How can I learn more about a Company from which I plan to purchase products?
There are two ways to learn about Companies on the net; 1) by clicking on the WebAssured.com membership seal on their websites, or 2) by performing a free search in the dAtabase^sm. Only Member firms are permitted to display the WebAssured.com seal on their websites, while the dAtabase^sm includes listings for thousands of non-members as well. When reviewing the dAtabase^sm, consumers can screen for WebAssured.com member firms only, or show all Companies about which we have collected information.

I recently had a very good experience with an Internet company. How do I let others know about it?
Any Company's commitment to cost of providing quality customer service includes building on what went right as well as responding to what went wrong. We encourage consumers to file Praise about companies with whom they have had good experiences, so that other consumers can incorporate this information into their buying decisions. Once reviewed by the Member firm, praise filed by consumers will appear in a Company's Business Background Report^sm. We also accept praise on non-member firms for our records, but this information is not published.

Can I file a complaint against a website which is not a WebAssured.com member?
Absolutely! WebAssured.com handles complaints and praise about Companies all over the world, whether they are members or not. Assuming we have the email address of the company in question, we will contact any Company on the consumers behalf and will do everything we can to persuade the Company to resolve the issue. Of course, we can not guarantee that non-member firms will always do so.

Member firms who have had a clean track record for at least six months, however, are covered by our On-line Purchase Protection^sm program. This program is a guarantee from WebAssured.com that if you file a complaint about a member firm, and they do not resolve it - we will refund your money! This is why it is important to shop on-line only with WebAssured.com member firms - because you know your purchases are protected!

What actions will WebAssured.com take to obtain satisfaction for a consumer complaint?
The first step is for the consumer to AdDResS^sm the issue. AdDResS^sm is what we call our revolutionary Automated Dispute Resolution System. Once a complaint has been set in motion, a number of automated steps ensue. These steps begin by encouraging the Company to resolve the issue voluntarily (member firms have agreed to use their best efforts to do so). The longer a complaint goes unresolved, the more strongly we will insist that the Company rectify the situation. Unresolved complaints are reported in the Company's Business Background Report^sm for the world to see. If it becomes necessary, we will assign a WebAssured.com Mediator to review the case and decide on a fair settlement. WebAssured.com members are contractually bound to abide by these mediated settlements. If it becomes evident that a Company recklessly disregards the standards we expect, we will revoke their membership, highlight them in the Watchlist^sm, and coordinate with the pertinent authorities if appropriate. Lastly, if the Company is covered by the On-line Purchase Protection^sm program, WebAssured.com will refund the consumer's money.

How can I tell if a WebAssured.com Member is covered by On-line Purchase Protection^sm?
You must review the Company's Business Background Report^sm to determine their coverage limit. You can obtain this up to the minute report by clicking on the WebAssured.com Certification Seal posted on a Member's website, or by searching the the dAtabase^sm.

Can the WebAssured.com Certification Seal be copied by unauthorized users?
While the WebAssured.com Member Seal graphic can be copied, the "CLICK TO VERIFY" mechanism can not. This is why it is imperative to always click on the WebAssured.com seal to ensure that the merchant is a Member in good standing. When consumers click on a seal they are taken to a dynamically created, up-to-the-minute Business Background Report^sm for that Company. If the referring site is not a WebAssured.com Member, the report will clearly indicate this fact. Furthermore, the URL appearing in your browser's address box when viewing a valid Business Background Report^sm should begin with "http://WebAssured.com/…….." If it does not, you may be viewing a counterfeit report, and we ask you to contact us immediately. We take unauthorized use of our Seal very seriously, and we will prosecute violations to the fullest extent.

Does the WebAssured.com certification expire, and can it be revoked?
Yes! We require our members to periodically confirm their commitment to our standards by renewing their membership. Upon renewal, Members receive an updated Certification Seal. Note that authentic WebAssured.com Seals have a "Member through" date watermark. This indicates the date at which Members are required to re-commit to our standards. Should you come across an expired seal, please report it to us immediately as such use is strictly prohibited by our membership agreement.

Furthermore, WebAssured.com reserves the right to revoke any Membership if the Company violates the principals of our various programs. This "revoked" status will be reflected in the Business Background Report^sm for that company, so that even if they fail to remove the Seal from their site, consumers who "click to verify" will be aware that the Company is no longer a Member.

How accurate are your Business Background Reports^sm?
The most valuable facet of our service is that information is collected from independent third parties (consumers), on a global basis, 24 hours a day, and disseminated in real time. This efficient use of vast monitoring resources gives consumers a valuable tool to judge how well a Company has satisfied its past customers. Obviously, this information becomes more valuable as more experience is garnered with a particular company. A report of one complaint against a Company which has only been in existence for three months, for example, may not present an entirely accurate reflection of that Company's business practices. On the other hand, a report that shows a Company having no unresolved complaints for a period of three years speaks strongly to that Company's level of customer satisfaction.

How can WebAssured.com remain objective when it is supported by its member firms?
Our services are supported by the Internet community because they benefit the Internet community as a whole. By promoting increased consumer confidence in electronic commerce, all on-line merchants benefit. The dues we receive from Member firms represent a sharing of the cost to providing this infrastructure, not a right to any special treatment. We do not endorse or persecute any Company - we merely provide the mechanism which allows consumers around the world to voice their opinions and make informed decisions. We field complaints on all companies equally, non-members and members alike. We will revoke a Company's Membership if they fail to abide by our standards. We do not accept paid advertising.

We represent a system of self-regulation - of the Internet, by the Internet, and for the Internet. Annual dues paid by our Members are a demonstration of the community's commitment to keeping the Internet free of government intervention, yet reliable and trustworthy in the minds of consumers.