Guidelines for Trusted Websites
From Giftypedia
[edit] How To Evaluate Website Credibility
Does the site look professional and organized?
Use your instincts. Is the site too slick? Any can purchase slick looking template cheaply and easily. A legitimate e-commerce site will change colors, add their logo and pictures. This goes for small e-commerce business as well as large ones. They will make the site about their store and product. A professional setting up an illegal site just wanting to scam you will not take the time to change the format or they will go overboard. If a site if full of ads, banners or flashing graphics this could very well be an amateur hoping to lure you in with lots of eye catching graphics.
- Is it easy to use and navigate around? If you get lost on the site or confused when trying to find products or information on a site that is not good. A website should be able to take you to what you want with out making it difficult.
- Is the information on the website up to date? If you find a site with a lot of outdated information beware. Credible websites will have up to date information. A website with very out of date information should be avoided.
Do they have a contact us link?
If you can easily find the contact us link this is a good sign. It means that the company is not hiding from you. They want you to be able to contact them if you need too.
- Do they include a telephone number? If so it is even better if it is a toll free number. Call the number just to ask a quick question. This way you can see if an actual person is available to answer your call if you have to leave a message do they return your call promptly or at least the next business day.
- Do they include an email address? Subtract points if the email address is a free email service like XXX@aol.com or XXX@hotmail.com. Most established websites will have an email with the business name or website not a free service. If all you have is an online form to fill out that is not good. A legitimate e-commerce site should have some other way to be contacted.
- Is there a physical address posted? Most legitimate businesses will have some type of address listed on their site. It doesn't matter if it is a street address or a PO box just as long as there is a way to contact them and show that they really exist.
- How easy is it to verify the information accuracy of the site? A credible website should be easy to verify the information on. You can use domain look up to check to see who registered a site and how long they have been in business. You can also check with the Better Business Bureau to see if they have had any complaints about a site. If someone has been in business for years and has only had one complaint chances are they are a credible business, but on the other had if they have had repeated complaints you may want to steer clear.
- Check their return policy. When buying online it is usually best to buy from a merchant who has a good return policy.
- Do they have a secure checkout? When in the check out, the URL should show https://.
- You can search in Google or other major search engines for the company; just add "scam", "ripoff", "dissatisfied" and/or "fraud" after the website name. This can tip you off on others who have had problems with this retailer.
There is no full proof way to identify a scam website from a legitimate one but these tips will help you verify the credibility of any internet site you shop.
