UK Ecommerce Terms of Service Best Practice

Customer Confidence vs Legal Complexity

[jgar]

Hi All,

I am looking to update our Terms & Conditions, but am unsure how to go about it.

Returns and abuse of our site are quite rare, so we don't absolutely need to have robust legal protection, but we do want to give customers CONFIDENCE.

Some sites have a minimum, presented in a friendly way, linked to at the bottom of every page: eg two separate (short) pages: FAQs, Returns Policy

Other sites have long pages of complex legal texts, and customers have to click their agreement before going ahead with the purchase.

Question:

RIGHT BALANCE?
Should we keeps things simple and friendly?
Or do customers find complex legal texts somehow "reassuring"?

RIGHT CONTENT?
What's most important: Returns? Delivery Times? Privacy? Price Promise? Payment Security? Complaints? etc

TEMPLATES?
Is there a good source of terms of service templates?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated

Cheers,

Jgar

[Later2]

I have a one sentence summary of each of the key issues with a link to a page of text giving an in-depth explanation.
For example:
Privacy: in summary, we will never release your details to a third party. Click here for more information.

[diamondgrl]

Short and simple is best. Legal mumbo-jumbo doesn't protect customers; clearly stated policies do.

[jgar]

Thanks for these comments, I like the idea of simplicity in both these replies, combined with more detailed information if required.

Any addice regarding the (in a customers mind) most important points to cover, and where to find templates?