How To Reassure Online Customers |

Feb 27, 2013 by INC Staff Writer

Customers want to know that their money is safe, and with all the stories and case studies about internet fraud, more and more consumers are checking carefully before spending their money on the internet. As a result small businesses often find themselves pushed out by bigger, better-known brands. That said, it is possible to gain credibility for your site by demonstrating that your business is committed to the security of its customer?s payments. Indeed various steps can be taken to persuade potential customers to stay on the page and go ahead with a secure purchase.

Display Security Signs

A large number of savvy online consumers actively look for indicators of a site?s security measures for reassurance of online security. ?The security padlock, to be found in the bottom right hand corner of many internet pages, and the letter ?s? indicating ?secure? after http in the web address, are the two most commonly sought indicators that a site is safe for making a payment. These are activated on your site when you sign up with a reputable card payment processor that provide a link to a payment page that is protected by SSL (Secure Socket Layer).

Verified by Visa and MasterCard SecureCode are among the logos that potential customers will often look for when deciding whether to trust a site with their card details. Being ISIS (Internet Shopping Is Safe) accredited is another excellent proof of trustworthiness and many online shoppers look for this mark on a website. The ISIS accreditation is only awarded to websites by the industry leading body IMRG ? Interactive Media in Retail Group.

In addition to accredited indicators on a website a simple intuitive design can encourage high levels of reassurance from potential customers. In turn a simple and clear payment process on a website is likely to result in m

ore sales as potential customers can avoid a lot of unnecessary steps.

Be Transparent

A clearly stated returns and refunds policy will also reassure online consumers. Most customers will want to know the returns and refunds policy and terms and conditions before they commit to making a purchase. Do not worry that displaying the process will tempt customers into going ahead with a return; if the product is high quality they are more likely to be satisfied with it. As such make sure that customers can easily find the refund terms and conditions; if they have to hunt for them it can engender feelings of suspicion and distrust.

Another important piece of information that customers look for is a physical address and operational telephone number. Scam artists and fraudulent companies often leave out this piece of information in order to make it easier to vanish after their criminal purpose has been achieved.

A large proportion of potential customers look for testimonials from other customers, so do not be afraid to display good reviews prominently. The goodwill generated from a positive commendation should not be underestimated. Encourage customers to leave feedback on the site and the resulting vote of trust will show itself with an upsurge in business.

It is well worth investing a little to provide sufficient information on your website to allow potential customers to feel that your business is a known entity, deserving of trust and a safe environment to make repeated payments.

This article was written on behalf of First Data Merchant Solutions who assist a variety of businesses in relation to accepting card payments online .

Featured images:

Source: http://www.industrynewscorp.com/how-to-reassure-online-customers/

yahoo news cnn news Connecticut shooting Nancy Lanza school shootings cbs news Jenni Rivera