The uniform industry has a variety of end-users, and hence many types of shoppers. Each of those shoppers have a different level of need and urgency that ultimately translates to a specific level of online security. At UniformMarket, we break this down into three categories for discussion: low, medium and high website security.
This level works fine for public websites where you want to show all the brands and products you sell. Within this level, no login is required to see the products on your website and shoppers can just browse freely through the selection of items for sale.
Medium level security is optimal for accounts you manage where the company or government agency will be directing their employees to order items, but does not care to maintain a specific list of employee who are allowed to purchase. A general, single password is required before the shopper can see any products and pricing. Shoppers will start on the main website, and can click on a sign-in area to enter/register using a general password they have been provided.
Once a shopper enters their password the website will show them the products that their company purchases from you, at the right prices, in the right colors, etc. On the UniformMarket platform we call this function Preferred Groups and it is available on our B2B Retailer Pro platform. For example, Great Dental Offices may have a few locations and dozens of employees, so you can give them a login using a single password like “GreatDental” so that they can see all their uniform options.
This level is appropriate for any accounts where purchasing and spending must be carefully tracked, or where the items being sold may present any sort of security risk should the wrong parties get ahold of the uniforms (law enforcement officers, medical, etc.).
Within this level, both a username and password are required to enter the website. And unlike in the low and medium security levels, there is no option to self-register and shop on the website without the required login information. The shoppers can (and should) be setup by you as the store owner, or you can give access to the company you sell to to manage their own employees; turning on and off their accounts as need.
There can be a need for even more security here, such as requiring passwords to be changed when a shopper first logs in; or presenting a shopper with one or more challenge questions in order to confirm they are indeed who they claim to be. For example, the Mayberry Police Department may only have a handful of authorized buyers for the department, or every employee/officer might require access to the website to place their orders. In either case it is important that only authorized personnel be allowed to access the website and place orders.
Depending on the types of customers you handle, you might deploy one, two, or all three of these types of purchasing scenarios in your business. Talk to your customers and gauge what they require in this area, then provide them with the right online purchasing experience that best fits their needs.
With online uniform stores, shopping has never been easier or more convenient for consumers. Of course, the growth in the popularity of online shopping, has brought an increase in the activities of cyber-criminals and hackers lurking in the shadows of the interwebs ready to target unwary consumers. Having the right level of security is the icing on the cake to ensure a pleasant and secure shopping experience for your customers.