Online merchants should disclose to their customers and prospective customers information about the business, the goods or services available for purchase online, and the transaction itself.

1. All information required by this Code should meet the following standards:

   1. It should be clear, accurate, and easy to find and understand;

   2. It should be readily accessible online and can appear via a noticeable and descriptive hyperlink or other similarly effective mechanism; (Click here for explanation and examples)

   3. It should be presented such that customers can access and maintain an adequate record of it; (Click here for explanation and examples)

   4. And, if the information relates to the goods or services available for purchase online or the transaction itself, it should be accessible prior to the consummation of the transaction. (Click here for explanation and examples)

2. Information About the Business:

   1. Online merchants should provide, at a minimum, the following contact information online:
      • legal name,
      • the name under which it conducts business,
      • the principle physical address or information, including country, sufficient to ensure the customer can locate the business offline (Click here for examples: For example, a business operated out of the home might provide either an accurate mailing address or the address for an agent for service of process but should always include the city, state and country where the merchant operates),
      • an online method of contact such as e-mail,
      • a point of contact within the organization that is responsible for customer inquires, and
      • a telephone number unless to do so would be disruptive to the operation of the business given its size and resources and then, the merchant should maintain a working listed phone number.

   2. Online merchants that register an Internet domain name should provide complete and accurate information to the authorized Internet registrar with which they register and should use the appropriate top-level domain for the type of business registered. (Click here for explanation and examples)

3. Information About Goods and Services Available for Purchase Online:

   Online merchants should provide enough information available about the goods or services available online so that customers can make an informed choice about whether to purchase such goods or services. (Click here for explanation and examples)

4. Information About the Online Transaction Itself:

   Online merchants should provide enough information about the online transaction itself so that customers can make an informed choice about whether to engage in the online transaction.

   1. Online merchants should disclose material information about the online transaction itself including, but not limited to:
      • terms of the transaction,
      • product availability/shipping information, and
      • prices and customer costs,

   2. And should provide the customer with an opportunity to:
      • review and approve the transaction and
      • receive a confirmation.

   3. If the online merchant chooses to provide some information in more than one language, all material information about the transaction should be available in the selected languages. Similarly, if the online merchant chooses to reach a particular population, such as the aged or handicapped, by using large font sizes or specific colors for example, all material information about the transaction should be provided in the same way.

5. Terms of the Online Transaction:

   Online merchants should provide the terms of the online transaction including but not limited to:

   1. Any restrictions or limitations (for example, time or geographic) they impose on the sale of the goods or services;
   2. Easy-to-use payment mechanisms;
   3. Return or refund policies, including how customers can make returns or exchanges; obtain refunds or credits; or cancel a transaction; and any associated time limitations or associated fees;.
   4. For products, any warrantees, guarantees, escrow programs or other offered terms, including limitations, conditions, if any;
   5. For services, any material standards, schedules, fees, or other offered terms, including limitation and conditions;
   6. For contests, sweepstakes or other similar promotions, the complete rules adjacent to, or in a hyperlink or similar technology adjacent to, the promotion itself; and
   7. For ongoing transactions or subscriptions:
      • information about how the transaction will appear on the bill so that the customer can easily identify the business and the transaction on the bill.
      • easy-to-understand cancellation information, an easy to use means to cancel an ongoing subscription, and timely confirmation of such cancellation.

6. Product Availability/Terms of Shipping:

   Online merchants should:

   1. Note which products or services are temporarily unavailable and in those instances:
      • provide information about when the customer will be charged for the transaction; and
      • if an expected availability date is provided for unavailable products or services, have a reasonable basis for such date.

   2. Have a reasonable basis for, and provide customers with, estimated shipping times (or in the case of online delivery, delivery times) (if such times are unknown at the time of the online transaction, the online merchant should provide the information via a timely follow-up e-mail but should provide the customer with the opportunity to cancel the transaction if the time indicated is unacceptable);

   3. Have a reasonable basis for stated delivery claims when made;

   4. Disclose any shipping, performance, or delivery limitations they impose (age, geographic); and

   5. If a material delay in shipping or performance occurs, provide the customer with timely information about the delay and the opportunity to cancel the transaction.

7. Prices and Customer Costs:

   Online merchants should:

   1. Disclose, in a specified currency, an itemized list of the prices or fees and expected customer costs to be collected by the online merchant with regard to an online transaction, including but not limited to:

      • price or license fee to be charged, or in the case of a barter trade, the items that will be exchanged for goods or services purchased or licensed;

      • expected shipping and handling charges (if such charges are unknown at the time of the online transaction, the online merchant should provide the information via a timely follow-up e-mail but should provide the customer with the opportunity to cancel the transaction if the costs are unacceptable); and

      • expected taxes or other government imposed fees collected by the online merchant related to the transaction, etc.;

   2. Provide a generalized description of other routine costs and fees related to the transaction that may be incurred by the customer such as tariffs or routine subscription fees that may not be collected by the online merchant;

   3. Clearly identify the merchant’s name and website address on any subsequent statements or other billing information; and

   4. Honor the amount authorized by the customer in any subsequent bills to the customer.

8. Provide Opportunity to Review and Approve Transaction:

   Prior to completion of the transaction, online merchants should provide customers with the option to review the online transaction and to confirm their intent to enter into the transaction by providing a summary that includes:

   1. Information about the online transaction (as outlined in sections above);
   2. The selected payment method; and
   3. The option to cancel or affirmatively complete the transaction.

9. Provide Confirmation of the Sale:

   Online merchants should provide customers with the option to receive a confirmation of the transaction after the transaction has been completed. The confirmation should include:

   1. A line-itemed statement of what was ordered, the price, and any other known charges such as shipping/handling and taxes,
   2. Sufficient contact information to enable purchasers to obtain order status updates, and
   3. The anticipated date of shipment.