Legal assistance with obtaining a webshop quality mark

A webshop quality mark gives consumers confidence, but you will only receive it if your webshop demonstrably meets both the statutory and the quality mark requirements during an audit. A prior legal screening — of your general terms and conditions, privacy statement, cooling-off period, and payment and information obligations — prevents rejection and unnecessary costs.

For online stores, quality marks are an important asset. An unknown webshop can still gain trust with a quality mark. To obtain one, the webshop must meet at least the legal requirements. MKB Juristen helps you ensure you are legally compliant.

Choose a quality mark

Not every quality mark is equally strong. Some only check whether a webshop meets the minimum legal requirements; others use codes of conduct that go beyond the law. Well-known, reliable quality marks include Thuiswinkel Waarborg, WebwinkelKeur, and Qshops.

For consumers, quality marks provide important guarantees: clarity regarding costs, a cooling-off period, a warranty, and the option to pay afterwards. Furthermore, many quality marks offer complaint mediation, and if that proves unsuccessful, the dispute can be submitted to an independent dispute resolution committee. A good complaints procedure is always an added value.

How does the audit proceed?

Reliable providers conduct an initial audit to verify whether the webshop meets all requirements; these requirements are usually transparent. For a quality mark like Thuiswinkel Waarborg, for example, this involves:

• the statutory cooling-off period of 14 days that must be guaranteed;
• verified contact and location details;
• the option to pay (part) afterwards;
• a clear and transparent offer;
• requirements regarding the security of personal data;
• a financial check to determine if the webshop is healthy enough to meet its obligations.

Better providers conduct a recurring annual audit and take into account changes in legislation, about which they often inform webshops in advance. With us, too, you can have a timely check performed and your documents updated so that you retain the quality mark.

Why a pre-audit screening is wise

An audit involves costs, and it can result in a rejection. Often, after the audit, you receive concrete points for improvement that you must address yourself. By having an initial screening performed by us beforehand, we verify whether your webshop meets legal and certification requirements and adjust legal documents where necessary—such as the general terms and conditions or the privacy statement. This way, you avoid rejection and additional costs. Naturally, you manage your finances yourself, possibly with your bookkeeper or accountant.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a webshop quality mark?

It is not mandatory, but a recognized quality mark increases consumer confidence and offers customers extra guarantees, which is certainly valuable for new webshops.

What is checked during a quality mark audit?

Depending on the quality mark, this includes the cooling-off period, contact and payment information, the clarity of the offer, the security of personal data, and the financial health of the webshop.

What if I don't pass the audit?

Then you receive points for improvement that you have to implement yourself, incurring additional costs. A prior legal screening significantly reduces the chance of rejection.

Help with your webshop quality mark

The legal experts at MKB Juristen ensure that your webshop legally complies with statutory and certification requirements, so that you enter the audit with confidence. View our expertise in contract law or schedule an intake meeting .