E-Commerce : Protection of Buyers and Sellers

There are several ways buyers can be protected against fraud in e-commerce.
Representative methods are described next.

BUYER PROTECTION.
Some tips for safe electronic shopping are mentioned below. In short, do not forget that you have shopper’s rights. Consult your local or state consumer protection agency for general information on your consumer rights.


SELLER PROTECTION.
Online sellers, too, may need protection. They must be
protected against consumers who refuse to pay or who pay with bad checks and
from buyers’ claims that the merchandise did not arrive. They also have the
right to protect against the use of their name by others as well as to protect the
use of their unique words and phrases, slogans, and Web address (trademark
protection). Security features such as authentication, nonrepudiation, and
escrow services provide some needed protections. Another seller protection
applies particularly to electronic media: Sellers have legal recourse against customers
who download without permission copyrighted software and/or knowledge
and use it or sell it to others.


Tips for Safe Electronic Shopping :

● Look for reliable brand names at sites like Wal-Mart Online, Nichesuite, Disney Online, and
Amazon.com. Before purchasing, make sure that the site is authentic by entering
the site directly and not from an unverified link.
● Search any unfamiliar selling site for the company’s address and phone and fax
numbers. Call up and quiz the employees about the seller.
● Check out the vendor with the local Chamber of Commerce or Better Business
Bureau (bbbonline.org). Look for seals of authenticity such as TRUSTe.
● Investigate how secure the seller’s site is by examining the security procedures and
by reading the posted privacy policy.
● Examine the money-back guarantees, warranties, and service agreements.
● Compare prices to those in regular stores. Too-low prices could prove too good to
be true, and some “catch” is probably involved.
● Ask friends what they know. Find testimonials and endorsements in community
sites and well-known bulletin boards.
● Find out what your rights are in case of a dispute. Consult consumer protections
agencies and the National Fraud Information Center (fraud.org).