I’m looking to improve the close rate on my ecommerce site and have noticed that many successful online stores have various trust, security and hacker-proof seals and certifications. How do they work, which are worthwhile, and how much do they cost? Most importantly, will adding one of these actually improve my online sales?
I asked Scott Brandley, who specializes in website conversion strategies and solutions, this question and I think you’ll find his answer most illuminating…
Over 71% of online shoppers look specifically for third party seals of approval when they visit a website (based on a recent national survey conducted by Consumer Reports). The main benefit of third party seals is that they give instant visual feedback to potential buyers, allowing them to see at a glance whether a website is credible, safe, and trustworthy. This creates a win-win with improved buyer confidence and increased sales.
There are actually three types of trust seals that cover the main areas of website verification; they are Security Seals, Privacy Seals, and Business Identity Seals. In most cases, having all three types of Seals on your website will give you the best results.
Security Seals: Security Seals are the most popular type of verification. There are actually two different types; Server Verification and Site Verification. Server Verification services, like HackerSafe and ControlScan, perform daily scans on your hosting server, to check for server vulnerabilities or attacks. Site Verification services, like Trust Guard, verify the existing security of your website, to ensure that customers are protected under normal circumstances. As far as closing rates, Site Verification is generally as effective as Server Verification.
Privacy Seals: There are only three companies that offer Privacy Policy Verification Seals on the Internet; Truste, Trust Guard, and the Better Business Bureau. These companies essentially verify that you have certain statements in your Privacy Policy in order to protect your customer. Prices range from $99 to $12,000 depending on the service you choose, the level of verification, and the size of your company.
Business Identity Seals: According to the Consumer Reports survey mentioned above, recipients were also asked if they thought it was important to have access to an e-commerce website’s email address, street address, and phone number – a whopping 95% said yes! Business Identity Seal companies like the Better Business Bureau, Validated Site and Trust Guard, give you the ability to have your business address, phone, and email verified, thus giving your customers peace of mind in knowing that you are who you say you are.
How Much Do They Cost?
Below are some of the more popular companies on the market and their approximate price ranges.
Hacker Safe Security (individual) Seal | $1,890/yr. and up |
ControlScan Multi-Seal Package | $1,548/yr. and up |
TRUSTe Privacy (individual) Seal | $599/yr. and up |
Better Business Bureau (individual) Seal | $450/yr. and up |
Trust Guard Multi-Seal Package | $297/yr. |
Do Trust Seals Actually Improve Sales?
It depends on what type of seals you’re using on your site (Security, Privacy, or Business Identity), and also what you are selling on your website. For example, a mortgage lead company would probably get the most benefit from a Privacy Seal, whereas a jewelry company may see a higher return with a Security Seal. As mentioned above, the best solution is to have all three Seals on your site whenever possible.
As far as actual increases, most companies don’t post their clients results, however, HackerSafe states that it has performed over 500 tests and has found that their customer’s sales typically improve by an average of 14%. Both Control Scan and Trust Guard have multiple testimonials showing increases, and Trust Guard actually guarantees a 15% improvement in sales.
The bottom line is that any type of reliable 3rd Party Seal is better than no Seal. If 71% of online users are actively looking for 3rd party Seals, what are they seeing when they visit your site?
Why does it cost thousands of dollars to give you a seal that just looked at your privacy policy. It costs almost nothing to do this. Seal companies charge way too much and hold you hostage because they are well known. It just does not seem right to charge that much when they really don’t do much of anything.
An interesting question, Marc. I guess my answer would be that, yes, those marks can help your SERPs in as much as these organizations with high page rank and credibility now link to your site. What do you think?
Dave:
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this from a transactional perspective. What are your thoughts from a trust score perspective? Can purchasing a seal from one of the big guys help with trust score and page rank in your opinion, thereby increasing your rankings in the SERPs?
Thanks for including TRUSTe in that great round-up of services. As we’ve proven for the past decade, TRUSTe helps businesses reassure customers that they take their online privacy seriously. According to a recent survey from JupiterResearch, sharing personal information is the No. 1 reason consumers do not complete their online purchases. When a site displays a thorough privacy statement backed by the TRUSTe seal of approval, it alleviates the fear of identity theft. TRUSTe has helped thousands of businesses build the trust that lets consumers shop with confidence. Now, TRUSTe offers the same services to small and mid-sized businesses that larger enterprises have been using for years. More details about the TRUSTe SMB offering can be found at: http://www.truste.org/businesses/smb.php
My website actually sold more when I bought these kinds of seals. I use ControlScan for hackersafe seal and RECUREc for business seals and trust seals.
you forgot to mention http://www.scanverify.com, which provides both server and site verifications and is only $149.99 per year.
Do Trust Seals Actually Improve Sales?
I believe that they do in fact I use http://www.eshopsafe.com very inexpensive and effective.
Elton Jenkins
Thank you for the information about trust and hacker safe seals. I definately consider the seals on a web site before making a purchase. I have never bought anything online from a site that did not have an security seal. When I started my web hosting business I knew I had buy a security seal immediately and it increased my sales. I am now considering a hacksafe seal as well.