ESG, SSC roll out guidelines for e-commerce transactions

This is said to help businesses improve e-commerce processes and policies.

Enterprise Singapore (ESG) and the Singapore Standards Council (SSC) have launched the first national standard, Technical Reference 76 (TR 76), on guidelines for e-commerce transactions, according to an announcement.

The guidelines will serve as a practical reference for e-retailers and online intermediaries such as e-marketplaces. It is said to provide end-to-end coverage of the e-commerce transactions’ process, from pre-purchase activities to purchasing and payment procedures and post-purchase activities.

Businesses are advised to refer to the guidelines as a checklist to develop e-commerce processes and policies, and convey information to consumers. This includes details on the e-retailer or merchant, their products or services, returns and refunds policies, and payment and shipping processes.

TR 76 also lays out the best practices in providing adequate and responsive customer support to address queries, feedback, and complaints.

The formulation of TR 76 is an industry-led effort comprising representatives from the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE), Singapore Retailers Association (SRA), e-marketplaces such as Carousell and Shopee, e-retailer FortyTwo, Nanyang Polytechnic’s Singapore Institute of Retail Studies (NYP-SIRS), as well as payment and logistics service providers.

The launch of the guidelines follows ESG’s efforts to bolster SMEs’ online presence in the growing e-commerce market, with online retail sales generating an estimated 17.8% of total retail sales value in April from 5.5% in January, reflecting the substantial increase in e-commerce transactions fuelled by the pandemic.