What is a Wet Signature?

Although online signatures are hitting the market, wet signatures are still irreplaceable. Reasons for this vary. One is simply a case of people struck in their own ways of signing with pens and paper. Another relates to the universal trust in wet signatures. Yet, this signing style really tries one’s patience. Fortunately, nowadays, you can obtain wet signatures in a more efficient manner by using an e-sign tool. How? Let’s start with defining what a wet signature is.

What’s a Wet Signature?

A wet signature, or wet ink signature in simple terms, is marking a document with a pen or a name seal by the signer physically. The word ‘wet’ in wet signatures refers to the wetness in the ink when a document is signed, as it takes a few seconds for the ink to dry.

While specifics may vary with different countries, wet signatures usually encompass full names, initials, thumbprints, or even a simple mark “X” by the illiterate.

When Should You Use a Wet Signature?

Wet signatures are in common use for certain situations.

For some, using electronic signatures is insecure and non legally binding. They deem in-person signing with a pen as a norm.
As a standard practice, some agreements like bank loan forms, wills, trusts are more likely to be concluded with wet signatures.
In some countries, to ensure added legal force, many documents may be signed physically in front of a notary or other legal entities.

Wet Signatures VS. Electronic Signatures

Wet signatures and electronic ones are like chalk and cheese. While wet signatures, also known as ink signatures or wet ink signatures, are handwritten with ink, aka pen, an electronic signature means signing electronically to consent, approve, or authorize an agreement, a transaction or a contract.

Put simply, the electronic signature is a digitized format of a wet ink signature. With online signature tools like CocoSign, e-signatures can be inserted into the documents by typing, drawing, or uploading from computers or other e-devices directly.

Both of them are legally binding, irrespective of their forms. Learn more eSignature resources here.

What Are the Downsides of Wet Signature?

We may be used to a wet ink signature, but there are some problems of working with wet signatures:

Time-consuming process - Surging signing tasks put strain on businesses if they need to collect signatures from numerous signees together. Your projects may be suspended if signing parties can’t gather to sign due to distinct business schedules or holiday arrangements.
Lower efficiency - It takes a drive or even a trip to have your signers located differently sign some time-sensitive documents, slowing down business processes. Resort to delivery service? You would be frustrated when the delivery man loses or delays your document unexpectedly.
Unguaranteed security - Wet signatures lack sufficient security measures to protect signatures’ integrity and authenticity. You are likely to grapple with information leakage.
Difficult retrieval - Papers marked with wet signatures clutter up your desk or are archived into multiple filing drawers. Every time you have to sort through papers to find a necessary file.
Challenging data management - It takes a lot of space and time to store and organize a large volume of paper documents, with some signed, others waiting to be signed by yourself, or by others.
High costs - The associated costs can’t be underestimated: paper, filing shelves, inks, toners, print machines, and electricity. Don’t miss the bigger picture. Traditional paper-based signing processes drag down overall productivity, thereby impacting profitability negatively.
Adverse environmental impacts - Unlike electronic signatures, wet signatures are used on hard copy documents, which, beyond debate, leads to a surge in carbon footprints and greenhouse gas emissions.

How to Obtain a Wet Signature Fast?

As discussed previously, collecting wet signatures is time-consuming and laborious. Good news is that you can utilize CocoSign, an all-in-one online signing tool to accelerate this process and chop down turnaround time.

Send the document online with CocoSign. Once the signees receive the signing invites, they can open and view it via their phones or from their computers quickly. No need to transport the document or go for signee's signatures in person.
If needed, signers can fill out the necessary information online, let's say, address, age, previous employment experience, or education information. Self-evidently, typing is faster than writing.
The signers download the file and print it out. Once satisfied, sign the document physically.
They need to scan the paper file into a digital format again using a smartphone or traditional scanner.
Finally, upload the scanned file and send it back to the requester.

While reading halfway through the steps, you may realize that it could have been easier for the signees if they opt to type their signatures right on CocoSign’s platform. Therefore, If signatories don’t stick with wet signatures, consider switching to electronic signatures.

Why You Should Move to Electronic Signature

Wet signatures may spark many concerns. Why not transition to a more desirable alternative - electronic signatures?

E-signatures are as legally binding as wet signatures

Many doubt that online signatures aren’t as legal valid as wet ones. But that’s not true. Various regulations grant the same legal power to electronic signatures, such as eIDAS, ESIGN Act, and UETA. Both online signatures and wet ink ones can qualify as enforceable court evidence. No e-signatures would be denied legal effect only because they are in electronic formats.

E-signatures lessen the lengthy document approval process

With an e-sign tool like CocoSign, you can send the document to be electronically signed with only a few clicks. Your recipients are able to view and sign on the move. After they sign your documents, a PDF copy of the document will be sent to you and your recipients automatically.

E-signatures saves costs & men-hours

The entire signing process is done electronically, hence no need for paper, toners, inks and printing. Employees never need to chase down clients endlessly to sign, store documents one by one, and check the availability of all signers to conduct meetings for collecting signatures. Redirect the time saved to more meaningful tasks, a boon to your business eventually.

Upgrade to Digital Contract Process Using CocoSign

CocoSign helps automate your signature workflows and enhance efficiency, impressing your clients at the very start and displaying professionalism.

Sign Easily

Onboarding guidelines - Signing with CocoSign is a no brainer. Instructions of signing are clear and easy to spot in the dashboard.

Simple signing - It solely takes 2 steps to sign a document electronically: upload a document - add a signature.

Sign Efficiently

Bulk Send - Upload one document or more and send it/them to 100 recipients simultaneously.

Reminder - Auto-reminders can be sent to those who don’t sign in time by CocoSign.

Template - Create and save reusable templates.

Document Tracking - Get updates in real time when someone signs your document.

Sign Securely

Cutting-edge security measures - AES 256-bit encryption to protect data and authentication codes against unauthorized access.

Audit Trails - Traceable audit trails contain signing history and IP addresses of the signers, indicative of their intents and identities, fulfilling the requirements needed to make signatures legally enforceable.

Easier, Quicker, Safer eSignature Solution for SMBs and Professionals

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