Last Updated on Feb 28, 2020 by James W
image source: johanl
Buying online has become a lot safer, but there are still a few who feel concern over parting with money before having their return on investment in sight. The worry of card details being used again for fraudulent purposes is ever present too, so what should be done to reassure customers that they are in safe hands when shopping online? Below are a few things that customers should look for when questioning the security of a website:
Trying Too Hard
Card criminals work hard to gain customer confidence, often adding padlock images, symbols for data protection, security images and accreditation logos. In their effort to mask their fraud they will often try too hard and a web page might not ‘feel’ right.
To demonstrate that you are trustworthy it is advisable to opt for simple and subtle methods, for example, you could show how many items you have left in stock. It gives an indication that your products are selling, and selling repeatedly. Add the functionality for customers to leave reviews, they can write about the product they bought from your website and inform others as to what makes it a good buy [1].
Remove 100% Guaranteed Symbols
While they used to be effective when people didn’t know they were meaningless, today people are aware that just because a symbol says “100% money back guarantee??? does not mean the company is going to honour their promise. Nowadays, such promises in the form of symbols are viewed with suspicion and are seen as tools used by unsophisticated scam artists.
Reputable Payment Processing
It is essential that you take payments through reputable payment processing services. Customers look for logos to demonstrate you offer payment via Verified by Visa, MasterCard SecureCode and PayPoint.net [2]. Displaying their logos shows that you are a trusted merchant and have a partnership with a merchant solutions provider in order to allow you to accept payment via their services.
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Padlock
You need to ensure that your website is secure when it comes to entering payment details. Current surveys indicate that over 80% of online purchasers look for the security padlock in their web browsers prior to buying[3]. The symbol is an unbroken key symbol or a locked padlock. It can be found next to the address bar in the browser, and/or on the bottom of the page on the browser (not the web page itself). By double clicking the padlock, a user should be able to see further information about the security of the website.
Secure Your Connection
There are many online users who know about HTTPS, especially since emailing services such as Hotmail have started using it. Many people will feel further reassured if they move onto a payment section of a website and the web pages turn from HTTP to HTTPS [3].
Web Policies
While there is no need to indicate that you have any web policies, having the user click to confirm they have read your privacy and security policy is a good way to reassure them [4]. People used to look upon such forms with suspicion, automatically assuming they held small print that did not have their interests at heart. Nowadays, such confirmation pages are a sign that the website takes user security and privacy very seriously.
Credit Cards
Accepting credit card as a method of payment can project a trustworthy image. Most people are aware that anyone can set up Paypal payments, however, being a credit card merchant is a positive affirmation of the effort made to be legitimate. Some customers also prefer credit card payments over other methods because of the insurances and protection offered by their card issuer.
There is no doubt that a significant number of people are still concerned about being defrauded online. If you take the advice within this article, you will be better prepared to reassure website visitors and make them more likely to purchase from you. Some simple touches such as taking credit card payments and showing their logos will reassure visitors that you are running a legitimate and secure business.
Sources:
[1] https://www.enterprisenation.com/blog/setting-up-shop-online-security-and-reassurance-for-customers/
[2] https://www.paypoint.net/support/get-started/online-payment-guides/online-customer-confidence/
[3] https://www.themultichannelretailer.com/item.php?news_id=6652
[4] https://www.sagepay.com/fraud-prevention-tips-for-online-shoppers
Author Bio:
This post was supplied on behalf of First Data Merchant Solutions, the merchant solutions providers who specialize in enabling clients to accept credit cards online.
