It will help establish a consistent Internet identity for bona fide cooperatives worldwide, making it easier for consumers, producers and others to find the businesses they trust in the global electronic marketplace. By clearly identifying cooperatives in e-commerce, .coop will give consumers greater choice in the electronic marketplace. By helping consumers find cooperatives online, .coop will restore consumer trust in e-commerce.
Consumers trust cooperatives.
NCBA and its international cooperative partners will make eligibility determinations. As a result, consumers can be assured that .coop will have value and meaning in the marketplace. Many cooperatives prefer to do business with other cooperatives, buying their products and services from them. NCBA is establishing a digital divide fund to help limited-resource cooperatives do business online. This is particularly important for producer cooperatives in developing countries that wish to trade in global markets.