E-Commerce Solicitors

When selling to consumers through a website, there are a number of regulations your business will need to comply with. The e-commerce solicitors at JMW have the expertise and experience to help your organisation manage all of the legal issues that come with doing business online.

We provide advice on how to structure a website and business to ensure full compliance with all relevant legislation, as well as offer guidance on the terms, conditions and user agreements that you will need to put in place.

To speak to a solicitor about legal requirements in relation to e-commerce businesses, call JMW on 0345 872 6666, or fill in our online enquiry form to request a call back at your convenience.

How JMW Can Help

The commercial law team at JMW has considerable experience advising e-tailers on how to structure their business to comply with applicable consumer protection laws, advising on matters including:

• Sale terms and conditions, including cancellation rights
• Privacy policies
• Website terms of use

Our team also has wide experience in dealing with the agreements you will need in the background to ensure your site is working as you want it to, including website development agreements and web hosting agreements.

JMW’s e-commerce solicitors will work with you and your website designers to help structure your processes and customer journey to ensure that your legal compliance measures do not intrude upon the user experience, and are dealt with in a way that helps to build trust with customers by being clear in your dealings with them.

The Importance of E-commerce Regulation

E-commerce can provide a low-cost shop front to the world, allowing retailers to reach customers they would not normally be able to deal with. However, in a crowded marketplace, you need to make yourself stand out and build trust with customers. This is especially important if these consumers are unlikely to ever meet or interact with you.

The regulations governing online sales are extensive, and often provide consumers with rights above and beyond those they would when purchasing goods in a normal retail environment. Businesses will need to consider a wide range of potential issues, including:

• Content licence agreements
• Data protection requirements
• Digital marketing regulations
• EU regulatory compliance, including Distance Selling Regulations (DSRs)
• IP rights protections
• Linking agreements
• Software licence agreements
• Website acceptable use policies
• Website licensing deals

In our experience, rather than trying to avoid these requirements, the most successful e-commerce sites actively embrace them, helping to improve the customer’s experience and build trust with consumers.

Business-to-business websites generally encounter fewer compulsory legal requirements, but nevertheless, a well-structured and presented website can provide a professional image and incorporate your terms and conditions in a way that feels natural and organic.