In this age of information, businesses that operate online must take precautions against underage customers and other potentially damaging activities. With some products only legally available to people over a certain age available online, many businesses have implemented age verification systems. They want to ensure only people of legal purchasing age can access and make purchases.
People will always attempt to trick the system into circumventing these regulations. Most online retailers are extremely strict about who can and cannot use their websites. Identity theft and credit card fraud can financially harm retailers and their customers.
Online age verification allows businesses to check a customer’s age without meeting them. In addition to preventing sales to minors, this ensures that your customers will appreciate the streamlined procedure.
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What Is an Online Age Verification?
Online age verification refers to the process by which a customer is asked to verify their age before completing an online purchase. Following these steps can prevent minors from accessing adult-only products or services.
Most commonly, a person’s age is checked by having them enter their date of birth on a website and then matching that to the information on their credit card. This method’s low accuracy and higher identity theft risk have led to its widespread criticism.
Evolution of E-commerce and Age Verification
Consumers can purchase a wide variety of goods and services through e-commerce platforms. Healthcare, electronics, and clothing stores are available online, proving that online shopping poses no inherent safety risks. In a physical store, customers must be of legal purchasing age or be accompanied by a responsible adult to purchase items such as alcohol and tobacco.
Merchants who offer age-exclusive products are responsible for safeguarding children from accidentally consuming age-restricted products. The same caution must be exercised when sellers of age-restricted items sell those online as in traditional retail. With online age verification, online vendors can provide consumers with services tailored to their age.
Why Use Online Age Verification?
Online age verification protects Internet users and companies from legal punishment. If you let minors into your business without checking their ID, you may be liable for any incidents.
Online age verification is needed for several reasons:
- If you sell alcohol or cigarettes, you must follow local and national legislation.
- To avoid government fines if your website doesn’t comply with age verification rules.
- If a juvenile visits your website and volunteers personal information like an email address, fraudsters and spammers may target them. Age verification helps to decrease the risk of potential liability. The minor’s parents or guardians may sue your organization for invading their child’s privacy.
- Underage users who can’t access your site due to age rather than technical issues may think it’s legitimate and secure. So, business reputation is maintained.
Using Online Age Verification for Professional Security
Sometimes, a good offense is the best defense against underage customers, scammers, and other risks. So, one of the best ways to safeguard your e-commerce safety is by using online age verification software.
Use a secure online identity verification service to ensure that minors are not able to buy things like cigarettes, alcohol, or knives. Multi-Factor Authentication can also be implemented, which requires additional steps to verify identity before allowing it. These solutions require users to provide identity proof before purchasing age-restricted products. Unauthorized customers cannot purchase from your business.
Methods of Age Verification in Online Business
Social Media Profiles Verification
Verifying a user’s age on social media is a popular method in an e-commerce business. Request a customer’s Facebook, Twitter, or other social media profile link. Their link should be able to allow you to verify their age. Only approve if the customer is over 18 if their profile says so. You cannot accept their business if their profile shows they are under 18.
Photo ID Confirmation
Online document checks enable trustworthy age verification for companies. Ask your customers to provide a photo of themselves carrying their ID as part of the purchasing process instead of just a scan. Some age verification systems confirm the document’s authenticity and its owner’s biometrics.
Credit Card Validation
Requesting a credit card number upon registration is the easiest method. Customers can’t register without one. This is quite useful and easy to implement.
The problem with this method is that it causes a lot of people to leave your site before they even see what you have to offer. Sometimes minors try to use their parents’ credit cards to buy alcohol, but their parents find them when the bill comes.
Biometric or Face Recognition
Biometric identification uses a database to match a person’s face or other biometrics. Companies use many biometric identification methods, including facial recognition software, fingerprint scanners, and iris scanners. Biometric ID verification is becoming increasingly popular in e-commerce due to its improved security.
The Importance of Online Age Verification
Online age verification offers some advantages not available through conventional means. The following are some of the benefits of the online verification age:
Cost-Effective: Online age verification techniques save money compared to paper IDs and photocopies. They are ideally suited for smaller businesses that cannot afford more elaborate security measures.
Fast: A short turnaround is possible when developing online age verification solutions. In addition, they give users access to information in real-time to determine if they are above or below the minimum age requirement for a given product. Customers who don’t quite measure up to your security standards won’t have to waste time.
Easy to Use: Besides being simple to implement, online age verification solutions also eliminate the need for extensive practice, allowing you to implement them on your website without delay. Fast protection for your company is now possible.
Conclusion
As the internet grows, more people will shop online. The most common reasons are cost, ease of use, and variety. However, age appropriateness is often overlooked when buying online.
E-commerce requires age verification. It protects children from age-inappropriate content and verifies user identities. Online age verification allows retailers to limit their customer base by age and avoid selling to minors.
Online identity verification is part of company safety. There must be verification for every e-commerce customer. Verifying identification online improves safety, compliance, and customer satisfaction.
