Trust seals, do they increase sales?

[ftw12]

I think it pays to have seals that display trust (though I don't have conversion data to back this belief up). However, I don't pay for any seal service, I've just display the SSL and Merchant Account seals for the companies I already use.

[deepsand]

I think it pays to have seals that display trust (though I don't have conversion data to back this belief up). However, I don't pay for any seal service, I've just display the SSL and Merchant Account seals for the companies I already use.

How many visitors do you think even know what "SSL" is?

As for your card processor, how many might recognize the name?

[ftw12]

How many visitors do you think even know what "SSL" is?

As for your card processor, how many might recognize the name?

I agree, very few know what SSL is or the name of my credit card processor. Just as I think very few look for any specific trust seal, which is why I don't pay for the trust seal services. Again, no data, but I suspect the credit card symbols and pictures of security locks do imply some level of security, just as a professional looking site does. I'd love to see some good data on this however, from someone other than the folks trying to sell the trust seal services.

[Merriam]

I've done some A/B testing on this very issue and trust seals absolutely did increase sales for me. Interestingly, it didn't matter so much which brand you use (Truste, VeraSafe, BBB, hackersafe, etc..) - they all had approx equal results. If you're on a budget, go with a cheaper option

[deepsand]

... it didn't matter so much which brand you use (Truste, VeraSafe, BBB, hackersafe, etc..)

Any significant difference by type of organization sourcing the seals?

[Merriam]

Any significant difference by type of organization sourcing the seals?

Sorry for my late reply... What exactly do you mean by 'type of organization' ?

[deepsand]

Sorry for my late reply... What exactly do you mean by 'type of organization' ?

I refer to the type of organization issuing the seal; and, by extension, the characteristics the certification encompasses.

For example:

• BBB - A non-profit organization that rates the general trustworthiness and reliability of its member businesses
• Authorize.net - A for-profit front-end card processor that certifies the security of card transactions of its merchant clients.

[Merriam]

I think the verification process from one company to the next is pretty similar. I've heard of Verisign just using phone book info to 'verify' a business, but the others all have a good reputation in this regard.

[deepsand]

The question "Any significant difference by type of organization sourcing the seals?" was within the context of your statement

I've done some A/B testing on this very issue and trust seals absolutely did increase sales for me.

[Merriam]

The question "Any significant difference by type of organization sourcing the seals?" was within the context of your statement

If there is any doubt... just go with VeraSafe. Unlike BBB, they offer a 30-day refund guarantee, so you get to try it out without the rather significant commitment that truste and BBB require. Interestingly, in my A/B test, they actually came out slightly ahead of BBB.