According to the ministers, Australian web retailers expect a big increase in shoppers this holiday season, with Australian consumers expected to spend up to $1.1 billion this year online.
In response to this trend, both government departments have collaborated to compile a series of facts sheets devoted to shopping online. The sheets give direct answers to a number of questions related to shopping on the internet, including:
the risks and benefits of shopping online; what to look for in a website; credit card safety on the internet; paying sales tax and duty; privacy concerns; what to do, and where to turn if things go wrong; information on internet banking; and seals of assurance on websites
The most recently released eighth fact sheet examines seals of assurance that web retailers often display. Seals of assurance are used to either indicate membership in an organisation or compliance with a set of rules or business practices. An increasing number of websites are displaying seals of assurance to certify their compliance with consumer protection and privacy principles.
The aim of the seal of approval is to instil confidence in the consumer by enhancing the reputation of businesses bearing the seal as a 'good' trader. The latest fact sheet highlights that while many seals of assurance exist, consumers need to investigate the business awarding the seal to determine how standards of business behaviour are examined and enforced.
