TrustUK picks Mops for hallmark scheme

Online hallmark organisation TrustUK has signed up the Mail Order Protection Scheme (MOPS) as the successor to the Which? Web Trader ecommerce accreditation initiative.

MOPS was established by the national newspapers in 1975 to protect readers who order goods that fail to materialise as a result of an advertiser going into liquidation or out of business.

It will now become the new seal of quality for ecommerce sites that adhere to TrustUK guidelines.

TrustUK told Computing that it was close to appointing a successor for the Which? Web Trader two weeks ago (Computing 13 February, 2003) following the launch of our campaign to establish a common ecommerce accreditation standards mark.

Unlike the Which? scheme companies who now want to be certified secure and trustworthy will have to pay a fee.

TrustUK secretary Robert Dirskovski will this week email companies who were members of the Which? scheme to register their interest in joining the new initiative.

While Dirskovski believes it is essential that organisations pay a fee to cover accreditation processes, he is concerned that this will put many people off.

'A lot will depend on the appetite for the system,' he said. 'I'm amazed when I suggest the modest fee of £350, and I get a negative response. A system that doesn't cost anything can't do the vetting and monitoring that TrustUK provides.'

Dirskovski says the scheme will strive to be as similar as the Which? initiative as possible, and there is even a possibility that it will be called Web Trader.