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Like all new ways of marketing, electronic commerce has had some problems cutting its teeth. That's why Industry Canada's Office of Consumer Affairs has put out a guide to selling products or services through your Web site. Called Your Internet Business - Earning Consumer Trust, the common sense content deals mainly with how to set up your Web page so that potential customers will be comfortable with this new approach to buying. Here are the major tips on how to keep those e-dollars flowing in: · Tell them who you are. -- Make sure you clearly display your company name, legal identity and all contact information prominently on your Web page. · They can't touch so you have to show. -- Since your on-line customers can't actually "kick the tires," do an accurate, clear job of describing your products and services. · Create a clear, multistep purchasing process. -- Set up a separate screen for an order form or "shopping cart" that allows customers to identify the items they are thinking about purchasing and choose transaction options. If you don't have a multistep purchasing process, you should provide a cooling-off period so customers can change their minds. · Give repeat customers a "fast-buy" option. -- If they've already established a password and an account, why make them go through the process all over again? · Present clear terms and conditions of sale. -- Include the full price (and currency), taxes, shipping charges, customs duties, delivery arrangements and warranties, as well as your cancellation, exchange and refund policies. · Hold their hand, security-wise. -- There is still mistrust of the system out there. Explain who provides your security and how it works. You should also develop a privacy policy and post it on your site. The best models to base it on are the CSA International's (formerly the Canadian Standards Association) privacy code (www.csa-international.org) and the Canadian Marketing Association's code of ethics and standards of practice (www.the-cma.org). · Don't make them take your word for it. -- Bring in a reputable third party to endorse your e-business. For more information, contact the Office of Consumer Affairs at http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/sc_consu/consaffairs/engdoc/oca.html Your Office April, 2000
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