Dear

Business update - Broadband internet access

This is one of our occasional letters to pass on information which we think might be helpful for your business.

If you have used the internet you will be aware of its benefits and drawbacks. It is marvellous to be able to find and book the cheapest, most convenient hotel room for your trip to London but some of the shine might have rubbed off due to the slow access to the sites you used.

Now that all the hype is over, it is becoming clear that the internet does provide a cheap and effective way for businesses to reach a huge customer base for a diverse range of goods and services, from selling organic foods to making airline bookings. It broadens the marketplace to the whole of Britain and, in some instances, the world.

The recent development which might make you want to consider having an internet shop window for your business is the introduction of cheap broadband access for home users. Broadband makes internet access 40 times faster, making it virtually instantaneous.

If you have joined, or are thinking of joining the growing number of businesses with e-commerce websites, be sure to get your web developers to incorporate the requirements of the distance selling regulations into your site.

The main features of the regulations are:

• clear and easily understood information about the goods or services offered must be provided, together with details of prices and delivery charges
• the consumer must be sent confirmation after making a purchase
• the customer must be allowed a cooling-off period of seven working days after receiving the goods during which they can be returned

Your website must provide details of your business, including the business address, telephone and fax numbers. Terms and conditions, complaints and returns procedures and cancellation rights must be displayed. Details should be provided about the availability, delivery and despatch of goods and of the various stages involved in the ordering processes.

An essential ingredient for successful selling on the internet is trust. Providing the information required by the regulations will not only keep you within the law, it will also build trust and consumer confidence.

You can download a very comprehensive Guide for Business from the DTI website at www.dti.gov.uk