Code of practice
Trusted Web Traders - Code of Practice
A 'Trusted Web Trader' displaying the 'Trusted Web Traders.com Shield' on their web site agrees to follow these guidelines. It does not mean that 'Trusted WebTraders.com' or any of its associated companies recommends the products that are being offered or the customer service that is being provided outside the areas covered in the Code.
The Code of Practice was last updated on Friday, January 25th 2007. Information below clearly states the Code of Practice and what is expected from companies displaying the TrustedWebTraders.com shield.
You must provide clear and adequate information about your products and services to enable consumers to make informed decisions.
You must display the 'Trusted Web Traders.com Shield' on your web site prominently. The Shield does not have to appear on your home page. But you may find it an advantage for your customers to see it easily and quickly.
.A. Website
Your full contact details including your phone and fax numbers, postal and e-mail addresses and a contact for complaints must be displayed. You must also comply with the Companies Act 2006 which includes listing your company address and registration numberistration number on your website and all outgoing email.
The price of your goods or services must be easily found and clearly shown in your target markets home currency ie UK GBP £'s, USA $'s and German Euro's. You must display the actual price the consumer will be charged without any hidden extras such as tax, packaging or delivery. Sites aimed towards trade sales or purely to business may show without tax or postage and packaging as long as it is stated clearly that these amounts will be added. In any event the customer must see the full purchase price before being asked for credit card or payment details.
Clear ordering instructions must be shown or number of pages left before check out e.g. page 2 of 5.
A description of the different ways of paying, clearly state all methods of payment.
A customer services phone number, the times when the service is available and the costs of the calls. Any customer service staff must be aware of your obligations under this code. Any restrictions including how long the offer remains valid and any cooling off periods must be clearly stated.
The terms and conditions of your contract displayed clearly and plainly. They must be easily found on your site. You must state that the terms of the contract do not affect consumers' statutory rights.
You should obtain the consent of your customers to receive marketing email's from you or from others.
.B. Advertising
Your online advertising must meet the standards of the British Codes of Advertising and Sales Promotion. You must also comply with the rulings of the aSa, which you can see at http://www.asa.org.uk/. You should clearly identify any advertising on your site from other people or organisations. You must take care not to create a demand that cannot be met.
.C. Returns and refund
If you have a returns and refunds policy which gives consumers more rights than they have under the law or this code, you should inform the customer clearly, with easy to follow instructions.
.D. Guarantees
If you are providing a guarantee or warranty, you must make the following clear:
| • | What is covered |
| • | For how long |
| • | That the guarantee or warranty is in addition to consumers' statutory rights. |
E. The Sale
E1. Confirmation
Before the contract, you must confirm the price the consumer will pay. After the contract, you must confirm the order by e-mail or post, immediately after the order is placed. The confirmation must include:
| • | Your name |
| • | An order or reference number |
| • | The total price |
| • | Instructions on how to cancel the contract including whom the cancellation notice may be sent to and whether the customer must pay for the cost of returning the goods. |
E2. Cancellation
Unless the law permits otherwise, you must tell customers that they have a right to cancel their order in the following circumstances:
| • | In the case of goods, consumers can cancel the order starting from the day of order until the day they receive the goods. |
| • | In the case of services, consumers can cancel prior to commencement of work or if the conclusion of the contract is not meet within a specified time scale. |
| • | When the consumer cancels, you must return their money within 30 days of the cancellation. The consumer may have to pay the cost of returning the goods or a cancellation charge if so this must be stated in your terms and conditions. |
E3. Delivery
You must deliver the goods within 30 days, unless the consumer has agreed to a longer time. If you cannot deliver the goods within this time you should tell the consumer immediately and agree on another time for delivery. If you cannot agree on another time, you must offer the consumer a refund.
.E4. Receipts
You must provide the consumer with a receipt if requested.
.F. Mistakes, complaints, and disputes
F1. Consumer Law
You must meet your obligations under the consumer protection laws currently in force. You can find out more about these at the web sites of the Office of Fair Trading www.oft.gov.uk/default.htm and the Department of Trade and Industry www.dti.gov.uk/. You must be governed by UK law.
.F2. Faulty Goods
If the goods fail to correspond with their description, are not of satisfactory quality, or reasonably fit for their purpose, you must offer the consumer a remedy. Where you are notified within a reasonable time of the problems, you must offer the consumer a full refund plus relevant associated losses. Thereafter, the consumer is entitled to damages, which will most commonly be taken in the form of an effective repair.
.F3. Mistakes in bills, receipts or payments
You must correct any mistakes in bills, receipts or payments as soon as possible, and at the latest within 30 days of agreeing to do so.
.F4. Complaints
You must have an effective system for handling complaints. Your complaints procedure must be available to read online, easy to use and confidential. You must:
| • | Acknowledge complaints within 5 working days. |
| • | Advise the consumer how long it will take to resolve the complaint. |
| • | Keep the consumer informed throughout the process |
| • | You can find more details about good systems by visiting www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/servicefirst/ |
F5. Disputes
You must provide details about any dispute-solving scheme you belong to, including any Ombudsman scheme or registration numberulator. If you do not belong to a dispute solving scheme - you are required by the code in the event of a dispute from a client to use the Chartered Institute Of Arbitrators. See www.arbitrators.org
.G. Privacy and security
G1. Data Protection act
You must meet the conditions of the Data Protection act 1998 (DPa). For details about and how to registration numberister see www.dpr.gov.uk
.G2. Privacy policy
You must have a privacy policy and implement it effectively. If you do not have one, you can use this one www.trustedwebtraders.com/privacy.html, making any changes you need to suit your business.
.Your policy must include the following:
| • | You must provide the consumer with the option to withhold personal information that is not needed for the transaction. |
| • | You must not collect sensitive personal information (see DPa for definition) without the explicit consent of the consumer - for example, health or ethnic origin. |
| • | You must allow consumers easy access to their own personal information if requested |
| • | You must ensure that personal information is accurate and up to date |
| • | You should only hold personal information for as long as it is needed for the purpose it was collected. |
| • | You must tell the consumer if you are going to transfer personal information outside the European Economic area. |
| • | You must provide the name of the person responsible for privacy matters. |
| • | You must display a clear and prominent statement before or at the time when the consumer provides personal information stating: |
| a) | What information is being collected. |
| b) | How it is collected |
| c) | Who is collecting the information |
| d) | If tracking technology is being used, such as cookies |
| • | You will not send the consumer e-mail without first obtaining their consent. |
G3. Security policy
You must have an effective security policy that you review registration numberularly. We may ask you for details of this policy and its operation.
.An effective security policy would include:
| • | Ensuring that your web site is secure so that consumers' personal information and transactions remain confidential and cannot be interfered with |
| • | Ensuring that the content of your site cannot be interfered with |
| • | Regular reviews of the security of your systems |
| • | Ensuring changes to your systems are made in a secure way |
| • | Following the security guidelines of your systems suppliers, including updates. |
G4. Unsolicited commercial email
You must not send untargeted mass-marketing emails to people you've never had any contact with before.
.H. Protection of Children
The supplier should enable specific measures to protect children.
Advertising messages should be readily identified as such by the public the messages are targeted at, bearing in mind age, and should be clearly separated from games and contests.
Advertisements targeting children should be appropriate for their age and should not exploit their credulity, lack of experience or tendency to trust others.
The supplier shall not accept orders from anyone known to be or suspected of being a child without receiving permission from the child's parents or guardian.
The supplier shall not collect personal information about a child without receiving permission from the child's parents or guardian. The supplier shall not divulge information collected from children to third parties except to the parents or guardian.
The supplier shall not induce children to reveal personal information about themselves or other people. Children should not be enticed into giving information with gifts or other benefits and should not be required to do so to access a service or a game.
The supplier shall not encourage a child to trade over the Internet and shall take necessary precautions against it. The supplier shall encourage parents and guardians to check how their children use the Internet. The supplier shall not provide free access to products or services that are harmful to children
All 'Trusted Web Traders' who have adult content on their web site are required to incorporate adult content Meta tags identifying the site having adult content enabling child protection software to identify the site.
Sites with adult content must first reach a home page with no adult content on and that home page must clearly state that the site has adult content. Before entering the site the visitor must be offered the option to accept or decline entrance and confirm they are over the age of 18.
.I. Dispute Resolution Service
If a consumer is unable to resolve a dispute with you they may approach the TrustedWebtraders.com team for further advice and assistance. We will check to see that you have dealt with the complaint in accordance with this Code of Practice, and if appropriate, suggest a course of action for you and the consumer to take. We would normally suggest both parties use The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. See www.arbitrators.org. Failure to successfully resolve a complaint may result in your removal from the scheme. Your removal will not prevent the consumer from going to court.
We will file annual reports on the performance of approved 'TrustedWebTraders'.
.J. Monitoring
TrustedWebTraders.com will monitor the effectiveness of this code through feedback, complaints, mystery shopping and other research of which we will produce statistics that will be placed on the TrustedWebTraders.com web site. By joining the scheme all approved 'TrustedWebTraders' agree to being used in these monitoring statistics.
.K. Enforcement
If TrustedWebTraders.com discover that you have not complied with this code, we will take enforcement action. We will investigate and if appropriate, ask you to take action to resolve the problem. You must agree to take this action. If the breach is serious, you could be excluded from the scheme. There is an appeal procedure and we can provide details on request. In the event you are asked to remove the 'TrustedWebTraders' shield from your web site you must comply within 48 Hours.
.L. Review
Changes to our Code of Practice are indicated by the date at the top of this page. You will be informed of major changes and you will be given the opportunity to update your site accordingly. We will always be able to help you if you have a query about this. Notification of changes will be sent via e-mail to all approved 'TrustedWebTraders'
| Contact us: | |
| Web: | www.trustedwebtraders.com |
| Phone: | 0871 855 0347 |
| Post: | TrustedWebTraders.com, First Floor, 14 The Square, Shrewsbury, Shropshire. SY1 1LH. |
