Computer magazine, Computeractive has launched Consumer Confidence Charter, a new standards mark for online traders signing up to a code of practice.
Fair & Square aims to educate online consumers and ensure shoppers can identify reputable sites that offer best practice and well laid out terms and conditions.
The Consumer Confidence Charter is to be widely promoted and is, say Computeractive, set to become a symbol of trust that consumers will look for when web shopping. Online retailers are being encouraged to come forward and sign up to the Charter, enabling shoppers to buy with confidence.
The Consumer Confidence Charter defines three commitments that every online retailer should make to customers. These promises simply ask retailers to guarantee that they will comply with existing laws and provide clear channels of communication should problems occur.
1. To display clear links to information about returning goods and to ensure the information reflects customers' statutory right to return unwanted goods.
2. Not to charge restocking fees for returned goods in accordance with the Distant Selling Regulations
3. To provide a human response to emailed queries within two working days and to be clear about how complaints can be escalated.
If the website meets the three aims of the Charter it will be given a logo to display on its website, demonstrating to customers that it a trusted site.
Paul Allen, editor of Computeractive said: “Responsible retailers should be eager to sign up to our Consumer Confidence Charter, and we hope this will become a de facto UK standard upon which web shoppers will be able to base their purchasing decisions.”
Prominent retailers are set to sign up to the charter and the power of the campaign is already being demonstrated. Early on in the campaign Computeractive discovered that one of the terms on Apple’s UK online store contravened the Distance Selling Regulations, the company has since taken action to alter the term and bring itself inline with regulations.
Online retailers can put their website forward for approval by the Consumer Confidence Charter by contacting the deputy editor of Computeractive, Tom Royal, by email (tom.royal@incisivemedia.com) or by telephone, 0207-316 9000.
