Does your online store have all the required information?
What general information is mandatory?
All websites in the Netherlands, not only web shops, are required to inform their visitors. For this purpose, the following (general) information is mandatory:- Trade name
- Store address (this does not have to be a visiting address)
- E-mail address or contact form
- Direct form of contact (phone number, skype or live chat)
- Chamber of Commerce number
- VAT number
Before the order
Before your visitor proceeds to place an order, you must communicate at least the following information clearly on your website.Product information
It is important that you make clear to your customerall the features of the product, and provide them with all the information they need to make the decision whether or not to buy the product. Of course, this varies from product to product. But try to be as complete as possible in this.Price of the product
You are required to clearly communicate the full price of your product to your customer. Is the displayed price including or excluding VAT? Are there anyadditional costs, such as insurance or disposal fee? All possible additional costs should be clearly stated on your website.Payment and delivery of the product
Whatpayment optionsdoes the customer have? How will the product beshipped/deliveredandapproximatelywhen can theyexpect their order? This information should be easy for your visitor to find on your website.
Warranty
Communicate as fully as possible the rules you apply in case of a possible defect in the products you offer. This includes theright of return and the warranty conditionsthat apply to your customers.During the ordering process
During the ordering process it should be clear to the customer which products are ordered and what the total price is. Furthermore,the ordering stepsmust beclearly communicatedand your customer must be able to clearlysee when the purchase is final. Next you inform your customer aboutthe cooling off period. In the next step, the customer receives an overview of the products ordered and the data entered, so that any errors can be corrected. Before the customer confirms the purchase, theterms and conditionsmust beaccepted. Finally, the customer receivesthe privacy statementin which they can read what their data will be used for.After ordering the products
Your customer has placed his/her order. Make sure yousend the order confirmation to the customer as soon as possible. You are now also required to inform your customer about the warranty and the right to return the products they have just ordered and how this works.All required information at a glance
All the information you are required to provide on your web shop is listed below. You can use this overview as a checklist to see if your webshop meets all information requirements.-
General information
- Trade name
- Store address
- Email address or contact form
- Direct form of contact (phone number, skype or live chat)
- Chamber of Commerce number
- VAT number
- Product characteristics
- Prices (incl/excl VAT, any additional costs)
- Payment options
- Shipping information
- Return / Refund period and warranty conditions
- General terms and conditions
- Order confirmation
Avoid fines
If you do not fully display this mandatory information on your webshop, you risk a fine. The webshops of Coolcat and Bever were fined over200,000 euroslast year for not fully informing their customers. Make sure this does not happen to you.Inform your customers as fully as possible
In short, when you run a web store you are obliged to inform your customers as fully as possible about yourself (your shop), the products you offer, the ordering process and the conditions and rights of the customer. Make sure that all the information mentioned in this blog can be found on your webshop. Then you comply with the information obligation, havemore satisfied customersand avoid fines.Does your website meet all the requirements?
For you as a merchant, there are strict requirements regarding the provision of information on your website. It is therefore wise to take a good look at your online communication, because it still sometimes goes wrong. A check will prevent annoying fines and other hassles.- Make sure your information is correct. Check whether your terms and conditions comply with the law in order to avoid substantial costs.
- Be clear and understandable. Don't use complicated terms, use simple language that everyone understands.
- Check that you are complete. Really tell the customer everything he needs to know about his purchase.
- Can't figure it out? Enlist help! With a WebwinkelKeur membership you can be sure that your online store meets all legal requirements.