Internet Business Owners all over the world are bracing themselves for the Christmas rush, the fraudulent charges, and credit card chargebacks that come with it.
The Internet Christmas season emulates brick and mortar traditions of buying and selling, however one would do well to secure and protect their investment. Customers are more savvy than a few years ago when few understood the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) lock icon in their browser, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is "hip" to the ways of the 21st century wrongdoer.
Protect Your Customer Data
It's not enough now for you to have that lock icon in your customers' browser when they shop. If you type your credit card information into a secure screen, and after you click submit, your data is stored in an insecure database, how secure was your transaction? Companies worldwide are dealing with the same issues of how to store and retrieve sensitive information as online orders are processed over the internet. Not doing so may expose your customers to a world of identity theft and fraudulent credit card use.
Make Your Customer Service Information Visible
Anyone whose ever had to read a "legalese" document without a law degree knows that its no party and can quickly become a time-consuming affair when all you want to do is send something back that didn't fit. If you post all of your sales and customer service policies in a prominent area of your web site so people can find your policies, you'll have less chargebacks due to those who couldn't find your information or didn't have the patience to sort through your site to find it.
International Sales
There isn't room enough to talk about this subject, so I'll be brief. Not every product can be legally sold to other countries. Make sure you have an international sales policy, and consult an attorney about which countries you may do business with. Also consider shipping costs, language translation, and currency conversions when making your decisions. This is not the time to procrastinate about a lawyer. A good one just might save your assets!
Keep Great Records (CYA)
Whenever possible, make sure you have as much information about the sales transaction as you can. Some storefront owners record the buyers IP Address (unique Internet Protocol address), as part of their records. In the event of fraudulent activity, the IP address can tell you or the Internet Provider and/or legal authorities a source of the activity which may be used to solidify your case.
Be Aware of the Scams
Not to be taken lightly - As internet commerce grows, the scams and scammers get more sophisticated. Business owners should take advantage of the information available on the internet that will advise of the latest problems and provide preventative advice.
