Sell your products and services online
Selling online can be cheaper and more convenient for you and your customers. Make sure you understand your responsibilities and the risks and follow the same reputable business rules online as you would in-store.
Provide clear and accurate information
Product and service details
Your website should clearly set out details of your goods and services. You need to display:
- the full price of goods and services—you must set out all extra fees, charges and any pre-selected options that affect the price
- accurate descriptions of your products and services, including any variations
- how and when you will deliver the goods or services—specify any extra charges, like delivery or installation costs, before the customer agrees to buy.
Conditions and policies
It should be easy for customers to find information about any conditions that apply to their purchase, including:
- terms and conditions
- refunds and returns policy—this must follow the same laws as goods bought in-store
- complaint handling policy.
Business details
You need to display the details of your business, including your:
- registered business name
- company name
- Australian Business Number (ABN)
- physical business address
- phone number.
Know your product
Before you offer a product for sale, make sure you have all the information about that product. Check if:
- the product is legal
- the product will work in Australia
- any import duty and additional taxes apply
- your suppliers have appropriate warranty and refund policies
- the product has an authorised repairer nearby.
Payment and security
You have a responsibility to handle payments securely. Always ask your customer to confirm their order before they pay. Only process payments through a secure (encrypted) website, and use a secure and trusted payment processing method.
Customer privacy
Protect the use and security of customer information. Tell customers why you're collecting the information and how you'll use it. Only collect the information you need, and only use that information for purposes you've told the customer about.
Always obey privacy laws and anti-spamming laws.
Customer service
Practice good after-sale service. This includes giving customers updates on their order and responding to queries quickly.
Provide a way for customers to give feedback on your website. This might be an email address, phone number or online form.
More information
- Read the Australian Consumer Law sales practices guide to understand the rules for different sales practices.
- Use the Small business self-assessment checklist to check that your business is following the law.
- Subscribe to the Smart Business Bulletin for relevant news and tips for making your business a success.