Alright, before you start freaking out, take a deep breath. Trust me, it’s not as catastrophic as it seems. It’s not like the internet police are going to toss you in the slammer if you’ve missed a few of these, but a miffed customer might put a dent in your wallet with a fine if they decide your website is breaking some rules.
We all know that running a business is about as straightforward as a game of Quidditch (yes, that’s a Harry Potter reference). Taxes, legal requirements and all that jazz. But did you know your website has to play by the rules too?
Ecommerce, or as I like to call it, the magical world of online trading, has its own set of laws. And the rules of the game change depending on whether you’re selling to businesses or direct to customers. But we’ll save that discussion for another blog post, because today we’re talking about the nitty-gritty details your website needs to have.
According to the FSB website (the Federation of Small Businesses), your website needs to include:
Your business (and trading) name.
- Your address (and registered address if it’s different).
- Contact email address.
- Company registration number.
- Any Trade or Professional Association memberships.
- VAT number if you’re VAT registered.
Usually, you’d put your address in the footer of your website, or on the contact page. But if your office happens to be your living room, you might not be too keen on broadcasting that to the world (and who could blame you, there are some right oddballs out there). But it’s got to be somewhere on your site. Most businesses tuck it away in the terms or privacy page, which is totally acceptable.
What’s that? You don’t have a terms or policy page? Awkward. You’re going to need those too. And believe it or not, there are even more rules you’ve got to follow, which you can read about on the FSB website.
So, are you playing by the rules, or are you a bit of a rogue? If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed, just give me a shout. I’d be more than happy to help you get your website on the straight and narrow. After all, I’m just your friendly neighbourhood website witch.