Important Legal Terms to Include on Your Website
A website is a great way to connect with your potential customers and to highlight the services and/or products that you provide. However, there are legal issues to be aware of and disclaimers that might be applicable to your business that should be included on your site.
Some sites include certain disclaimers on each page, while others use a “Terms and Conditions” page to share important legal information. A few of these terms include:
Copyright Notices
Your site belongs to your brand. Copyrights protect all content on a site by demonstrating ownership; this includes written content, photos and anything else you publish. Including a "©" with the year and the name of your business on each page is important. If your site includes information that belongs to someone else – shared content, stock photos and more – giving credit appropriately and getting permission is critical.
Privacy
If your brand gathers information from customers for any reason – purchase information for sales, contact information for newsletter signups or identifying information for research – and through any means – at checkout, through form submissions or otherwise – your site should include a notice that details how that information will be used. Customers need to know that their information is protected and your business needs to be transparent on how that information will be used and how long it will be stored.
Refunds and Returns
If your brand sells products or services, your customers will need to be informed of what their options are if – for any reason – they are dissatisfied.
Make sure your return policy is clearly outlined on your website. Include information relating to:
- Timeframes – how long will you accept returns? Does this count from the date the sale is completed or the date of delivery?
- Reasons – for which reasons will you accept returns? What is not covered?
- Shipping – who is responsible for paying return shipping?
- Methods – how do customers initiate the return process? Is there a contact form on your website to direct them to?
Protecting Your Business
Posting liability statements that protect your business is important, especially for websites that include open forums or spaces for comments from the public. To protect your business, consider including a disclaimer that explains that you do not endorse or condone comments from the public and that you are not responsible for the accuracy of any comments that do not come specifically from your brand.
Furthermore, take the time to monitor the postings of others and to remove comments that are suspicious or that raise red flags.
By including the features listed above, and by having your website reviewed by an experienced business attorney, like Michael Hynum of Hynum Law in Harrisburg, PA, you can ensure your website is legally sound and that your brand is protected. Set up a consultation today; we look forward to working with you.