Privacy is a massive problem for every e-commerce brand owner.
When you run your own store, your personal information is attached to just about everything you do online… And cybercriminals can find it fast.
Public business registrations. Online data exposure. Industry wide data breaches.
You name it. Any information that you care about keeping private could be at risk.
So how can you run your e-commerce brand while also protecting your privacy? Let’s break this down.
Why Privacy Should Matter to E-Commerce Brands
Running an e-commerce brand isn’t just about selling online.
When you register your business, your home address, full legal name, phone number and more are suddenly public information.
Plus with all of the new privacy laws coming down the pipeline, there’s never been a better time to take your privacy seriously.
The consequences of poor privacy practices can haunt your store for years. From customers who won’t buy from you to hackers who threaten your livelihood.
Here are the biggest reasons why privacy should matter to e-commerce brands:
Avoid Having Your Address Published Online
Think twice before using your home address for anything connected to your store.
If your home address is linked to your business, it can appear:
- On your business website
- In connection with brand social media profiles
- On domain registration records
- Through business registrations with government agencies
Remember, just because you stop using your home address for business mail doesn’t mean it can magically be removed from places it’s already been published.
Prevent Identity Theft
The more information about you that lives online, the more susceptible you are to identity theft.
Sensitive data like your mailing address and phone number are clues hackers use to piece together larger schemes.
Say Goodbye to Junk Mail
This one should be obvious. Once your home address is connected to your business, you’ll never see an end to junk mail again.
Whether it’s unordered catalogues, credit card offers or just downright spam… Your personal mailbox will never be the same.
Prospective Customers Trust Privacy-Focused Brands
According to recent research, over 80% of customers stopped supporting brands that made their data public.
If you value your own privacy, wouldn’t you expect your brand to value it too?
The Danger of Using Your Home Address
It may be convenient, but using your home address for your e-commerce business is a huge privacy risk.
Here’s why:
- Unwanted Attention. Your address will be discoverable by anyone. Including: angry customers, competitors, or just about anyone else that decides to Google it.
- Security Threats. Once your home address is made public, it puts you at risk for identity theft. Thieves can use your information to steal your identity or sell it on the dark web.
- Relocation Ruins. If you ever decide to move, changing your address will be a pain. You’ll not only have to file a change of address with the post office. You’ll need to update your address with everyone you’ve ever done business with.
The solution? Keep your home address separate from your online business at all costs.
The easiest way to do this is by using a mailing address for online businesses paired with remote mail scanning.
How Remote Mail Scanning Can Protect Your Privacy
If you want to keep your home address separate from your e-commerce brand, mail scanning is a must.
With remote mail scanning you can:
- Give your brand a professional business address
- Have physical mail forwarded to you electronically
- Access your mail from anywhere in the world
- Keep your home address private
Think about it…
Who needs to know where you live? Not your customers. Not your suppliers. You don’t even need to worry about whether your own mail arrives safely!
Today’s digital era means even brick and mortar stores are going virtual by embracing remote mail scanning.
Don’t be left behind.
5 Tips to Lock Down Your Digital Footprint
In addition to using remote mail scanning, there are other steps you can take to lock down your digital footprint as an e-commerce store owner.
1. Use WHOIS Privacy Protection
WHOIS privacy protection hides your personal information from the public record when registering your domain.
Which means less of your data floating around online for hackers to exploit.
2. Create a Separate Business Email
Create a business email that does not include your real name.
You’d be surprised how many hackers and spammers use clever email filters to determine if an email is personal or business related.
3. Enable Two-Factor Authentication
Enable two-factor authentication on all business accounts connected to your online store.
This includes:
- Email accounts
- Social media accounts
- Online marketplaces
- Accounting software
Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security making it harder for hackers to gain access to your private information.
4. Audit Your Social Media Privacy Settings
Take a few minutes to review the privacy settings on all social media profiles for your business.
Ensuring you’re not sharing more information than you need to be online is extremely important.
These days social media platforms are free to sell your data to third-party companies.
5. Minimize Personal Information Shared Online
Finally, be mindful of the personal information you share online.
Although it may be tempting to use your personal address for business purposes, it’ll only lead to headaches down the road.
Keep Up With Privacy Regulations
Data privacy laws aren’t going away.
Consumers are demanding better and until companies step up to protect their data, these laws will only get stricter.
Did you know that by 2025 twenty states had already passed comprehensive privacy legislation?
While most of these laws focus on customer data privacy, it sheds a light on how important your own personal privacy is as a small business owner.
If your e-commerce brand is hit with a data breach or privacy complaint, would you want your home address exposed?
Think of using privacy forward services and tools like remote mail scanning as an investment in your brand’s future.
Wrapping Things Up
Running an e-commerce brand while protecting your privacy may seem difficult. But when you take the right steps, it can be pretty simple.
Stop worrying about privacy scams and start protecting yourself online.
- Eliminate your home address from your online business
- Use remote mail scanning to keep your business mail private
- Lock down your digital footprint on the web
- Stay up-to-date with privacy laws in your area
- Separate your personal and business information
Privacy shouldn’t just be your customers’ concern. It should be yours too.
Take action today and keep your private information safe for years to come.
