Posts Tagged ‘online transactions’
How To: Establish Trust With an Online Buyer
Friday, September 12th, 2008
Without a doubt, the number one obstacle to running a successful online business is getting potential buyers to trust your website enough that they are willing to make a purchase.
Let’s be really honest; there are plenty of steps involved with the purchase and receipt of any online product from the release of a credit card number to final delivery - and potential customers will worry about every single one of these areas when it comes to making a purchase from a business they have not used in the past.
About Branding
There is a lot of competition in online sales out there, and some of it is from well-recognized companies that have their own names to create the kind of trust you need from your visitors.
So that is your first step to establishing that trust with customers on your site; build yourself an identity. This step is more popularly known today as branding, and it extends to everything your business does, from the site layout to slogans to a nice looking logo.
Everything you put out needs to look professional and great, or your first impression on a visitor might be the last.
Guard Your Reputation
Next, you have to make sure that you know what is being said about you. Business can be dirty business sometimes, and with the amount of online competition there is no guarantee that yours will play fair.
It is easy enough to go into consumer forums and make false posts about businesses, so make sure that you are doing your own search engine inquiries about your business to have a look at what’s being said.
If you do encounter negative feedback, defend your business honestly and don’t jump to conclusions; try to track down the source of the complaint on your end and remedy the situation, and then post that you have done so.
Social Media Concerns
In the Web 2.0 World, you also have to be very careful about the way you present yourself when on a message board, posting a video to YouTube, on Facebook, and so on.
Most of us are using social media to extend awareness of our businesses, but people can get the wrong impression according to how you conduct yourself. If they don’t like how they see you as a person, odds are that you won’t have their trust, and you even run the risk of them discouraging others from using your business.
Finally, the best way to establish trust with your online customers is to provide them with honest, prompt service and delivery. No customer should ever have to contact you about the delivery of a product.
Instead, be proactive and contact them to inquire about whether or not they have received what they bought, the condition it was in, and so on. This is a great way not only to gain repeat business but to gain testimonials, which are another important tool when it comes to gaining the trust of online customers.
Tags: branding, customer service, E-Commerce and E-Business, establish trust, how to, Leeia Ladipoh, online shopping, online transactions, reputation, Sales, social media, web 2.0
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Staying Secure with the PayPal Security Key
Wednesday, December 19th, 2007
PayPal recently introduced the PayPal Security Key. This small device adds a physical layer to the log in process on both PayPal and eBay. The key is the result of a partnership with VeriSign which means that you may be able to register your key with future VeriSign partner websites.
So, what exactly is this so-called key? It’s an electronic gizmo about the size of a stick of gum that you use in conjunction with your regular sign on credentials. The key generates a new six digit code every thirty seconds or so. When you sign on to PayPal, you enter your user name and password as usual and then you must enter this random code which expires after using it once. The codes the key generates are unique to your device and linked account. This means that if someone were to use their own PayPal Security Key to access your account, they would not be able to get in.
Using the security key is easy, but it does add yet another step to the log in process. First, you must order the key from PayPal for five dollars including shipping. Once it arrives, you need to activate it so that the device is linked to your account.
Once activated, any time you log in, you will need your username and password and a six digit code from the key. If you lose the security key, you can still get into your account, though you will need to confirm your account ownership with PayPal first. In addition, if you find that using the PayPal Security Key is more hassle than it’s worth, you can deactivate it by going into the “Profile” tab when logged in and following the on screen prompts.
The PayPal Security Key is designed to attach to a keychain so that you can take it with you and access your PayPal or eBay account wherever you go. However, PayPal recommends that you don’t store it with your computer. This makes sense when you think about it. If someone was to steal your laptop and your PayPal Security Key was conveniently attached, they’d have just about everything they need to hack into your account.
Why do you need a PayPal Security Key? With spyware on the rise, a physical device and randomly generated codes can protect your financial accounts even if a thief has your log on credentials. If you’re concerned about this, five dollars and one extra step logging in are small prices to pay for security.
Tags: E-Commerce and E-Business, online payments, online transactions, paypal, security key
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