{"id":179525,"date":"2023-02-13T02:57:37","date_gmt":"2023-02-13T02:57:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/?p=179525"},"modified":"2023-02-15T03:40:15","modified_gmt":"2023-02-15T03:40:15","slug":"visitor-user-accounts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/ecommerce-online-business\/visitor-user-accounts\/","title":{"rendered":"Can I Ask Website Visitors to My UK Online Business to Create User Accounts?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>UK online business owners usually prioritise website \u2018stickiness\u2019. This phrase relates to the desire for users to stay on the website after entering and then returning in the future. Online companies dislike the idea of their websites lacking \u2018sticky\u2019 content because this means that users will not stay on them long enough to buy anything or return in the future. This article will explore why some UK online businesses ask visitors to create user accounts to make their website content \u2018stickier\u2019. This will allow your company to assess whether the advantages of doing so are worth the extra steps required in setting up a website user system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is a Website User Account?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We have all been on websites that ask us to create an account. This usually involves the provision of an active email address and password and, sometimes, the input of name and home address details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Different online businesses have different ways of running their user account systems. Some examples include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>websites making user accounts mandatory to use the site;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>online companies compelling users to create an account to make purchases; or<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>online companies making account creation optional and allowing site usage and purchases without it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This article will explore the legalities of asking individuals to <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/ecommerce-online-business\/updated-website\/\">create website accounts<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Require Lawful Reasoning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The first step is to ensure that your online business can justify collecting personal data. Most online companies do so by stating that it allows the proper running of their business and the performance of a contract (usually a contract for purchasing goods or services).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An online business should ensure they have legal justification for obtaining personal information through a user registration process. For example, if your online company delivers physical goods by post, it should be able to request the following details for a user account:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>home address (for deliveries);<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>telephone number (to aid delivery drivers and update on progress);<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>email address (to update on order progress); and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>password (to provide reasonable security).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n<a href=\"#content-next\"\n   class=\"block p-4 mt-10 text-xl font-bold text-center text-white no-underline bg-gray-800 rounded-t-xl\">\n    Continue reading this article below the form\n    <i class=\"text-xl fa-regular fa-arrow-down\"><\/i>\n<\/a>\n<div class=\"px-6 pt-10 pb-12 mb-10 text-center bg-gray-100 rounded-b-xl sm:px-12 test\">\n    <div class=\"mb-8 text-2xl font-bold text-orange\">\n        Need legal advice?\n        <br>\n        <span class=\"text-lg not-prose\">\n                            Call <a href=\"tel:+448081968584\" class=\"not-prose\">0808 196 8584<\/a> for urgent assistance.\n                <br>\n                Otherwise, complete this form, and we will contact you within one business day.\n                    <\/span>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n\n<div class=\"not-prose flex justify-center text-left gform_input_bg_white    \">\n    <script>\nvar gform;gform||(document.addEventListener(\"gform_main_scripts_loaded\",function(){gform.scriptsLoaded=!0}),document.addEventListener(\"gform\/theme\/scripts_loaded\",function(){gform.themeScriptsLoaded=!0}),window.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){gform.domLoaded=!0}),gform={domLoaded:!1,scriptsLoaded:!1,themeScriptsLoaded:!1,isFormEditor:()=>\"function\"==typeof InitializeEditor,callIfLoaded:function(o){return!(!gform.domLoaded||!gform.scriptsLoaded||!gform.themeScriptsLoaded&&!gform.isFormEditor()||(gform.isFormEditor()&&console.warn(\"The use of gform.initializeOnLoaded() is deprecated in the form editor context and will be removed in 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Transparency Regarding Personal Information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The second step when obtaining information for specific purposes is to inform the user of those reasons. For example, suppose your business is <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/data-privacy-it\/privacy-obligations\/\">collecting personal data<\/a> to ensure efficient and effective fulfilment of orders and delivery of goods and services. In that case, it should say so upon collecting user information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your online company also wishes to send electronic marketing materials by email, it should state this intention and ask the individual for their consent when requesting their email address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div  class=\"box box--icon box--star\">\n    <p>UK law allows companies to collect personal information for user profiles as long as online businesses are open and transparent with their reasons for doing so.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Store Personal Information Safely&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Any online business that records personal information within user accounts must protect that personal data from theft and unauthorised use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are various reasons why online businesses should invest in solid cybersecurity and put strong protection in place for their user\u2019s accounts. Some reasons include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>failure to do so may breach UK law (by violating <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/data-privacy-it\/how-does-gdpr-affect-my-business\/\">the GDPR<\/a>);<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>avoiding reputational damage involved in having to contact website users to notify them of the possible theft of personal data through their user accounts; and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>because any unauthorised access or deletion of personal information will make it harder for the business to record and process purchases efficiently.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Allow Users to Close and Delete User Accounts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Individuals who create user accounts should also be able to close and delete them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>UK law expects online businesses to make the closure process easy to understand. For example, an old tactic of certain websites was to make it very difficult to close user accounts by requiring a telephone call to a busy number. However, recent efforts have seen most websites (and apps) making it relatively easy to request closure and deletion through an account management menu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div  class=\"box box--icon box--idea\">\n    <p>Whilst many businesses used to believe that making it difficult to close user accounts would increase the \u2018stickiness\u2019 of their website, it simply cemented the individual\u2019s desire to leave. It is usually to your advantage to make the process easy as it will avoid burning bridges and increase the chance of the consumer returning in the future.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Encouraging individuals to create website user accounts can be very helpful to your business. Firstly, it helps increase the \u2018stickiness\u2019 of your website by encouraging loyalty and creating a better user experience. Secondly, it allows your online business to collect personal information about its customers and identify purchase trends (such as the average age of consumers for specific products).\u00a0Due to the legalities involved with collecting personal information for registered users, many online business owners obtain legal advice to ensure a lawful process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you need help putting a legal user account system in place, our experienced <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/services\/ecommerce-online-business\/\">e-commerce and online business lawyers<\/a> can assist as part of our LegalVision membership. For a low monthly fee, you will have unlimited access to lawyers to answer your questions and draft and review your documents. Call us today on <a href=\"tel:+448081968584\" class=\"AVANSERnumber dynamic-number\">0808 196 8584<\/a> or visit our <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/membership\/\">membership page<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1676256656301\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Is there a set form for creating customer accounts?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">No, different websites will use different set-up pages for new users. For example, some will host user accounts on their website, whilst others will have a separate membership site.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1676256669523\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>Is it common for user accounts to be optional?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Many businesses offer customers the chance to create a new user account upon purchase or to &#8216;checkout as a guest&#8217;. This page usually lists some benefits of creating a new account but does not force the visitor to do so.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n<div class=\"not-prose m-feedback-prompt\">\n    <!-- Thumbs up\/down bar -->\n    <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__main\">\n        <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__title\">Was this article helpful?<\/div>\n        <div>\n            <!--span class=\"m-feedback-prompt__button--text\">Thanks!<\/span-->\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__button m-feedback-prompt__button--yes\"\n                    data-analytics-link=\"feedback-prompt:yes\" aria-label=\"Agree\">\n                <i class=\"fa-regular fa-thumbs-up fa-3x\"><\/i>\n            <\/button>\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__button m-feedback-prompt__button--no\"\n                    data-analytics-link=\"feedback-prompt:no\" aria-label=\"Disagree\">\n                <i class=\"fa-regular fa-thumbs-down fa-3x\"><\/i>\n            <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <!-- Feedback form -->\n    <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form\">\n        <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form--thanks \">\n            <div>Thanks!<\/div>\n            <p>\n                We appreciate your feedback \u2013 your submission has been successfully received.            <\/p>\n        <\/div>\n        <form id=\"contact-form\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form--form\" action=\"\" method=\"post\">\n            <input type=\"hidden\" id=\"authenticity_token\" name=\"authenticity_token\" value=\"9eb4f72322\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wp_http_referer\" value=\"\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/179525\" \/>            <input value=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/ecommerce-online-business\/visitor-user-accounts\/\" type=\"hidden\" name=\"currenturl\"\n                   id=\"currenturl\">\n            <input value=\"Can I Ask Website Visitors to My UK Online Business to Create User Accounts?\" type=\"hidden\" name=\"currenttitle\"\n                   id=\"currenttitle\">\n            <label>\n                <!-- display on thumbs-up -->\n                <span class=\"m-feedback-prompt__feedback m-feedback-prompt__feedback--yes\">\n                    Can you tell us <span class=\"font-semibold\">why<\/span> you found it helpful?\n                <\/span>\n\n                <!-- display on thumbs-down -->\n                <span class=\"m-feedback-prompt__feedback m-feedback-prompt__feedback--no text-lg\">\n                    How can we better improve this article?\n                <\/span>\n                <textarea name=\"feedbackmessage\" id=\"feedbackmessage\" required><\/textarea>\n            <\/label>\n\n            <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form--error\" id=\"form-submit-error\"><\/div>\n            <button id=\"submit-contact-form-button\" type=\"submit\" name=\"commit\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form--submit\"\n                    data-analytics-link=\"feedback-prompt:submit\">\n                Submit            <\/button>\n        <\/form>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>UK online business owners usually prioritise website \u2018stickiness\u2019. This phrase relates to the desire for users to stay on the website after entering and then returning in the future. Online companies dislike the idea of their websites lacking \u2018sticky\u2019 content because this means that users will not stay on them long enough to buy anything<a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.uk\/ecommerce-online-business\/visitor-user-accounts\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"sr-only\">&#8220;Can I Ask Website Visitors to My UK Online Business to Create User Accounts?&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13349,"featured_media":3232,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"179048,3634,1914,179112,177530,175626","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[20,21,54,379],"class_list":["post-179525","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ecommerce-online-business","tag-small-business","tag-medium-business","tag-online-business","tag-ecommerce"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is 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