Terms of Service

Last updated November 26, 2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  1. AGREEMENT TO TERMS
  2. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
  3. USER REPRESENTATIONS
  4. USER REGISTRATION
  5. PRODUCTS
  6. PURCHASES AND PAYMENT
  7. RETURN POLICY
  8. PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES
  9. USER GENERATED CONTRIBUTIONS
  10. CONTRIBUTION LICENSE
  11. GUIDELINES FOR REVIEWS
  12. SUBMISSIONS
  13. SITE MANAGEMENT
  14. PRIVACY POLICY
  15. DIGITAL MILLENNIUM COPYRIGHT ACT (DMCA) NOTICE AND POLICY
  16. TERM AND TERMINATION
  17. MODIFICATIONS AND INTERRUPTIONS
  18. GOVERNING LAW
  19. DISPUTE RESOLUTION
  20. CORRECTIONS
  21. DISCLAIMER
  22. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY
  23. INDEMNIFICATION
  24. USER DATA
  25. ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS, TRANSACTIONS, AND SIGNATURES
  26. CALIFORNIA USERS AND RESIDENTS
  27. MISCELLANEOUS
  28. CONTACT US
  29. AGREEMENT TO TERMS

These Terms of Use constitute a legally binding agreement made between you, whether personally or on behalf of an entity (“you”) and ("Company", “we”, “us”, or “our”), concerning your access to and use of the website as well as any other media form, media channel, mobile website or mobile application related, linked, or otherwise connected thereto (collectively, the “Site”). We are registered in , . You agree that by accessing the Site, you have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by all of these Terms of Use. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH ALL OF THESE TERMS OF USE, THEN YOU ARE EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED FROM USING THE SITE AND YOU MUST DISCONTINUE USE IMMEDIATELY.

Supplemental terms and conditions or documents that may be posted on the Site from time to time are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference. We reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to make changes or modifications to these Terms of Use from time to time. We will alert you about any changes by updating the “Last updated” date of these Terms of Use, and you waive any right to receive specific notice of each such change. Please ensure that you check the applicable Terms every time you use our Site so that you understand which Terms apply. You will be subject to, and will be deemed to have been made aware of and to have accepted, the changes in any revised Terms of Use by your continued use of the Site after the date such revised Terms of Use are posted.

The information provided on the Site is not intended for distribution to or use by any person or entity in any jurisdiction or country where such distribution or use would be contrary to law or regulation or which would subject us to any registration requirement within such jurisdiction or country. Accordingly, those persons who choose to access the Site from other locations do so on their own initiative and are solely responsible for compliance with local laws, if and to the extent local laws are applicable.

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT SECTION 19 BELOW CONTAINS PROVISIONS GOVERNING HOW DISPUTES BETWEEN YOU AND US WILL BE RESOLVED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY DISPUTES THAT AROSE OR WERE ASSERTED PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE TERMS. SECTION 19 CONTAINS, AMONG OTHER THINGS, AN AGREEMENT TO ARBITRATE WHICH REQUIRES, WITH LIMITED EXCEPTIONS, THAT ALL DISPUTES BETWEEN YOU AND US BE RESOLVED BY BINDING AND FINAL ARBITRATION. UNLESS YOU OPT OUT OF THE AGREEMENT TO ARBITRATE WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE AGREEMENT: (1) YOU AND WE WILL ONLY BE PERMITTED TO PURSUE DISPUTES OR CLAIMS AND SEEK RELIEF AGAINST THE OTHER PARTY ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY CLASS OR REPRESENTATIVE ACTION OR PROCEEDING AND EACH OF US WAIVES OUR RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT OR CLASS-WIDE ARBITRATION; AND (2) EACH OF US IS WAIVING OUR RIGHT TO PURSUE DISPUTES OR CLAIMS AND SEEK RELIEF IN A COURT OF LAW AND TO HAVE A JURY TRIAL. IN SOME COUNTRIES YOU MAY HAVE ADDITIONAL RIGHTS AND/OR ELEMENTS OF THE ARBITRATION AGREEMENT MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU AS REQUIRED BY LAW.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE TERMS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE BY US IN OUR SOLE DISCRETION AT ANY TIME. When changes are made, we will publish a copy of the current Terms and any updated Policies available on Bear Balanced, and we will also update the “Last Updated” date at the top of the Terms. We encourage you to periodically review Terms and Policies for the latest version. Unless otherwise stated in such update, any changes to the Terms will be effective immediately for users of the Services without an Account and thirty (30) days after posting for users with Accounts. We may require you to provide consent to the updated Terms in a specified manner before further use of the Services is permitted. If you do not agree to any change(s) after receiving notice of such change(s), you shall stop using the Services. Otherwise, your continued use of the Services constitutes your acceptance of such change(s). PLEASE REGULARLY CHECK THE WEBSITE OR APPLICATION TO VIEW THE THEN-CURRENT TERMS.

  1. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

Unless otherwise indicated, the Site is our proprietary property and all source code, databases, functionality, software, website designs, audio, video, text, photographs, and graphics on the Site (collectively, the “Content”) and the trademarks, service marks, and logos contained therein (the “Marks”) are owned or controlled by us or licensed to us, and are protected by copyright and trademark laws and various other intellectual property rights and unfair competition laws of the United States, international copyright laws, and international conventions. The Content and the Marks are provided on the Site “AS IS” for your information and personal use only. Except as expressly provided in these Terms of Use, no part of the Site and no Content or Marks may be copied, reproduced, aggregated, republished, uploaded, posted, publicly displayed, encoded, translated, transmitted, distributed, sold, licensed, or otherwise exploited for any commercial purpose whatsoever, without our express prior written permission.

Provided that you are eligible to use the Site, you are granted a limited license to access and use the Site and to download or print a copy of any portion of the Content to which you have properly gained access solely for your personal, non-commercial use. We reserve all rights not expressly granted to you in and to the Site, the Content and the Marks.

  1. USER REPRESENTATIONS

By using the Site, you represent and warrant that:(3) you have the legal capacity and you agree to comply with these Terms of Use;(5) you are not a minor in the jurisdiction in which you reside; (6) you will not access the Site through automated or non-human means, whether through a bot, script or otherwise; (7) you will not use the Site for any illegal or unauthorized purpose; and (8) your use of the Site will not violate any applicable law or regulation.

If you provide any information that is untrue, inaccurate, not current, or incomplete, we have the right to suspend or terminate your account and refuse any and all current or future use of the Site (or any portion thereof).

4. USER REGISTRATION

Account Creation

  • To access certain features of our services, users are required to register and create an account.
  • During registration, users must provide accurate, complete, and up-to-date information. Users are responsible for maintaining the accuracy of their account details.

Account Security

  • Users are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of their login credentials.
  • Any activity conducted through the user's account will be considered authorized by the account holder. If you suspect unauthorized access or a security breach, notify us immediately.

Eligibility

  • Registration is restricted to those who meet the legal age of majority in their jurisdiction.
  • By registering, users agree to comply with all terms and policies outlined in this agreement.

Termination

  • We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts at our discretion if users are found to violate any terms, provide false information, or misuse the services.

Privacy

  • Personal information provided during registration is subject to our Privacy Policy. By registering, users consent to the collection, use, and storage of their information as outlined in the policy.
  1. PRODUCTS

All products are subject to availability. We reserve the right to discontinue any products at any time for any reason. Prices for all products are subject to change.

  1. PURCHASES AND PAYMENT

You agree to provide current, complete, and accurate purchase and account information for all purchases made via the Site. You further agree to promptly update account and payment information, including email address, payment method, and payment card expiration date, so that we can complete your transactions and contact you as needed. Sales tax will be added to the price of purchases as deemed required by us. We may change prices at any time. All payments shall be in .

You agree to pay all charges at the prices then in effect for your purchases and any applicable shipping fees, and you authorize us to charge your chosen payment provider for any such amounts upon placing your order. We reserve the right to correct any errors or mistakes in pricing, even if we have already requested or received payment.

We reserve the right to refuse any order placed through the Site. We may, in our sole discretion, limit or cancel quantities purchased per person, per household, or per order. These restrictions may include orders placed by or under the same customer account, the same payment method, and/or orders that use the same billing or shipping address. We reserve the right to limit or prohibit orders that, in our sole judgment, appear to be placed by dealers, resellers, or distributors.

7. RETURN POLICY

General Policy

  • Return Window: Orders can be returned within 30 days of delivery.
  • Condition: Returned products must be in their original packaging and in like-new condition to qualify for a refund.
  • Exclusions: Subscription orders and SMS promotional offers are not eligible for return or cancellation. All sales are final for these items.

How to Return Your Order

  1. Initiate Return: Reply to your order confirmation email with the reason for your return. We will provide further instructions on how to proceed.
  2. Shipping Costs: Customers are responsible for the cost of return shipping. Original shipping charges are non-refundable.
  3. Return Fee: A $15 recycle/return fee per bag will be deducted from your total refund.

Damaged Packages

  • Notification: If your package arrives damaged, notify us within 24 hours of delivery by replying to your order confirmation email.
  • Review Process: Each claim will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
  • Melted Gummies: We are not responsible for melted gummies due to improper delivery conditions. To prevent melting, ensure your package can be delivered to a cool, covered location, especially in warmer months.

"Returned to Sender" Packages

  • Reason for Return: USPS may return packages due to insufficient/incorrect addresses or delivery access issues.
  • Refund Policy: Packages returned to sender will be refunded, less a $15 return fee. Original shipping charges are non-refundable.
  • Reordering: A new order must be placed if you wish to receive your product.
  1. PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES

You may not access or use the Site for any purpose other than that for which we make the Site available. The Site may not be used in connection with any commercial endeavors except those that are specifically endorsed or approved by us.

As a user of the Site, you agree not to:

  • Systematically retrieve data or other content from the Site to create or compile, directly or indirectly, a collection, compilation, database, or directory without written permission from us.
  • Trick, defraud, or mislead us and other users, especially in any attempt to learn sensitive account information such as user passwords.
  • Circumvent, disable, or otherwise interfere with security-related features of the Site, including features that prevent or restrict the use or copying of any Content or enforce limitations on the use of the Site and/or the Content contained therein.
  • Disparage, tarnish, or otherwise harm, in our opinion, us and/or the Site.
  • Use any information obtained from the Site in order to harass, abuse, or harm another person.
  • Make improper use of our support services or submit false reports of abuse or misconduct.
  • Use the Site in a manner inconsistent with any applicable laws or regulations.
  • Engage in unauthorized framing of or linking to the Site.
  • Upload or transmit (or attempt to upload or to transmit) viruses, Trojan horses, or other material, including excessive use of capital letters and spamming (continuous posting of repetitive text), that interferes with any party’s uninterrupted use and enjoyment of the Site or modifies, impairs, disrupts, alters, or interferes with the use, features, functions, operation, or maintenance of the Site.
  • Engage in any automated use of the system, such as using scripts to send comments or messages, or using any data mining, robots, or similar data gathering and extraction tools.
  • Delete the copyright or other proprietary rights notice from any Content.
  • Attempt to impersonate another user or person or use the username of another user.
  • Upload or transmit (or attempt to upload or to transmit) any material that acts as a passive or active information collection or transmission mechanism, including without limitation, clear graphics interchange formats (“gifs”), 1×1 pixels, web bugs, cookies, or other similar devices (sometimes referred to as “spyware” or “passive collection mechanisms” or “pcms”).
  • Interfere with, disrupt, or create an undue burden on the Site or the networks or services connected to the Site.
  • Harass, annoy, intimidate, or threaten any of our employees or agents engaged in providing any portion of the Site to you.
  • Attempt to bypass any measures of the Site designed to prevent or restrict access to the Site, or any portion of the Site.
  • Copy or adapt the Site’s software, including but not limited to Flash, PHP, HTML, JavaScript, or other code.
  • Except as permitted by applicable law, decipher, decompile, disassemble, or reverse engineer any of the software comprising or in any way making up a part of the Site.
  • Except as may be the result of standard search engine or Internet browser usage, use, launch, develop, or distribute any automated system, including without limitation, any spider, robot, cheat utility, scraper, or offline reader that accesses the Site, or using or launching any unauthorized script or other software.
  • Use a buying agent or purchasing agent to make purchases on the Site.
  • Make any unauthorized use of the Site, including collecting usernames and/or email addresses of users by electronic or other means for the purpose of sending unsolicited email, or creating user accounts by automated means or under false pretenses.
  • Use the Site as part of any effort to compete with us or otherwise use the Site and/or the Content for any revenue-generating endeavor or commercial enterprise.
  • The creation, distribution, transmission, public display, or performance, and the accessing, downloading, or copying of your Contributions do not and will not infringe the proprietary rights, including but not limited to the copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, or moral rights of any third party.
  • You are the creator and owner of or have the necessary licenses, rights, consents, releases, and permissions to use and to authorize us, the Site, and other users of the Site to use your Contributions in any manner contemplated by the Site and these Terms of Use.
  • You have the written consent, release, and/or permission of each and every identifiable individual person in your Contributions to use the name or likeness of each and every such identifiable individual person to enable inclusion and use of your Contributions in any manner contemplated by the Site and these Terms of Use.
  • Your Contributions are not false, inaccurate, or misleading.
  • Your Contributions are not unsolicited or unauthorized advertising, promotional materials, pyramid schemes, chain letters, spam, mass mailings, or other forms of solicitation.
  • Your Contributions are not obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, violent, harassing, libelous, slanderous, or otherwise objectionable (as determined by us).
  • Your Contributions do not ridicule, mock, disparage, intimidate, or abuse anyone.
  • Your Contributions are not used to harass or threaten (in the legal sense of those terms) any other person and to promote violence against a specific person or class of people.
  • Your Contributions do not violate any applicable law, regulation, or rule.
  • Your Contributions do not violate the privacy or publicity rights of any third party.
  • Your Contributions do not violate any applicable law concerning child pornography, or otherwise intended to protect the health or well-being of minors;
  • Your Contributions do not include any offensive comments that are connected to race, national origin, gender, sexual preference, or physical handicap.
  • Your Contributions do not otherwise violate, or link to material that violates, any provision of these Terms of Use, or any applicable law or regulation.
  1. GUIDELINES FOR REVIEWS

We may provide you areas on the Site to leave reviews or ratings. When posting a review, you must comply with the following criteria: (1) you should have firsthand experience with the person/entity being reviewed; (2) your reviews should not contain offensive profanity, or abusive, racist, offensive, or hate language; (3) your reviews should not contain discriminatory references based on religion, race, gender, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, or disability; (4) your reviews should not contain references to illegal activity; (5) you should not be affiliated with competitors if posting negative reviews; (6) you should not make any conclusions as to the legality of conduct; (7) you may not post any false or misleading statements; and (8) you may not organize a campaign encouraging others to post reviews, whether positive or negative.

We may accept, reject, or remove reviews in our sole discretion. We have absolutely no obligation to screen reviews or to delete reviews, even if anyone considers reviews objectionable or inaccurate. Reviews are not endorsed by us, and do not necessarily represent our opinions or the views of any of our affiliates or partners. We do not assume liability for any review or for any claims, liabilities, or losses resulting from any review. By posting a review, you hereby grant to us a perpetual, non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, fully-paid, assignable, and sublicensable right and license to reproduce, modify, translate, transmit by any means, display, perform, and/or distribute all content relating to review.

  1. SUBMISSIONS

You acknowledge and agree that any questions, comments, suggestions, ideas, feedback, or other information regarding the Site or the Marketplace Offerings ("Submissions") provided by you to us are non-confidential and shall become our sole property. We shall own exclusive rights, including all intellectual property rights, and shall be entitled to the unrestricted use and dissemination of these Submissions for any lawful purpose, commercial or otherwise, without acknowledgment or compensation to you. You hereby waive all moral rights to any such Submissions, and you hereby warrant that any such Submissions are original with you or that you have the right to submit such Submissions. You agree there shall be no recourse against us for any alleged or actual infringement or misappropriation of any proprietary right in your Submissions.

  1. SITE MANAGEMENT

We reserve the right, but not the obligation, to: (1) monitor the Site for violations of these Terms of Use; (2) take appropriate legal action against anyone who, in our sole discretion, violates the law or these Terms of Use, including without limitation, reporting such user to law enforcement authorities; (3) in our sole discretion and without limitation, refuse, restrict access to, limit the availability of, or disable (to the extent technologically feasible) any of your Contributions or any portion thereof; (4) in our sole discretion and without limitation, notice, or liability, to remove from the Site or otherwise disable all files and content that are excessive in size or are in any way burdensome to our systems; and (5) otherwise manage the Site in a manner designed to protect our rights and property and to facilitate the proper functioning of the Site and the Marketplace Offerings.

  1. PRIVACY POLICY

We care about data privacy and security. Please review our Privacy Policy: . By using the Site or the Marketplace Offerings, you agree to be bound by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms of Use. Please be advised the Site and the Marketplace Offerings are hosted in the . If you access the Site or the Marketplace Offerings from any other region of the world with laws or other requirements governing personal data collection, use, or disclosure that differ from applicable laws in the , then through your continued use of the Site, you are transferring your data to the , and you expressly consent to have your data transferred to and processed in the .

  1. DIGITAL MILLENNIUM COPYRIGHT ACT (DMCA) NOTICE AND POLICY

Notifications

We respect the intellectual property rights of others. If you believe that any material available on or through the Site infringes upon any copyright you own or control, please immediately notify our Designated Copyright Agent using the contact information provided below (a “Notification”). A copy of your Notification will be sent to the person who posted or stored the material addressed in the Notification. Please be advised that pursuant to federal law you may be held liable for damages if you make material misrepresentations in a Notification. Thus, if you are not sure that material located on or linked to by the Site infringes your copyright, you should consider first contacting an attorney.

All Notifications should meet the requirements of DMCA 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3) and include the following information: (1) A physical or electronic signature of a person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed; (2) identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed, or, if multiple copyrighted works on the Site are covered by the Notification, a representative list of such works on the Site; (3) identification of the material that is claimed to be infringing or to be the subject of infringing activity and that is to be removed or access to which is to be disabled, and information reasonably sufficient to permit us to locate the material; (4) information reasonably sufficient to permit us to contact the complaining party, such as an address, telephone number, and, if available, an email address at which the complaining party may be contacted; (5) a statement that the complaining party has a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; and (6) a statement that the information in the notification is accurate, and under penalty of perjury, that the complaining party is authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed upon.

Counter Notification

If you believe your own copyrighted material has been removed from the Site as a result of a mistake or misidentification, you may submit a written counter notification to [us/our Designated Copyright Agent] using the contact information provided below (a “Counter Notification”). To be an effective Counter Notification under the DMCA, your Counter Notification must include substantially the following: (1) identification of the material that has been removed or disabled and the location at which the material appeared before it was removed or disabled; (2) a statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of the Federal District Court in which your address is located, or if your address is outside the United States, for any judicial district in which we are located; (3) a statement that you will accept service of process from the party that filed the Notification or the party's agent; (4) your name, address, and telephone number; (5) a statement under penalty of perjury that you have a good faith belief that the material in question was removed or disabled as a result of a mistake or misidentification of the material to be removed or disabled; and (6) your physical or electronic signature.

If you send us a valid, written Counter Notification meeting the requirements described above, we will restore your removed or disabled material, unless we first receive notice from the party filing the Notification informing us that such party has filed a court action to restrain you from engaging in infringing activity related to the material in question. Please note that if you materially misrepresent that the disabled or removed content was removed by mistake or misidentification, you may be liable for damages, including costs and attorney's fees. Filing a false Counter Notification constitutes perjury.

  1. TERM AND TERMINATION

These Terms of Use shall remain in full force and effect while you use the Site. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THESE TERMS OF USE, WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO, IN OUR SOLE DISCRETION AND WITHOUT NOTICE OR LIABILITY, DENY ACCESS TO AND USE OF THE SITE AND THE MARKETPLACE OFFERINGS (INCLUDING BLOCKING CERTAIN IP ADDRESSES), TO ANY PERSON FOR ANY REASON OR FOR NO REASON, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION FOR BREACH OF ANY REPRESENTATION, WARRANTY, OR COVENANT CONTAINED IN THESE TERMS OF USE OR OF ANY APPLICABLE LAW OR REGULATION. WE MAY TERMINATE YOUR USE OR PARTICIPATION IN THE SITE AND THE MARKETPLACE OFFERINGS OR DELETE ANY CONTENT OR INFORMATION THAT YOU POSTED AT ANY TIME, WITHOUT WARNING, IN OUR SOLE DISCRETION.

If we terminate or suspend your account for any reason, you are prohibited from registering and creating a new account under your name, a fake or borrowed name, or the name of any third party, even if you may be acting on behalf of the third party. In addition to terminating or suspending your account, we reserve the right to take appropriate legal action, including without limitation pursuing civil, criminal, and injunctive redress.

  1. MODIFICATIONS AND INTERRUPTIONS

We reserve the right to change, modify, or remove the contents of the Site at any time or for any reason at our sole discretion without notice. However, we have no obligation to update any information on our Site. We also reserve the right to modify or discontinue all or part of the Marketplace Offerings without notice at any time. We will not be liable to you or any third party for any modification, price change, suspension, or discontinuance of the Site or the Marketplace Offerings.

We cannot guarantee the Site and the Marketplace Offerings will be available at all times. We may experience hardware, software, or other problems or need to perform maintenance related to the Site, resulting in interruptions, delays, or errors. We reserve the right to change, revise, update, suspend, discontinue, or otherwise modify the Site or the Marketplace Offerings at any time or for any reason without notice to you. You agree that we have no liability whatsoever for any loss, damage, or inconvenience caused by your inability to access or use the Site or the Marketplace Offerings during any downtime or discontinuance of the Site or the Marketplace Offerings. Nothing in these Terms of Use will be construed to obligate us to maintain and support the Site or the Marketplace Offerings or to supply any corrections, updates, or releases in connection therewith.

  1. GOVERNING LAW

These Terms of Use and your use of the Site and the Marketplace Offerings are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of applicable to agreements made and to be entirely performed within Unites States.

  1. DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Any legal action of whatever nature brought by either you or us (collectively, the "Parties" and individually, a "Party") shall be commenced or prosecuted in the state and federal courts located in , , and the Parties hereby consent to, and waive all defenses of lack of personal jurisdiction and forum non conveniens with respect to venue and jurisdiction in such state and federal courts. Application of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods and the Uniform Computer Information Transaction Act (UCITA) are excluded from these Terms of Use. In no event shall any claim, action, or proceeding brought by either Party related in any way to the Site be commenced more than years after the cause of action arose.

PLEASE READ THIS SECTION 19 ("ARBITRATION AGREEMENT") CAREFULLY. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THIS SECTION CONTAINS PROVISIONS GOVERNING HOW DISPUTES BETWEEN YOU AND US WILL BE RESOLVED. AMONG OTHER THINGS, THIS SECTION 19 INCLUDES AN AGREEMENT TO ARBITRATE, WHICH REQUIRES, WITH LIMITED EXCEPTIONS, THAT ALL DISPUTES BETWEEN YOU AND US BE RESOLVED BY BINDING AND FINAL ARBITRATION. THIS SECTION 19 ALSO CONTAINS A CLASS ACTION AND JURY TRIAL WAIVER. IN SOME COUNTRIES YOU MAY HAVE ADDITIONAL RIGHTS AND/OR ELEMENTS OF THIS ARBITRATION AGREEMENT MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU AS REQUIRED BY LAW.

19.1 Applicability of Arbitration Agreement. Subject to the terms of this Arbitration Agreement, you and we agree that any dispute, claim, or disagreement arising out of or relating in any way to your access to or use of the Services, any communications you receive, any products sold or distributed through the Services, or the Terms, including claims and disputes that arose between us before the effective date of the Terms (each, a “Dispute”) will be resolved by binding arbitration, using the English language, rather than in court, except that: (1) you and we may assert claims or seek relief in small claims court if such claims qualify and remain in small claims court; and (2) you or we may seek equitable relief in court for infringement or other misuse of intellectual property rights (such as trademarks, trade dress, domain names, trade secrets, copyrights, and patents). For purposes of this Arbitration Agreement, “Dispute” will also include disputes that arose or involve facts occurring before the existence of this or any prior versions of the Terms as well as claims that may arise after the termination of the Terms.

19.2 Informal Dispute Resolution. There may be instances when a Dispute arises between you and us. If that occurs, we are committed to working with you to reach a reasonable resolution. You and we agree that good faith informal efforts to resolve Disputes can result in a prompt, low‐cost and mutually beneficial outcome. You and we therefore agree that before either party commences arbitration against the other (or initiates an action in small claims court if a party so elects), we will personally meet and confer telephonically or via videoconference, in a good faith effort to resolve informally any Dispute covered by this Arbitration Agreement (“Informal Dispute Resolution Conference”). If you are represented by counsel, your counsel may participate in the conference, but you also agree to participate in the conference. The party initiating a Dispute must give notice to the other party in writing of its intent to initiate an Informal Dispute Resolution Conference (“Notice”), which shall occur within forty-five (45) days after the other party receives such Notice, unless an extension is mutually agreed upon by the parties in writing. Notice to us that you intend to initiate an Informal Dispute Resolution Conference should be sent by email to [email protected]. The Notice must include: (1) your name, telephone number, mailing address, email address associated with your Account (if you have one); (2) the name, telephone number, mailing address and e‐mail address of your counsel, if any; and (3) a description of your Dispute.

The Informal Dispute Resolution Conference shall be individualized such that a separate conference must be held each time either party initiates a Dispute, even if the same law firm or group of law firms represents multiple users in similar cases, unless all parties agree; multiple individuals initiating a Dispute cannot participate in the same Informal Dispute Resolution Conference unless all parties agree. In the time between a party receiving the Notice and the Informal Dispute Resolution Conference, nothing in this Arbitration Agreement shall prohibit the parties from engaging in informal communications to resolve the initiating party’s Dispute. Engaging in the Informal Dispute Resolution Conference is a condition precedent and requirement that must be fulfilled before commencing arbitration. The statute of limitations and any filing fee deadlines shall be tolled while the parties engage in the Informal Dispute Resolution Conference process required by this section.

 

19.3 Waiver of Jury Trial. YOU AND WE HEREBY WAIVE ANY CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY RIGHTS TO SUE IN COURT AND HAVE A TRIAL IN FRONT OF A JUDGE OR A JURY. You and we are instead electing that all Disputes shall be resolved by arbitration under this Arbitration Agreement, except as specified in Section 19.1 above. There is no judge or jury in arbitration, and court review of an arbitration award is subject to very limited review.

19.4 Waiver of Class and Other Non-Individualized Relief. YOU AND WE AGREE THAT, EXCEPT AS SPECIFIED IN SECTION 19.9, EACH OF US MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS AND NOT ON A CLASS, REPRESENTATIVE, OR COLLECTIVE BASIS, AND THE PARTIES HEREBY WAIVE ALL RIGHTS TO HAVE ANY DISPUTE BE BROUGHT, HEARD, ADMINISTERED, RESOLVED, OR ARBITRATED ON A CLASS, COLLECTIVE, REPRESENTATIVE, OR MASS ACTION BASIS. ONLY INDIVIDUAL RELIEF IS AVAILABLE, AND DISPUTES OF MORE THAN ONE CUSTOMER OR USER CANNOT BE ARBITRATED OR CONSOLIDATED WITH THOSE OF ANY OTHER CUSTOMER OR USER. Subject to this Arbitration Agreement, the arbitrator may award declaratory or injunctive relief only in favor of the individual party seeking relief and only to the extent necessary to provide relief warranted by the party's individual claim. Nothing in this paragraph is intended to, nor shall it, affect the terms and conditions under Section 19.9. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Arbitration Agreement, if a final decision, not subject to any further appeal or recourse, determines that the limitations of this Section are invalid or unenforceable as to a particular claim or request for relief (such as a request for public injunctive relief), you and we agree that that particular claim or request for relief (and only that particular claim or request for relief) shall be severed from the arbitration and may be litigated only in the courts provided for under Section 18. All other Disputes shall be arbitrated or litigated in small claims court. This subsection does not prevent you or us from participating in a class-wide settlement of claims.

19.5 Rules and Forum. The Terms evidence a transaction involving interstate commerce; and notwithstanding any other provision herein with respect to the applicable substantive law, the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. § 1 et seq., will govern the interpretation and enforcement of this Arbitration Agreement and any arbitration proceedings. If the Informal Dispute Resolution Process described above does not resolve satisfactorily within sixty (60) days after receipt of Notice, you and we agree that either party shall have the right to finally resolve the Dispute through binding arbitration. The arbitration will be conducted by American Arbitration Association (the “AAA”), an established alternative dispute resolution provider, under its rules, including Consumer Arbitration Rules (the “AAA Rules”), then effect, unless otherwise required by law. AAA’s rules are also available at https://adr.org/consumer, or by calling 1-800-778-7879. For all actions under the AAA Rules, the proceedings may be filed where your residence is, or in New York, New York, and any in-person hearings will be conducted at a location which is reasonably convenient to both parties taking into account their ability to travel and other pertinent circumstances. If AAA is not available to arbitrate, the parties will select an alternative arbitral forum. Your responsibility to pay any AAA fees and costs will be solely as set forth in the applicable AAA rules.

If the Parties are not able to resolve the Dispute through the mandatory informal dispute resolution process referenced above, either party may initiate an arbitration proceeding by sending a demand to the other party that describes the nature and basis for the claim and includes all of the information required in the arbitration notice (“Arbitration Notice”). The Party initiating arbitration must include as part of the demand a personally signed certification of compliance with the informal dispute resolution process. The Arbitration Notice must include: (1) the name, telephone number, mailing address, e‐mail address of the party seeking arbitration and the account username (if applicable) as well as the email address associated with any applicable account; (2) a statement of the legal claims being asserted and the factual bases of those claims; (3) a description of the remedy sought and an accurate, good‐faith calculation of the amount in controversy in United States Dollars; (4) a statement certifying completion of the Informal Dispute Resolution process as described above; and (5) evidence that the requesting party has paid any necessary filing fees in connection with such arbitration. If the party requesting arbitration is represented by counsel, the Arbitration Notice shall also include counsel’s name, telephone number, mailing address, and email address. Such counsel must also sign the Arbitration Notice. By signing the Arbitration Notice, counsel certifies to the best of counsel’s knowledge, information, and belief, formed after an inquiry reasonable under the circumstances, that: (1) the Arbitration Notice is not being presented for any improper purpose, such as to harass, cause unnecessary delay, or needlessly increase the cost of dispute resolution; (2) the claims, defenses and other legal contentions are warranted by existing law or by a nonfrivolous argument for extending, modifying, or reversing existing law or for establishing new law; and (3) the factual and damages contentions have evidentiary support or, if specifically so identified, will likely have evidentiary support after a reasonable opportunity for further investigation or discovery. Unless you and we otherwise agree, or the Batch Arbitration process discussed in Section 19.9 is triggered, the arbitration will be conducted in the county where you reside. Subject to the applicable AAA rules, the arbitrator may direct a limited and reasonable exchange of information between the parties, consistent with the expedited nature of the arbitration. If the AAA is not available to arbitrate, the parties will select an alternative arbitral forum. Your responsibility to pay any AAA fees and costs will be solely as set forth in the applicable AAA Rules. You and we agree that all materials and documents exchanged during the arbitration proceedings shall be kept confidential and shall not be shared with anyone except the parties’ attorneys, accountants, or business advisors, and then subject to the condition that they agree to keep all materials and documents exchanged during the arbitration proceedings confidential. During the arbitration, the amount of any settlement offer made by you or us must not be disclosed to the arbitrator until after the arbitrator makes a final decision and award, if any.

19.6 Arbitrator. The arbitrator will be either a retired judge or an attorney licensed to practice law in the State of California, and will be selected by the parties from the AAA roster of consumer dispute arbitrators. If the parties are unable to agree upon an arbitrator within thirty-five (35) days of delivery of the Arbitration Notice, then AAA will appoint the arbitrator in accordance with the applicable AAA rules, provided that if the Batch Arbitration process under Section 19.9 is triggered, AAA will appoint the arbitrator for each batch.

19.7 Authority of Arbitrator. The arbitrator shall have exclusive authority to resolve any Dispute, including, without limitation, disputes arising out of or related to the interpretation or application of the Arbitration Agreement, including the enforceability, revocability, scope, or validity of the Arbitration Agreement or any portion of the Arbitration Agreement, except for the following: (1) all Disputes arising out of or relating to Section 19.4, including any claim that all or part of Section 19.4 is unenforceable, illegal, void or voidable, or that Section 19.4 has been breached, shall be decided by a court of competent jurisdiction and not by an arbitrator; (2) except as expressly contemplated in Section 19.9, all Disputes about the payment of arbitration fees shall be decided only by a court of competent jurisdiction and not by an arbitrator; (3) all Disputes about whether either party has satisfied any condition precedent to arbitration shall be decided only by a court of competent jurisdiction and not by an arbitrator; and (4) all Disputes about which version of the Arbitration Agreement applies shall be decided only by a court of competent jurisdiction and not by an arbitrator. The arbitration proceeding will not be consolidated with any other matters or joined with any other cases or parties, except as expressly provided in Section 19.9. The arbitrator shall have the authority to grant motions dispositive of all or part of any Dispute. The arbitrator shall issue a written award and statement of decision describing the essential findings and conclusions on which the award is based, including the calculation of any damages awarded. The award of the arbitrator is final and binding upon you and us. Judgment on the arbitration award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction.

19.8 Attorneys’ Fees and Costs. The parties shall bear their own attorneys’ fees and costs in arbitration unless the arbitrator finds that either the substance of the Dispute or the relief sought in the Arbitration Notice was frivolous or was brought for an improper purpose (as measured by the standards set forth in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11(b)). If you or we need to invoke the authority of a court of competent jurisdiction to compel arbitration, then the party that obtains an order compelling arbitration in such action shall have the right to collect from the other party its reasonable costs, necessary disbursements, and reasonable attorneys' fees incurred in securing an order compelling arbitration. The prevailing party in any court action relating to whether either party has satisfied any condition precedent to arbitration, including the Informal Dispute Resolution Process, is entitled to recover their reasonable costs, necessary disbursements, and reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs.

19.9 Batch Arbitration. To increase the efficiency of administration and resolution of arbitrations, you and we agree that in the event that there are twenty-five (25) or more individual Arbitration Notices of a substantially similar nature filed against us by or with the assistance of the same law firm, group of law firms, or organizations, within a thirty (30) day period, AAA shall (1) administer the arbitration demands in batches of 100 Arbitration Notices per batch (plus, to the extent there are less than 100 Arbitration Notices left over after the batching described above, a final batch consisting of the remaining Arbitration Notices), or in a single batch if there are fewer than 100 Arbitration Notices in total; (2) appoint one arbitrator for each batch; (3) administer the batches concurrently; (4) provide for the resolution of each batch as a single consolidated arbitration with one set of filing and administrative fees due per side per batch, one procedural calendar, one hearing (if any) in a place to be determined by the arbitrator, and one final award (“Batch Arbitration”). Arbitration awards in one batch of arbitration demands shall have no precedential effect on subsequently administered batches.

All parties agree that Arbitration Notices are of a “substantially similar nature” if they arise out of or relate to the same event or factual scenario and raise the same or similar legal issues and seek the same or similar relief. To the extent the parties disagree on the application of the Batch Arbitration process, the disagreeing party shall advise AAA, and AAA shall appoint a sole standing arbitrator to determine the applicability of the Batch Arbitration process (“Administrative Arbitrator”). In an effort to expedite resolution of any such dispute by the Administrative Arbitrator, the parties agree the Administrative Arbitrator may set forth such procedures as are necessary to resolve any disputes promptly. The Administrative Arbitrator’s fees shall be paid by us. You and we agree to cooperate in good faith with AAA to implement the Batch Arbitration process including the payment of single filing and administrative fees for batches of Arbitration Notices, as well as any steps to minimize the time and costs of arbitration, which may include: (1) the appointment of a discovery special master to assist the arbitrator in the resolution of discovery disputes; and (2) the adoption of an expedited calendar of the arbitration proceedings. This Batch Arbitration provision shall in no way be interpreted as authorizing a class, collective and/or mass arbitration or action of any kind, or arbitration involving joint or consolidated claims under any circumstances, except as expressly set forth in this provision.

19.10 30-Day Right to Opt Out. You have the right to opt out of the provisions of this Arbitration Agreement by sending written notice of your decision to opt out to the email [email protected], within thirty (30) days after first becoming subject to this Arbitration Agreement. Your notice must include your name and address, the email address you used to set up your Account (if you have one), and an unequivocal statement that you want to opt out of this Arbitration Agreement. If you opt out of this Arbitration Agreement, all other parts of these Terms will continue to apply to you. Opting out of this Arbitration Agreement has no effect on any other arbitration agreements that you may currently have, or may enter in the future, with us.

19.11 Invalidity, Expiration. Except as provided in Section 19.9, if any part or parts of this Arbitration Agreement are found under the law to be invalid or unenforceable, then such specific part or parts shall be of no force and effect and shall be severed and the remainder of the Arbitration Agreement shall continue in full force and effect. For the avoidance of doubt, this means that, if Section 19.9 is found under the law to be invalid or unenforceable to any extent, then you agree that the entire Arbitration Agreement shall be of no force and effect. You further agree that any Dispute that you have with us as detailed in this Arbitration Agreement must be initiated via arbitration within the applicable statute of limitation for that claim or controversy, or it will be forever time barred. Likewise, you agree that all applicable statutes of limitation will apply to such arbitration in the same manner as those statutes of limitation would apply in the applicable court of competent jurisdiction.

19.12 Modification. Notwithstanding any provision in the Terms to the contrary, we agree that if we make any future material change to this Arbitration Agreement, it will notify you. Unless you reject the change within thirty (30) days of such change becoming effective by writing to us at the email address [email protected], your continued use of the Services, including the acceptance of products and services offered on or through the Services, following the posting of changes to this Arbitration Agreement constitutes your acceptance of any such changes. Changes to this Arbitration Agreement do not provide you with a new opportunity to opt out of the Arbitration Agreement if you have previously agreed to a version of the Terms and did not validly opt out of arbitration. If you reject any change or update to this Arbitration Agreement, and you were bound by an existing agreement to arbitrate Disputes arising out of or relating in any way to your access to or use of the Services, any communications you receive, any products sold or distributed through the Services or the Terms, the provisions of this Arbitration Agreement as of the date you first accepted the Terms (or accepted any subsequent changes to the Terms) remain in full force and effect. We will continue to honor any valid opt outs of the Arbitration Agreement that you made to a prior version of the Terms.

  1. CORRECTIONS

There may be information on the Site that contains typographical errors, inaccuracies, or omissions that may relate to the Marketplace Offerings, including descriptions, pricing, availability, and various other information. We reserve the right to correct any errors, inaccuracies, or omissions and to change or update the information on the Site at any time, without prior notice.

  1. DISCLAIMER

THE SITE IS PROVIDED ON AN AS-IS AND AS-AVAILABLE BASIS. YOU AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THE SITE SERVICES WILL BE AT YOUR SOLE RISK. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, WE DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN CONNECTION WITH THE SITE AND YOUR USE THEREOF, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. WE MAKE NO WARRANTIES OR REPRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE SITE’S CONTENT OR THE CONTENT OF ANY WEBSITES LINKED TO THIS SITE AND WE WILL ASSUME NO LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY (1) ERRORS, MISTAKES, OR INACCURACIES OF CONTENT AND MATERIALS, (2) PERSONAL INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE, OF ANY NATURE WHATSOEVER, RESULTING FROM YOUR ACCESS TO AND USE OF THE SITE, (3) ANY UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR USE OF OUR SECURE SERVERS AND/OR ANY AND ALL PERSONAL INFORMATION AND/OR FINANCIAL INFORMATION STORED THEREIN, (4) ANY INTERRUPTION OR CESSATION OF TRANSMISSION TO OR FROM THE SITE, (5) ANY BUGS, VIRUSES, TROJAN HORSES, OR THE LIKE WHICH MAY BE TRANSMITTED TO OR THROUGH THE SITE BY ANY THIRD PARTY, AND/OR (6) ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN ANY CONTENT AND MATERIALS OR FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE OF ANY KIND INCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE USE OF ANY CONTENT POSTED, TRANSMITTED, OR OTHERWISE MADE AVAILABLE VIA THE SITE. WE DO NOT WARRANT, ENDORSE, GUARANTEE, OR ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY PRODUCT OR SERVICE ADVERTISED OR OFFERED BY A THIRD PARTY THROUGH THE SITE, ANY HYPERLINKED WEBSITE, OR ANY WEBSITE OR MOBILE APPLICATION FEATURED IN ANY BANNER OR OTHER ADVERTISING, AND WE WILL NOT BE A PARTY TO OR IN ANY WAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MONITORING ANY TRANSACTION BETWEEN YOU AND ANY THIRD-PARTY PROVIDERS OF PRODUCTS OR SERVICES. AS WITH THE PURCHASE OF A PRODUCT OR SERVICE THROUGH ANY MEDIUM OR IN ANY ENVIRONMENT, YOU SHOULD USE YOUR BEST JUDGMENT AND EXERCISE CAUTION WHERE APPROPRIATE.

  1. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY

IN NO EVENT WILL WE OR OUR DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, OR AGENTS BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANY THIRD PARTY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOST PROFIT, LOST REVENUE, LOSS OF DATA, OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING FROM YOUR USE OF THE SITE, EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. CERTAIN US STATE LAWS AND INTERNATIONAL LAWS DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATIONS ON IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF CERTAIN DAMAGES. IF THESE LAWS APPLY TO YOU, SOME OR ALL OF THE ABOVE DISCLAIMERS OR LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU, AND YOU MAY HAVE ADDITIONAL RIGHTS.

  1. INDEMNIFICATION

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold us harmless, including our subsidiaries, affiliates, and all of our respective officers, agents, partners, and employees, from and against any loss, damage, liability, claim, or demand, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, made by any third party due to or arising out of: (2) use of the Site; (3) breach of these Terms of Use; (4) any breach of your representations and warranties set forth in these Terms of Use; (5) your violation of the rights of a third party, including but not limited to intellectual property rights; or (6) any overt harmful act toward any other user of the Site with whom you connected via the Site. Notwithstanding the foregoing, we reserve the right, at your expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter for which you are required to indemnify us, and you agree to cooperate, at your expense, with our defense of such claims. We will use reasonable efforts to notify you of any such claim, action, or proceeding which is subject to this indemnification upon becoming aware of it.

  1. USER DATA

We will maintain certain data that you transmit to the Site for the purpose of managing the performance of the Site, as well as data relating to your use of the Site. Although we perform regular routine backups of data, you are solely responsible for all data that you transmit or that relates to any activity you have undertaken using the Site. You agree that we shall have no liability to you for any loss or corruption of any such data, and you hereby waive any right of action against us arising from any such loss or corruption of such data.

  1. ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS, TRANSACTIONS, AND SIGNATURES

Visiting the Site, sending us emails, and completing online forms constitute electronic communications. You consent to receive electronic communications, and you agree that all agreements, notices, disclosures, and other communications we provide to you electronically, via email and on the Site, satisfy any legal requirement that such communication be in writing. YOU HEREBY AGREE TO THE USE OF ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES, CONTRACTS, ORDERS, AND OTHER RECORDS, AND TO ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF NOTICES, POLICIES, AND RECORDS OF TRANSACTIONS INITIATED OR COMPLETED BY US OR VIA THE SITE. You hereby waive any rights or requirements under any statutes, regulations, rules, ordinances, or other laws in any jurisdiction which require an original signature or delivery or retention of non-electronic records, or to payments or the granting of credits by any means other than electronic means.

  1. CALIFORNIA USERS AND RESIDENTS

If any complaint with us is not satisfactorily resolved, you can contact the Complaint Assistance Unit of the Division of Consumer Services of the California Department of Consumer Affairs in writing at 1625 North Market Blvd., Suite N 112, Sacramento, California 95834 or by telephone at (800) 952-5210 or (916) 445-1254.

  1. MISCELLANEOUS

These Terms of Use and any policies or operating rules posted by us on the Site or in respect to the Site constitute the entire agreement and understanding between you and us. Our failure to exercise or enforce any right or provision of these Terms of Use shall not operate as a waiver of such right or provision. These Terms of Use operate to the fullest extent permissible by law. We may assign any or all of our rights and obligations to others at any time. We shall not be responsible or liable for any loss, damage, delay, or failure to act caused by any cause beyond our reasonable control. If any provision or part of a provision of these Terms of Use is determined to be unlawful, void, or unenforceable, that provision or part of the provision is deemed severable from these Terms of Use and does not affect the validity and enforceability of any remaining provisions. There is no joint venture, partnership, employment or agency relationship created between you and us as a result of these Terms of Use or use of the Site. You agree that these Terms of Use will not be construed against us by virtue of having drafted them. You hereby waive any and all defenses you may have based on the electronic form of these Terms of Use and the lack of signing by the parties hereto to execute these Terms of Use.

  1. CONTACT US

In order to resolve a complaint regarding the Site or to receive further information regarding use of the Site, please contact us at: [email protected]