Ordering Wine Online - Security and Privacy
Written By: Anonymous on Mon, Aug 7th 2006
The technical aspect of ordering wine online is the same as any other web based store. They require strict adherence to privacy and data encryption. With an assortment of stores to purchase from, who can you trust to handle your order? In this chapter of the online wine buying guide, we will take a look at online ordering security and privacy of not only your personal information but your credit details.
Buying Wine Online - Security and Privacy So what should you look for in a trustworthy retailer? Most sites will be signed by a third party to confirm their data encryption. Common services that provide this include VeriSign, Thawte, and GeoTrust. For the consumer this means top level Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption. This is a security protocol that secures and conceals all of your personal information and credit card details during processing. If a site doesn't display an encryption logo on the home page, browse around the site to learn more. Many smaller wine stores will not outwardly display this and will most likely be explained in their policies section.
The BBBOnLine Reliability seal is another indicator of a retailer who has taken the steps to prove themselves as a reputable dealer online. If listed with the Better Business Bureau Online program, you can find pertinent contact information, file consumer complaints, and read relevant company reports. Other sources for corporate information for consumers include the standard BBB directory and their Dun & Bradstreet listing where businesses register to build and monitor their business credit. These seals are not a requirement for online businesses, but are a step they take to gain consumer confidence. A great resource to get true consumer opinions is from a merchant review directory. Classic Wines wine store directories are a free resource to consumers.
I get enough spam mail as it is. Should I sign up with my real email address? Anytime you give away your email address whether be for a newsletter or shopping, you should always read through a sites privacy policies first. The key words to look for are 'we never sell or rent your personal information.' This gives you the security to know that when they collect your address, phone number and other personal details it is for your personal account only. Most of the time, the only time your information will be transferred is if a company is sold or bought out, in which case they must transfer their records to the new owner.
Also note any check boxes during the registration process as this is where most will place their opt-in mailing list or other features they offer to members.
Most sites collect user demographics and statistics. This information allows a site to see where visitors are coming from, how long they are visiting and what items they are browsing. Tracking information is used as an aggregate by most sites for their own campaigns.
Why does a site require cookies? Almost all shopping sites use cookies. A cookie is a small data file that is sent from the retailer's web server onto your local machine. It is used to hold your customer information and maintain preferences. As a whole it makes your shopping experience more enjoyable, customizable and quicker. However, if you do not want your machine to accept cookies, you can always find what you want online and complete the order by phone on sites that require this.
Shopping online can be fun and easy! Use the tools and resources on the web to find the online wine merchant for you. If you have any questions or concerns regarding online wine shopping, we here at The Classic Wines Guide are always here to help.
