Website Legislation

Over the years, the internet has made it easier for consumers to buy goods and services. Buying online saves time, money and increases accessibility, with a wider range of choice.

For businesses this is an opportunity to attract more potential customers, save on start-up costs and reduce overheads. For most, having an online presence is key to their success.

With internet use and e-commerce becoming part of everyday life, the growth in new websites and online sales shows no sign of slowing down. However, with this comes increased risks to both consumers and businesses. These include the distribution of personal consumer data, bank details, online fraud and the miss-selling of goods.

Legislation has been introduced to safeguard consumers and regulate business. Here are some of the main legal requirements that a website and an e-commerce site must follow:

All websites must:

• Contain the business name, place of registration, registered number and office address
• Display a Privacy Policy if the website collects user data (e.g. through simple enquiry form, or shopping carts).

All e-commerce sites must:

• Show Terms and Conditions, Delivery and Returns policy pages that display information as part of the Consumer Protection regulations
• Conform to the appropriate security standards if you collect and process credit and debit card information
• Conform to EU Anti-Spam Laws, ensure your email database is made up of opt-in email addresses, and include an opt-out instruction on all marketing emails you send.