Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about Authus... for consumers, retailers
and brands

Q: What is Authus?
A: Authus is a technology enabled authentication service. What do we authenticate? That the website you landed on is the website you expect and it claims to be. The Authus seal is provided by a brand to it's authorized retailers to help consumers distinguish between those online resellers who are operating with the brand's endorsement, and those who are not (the "unauthorized retailers").

Q: Why is it important to distinguish an authorized retailer from an unauthorized retailer?
A: Because when a consumer is shopping online today, its virtually impossible to determine which websites represent authorized retailers and which are operated by unauthorized retailers. This is important because authorized retailers have typically agreed to a set of rules regarding the brand's products, such as maintenance of the goods, and the brand, in return, will honor things such as warranties. Also, authorized retailers typically take precautions to ensure they do not inadvertently offer counterfeit goods.

Q: How does Authus protect consumers from inadvertently purchasing counterfeit goods?
A: "Counterfeiting and piracy cost the US economy approximately $250 billion annually, have led to the loss of more than 750,000 American jobs and needlessly expose consumers to dangerous and defective products."*(source:US Chamber of Commerce) As e-commerce on the internet has grown, so too has the risk of inadvertently purchasing a counterfeit product. Authus's job is to make it clear that a particular retailer has been authorized by a brand to represent that brand's authentic products. Consumers can feel comfortable that if they purchase from an online retailer who displays the Authus seal, that they have taken all possible steps to procure the "real" product.

Q: What is different about the Authus seal and other seals I see on websites?
A: Authus is an "active seal" which can figure out what web site it has been placed on, and then take actions based on where it is located. This makes it much more difficult for fraudsters to misappropriate the Authus seal. Simply placing it on their site will not give the desired results -- it will tell the user the fraudulent site is Not Authorized. Other thrid party seals are simple images with links, and can be easier to hack.

An adept fraudster can still copy the look and feel of the seal, just like someone could copy an image from another web site. For this reason, the Authus seal incorporates a small icon, which you can personally choose from a set of icons we provide. This icon is stored on your own computer in an encrypted format, not at the Authus site, and requires the official Authus seal running inside an authorized retailer's page to be displayed in order to unlock it. As a result, you should always look for your personal icon wherever you see the Authus seal. If it is not present, or is not the icon you chose, you should be wary of any content the seal shows you -- it might be a forgery. Select an icon that you can remember the next time you visit an Authus-enabled site.

Q: What is a seal?
A: A seal in this context generally refers to an imprint of some sort that designates the authenticity or origin of something. It is similar to a certification mark, which generally indicates that a product or service has met certain standards to receive the certification, such as the Underwriters Laboratories certification. It does not mean the certifier approves of the product or service, but rather that the product or service meets a certain set of predetermined standards.

Q. Who needs Authus?
A: Consumers - to help reduce their risk of inadvertently purchasing a counterfeit product. Online retailers - to help distinguish the authorized from the unauthorized retailers for a specific product. Brands - to help them direct consumers to their authorized retailers.

Q: What is the difference between a counterfeit and gray market product?
A: Webster defines "counterfeit" as "Fabricated in imitation of something else, with a view to defraud by passing the false copy for genuine or original". In short, a fake. As we all know, buying fake goods can result in, at a minimum, the goods not performing in the manner they were intended or falling apart to more serious problems such as endangering your health and safety.

Gray market refers to the sale of authentic goods by unauthorized retailers. Gray market goods, while they may seem okay to buy, may not be as good "deals" as they seem to be. Often the goods will not be covered under a manufacturer's warranty, were created for the tastes of a different market and therefore not meet the same expectations you have for that product, or worse, may not meet local regulations for safety and compatibility with other products.

 

 

Questions about how to better use Authus

Q: How do I customize an icon?
A: From a website, click on the seal and a look up window will appear.
From the look up window, please click on customize then a screen will appear with a selection of icons. Just click on an icon and you're done!

Q: Why is the Seal moving?
A: The seal moves once Authus's technology has checked to see if the site you're visiting is a member of the Authus Alliance. Its an extra level of security to help prevent hackers from copying the seal.

Q: What if the Seal is not moving?
A: If the seal is not moving, the site may not be a member of the Authus Alliance and your personal security may be compromised. Please submit a report that the seal has been misused by emailing misuse@Authus.com.

Q: What does the hand mean?
A: The hand means stop. If you see the hand, the site you're visiting may not be a member of the Authus Alliance and your personal security may be compromised. Please submit a report that the seal has been misused by emailing misuse@Authus.com.

Q: What is the look up window?
A: The look up window is a series of screens activated by clicking on the seal. Within the look up window you may browse for information regarding the retailer's refund and return policies, warranties, location, fulfillment and more. Its a place where you will find the answers to questions about doing business with a specific retailer.

Q: What happens when I click on the seal?
A: Once you click on the seal, the look up window will appear.

Q: When should I see my custom icon?
A: You should see your custom icon once a page loads in a second. If your connection to the Internet is slow, it could take up to 5-10 seconds to load your personalized icon.

Q: What if I don't see my customized icon?
A: If you don't see your customized icon, then there is a security problem. Please report misuse of the seal to Authus immediately by emailing misuse@Authus.com.

 

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Authus is in Beta and there are a
limited number of brands participating
in the Beta.

To find out how Authus can work for your brand, please email us at

info@auhus.com

If you have any suggestions or
would like to share what you think
about Authus's product, please
participate in our fact gathering
mission and click here.

System Requirements
Authus requires Flash 9.
Click here to download Flash 9.