Mirroring WebTrust, Seal for Online Shopping Sites are More Popular

Just as the AICPA has enacted the WebTrust seal [1] to demonstrate to the public that financial transactions over the Internet are secure, online shopping sites also are adopting various "seals of approval" for the sake of the public.

A Harris poll [2] found that less than 20 percent of online shoppers purchased goods or services over the Internet because they didn't want their credit cards exposed to unknown parties. To develop a sense of security, companies are turning to several services that offer seals, including Public Eye [3], Bizrate.com [4] and the Better Business Bureau's BBBOnline Reliability program.

Clicking on the Public Eye, which has been adopted by approximately 7,500 small businesses, brings up a rating summary of nine criteria and a "thumbs-up" graphic. Bizrate.com, on the other hand, only has signed up about 200 retailers and relies totally on customer feedback for its reports.

The more high-profile BBB site offers quite a bit more information, such as an operating history, a complaint record and other enhancements. The Public Eye and Bizrate sites are free to businesses, while the BBB site charges a licensing fee to its 2,700 customers.