Internet are the same as in mail order. If you feel confident to buy by phone, fax or mail, you should be confident to buy on the Internet. In fact your rights are the same whether shopping on the Net or in the high street.
The fraud myth. Despite all the press hype about Internet fraud, real-life examples are amazingly hard to find. Last year at a seminar with hundreds of people present, the question was asked "Who has suffered credit card fraud?" In response, a sea of hands went up. When asked "Who has experienced Internet credit card fraud," no hands went up.
Encryption is the key. Remember that credit card information is fully encrypted by virtually all vendors as it travels over the Net. Provide details of your security method. This could come from using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) or bank-approved software like Actinic Catalog from my company.
Are you being conned? Ask yourself whether the threat of fraud is in fact a con, perpetrated by people with something to sell. Rumor has it that the original fuss about Internet fraud was started by a company that was trying to push its own secure solution. Unfortunately for them, the press picked up on the potential for fraud because it made a good story, but not on their proposed solution.
Buying online is no riskier than many personal transactions. The risk is actually no greater than using your card at a gas station or a shopping mall - where the person behind you can read it. The risk is also no greater than in a restaurant, where the card often disappears and lots of copies of slips could be run off by any member of staff.
Reassure visitors that you are real. As a vendor, you should list your actual address and phone number and provide some contact details for a real person at your Web site. Say on the site: "If you're concerned about security, call us to make sure that we exist." Provide facts, and maybe pictures about your business, as this will promote confidence. You can also join schemes, such as the Which Web Trader Scheme, which is designed to make sure consumers get a fair deal and to provide them with protection if things go wrong.
The big boys do it. Millions of dollars of transactions are now being conducted across the Internet every day. Thousands and thousands of purchases are taking place, and multi-billion dollar companies such as Cisco are making the Web their main ordering mechanism. Would they do this if it was fundamentally insecure?
Offer other ordering methods. As a vendor, even if you are pushing Web sales hard, you should give alternative ways of ordering such as by fax. A few people will take advantage of the facility but for the rest it shows that you are fully confident.
Think twice about orders from outside Europe and North America. The few cases of reported fraud on the Net have been at the sellers expense, not the buyer. Vendors need to be aware of orders coming from jurisdictions where it is particularly hard to take action against fraud. Countries outside of Europe and North America seem to pose the main risk.
Reprinted from NewMedia.
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