1ShoppingCart Advises Internet Marketers of Best Practices
By Anna Johnson on February 10th, 2010In light of moves by merchant account providers to crack down on Internet marketers using dubious marketing practices, 1ShoppingCart has issued recommendations to its clients, advising them of ‘best practices’ they should observe.
In summary, 1ShoppingCart advises Internet marketers to:
- Avoid negative option billing (see TBA for an explanation of this).
- Clearly warn customers if, by purchasing a given product, they’ll be enrolled in an automatic billing program.
- Not use pre-checked boxes that confirm a customer’s agreement to a continuity program; customers must be required to pro-actively check such a box or click a button in order to register their agreement.
- Ensure all upsells and continuity programs – and the terms of such offers – are transparent; they must not be forced, hidden or negative option billing based.
- Not share consumer information with third parties.
- Ensure any free trials are truly free with no hidden costs, be of 10 or more days, and not begin until the product or service has been delivered.
- Not use false urgency, scarcity or associated countdowns.
- Only make claims that are true and can be substantiated.
- Avoid any claims of instant money or claims that “suggest little effort, inflated earning potential, or substitute full time income.”
- Disclose refund policies prior to checkout.
- Avoid requiring customers to return trial goods for a refund or cancellation.
- Ensure full refund guarantees mean the refund of the full charge, including shipping and handling.
- Terminate all future billing once a refund is given or chargeback received.
1ShoppingCart’s recommendations (and those of merchant account providers and credit card companies) really just reflect the law in many countries, certainly the law in Australia, where it’s unlawful to mislead and deceive people.
It seems, however, that rising consumer complaints about certain Internet marketers’ tactics have led to industry players taking a public stance on the issue.
The message is clear: do the right thing.
Source: 1ShoppingCart, “Merchant Account Guidelines,” 1ShoppingCart, January 29, 2010
