Frequently Asked Questions

SYNtrust is a trust seal provider that helps companies establish more trust, transparency, and security in online business. By displaying the SYNtrust Seal, you show your customers that your company has been reviewed and is trustworthy. The review covers important criteria such as company data, legal compliance, technical safeguards, and your online reputation.

The FirmChecked Seal is the universal solution for all companies, organizations, and service providers—including those that do not run an online shop or for whom the new, extensive ShopChecked Seal is too detailed.

The ShopChecked Seal is specifically designed for online shops and includes additional information such as the registered office and the shipping warehouse location. This ensures maximum transparency for customers: They can immediately see where the business is located and from where goods are shipped.

You can easily apply for the seal online in our seal shop. After successfully reviewing your information and documents, your certificate will be issued and you can start using the seal.

Your order confirmation will include a link to the seal registration form, where you can provide details about your company and upload any required documentation. That's all you need to do. Once your payment has been received, the review process will start. If any discrepancies are found during the review, we will contact you and request corrections and/or the necessary supporting documents.

SYNtrust can offer its seals at particularly low prices because we operate very efficiently and have digitized and automated most of our processes. From application and communication to certificate issuance, almost everything is handled online without unnecessary administrative effort.

However, the actual review of documents and the final approval are always done manually, because we place great importance on professionalism and a genuine, independent review of every company.

This combination of automation and personal review allows us to save costs, which we pass on directly to our customers. Fees are intentionally kept low to make the seal accessible to small businesses, start-ups, and sole proprietors.

We require proof of your business activity (e.g. trade license, commercial register extract) and proof verifying your address (e.g. energy supplier bill, official government letter, etc.).

For businesses based in Germany, the review is usually completed within 2 business days; for all other countries, within 5 business days—provided all documents are submitted fully and correctly.
 

No, sensitive data will not be made public. The public certificate only displays the key verification details and your company information as shown in your legal notice/imprint.

Your data is used exclusively for the review and certification process and processed in accordance with applicable data protection regulations. Temporary storage is only on servers located in Germany.

All data we are legally required to retain is stored digitally but offline. This means the information is not permanently accessible online, providing the best possible protection against unauthorized access, hacking, or data theft.

Any unnecessary data is deleted immediately after the review process is completed. Your data will never be passed on to third parties.

Before your certificate expires, we will notify you by email. The term will automatically renew unless you have cancelled. You may terminate the contract at any time; in that case, the certificate will become invalid and may no longer be used.

No, each shop requires its own certificate so that each review remains individual and fully traceable.

Please inform us immediately of any changes (e.g. new address, new legal form). We will update your information and adjust your certificate accordingly. This service is free of charge.

SYNtrust reserves the right to conduct regular random checks. If requirements are not continuously met, the seal may be withdrawn.

Yes, you may use the certificate and seal in print materials, on flyers, or in your physical store, as long as you have a valid certificate.

The shipping warehouse shows the location from which your goods are dispatched. This provides transparency for customers and makes it easier to estimate delivery times.

You may cancel the seal at any time with no notice period. You can end the term with a single click in your customer account or notify us by email or post.

The fees for the SYNtrust Seal are always calculated in advance for the entire chosen term. Fees are intentionally kept very low so that even small businesses and start-ups can afford our seal. The main effort—especially the document review and certificate issuance—occurs at the beginning of the term. For this reason, most of the fee is used up at the start and covers the services already provided. That’s why (partial) refunds are unfortunately not possible in the case of early termination.

We kindly ask for your understanding that this policy is necessary to ensure a fair and transparent pricing model for all customers.

Yes, we do not differentiate by the location of your business, but by the country where the seal is used (currently we offer our seals for use in DE, CH, AT, UK, BE, and PL).

In this example, the seal would display Spain as the registered office and China as the shipping warehouse.
So, for example, a German customer visiting a .de shop would instantly see that the contract partner is in Spain (protected by EU law) and shipping is from China (which may result in longer delivery times).

If your business is based outside the EU (e.g. China, Ukraine, USA, etc.), you will need to provide certified and translated documents for verification in order to receive a seal for your online shop within the EU.
Important: Regardless of your business location, your shop must always comply with the legal requirements of the EU and the respective country.

SYNtrust offers transparent, fair prices, fast review processes, and streamlined digital workflows. The seal is ideal for small and medium-sized businesses, but also for start-ups and sole proprietors.

In addition, SYNtrust provides a range of practical extras, including various tools and generators to support shop owners with daily tasks. Another plus is the community aspect: we are building a forum where shop owners can exchange ideas, learn from each other, and develop solutions together. This creates a supportive and practical network that goes beyond simply offering a trust seal.

With re-certification, your business data and, if necessary, any relevant supporting documents are reviewed again to ensure continued accuracy and trustworthiness.