Governance & Guidelines

1.1 Accuracy
All information required to be disclosed by the merchant shall be clear and accurate. Merchants shall not make any representation or omission or engage in any practice that is likely to be deceptive, misleading, fraudulent or unfair to consumers.

1.2 Accessibility
All information required to be disclosed by the merchant shall be easily accessible online. The information shall either be posted on, or accessible through, a hyperlink from the merchant's homepage or entry point of the online site, or at a place where the transaction is offered.

1.3 Information Domains
      1.3.1 Marketing Information
      1.3.2 Merchant Information
      1.3.3 Goods/Services Information
      1.3.4 Transaction Information
      1.3.5 Warranty Information

2.1 Cancellation/Return
Merchants shall provide information to consumers about their cancellation, return, and refund policies, including: the length of time after entering into a binding obligation which an available cancellation, return, or refund may be made; the process that should be followed; and any costs that may be incurred. If there is no cancellation, return or refund right, this should be stated.

2.2 Communications
      2.2.1 Unsolicited Commercial Email (SPAM)
      2.2.2 Consumer Care Contact/Communications

3.1 Security of transferred information
How does certifier require that merchant secure confidential commercial and personal information transferred from consumer to merchant?

3.2 Security of stored information
How does certifier require that merchant secure confidential commercial and personal information maintained by computers?

3.3 Security of information held by third parties
How does certifier require that merchant take reasonable steps to require third parties involved in fulfilling transactions to also maintain appropriate levels of security?

3.4 Retaining confidential information
How does certifier require that merchant not retain any confidential information where a transaction is not completed, without the consent of the dWTA owner?

3.5 Proportionality of safeguards
How does certifier require that merchant employ safeguards that are proportional to the likelihood and severity of the harm threatened, and the sensitivity of the information and the context in which it is held?

3.6 Periodic review and reassessment
How does certifier require that the merchant periodically review and reassess security safeguards for confidential information?

4.1 Preventing Harm
4.2 Notice
4.3 Collection Limitation
4.4 Uses of Personal Information
4.5 Choice
4.6 Integrity of Personal Information
4.7 Security Safeguards
4.8 Access and Correction
4.9 Accountability

5.1 Provision of notice regarding means of resolving dispute directly with merchant
How does certifier require that merchant provide an easy-to-find and understandable notice on how a consumer can successfully and meaningfully contact the merchant to solve problems related to a transaction?

5.2 Internal complaint resolution
How does certifier require that merchant have effective "customer satisfaction systems"?

5.3 Notice regarding submission of dispute to ADR system(s)
How does certifier require that merchant notify consumers that they are ready to submit disputes resulting from a transaction to one or more specified ADR systems?

5.4 Cost of ADR system
How does certifier require that ADR systems be provided at no or only moderate cost for the consumer?

6.1 Monitoring of Merchant by Certifier
      6.1.1 Monitoring of merchant by certifier:
      How does certifier provide follow-up procedures for verifying that the attestations and assertions merchants make about their online business practices remain true and that those business practices continue to be implemented as represented and in accordance with the GBDe Consumer Confidence guidelines?

6.2 Program Updating by Certifier
      6.2.1 Update of program by certifier:
      How does certifier update/modify its certification program as circumstances change so that the program continues to meet the goals of the principles (encouraging good online business practices by merchants and assisting consumers in identifying merchants they can trust)?