{"id":"3833","date":"2020-02-10T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-02-10T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickfu.com\/blog\/?p=3833"},"modified":"2021-06-16T13:03:40","modified_gmt":"2021-06-16T20:03:40","slug":"e-commerce-website-policies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.pickfu.com\/e-commerce-website-policies\/","title":{"rendered":"5 e-commerce website policies every online business owner should have"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Editor’s Note<\/strong>: Thanks to Priyanka Prakash of Fundera<\/a> for this guest post on e-commerce website policies. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just like any venture, your e-commerce business needs to outline its policies from the get-go. Because of the technology and processes involved, however, running an online store will require even more policies than your average business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019re in charge, you\u2019re responsible for setting up all the necessary e-commerce policies for your online business. But what protocols do you need to establish<\/a> yourself? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though the full answer to this question will depend on a variety of factors \u2014 like your industry, headquarters location, and your offerings \u2014 there are certain policies that every online retail business should consider setting up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s review the importance of e-commerce policies before diving into the details on the five most crucial e-commerce policies that you\u2019ll need to set up for your online business.<\/p>\n\n\n

Why you need set-in-stone e-commerce policies<\/h2>\n\n\n

Before we dive into the policies themselves, let\u2019s establish why they matter in the first place. The laws, regulations, and licenses that apply specifically to e-commerce businesses make e-commerce policies all the more crucial. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

COPPA, or the Children\u2019s Online Privacy Protection Act<\/a>, for instance, gives parents control over what information websites can collect about their children. Meanwhile, ACPA, the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act<\/a>, protects certain domain names. Odds are, the state that you\u2019re headquartered in will also have its own set of e-commerce regulations that you\u2019ll need to keep in mind. You might need to access licenses and permits for your e-commerce business on the local level, as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To be sure, the Federal Trade Commission works to prevent unfair, fraudulent, and deceptive business practices, including in the e-commerce sector<\/a>. The FTC ensures that the internet remains a free-flowing and safe marketplace. Plus, GDPR, The General Data Protection Regulation<\/a>, sets a global standard for how e-commerce businesses handle customers\u2019 personal data. Nexus-based e-commerce tax laws<\/a> make matters even more confusing about how and when to collect sales tax from customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an e-commerce business, you\u2019re operating at the doubly-regulated meeting point of business and technology. So, you\u2019ll need to create your e-commerce policies carefully and with all of the necessary laws in mind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if you run your business through an e-commerce platform like Shopify<\/a>, that has basic e-commerce policies baked into its design, you\u2019ll still need to create a few of your own policies. Be sure to know which policies your platform will take care of and which ones you need to establish yourself. <\/p>\n\n\n

5 e-commerce policies you to need to have<\/h2>\n\n\n

You\u2019re now familiar with why airtight policies for your e-commerce business are even more crucial for you than they would be for a business that isn’t internet-based. As a reminder, the full list of policies you need to establish for your e-commerce business will depend on factors like your industry and the location of your headquarters. That said, there are a few fundamental policies that pretty much every new e-commerce business will need to set up before they get going:<\/p>\n\n\n

1. Terms of Service<\/h3>\n\n\n

You need to iron out your e-commerce business\u2019s Terms of Service<\/a> as soon as your business opens its proverbial doors. Terms of Service \u2014 also known as Terms of Use, Terms and Conditions, or Disclaimers \u2014 describe the regulations that you attach to your e-commerce business. Visitors have to agree to these Terms of Service to use your site. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through your Terms of Service policy, you can do the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n