clicksure - the new standard for e-business
While the Internet is revolutionising the way we shop, scare stories still put many off from hitting the "Buy Now!" button. These most often concern security of shoppers' credit card numbers and privacy of their personal information. It is true that there are problems out there. But few result from deliberate attempts by sellers to defraud buyers - many stem from faulty Web design or plain inadequate business practices. In fact, among the main problems reported are charge-backs to on-line shops by credit card companies because of fraudulent credit card use by consumers!

clicksure is about addressing the balance. The programme aims to reward and promote good e-business practices and also helps legitimate, but still learning, businesses understand best practice and get recognition for achieving it. The real e-commerce issues are about getting business fundamentals right. This means understanding the new market place and knowing how to succeed in it. Let's face it: putting up an e-commerce business is accessible to just about anyone who wants to have a go. But because it's new - and actually quite complicated - businesses of all sizes need guidance to get going. The starting point is to recognise that having a jazzy Web site and a secure hosting environment are only part of the story. Web designers take note!

A recently completed U.S. Federal Trade Commission survey of 200 e-commerce sites in 18 countries showed that lack of sound business practice is more important than security. For example, only 10% of the sites surveyed gave details on the applicable law.

clicksure believes that the main reason why over 2/3 of shopping carts are abandoned at the checkout stems from shoppers' doubts about a range of issues. The clicksure programme divides these into 8 areas that define a quality e-business:

1. Trading status - your business is legally registered with acceptable credit ratings.
2. Provision of information - your products are accurately described and priced; and conditions of sale are clearly communicated.
3. Transaction management - you deliver and bill orders as agreed, giving adequate consumer protection.
4. Privacy - you only use customers' information in ways they agree to.
5. Security - you have acceptable secure procedures to transmit and store credit card and other personal customer information.
6. Social responsibility - your Web Site content and sales practices meet acceptable ethical standards.
7. Demonstration of quality - your business systems demonstrate how you achieve quality.
8. Monitoring, complaints and corrective action - you routinely monitor your performance and remedy deficiencies.

The clicksure process provides a unique educational approach to help on-line merchants to understand and implement these requirements. Let's take Transaction Management. This covers the whole process from when your customer thinks about making a purchase until when he has taken delivery of the product and has had time to decide whether he really wants it. He needs to know that he is in a safe pair of hands and, if something goes wrong, the merchant is his friend. Jane is buying a CD for brother Bill's birthday. She hits the "Buy Now " button and her system freezes! Did she buy or not? If she repeats the order will she be billed twice? Now if the shop sends her a reassuring email telling her that it's OK - her order went through, she won't have to wait until her card account comes through and she won't have the embarrassment of asking Bill to send one CD back. Jane will be back for another order! Does your system measure up?

Simply by completing a clicksure application you have access to your own personal area of the secure clicksure server where you can complete a rigorous self-assessment questionnaire to analyse your business. On-line help is available to help you understand what each question means for your business. You can take as much time as you like to complete the self-assessment form; you can save your changes as draft; and come back to them and add more details. After completing the self-assessment form you will understand shoppers' concerns and be able to streamline your Web Site and business accordingly. But, you may also want public recognition that you have created a quality e-commerce solution by displaying the secure clicksure Quality Seal on your Web Site. This will demonstrate to shoppers that you have undergone a rigorous independent assessment and have earned the right to be called a Quality Merchant.

Submitting your completed self-assessment form sends an order to the clicksure assessment team that you want them to validate the information that you have provided. They will contact you and set up an appointment to go through every aspect of your site with you. They will tell you if there are any adjustments, you need to make to be awarded a certificate and qualify for the Quality Seal. Showing this on your site will give shoppers all the confidence they need! Once you have your Quality Seal your Site will be checked at least twice a year. The cost of clicksure certification is scaled to suit each type of business. For more details on the clicksure programme contact cupton@clicksure.com

clicksure
Oxford Centre for Innovation, Mill Street, Oxford OX2 0JX, United Kingdom
tel : +44 (0)1865 242309
fax : +44 (0)1865 204096
mobile : 07974 118008
www.clicksure.com