Does TRUSTe = Trust?

Basically what TRUSTe provides is a well known name in the industry.  When potential customers see the logo, they equate it with the knowledge that their information is not being sold to other companies.  TRUSTe’s website promises that their logo along with a well written privacy policy will give your potential customers the peace of mind necessary to convert them into customers. 

TRUSTe has developed a strong reputation for securing customers private information.

Many consumers in today’s market do not want to enter any of their personal information unless they feel that their privacy is being protected.  With that in mind, businesses should definitely invest in TRUSTe or a similar product because that logo along with a well written privacy policy will deter potential customers from going to another sight that does have a similar service to make purchases

In addition to providing protection of personal information such as email addresses and passwords, TRUSTe also offers recourse for consumers who feel that their personal information has been compromised.  They also offer a list of sites that they certify for those who are especially worried about online privacy issues.

I think that TRUSTe does make its case.  It gave real life examples that showed the increase in conversion rate over a period of time before and after TRUSTe was used on specific websites.  I agree that TRUSTe and companies like it don’t actually do much to ensure customers privacy.  However the symbol alone gives the customer the perception that a particular site is handling customers personal information carefully.  Like Renaldo said, perception is everything in the online world.

TRUSTe offers two different pricing structures: one for small businesses with lower traffic rates (standard: $499/yr) and one for businesses that generate larger traffic (professional: $995/yr).  The standard subscription allows up to 500 daily views of the TRUSTe seal while the professional subscription allows unlimited views.  The standard version actually writes up a privacy policy which is excellent for smaller businesses who may not know what a privacy policy entails, while the professional version certifies an existing privacy policy

Whether or not a website had a TRUSTe logo would have no bearing on whether or not I would make a purchase on a website.  This may be due to the fact that I understand that this logo is merely a perception of privacy and in reality does not mean anything.  I do make purchases online but I choose not to be paranoid about personal data being shared.  I use an alternate email address when I do make purchases so that my personal email does not get bombarded with SPAM.  In addition, any disputed charges on my credit card are not my responsibility. 

In my opinion, TRUSTe is merely a logo.  It doesn’t necessarily mean anything but if it provides potential customers with peace of mind it is probably money well spent.