How to Protect Your E-Commerce Business

There are three areas of litigation in the e-commerce sector that are on the rise: liability, data protection, and accessibility. Though none of these areas have to do with the quality of your product, the ease of navigating your website, or the growing number of satisfied customers you’re amassing, there are a few things you need to be especially aware of so that you aren’t one day taken by surprise if a summons arrives on your doorstep.

1. Liability

You can be sued if a component of a product you sell, one you neither manufacture nor may even see in your offices, is found to create some kind of hazard to the end consumer. You must have an appropriate level of language on your website regarding liability, terms, and conditions. If Amazon can be sued and lose, so can you.

2. Data Protection

You can be sued if your customer database is breached and personal information is compromised, even if you don’t retain the financial information of your customers. You must do all you can to prevent breaches, but you must also specify firm limitations of liability on your site. In addition, liability insurance is becoming a standard cost of doing business.

3. Accessibility

The topic of accessibility is becoming one of the largest challenges for e-commerce sites. Retailers are being sued every day, and the Supreme Court has yet to give clear guidance on the issue. Your best strategy is to keep track of your efforts to comply with accessibility laws and standards, and to keep the phone number of a good lawyer familiar with ADA requirements in your contacts.

Continue selling that excellent product, continue making happy customers, but be wise about how you protect the backend of your business as well. Don’t make yourself an easy target.

If you’d like help defining your terms and conditions, liability statements, and accessibility standards, give us a call. We’d love to help!

You already have a business legal problem. Don’t let your lawyer be a problem, too.