Online vendors sign up to Which? code of practice

The UK Consumers' Association has launched an online branding scheme to boost consumer confidence in the Web.

Which? Web Trader is the only 'kite mark' scheme to be backed by the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI). Kim Howells, UK minister for consumer affairs, welcomed it as "a great initiative".

Online traders wanting to display the Which? Web Trader logo have to sign up to a stringent code of practice governing the pricing, advertising and delivery of their goods. Applications are vetted by CA lawyers, and any business which breaks the rules faces public humiliation.

Alan Stevens, editor of Which? Online, told Silicon.com that the scheme protects consumers because it is non-profit making. "Obviously we will have no compunction about removing bad traders from the scheme. With many industry schemes, there may well be a financial incentive for them to keep people in, because that's the way they're making the money. But we're running this for the benefit of consumers."

easyJet, Go!, Carphone Warehouse and Barclaysquare are among the first traders to sign up. They pay nothing, but pledge to obey the code of practice, which requires them to display total prices prominently on their site; to agree a delivery date with the consumer and offer a refund if it is not met; and to clearly display third party advertising as such.

Further details are available at http://www.which.net/webtrader