Secure Online Transactions for a Better E-Commerce Website

Successful e-commerce websites have one thing in common. They not only have a secure online transaction system in place but they display proof of the security measures in place to assure the customer at every stage of the transaction.

SSL or Secure Socket Layers

This is one of the basic requirements for any e-commerce website. SSL is indicated by a green bar in the address field of a browser with a lock icon. It is also indicated by the S suffix in the address bar in HTTPS. What this means is that all information that is transacted over the internet is encrypted. This is a protocol that safeguards the data that is provided between the customer and the website and prevents identity theft, leakage of information as well as other sources such as the service provider or the web host from accessing the data.

While creating a customized account on an e-commerce website, customers are asked to provide personal data and also create a password. Though these requests may seem innocuous, most customers are wary about providing information online and therefore it is important to assure them that their data is being channelled in a safe and secure manner.

Third-party security

When a customer conducts a monetary transaction online, they have to use a credit card. This usually involves divulging sensitive data and many customers are wary of the practice. In order to assure customers that the online transaction protocols of your e-commerce website are secure, it is standard to feature a third-party endorsement of the security measures that are in place.

Improving site visibility

Another indirect but relevant benefit of having standard security protocols in place on your e-commerce website is that it can contribute to the ranking of your site on search engines. E-commerce websites are most susceptible to hacker attacks and malware infection. Therefore search engines will downgrade e-commerce websites that do not provide adequate protection to customers. This means that you can potentially increase traffic to your website by ensuring secure online transactions.

Make it easy for the customer

Your marketing objectives may require you to use cookies to track customer buying patterns. However, it is prudent to observe regulatory conditions and seek the customer’s permission before you do so. Asking for too much information is also a turn off for most customers. You may be doing so in the interests of security but it is important to make every step of the e-commerce process as customer-friendly as possible. There are a lot of lessons e-commerce websites can learn from traditional retail outlets which include displaying the products and services in a systematic manner and allowing the customer to browse in privacy.