Gonabit becomes TRUSTe sealholder and demonstrates commitment to consumer privacy protection

Internet — By Samer Marzouq on January 31, 2011 at 8:25 pm

GoNabit.com, the pioneer of group-buying in the Middle East, has become the first e-commerce website in the region to attain the TRUSTe Web Privacy Seal. A marque of industry best practice, the TRUSTe certification, together with GoNabit’s proprietary Customer Charter, demonstrate the company’s commitment to transparency, accountability and consumer choice, the foundations of online privacy.

With TRUSTe certification GoNabit joins thousands of leading websites including ebay, PayPal, Yahoo, Monster, facebook, and WedMD in recognizing the ability of the TRUSTe privacy seal to accelerate online commerce and information exchange. TRUSTe awards its Web Privacy Seal only to companies that complete TRUSTe certification, submit to ongoing site monitoring, and participate in TRUSTe’s consumer privacy dispute resolution program.

In step with TRUSTe’s recognition of their online security practices, GoNabit has introduced a Customer Charter, formalising their consumer data protection policies and anti-spam best practices. The Charter outlines GoNabit’s commitment to use customer data only as stated and agreed with their registered members, to protect this data and only send emails to people who have opted-in to receive them. GoNabit also makes the unsubscribe process simple and easily accessible, and will provide proof of email opt-in at the customer’s request.

As e-commerce leaders in the region, GoNabit encourages all websites to follow suit with this pledge in order to increase trust and accelerate the adoption of online commerce across the region.

“Our GoNabit Customer Charter forms part of our ongoing commitment to protect the privacy of our consumers and not to spam them with unwanted information. From day one we have strictly adhered to international best practices concerning online privacy. We are very proud to obtain the TRUSTe Web Privacy Seal, which is not only a first for a Middle East-based e-commerce website, but a testament to our continued efforts to protect the data of our customers. Registered users of GoNabit.com can transact on our site with complete peace-of-mind,” said Dan Stuart, CEO and Co-founder of GoNabit.

According to TRUSTe, consumers prefer websites that demonstrate responsiveness to privacy concerns, set clear expectations for the processing of personal information and offer timely choice should those expectations change. With its privacy programs TRUSTe helps companies address this consumer preference for transparency, accountability and choice and effectively advertise their privacy commitment with the TRUSTe Web Privacy Seal.

“Given abundant consumer privacy concerns it’s no surprise that 71% of consumers look for trustmarks before doing business online,” said Fran Maier, President of TRUSTe.

“With the TRUSTe Web Privacy Seal, GoNabit sends a clear signal to its customers that it respects their personal information. We’ve found that 82% of consumers who have seen the TRUSTe Web Privacy Seal trust it, which translates directly into increased site engagement. That’s the privacy payoff.”