What are Trust Badges for eCommerce?
Trust badges, or trust seals, are symbols placed on a website to let visitors know that the brand is legitimate and trustworthy. Many trust badges indicate verification or authentication by third-party organizations. Online shoppers are more inclined to make purchases from an online store they trust, making trust badges an important feature on eCommerce sites. Trust badges can be placed on the homepage, site footer, product pages, and/or checkout page. There are several types of trust badges:
Security trust badges. Security trust badges indicate that a website has implemented various security measures to increase customer protection. Examples of security trust badges include:
- SSL badges. Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is a protocol that encrypts and authenticates data sent between two applications, like a browser and a web server. Transport Layer Security (TLS) is the newer, more up-to-date version of SSL, but SSL is still the more common term. While some providers refer to SSL/TLS certificates, others will use SSL to refer to both protocols. The little padlock next to a URL indicates a secure connection, which is based on the website having a valid SSL certificate. Many SSL providers also offer trust badges.
- PCI DSS badges. Payment card industry data security standard (PCI DSS) is a set of security standards meant to protect credit and debit card transactions. Compliance with PCI DSS indicates that various requirements for protecting data have been met, including network security, data encryption, access control, and more.
Third-party endorsement badges. Business verification badges can vary depending on the industry and issuing organizations; they can confirm your business registration, contact information, and other important details. A common business badge is the Better Business Bureau (BBB) accreditation. Other third-party endorsement badges include Google Customer Review badges and Amazon Best Seller badges.
Accepted payment methods badges. Payment method badges are icons showing different credit or debit cards accepted in the online store or e-commerce website. Examples of payment methods badges include Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Maestro, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Square, Bank transfer, Bitcoin, and Ethereum.
Secure payment badge. A secure checkout badge may be displayed near “Add to Cart” buttons on the checkout page.
Money-back guarantee trust badge. Offering a money-back guarantee is an effective way to encourage trust in visitors.
Free shipping and free returns trust badges. “Free Shipping” and/or “Free Returns” badges let customers know that they can receive and return any products ordered without any additional fees, you take away some of the perceived risks of ordering from an online store.