Ecommerce

What is ecommerce?

Ecommerce is currently well known for secthors like banking, travel, restaurants and retail. Since Covid, everybody did experience the advantages of buying on the Internet. Although, ecommerce is less convenient for small shop owners and beginning entrepreneurs. Therefore we have created this page to inform you with the in's and outs of ecommerce.

Ecommerce is often considered as an extra sales channel next to other sales channels like offline sales, social media sales or other marketplaces. Ecommerce is usually the last step in the decision making process of a person. When making a ecommerce shop, some important questions need be to asked :

Do I sell products or services that are fit for ecommerce?
Do I have the resources for creating a ecommerce shop
- Budget
- Creation of the online store
- Time or personnel for daily maintenance of the store
- Right partners that can help? (Revisat can help 🙂 )
What is my competition doing?
Who is my target audience?
Which other platforms do I need to be present

How to start with ecommerce

The first thing you need in order to start ecommerce is a webplatform. The more often used are Wordpress, Magento (for the bigger stores), Shopify, etc as building platforms. At Revisat we use Woocommerce. With Wordpress and Woocommerce you could start completely free, where Magento and Shopify requires licences that you need to pay for first. The other elements that you need to consider, are :

Performant and secure webhosting platform
Wordpress installation
Pagebuilder for designing pages
Woocommerce
Payment provider
Legal documents like Return Policies, terms & condities and privacy policy
Inventory Management system
Product information and graphics
Time & budget to build the store

As a sole entrepreneur, it is not easy to manage your company and invest time in building your own ecommerce website without any experience. Revisat is your partner for building your ecommerce platform that answers your goals and ambitions. We ensure that your store is build on strong foundations, like flexible software, relevant content based on SEO research, reponsive web design with triggers to buy, relevant content, and secure and fast hosting for a great user experience.

Legal Requirements for Ecommerce store

Legal requirements for ecommerce businesses are essential to ensure compliance with laws and regulations governing online transactions. We often see that the legal requirements are often not furfilled. Every webshop must have these requirements:

Business Entity Formation

Decide on the legal structure of your ecommerce business, such as sole proprietorship, partnership, BV, VOF or NV corporation. Register your business entity with the appropriate government authorities and obtain necessary licenses and permits to operate legally.

Business Name and Trademarks

Choose a unique business name and ensure it is not already in use by another company. Consider trademarking your business name, logo, and other intellectual property to protect your brand from infringement.

Website compliance

Ensure your ecommerce website complies with legal requirements, including:

Accessibility: Ensure your website is accessible to individuals with disabilities, complying with regulations such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Privacy Policy: Create a privacy policy that discloses how you collect, use, and protect customer information. Comply with privacy laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for EU customers.
Terms of Service: Draft terms of service that outline the terms and conditions governing the use of your website, including disclaimers, limitations of liability, and dispute resolution procedures.
Cookie Policy: Provide a cookie policy that informs users about the use of cookies on your website and obtain consent for cookie usage where required by law.

Consumer Protection laws

Familiarize yourself with consumer protection laws that apply to ecommerce transactions, including:

Consumer Rights: Understand consumers’ rights regarding product descriptions, pricing accuracy, refunds, and dispute resolution.
Unfair and Deceptive Practices: Avoid engaging in unfair or deceptive practices, such as false advertising or misleading product claims.
Electronic Transactions: Comply with laws governing electronic signatures, contracts, and records.

Sales Tax compliance

Understand your obligations regarding sales tax collection and remittance. Determine whether you are required to collect sales tax based on your business's location, nexus rules, and applicable state and local tax laws. Consider using sales tax software to automate sales tax calculations and filings.

Shipping and Fulfillment

Comply with laws governing shipping and fulfillment practices, including:

Shipping Restrictions: Adhere to shipping regulations and restrictions for certain products, such as hazardous materials or restricted items.
Delivery Guarantees: Clearly communicate delivery times, shipping costs, and any guarantees or limitations on delivery to customers.

Intellectual Property Rights

Respect intellectual property rights, including copyrights, trademarks, and patents. Obtain necessary licenses or permissions for using copyrighted material, images, or trademarks owned by others.

Dispute Resolution and Legal Protections

Establish procedures for handling disputes with customers, such as refund policies, return procedures, and customer support channels. Consider including arbitration or mediation clauses in your terms of service to resolve disputes without litigation.

International Compliance

If selling internationally, understand and comply with laws and regulations specific to each country or region, including import/export restrictions, customs duties, and international shipping requirements.

Continuous Monitoring and Compliance Updates

Stay informed about changes in laws and regulations affecting ecommerce businesses and update your practices accordingly to maintain legal compliance and protect your business from legal risks.

Inform yourself with legal professionals specializing in ecommerce law or seeking advice from experienced advisors can provide valuable guidance on navigating legal requirements and ensuring compliance for your ecommerce business. At Revisat, we can bring you in contact with the right legal experts who can guide and advise you.