Best webshop labels

If you want a seal of approval on your online store, it can say something about a particular service. Just a few years ago, they shot up like mushrooms. Anyone can start a trustmark. What can trustmarks mean for your shop?

A webshop seal of approval can play an important role in gaining a visitor's trust. The trustmark provides a certain guarantee that the product or service meets certain conditions. A webshop trustmark likes to present itself as a great value for a webshop that is useful for both the consumer and the webshop itself. On the webshop forum, however, we get the question whether this is true. Is a trustmark necessary for a webshop or just a service?

A seal of approval for web shops is a quality rating given by an independent body. This rating is obtained when a webshop itself or its offerings meet specific conditions. If this is the case, this is made visual by the display of the independent body's logo.

Some labels, such as thuiswinkel.org and webwinkelkeur, require you to guarantee a certain service. Members of these labels use two-sided general terms and conditions agreed with the Consumers' Association.

If a consumer still has a dispute with your webshop, they can go to an independent dispute committee.

Benefits of a seal of approval

The benefits of a consumer words frequently discussed, for example, a consumer has clarity on costs, there is always an option to pay at least 50% of the purchase price in arrears or upon delivery. The customer gets a cooling-off period of at least 14 days. And, of course, clear complaint mediation and privacy terms.

What benefits does a labeled shop have?

A study by the Consumer and Market Authority (ACM) shows that consumers are skeptical and passive: too many labels, too little value. According to the January 2016 survey, it reads:
"ACM tried to gain insight into consumers' perspective regarding labels through a consumer survey conducted by research firm Gfk. The central question in this study was, "What knowledge do consumers have about labels, how do they value labels and to what extent do they allow themselves to be influenced by labels?"

However, it is still the case that a webshop label indicates that a webshop is reliable and has a certain level of service. Although it is becoming increasingly difficult for the trustmarks to combat fraud. Of course, anyone can 'just' copy and paste a trustmark on his shop without actually being a member.

The value of a webshop seal of approval

A webshop seal of approval gives the target audience a clear signal that they have entered a safe online environment. This is extremely important in a digital environment where trust is one of the important pillars for success. The trustmarks for online shops show that you meet specific conditions and that this has been tested by an independent body. A well-known trustmark strengthens the confidence of a consumer and can therefore play an important role in a sales decision. It can be an important distinguishing value for a webshop compared to the competition.

Cost of a seal of approval

You need to have this clear for yourself for a moment, do the costs outweigh the benefits? Is it a nice marketing tool or is it more?
Most trustmarks these days also allow you to collect reviews from your customers. The costs of a trustmark vary quite a bit and we will cover each one.

• A Webwinkelkeur label starts at 107.40 euros per year. (up to 5 webshops)
• At Qshops , you pay 300 euros per year, which also allows you to manage up to five web shops.
• The Stichting Webshop Keurmerk costs 195 euros per year and here too you can register up to 5 webshops.
• For the Thuiswinkel Seal of Approval you pay a one-time registration fee of €75, the annual certification fee is €390 ( consists of €345 + €45 per url) and membership fee (depending on turnover).
• At Trusted Shops, you have a starter package for €828 per year (for Dutch companies with an annual online turnover of up to €100,000.) You also pay a one-time flat start-up fee of €99.

The costs vary quite a bit from one certification mark to another, look carefully at the benefits and extras you get with a certification mark, such as more web shops, free reviews or automatic emails to your customers. Of course, these business expenses are deductible.

Top 5 webshop labels in the Netherlands

Below we have listed the most common labels in the Netherlands. Along with the contact details known to us.

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How high are the costs of labels for online shops

The costs of labels for web shops vary greatly. Of course, this depends on the package offered. It is therefore important to make a good cost-benefit analysis. The costs of using a trustmark for a web shop will be between € 70 and € 1500 on an annual basis. Most trustmarks that charge for their use are affiliated with a disputes committee, provide legal advice and often offer (a link to) customer reviews.

It is difficult to determine whether the cost of using a seal of approval is worth the investment. This is obviously situation-dependent and can best be tested by seeing what a display of a seal on the web shop does to your visitor numbers, conversion and sales.

Requirements to qualify for a seal of approval for online shops

Of course, not every webshop can just join labels. As a webshop, you must meet a number of conditions in order to join. Of course, each shop has its own conditions. In addition, there are seals of approval that relate to the specific offer, but also seals of approval that relate to the way the shop itself works.
webshop itself.

The main requirements for meeting a seal of approval for online shops are:

• You provide clear and accurate business information (including Chamber of Commerce and VAT number);
• Your general and delivery terms and conditions are easy to find and clear;
• You are fully compliant with the Distance Selling Act;
• You take every measure to protect customer privacy;
• You have transparent pricing;
• Customers are entitled to a 14-day cooling-off period;
• Your shop's financial situation is stable;
• A visible and effective security audit is conducted each year on
• Privacy area covering viruses and malware.

How to distinguish trustworthy website labels

There are no regulations regarding labels. This means that anyone can start a seal of approval without control from any authority.

Of course, as a website owner, it is wise to form a good opinion about the labels the web shop uses. After all, attentive consumers do this in turn. The following factors can be considered:

• The webshop label should be an impartial body, preferably non-profit.
• The webshop label must provide sufficient information and education, so that customers know what this organization stands for and what requirements a webshop must meet in order to comply.
• The webshop must be easily accessible for both customers and the webshop itself.

Conclusion:

It is important to check the image of the hallmark. A webshop hallmark gives the visitor a certain assurance that the webshop meets certain specific conditions. All webshops affiliated with one particular hallmark use the same terms and conditions. But it can also seriously damage confidence if the trustmark turns out to be little more than an illustration to impress.

The image of a trustmark can be of great benefit, but also indirectly cause a lot of damage to the webshop. In some cases, an iDEAL logo or a "safe online payment" logo also provides the desired confidence. Of course, an appealing industry-specific trustmark for web shops that can be used free of charge can certainly offer great added value. So it differs per situation whether a trustmark is necessary or just a service, but it is very important to think about it.