How to get a quality seal for your ecommerce

Seals in electronic commerce are more important than you think. They’re more than a simple private recognition and we’re going to tell you how you can obtain a quality seal in your e-commerce.

There are many types and possibilities, so pay attention to what we have to tell you and then think about which options are best for you.

What are quality seals for online stores?

Quality seals are the right to use an image as a logo. This is something that distinguishes us as sellers of products or services that have been validated by an external entity under certain requirements.

They’re also known as trust badges because the goal is to breed trust in the buyer.  This encompasses faith in our business ethics, in the type of product we use, or even in how we use data collected in the sales process.

What they do have in common is they convey top quality, one way or another.

Why is it important to get quality seals for an e-commerce?

We just pointed it out in the previous section, but we’ll discuss it a bit more. In itself, it’s not important but a quality seal always means there is third party authentication because an aspect that matters most to customers and one that can traverse most hesitation is trust.

A quality seal, shown in the right place at the right time represents a certain authority. It’s a resource that lets the client know we’ve exceeded a series of standards and that, therefore, we are above other competitors.

Furthermore, it’s this information that gives credibility, since it’s endorsed by that third party we were referring to that, ideally, the potential client recognizes.

As such, we understand this is extremely important for your e-commerce.

How do I get a quality seal for my e-commerce?

First, you need to know what the different options are so you can choose one over another. The processes and requirements are completely different, not to mention the prices, of course, because most of the worthwhile options have an associated cost, one way or another.

To make this post more practical, we’re going to take a look at some of the most important quality seals.

#1 – Online trust seal

This is probably the best known nationally, which is why it’s so appealing. Users recognize it at first glance (even if they don’t know exactly where it comes from).

An organization called Autocontrol is behind the online trust seal. It’s an independent body and has been exercising self-regulation in the Spanish advertising sector since 1995.

Those businesses affiliated with Autocontrol commit to complying with a series of codes of conduct and good practices.

Therefore, applicants for the Online Trust seal must respect the code of conduct, attend to possible claims that may arise and comply with the resolutions issued by the Advertising Jury (a body managed by the same entity).

…and pay a membership fee.

Technically, the Online Trust seal has no additional cost, but it implies being up to date with paying fees, which can range from €405 to more than €17,600. The calculation is done in installments based on our investment volume.

In return, we have the right to use the seal freely on our website and communications. Since it’s part of the Ecommerce Europe network of seals, we’ll also have the Ecommerce Europe Trustmark seal when we sell products directed at the European market.

You can find out more about the quality seal for online stores here.

#2 – Trusted shops quality seal

Here we’re dealing with a seal that is especially based on an audit carried out by the company’s experts. The identity of the company, accessibility, security and data protection, return or cancellation policies, types of product, prices, clarity of communication, service, level of shopping experience, etc.

The main difference from Online Trust is that the Trusted Shops quality seal includes an assessment, the classic star rating that is commonly used in e-commerce itself. Therefore, not only is it presented or not, it’s also graded.

How much does it cost? This is something they keep to themselves but if you’re interested, you can have a look at their different plans here and request information.

#3 – Other quality seals for e-commerce

We can include many more, but here are some to give you an idea:

• Technical trust seals: these certify good practices at a technological level, like Verisign or the Norton seal.
• Social tests or confirmed reviews like Ekomi o Trustpilot.
• Seals with means of payment like the PayPal seal, Apple Pay, Amazon Pay, etc.
• Seals issued by suppliers or sector entities.
• Seals dealing with sustainability such as RFC or FSC that highlight the conscious use of resources.

In reality, they all add up and can generate greater trust and a sense of perceived quality in the buyer.