A coalition of seven of the most prominent companies in the online world proposed a set of guidelines designed to make Internet shoppers feel more secure. The E-commerce Group comprises America Online, AT&T, Dell Computer, IBM, Microsoft, Network Solutions and Time Warner. The guidelines include full disclosure of the terms of sale, an opportunity to review the transaction and discussion of all costs involved in the transaction and shipping. Other provisions call for standards for cancellation, return and refund policies, packaging that will protect products shipped, security for customers’ personal records and disclosure of privacy policies. A central provision gives consumers a third party to handle complaints by e-mail. An area that remains unsettled is what country’s laws should be applied if a resolution fails.
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