As we shop online, you see various “certification” logos. Better Business Bureau comes to mind. Another logo we often see is the TRUSTe logo. For those who don’t know, it’s a symbol the screams out “this web site is secure”.
Ensuring a secure web site, means that the software you are using to power your web site (shopping cart, ecommerce system, CRM module, etc) are all secure and do not contain vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit.
TRUSTe CEO, Fran Maier gives us a deeper insight into what TRUSTe is and how small businesses can use it.
How does one place the Truste logo on their web site? How much does it cost?
There are three options for small businesses who want to get serious about online privacy:
TRUSTe Privacy Services, allowing a small business to build and verify their e-commerce privacy policy and seal easily with the ?TRUSTe Privacy Policy Generator? to fit their business needs and get regular alerts on any changes in privacy regulation. In addition, the service gives small businesses a verified privacy statement and allows them to display the TRUSTe seal. Pricing starts at $49.00 per month.
Basic Privacy Policy allows a small business owner to create an accurate and compliant privacy policy based on industry best practices. In addition, the service offers online management for a small business all in one place – called the TRUSTe Account Portal. Pricing starts at $249.00 for the one-time service.
TRUSTe Privacy Premium customizes and certifies privacy practices and seals, offering one-on-one privacy consultations from trained online privacy specialists to help solve issues a small business may have with policy and practices. This is ideal for non-e-commerce companies. Pricing starts at $649.00 per year.
What?s the difference between a ?small business? using TRUSTe and a larger business? Do their uses differ?
Historically, TRUSTe has certified some of the most recognized online brands (eBay, Facebook, Microsoft, Disney, IMB, HP, Intuit, etc), that experience over the past ten years has enbel TRUSTe to create streamline processs for smaller companies.
These companies have regulatory compliance needs and are public companies concerned with Brand protection, and customer retention. These organizations are on the cutting edge of privacy, and they often even have a Chief Privacy Officer responsible for the privacy policy and compliance. The seal helps them solidify customer trust and confidence in their brand and web experience.
Small and medium businesses typically have much less complex needs and it often falls to the CEO to write a legally acceptable privacy statement. They are relying on TRUSTe as the subject expert in privacy, saving the expense of an attorney. SMBs typically use the seal for building credibility and trust in their website in order to give consumers confidence to shop or interact with them.
And they benefits from the large number of consumers who visit our trusted directory. What is surprising is that more and more SMB customers are doing more international business and selling to EU citizens, and that has caused our EU Safe Harbor Seal to be in great demand.
In addition to TRUSTe, what other online security solutions do you recommend for web sites that want to be secure?
Good question, as you have to have security to have privacy. To use an analogy to compare the relationship between security and privacy — you have to have the locks on the doors, and then you have to make sure the cashier isn?t stealing credit card numbers at the cash register.
Once customers are inside a secure environment, they want to know that their data and information is going to be protected and kept private. The two really go hand-in-hand. As for recommendations of specific vendors, we?d have to say that any of the security vendors that are also PCI compliant are the best bet.
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Ramon Ray is the editor and tech evangelist for Smallbiztechnology.com
