These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your use of Crafters Market (“the Platform,” “we,” “us”) as a curated multi-vendor marketplace connecting independent Makers with Buyers. By accessing, browsing, purchasing, listing, or otherwise using the Platform you agree to be bound by these Terms, the Maker Agreement (if you sell), and every policy referenced below. If you do not agree, do not use the Platform.
§011. Introduction
- ▪Effective date: On production launch (date set at go-live). Version 2.0. Last updated 2026-06-30.
- ▪Purpose: define the rights, responsibilities, and boundaries that apply to everyone who uses Crafters Market.
- ▪Marketplace model: Crafters Market is a Platform. Contracts of sale are between Buyers and Makers. We are not a party to those contracts and do not take title to Listings or Orders.
- ▪Relationship to other policies: these Terms sit at the top of the marketplace policy hierarchy (below applicable law). Where a topic-specific policy provides more detail, that detail controls within its topic.
§022. Eligibility & Accounts
- ▪You must be at least 18 years old (or the age of majority in your jurisdiction) to create an account, list items, or complete a purchase requiring a payment method.
- ▪You are responsible for the accuracy of your account information and for maintaining the security of your login credentials.
- ▪One account per person or business entity. You may not create duplicate accounts to evade suspension, fee obligations, or Platform enforcement.
- ▪You are responsible for all activity that occurs under your account.
§033. Buyers — Your Agreement With the Maker
- ▪When you place an Order, the contract of sale is between you (the Buyer) and the individual Maker who created the Listing.
- ▪The Maker is responsible for describing the Listing accurately, fulfilling the Order, and providing customer service (including questions about materials, sizing, timing, and customization).
- ▪Crafters Market facilitates the transaction, hosts the Listing, and provides Buyer Protection as described in the Buyer Protection Policy — but is not the seller of record.
- ▪For questions about your Order, contact the Maker first through the on-platform messaging tools. If the issue is not resolved, follow the Buyer Protection Policy escalation process.
§044. Makers — Your Agreement With the Platform and With Buyers
- ▪You may list only original items you personally make, design, or hand-finish. No reselling, no drop-shipping, no mass-produced or wholesale goods, and no counterfeit or infringing items.
- ▪You are responsible for accurate Listings (materials, dimensions, processing times, shipping options, care instructions, and any customization details).
- ▪You are responsible for shipping Orders within your stated processing time and for reasonable customer service.
- ▪You agree to the Maker Agreement, the Prohibited Items Policy, and every marketplace policy referenced in this document.
- ▪You are responsible for your own taxes, business licensing, and legal compliance in your jurisdiction. Crafters Market may collect and remit marketplace-facilitator sales tax where required by law.
- ▪Origin claims (“Made in USA,” “Handmade,” and similar representations). Makers are solely responsible for the accuracy of any origin claim (including “Made in USA,” “Handmade,” “Handcrafted,” “Small-batch,” or any similar representation) appearing on their Listings, Shop pages, packaging, or marketing. Crafters Market may review or remove Listings that appear misleading, apply enforcement under the Prohibited Items Policy, and cooperate with regulators, but does not independently verify every claim before it is published. See the Maker Agreement §19a for the substantive standards (including FTC “all or virtually all”).
§055. Fees, Payments & Payouts
- ▪Crafters Market charges a marketplace commission on each sale. Exact rates and any listing/renewal or subscription fees are published in the Fee & Pricing Policy and in the Makers Market section of the site.
- ▪Payments are processed by Stripe (and any successor processor). By accepting Orders you agree to Stripe’s Connected Account Agreement and Services Agreement.
- ▪Makers must complete Stripe onboarding (identity verification, payout account) before withdrawing funds. Stripe may hold, reserve, or freeze funds as required by its risk and compliance programs.
- ▪Payout holds initiated by Crafters Market are limited to legitimate operational triggers: (a) Stripe risk, compliance, or reserve requirements; (b) fraud investigations opened by Crafters Market or a card network; (c) active chargeback or dispute proceedings; (d) Maker identity-verification review; (e) an active legal, tax, or regulatory-compliance inquiry.
- ▪A payout hold under this Section lasts only as long as reasonably necessary to resolve the underlying issue — including any applicable Stripe timelines, the card network's dispute lifecycle, or the timeline of a legal/regulatory inquiry. Funds not subject to a legitimate hold trigger will be released on the normal payout cadence.
- ▪Some payout holds are imposed directly by third parties — including Stripe, card networks, payment networks, financial institutions, or regulatory authorities — pursuant to their own compliance, risk, or reserve obligations. Crafters Market cannot override or accelerate those holds where it does not control fund release. In those cases, resolution is governed by Stripe's Connected Account Agreement and the applicable card-network or regulatory rules.
- ▪Communication during holds. Crafters Market will make reasonable efforts to inform the affected Maker of the general reason for a payout hold, unless prohibited by law, card-network rules, an ongoing fraud investigation, or a regulatory requirement. Crafters Market does not commit to any specific evidence, documentation, or notice threshold beyond what is reasonably practical under the circumstances.
- ▪Crafters Market may deduct fees, refunds, chargebacks, and any amounts owed under these Terms, the Maker Agreement, or applicable policies from Maker balances or future payouts.
- ▪Refunds and reversals are governed by the Returns & Refunds Policy and the Buyer Protection Policy.
§066. Listings, User Content & Intellectual Property
- ▪You retain ownership of the copyrights, trademarks, and other rights you already hold in the content you upload (photos, descriptions, Listings, journal posts, messages, reviews, and other “User Content”).
- ▪You grant Crafters Market a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to host, display, reproduce, adapt for format/size, and promote your User Content on the Platform and through connected surfaces (Google, Meta, Pinterest, TikTok, email, and other channels) for the purpose of operating and marketing the marketplace. This license also covers AI-assisted operational and marketing use as defined in Section 6a below.
- ▪You represent that you have all rights necessary to upload and license your User Content and that it does not infringe any third-party rights.
- ▪You may not use another Maker’s User Content, brand assets, or Listings without written permission. The Intellectual Property & DMCA Policy explains how to report infringement and how repeat-infringer accounts are handled.
§076a. AI Use — Creator-Owned AI Policy
- ▪Operational AI (allowed under the license in Section 6): Crafters Market may use AI-powered tools to operate and market the marketplace — including search, recommendations, fraud and spam detection, translations, accessibility, customer support, Listing optimization, SEO metadata, and the use of third-party advertising platforms (Google, Meta, Pinterest, TikTok, Reddit, and similar surfaces) solely to generate, optimize, target, and deliver advertisements that promote Maker Listings. Operational AI also includes email campaigns, blog articles, product-description assistance, video scripts, and social captions used to promote the Platform. Operational AI is considered part of running and promoting the Platform.
- ▪AI model training (NOT covered by the license in Section 6): Crafters Market will not use Maker Content to train image-generation models, large language models, recommendation foundation models, or other commercial AI systems, and will not license or otherwise permit Maker Content to be used by any third-party (including any third-party advertising provider) to train commercial foundation models, unless the Maker has provided explicit, affirmative, opt-in consent through a separate AI Training Program. The Operational AI license above does not authorize the Platform or any third-party advertising provider to train commercial foundation models on Maker Content.
- ▪If we ever launch an AI Training Program it will be opt-in only, with a separate consent step, a clear explanation of intended use, the ability to opt out later (subject to reasonable technical limitations for previously-trained models), and no reduction in visibility, ranking, payouts, or marketplace access for Makers who decline.
- ▪Full details are in the Maker Agreement (AI Use — Creator-Owned AI Policy) and the Privacy Policy (How We Use AI).
§087. Prohibited Uses
- ▪You may not use the Platform to violate any law, infringe intellectual property, or list items forbidden by the Prohibited Items Policy.
- ▪You may not attempt to circumvent marketplace fees, direct Buyers off-platform for the same transaction, or use the messaging system to solicit off-platform payment for on-platform Listings.
- ▪You may not scrape, mirror, or reverse-engineer the Platform, or interfere with its normal operation (rate-limiting evasion, denial-of-service behavior, malicious code, credential stuffing, etc.).
- ▪You may not use the Platform to harass, threaten, defraud, or discriminate against other users. Conduct standards are described in the Community Guidelines.
§098. Moderation, Suspension & Termination
- ▪Crafters Market may remove Listings, restrict features, freeze payouts, suspend, or terminate accounts that violate these Terms, the Maker Agreement, or any marketplace policy.
- ▪We will use reasonable efforts to notify affected users, but immediate action may be taken where there is evidence of fraud, safety risk, IP infringement, or legal exposure to other users.
- ▪Makers may appeal enforcement actions through the Appeals Process. Buyers may appeal Order-level decisions through the Buyer Protection escalation flow.
- ▪Termination does not extinguish obligations that by their nature survive — including confidentiality, indemnity, tax and fee obligations, and IP licenses granted for content that remains publicly accessible.
§109. Disclaimers
- ▪The Platform is provided “as is” and “as available” without warranties of any kind, express or implied, to the fullest extent permitted by law.
- ▪Crafters Market does not warrant the quality, safety, legality, or accuracy of Listings, User Content, or Maker-provided information. Buyer Protection provides a marketplace-level safety net but is not a warranty of the product itself.
- ▪The Platform is not a party to Buyer–Maker contracts and does not guarantee performance by either party beyond what is expressly stated in the Buyer Protection Policy.
§1110. Limitation of Liability
- ▪To the maximum extent permitted by law, Crafters Market’s aggregate liability arising out of or relating to these Terms or your use of the Platform is limited to the greater of (a) the marketplace commission we actually received from your Orders in the 12 months preceding the claim or (b) USD $100.
- ▪Crafters Market is not liable for indirect, incidental, consequential, special, exemplary, or punitive damages, including lost profits, lost goodwill, or lost data, even if advised of the possibility.
- ▪Nothing in this section limits liability that cannot be limited under applicable law (for example, fraud, willful misconduct, or certain consumer-protection rights).
§1211. Indemnification
- ▪You agree to indemnify and hold Crafters Market and its officers, directors, employees, and agents harmless from any claim, loss, cost, or expense (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising from (a) your Listings, User Content, or Orders, (b) your breach of these Terms or any marketplace policy, (c) your violation of applicable law, or (d) your infringement of a third party’s rights.
- ▪Carve-out. This indemnification obligation does not apply to claims arising from Crafters Market’s own (i) gross negligence or (ii) willful misconduct.
- ▪Crafters Market may participate in the defense of any such claim at its own expense and reserves the right to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter for which you are required to indemnify us.
§1312. Dispute Resolution & Governing Law
- ▪Step 1 — Informal Resolution (30 days). Before initiating any formal proceeding against Crafters Market, you agree to first send a written description of your dispute to policy@craftersmarket.org and give Crafters Market 30 days to attempt an informal resolution. Buyers and Makers should first attempt to resolve Order-related disputes with each other via on-platform messaging and, if that fails, through the Buyer Protection Policy escalation flow.
- ▪Step 2 — Mandatory, Individual Arbitration. If a dispute against Crafters Market is not resolved within the 30-day informal period, it will be resolved by binding, individual arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules (or its Commercial Arbitration Rules where those apply). The arbitration will be seated in King County, Washington, and conducted in English. Arbitration will be administered remotely by default (video conference or written submissions) unless the arbitrator determines that an in-person hearing is necessary. Judgment on the award may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.
- ▪Class-Action Waiver. You and Crafters Market each agree to bring claims only in an individual capacity, and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class, collective, consolidated, mass, or representative proceeding. The arbitrator has no authority to conduct any class, collective, or representative proceeding.
- ▪Small-Claims Carve-Out. Either party may bring an individual claim that qualifies for the small-claims court of the party's home jurisdiction in that court instead of in arbitration. Filing a small-claims action does not waive the mandatory-arbitration or class-waiver provisions above with respect to any other dispute.
- ▪Injunctive Relief. Nothing in this Section prevents either party from seeking injunctive or equitable relief in a court of competent jurisdiction to protect intellectual property, confidential information, or Platform integrity.
- ▪Governing Law. These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Washington, USA, without regard to conflict-of-law rules. For any dispute that is not subject to arbitration under this Section (for example, small-claims actions and requests for injunctive relief), the exclusive venue is the state or federal courts located in King County, Washington. Nothing in this Section limits any non-waivable rights or protections provided under applicable law, including any mandatory consumer-protection statutes in the User's home jurisdiction.
- ▪Opt-Out of Arbitration. You may opt out of the arbitration agreement in this Section by sending a written notice to policy@craftersmarket.org within 30 days of first accepting these Terms. A valid opt-out notice must include your legal name, the account email address, and a clear statement that you decline to arbitrate. Email to policy@craftersmarket.org is the authoritative legal submission method; accepted opt-out notices are recorded in an internal ledger maintained by Crafters Market Legal / Compliance for future reference. Opting out does not affect any other provision of these Terms.
§1413. Marketplace-Facilitator Taxes & International Users
- ▪Where required by law, Crafters Market may collect and remit sales, use, VAT, GST, or similar transactional taxes as a marketplace facilitator.
- ▪Makers remain responsible for their own income taxes, self-employment taxes, and any taxes not collected by the Platform.
- ▪The Platform is currently operated from the United States. If you access the Platform from outside the U.S., you are responsible for compliance with local laws. Cross-border shipping is subject to Buyer duties and customs charges as described in the Shipping & Logistics Policy.
§1514. Changes to These Terms
- ▪We may update these Terms as the Platform evolves. When we make material changes we will post the new version with a new effective date and, where practical, notify active users by email or in-app notice.
- ▪Notice period. Material changes to fees or user obligations will take effect no earlier than thirty (30) days after we post the updated Terms and notify active users. Changes required for security, legal or regulatory compliance, fraud prevention, or urgent technical or operational reasons may take effect immediately or on a shorter notice window; we will explain the reason for the accelerated timing where practical.
- ▪Fee changes specifically are governed by the notice window in the Fee & Pricing Policy §12 (60 days for fee increases and new fees; reductions and promotional pricing may take effect immediately).
- ▪Continued use of the Platform after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms. Prior versions are preserved in the Revision History (below) and available on request.
§1614a. Electronic Signatures & Acceptance
- ▪By creating an account, checking any acceptance box, clicking “I Agree,” listing products, or otherwise using the Platform, you agree that these actions constitute your electronic signature and your acceptance of these Terms of Service and any Platform policies referenced here — under the U.S. Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (E-SIGN), the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA), and any applicable state law.
- ▪You may withdraw your consent to transact electronically by closing your account and ceasing to use the Platform. Consent may not be withdrawn retroactively — electronic signatures already made remain valid and enforceable.
- ▪You are responsible for keeping the email address on your account current so you receive electronic notices about these Terms and any updates.
§1715. Miscellaneous
- ▪Entire agreement: these Terms, the Maker Agreement (where applicable), and the marketplace policies referenced here are the entire agreement between you and Crafters Market regarding the Platform.
- ▪Severability: if any provision is unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in effect.
- ▪No waiver: our failure to enforce a provision is not a waiver of the right to do so later.
- ▪Assignment: you may not assign these Terms without our consent. We may assign these Terms in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets.
- ▪Contact: policy@craftersmarket.org for legal notices; team@craftersmarket.org for general support.
§18Revision History
- ▪v2.6 — 2026-06-30 — Final Legal Consistency Audit (v4): §5 broadens payout-hold disclosure to include payment networks, financial institutions, and regulatory authorities; §12 opt-out references the internal ledger while retaining email as the authoritative legal submission method. Cross-document policy hierarchy audit — Maker Agreement now sits between Terms and Marketplace Policies for seller-specific issues.
- ▪v2.5 — 2026-06-30 — Final legal-hardening pass (v3): §5 Communication-during-holds (reasonable-efforts obligation subject to law / card-network / fraud / regulatory carve-outs); §12 Governing Law adds explicit non-waivable-rights carve-out; §14 clarifies material-change notice — 30 days for material fees/user-obligation changes; immediate effectiveness for security, legal, fraud-prevention, or urgent technical/operational changes; fee changes deferred to Fee & Pricing Policy §12 (60-day rule).
- ▪v2.4 — 2026-06-30 — Second-round legal-review pass: §4 adds Maker responsibility for origin claims (Made in USA / Handmade / etc.); §5 clarifies that some payout holds are Stripe- or card-network-controlled; §6a clarifies that Operational AI does not authorize the Platform or any third-party ad provider to train commercial foundation models on Maker Content; §12 adds remote-first arbitration (video conference or written submissions by default), King County WA remains the legal seat.
- ▪v2.3 — 2026-06-30 — Legal-hardening pass: added §14a Electronic Signatures & Acceptance (E-SIGN / UETA acknowledgment). Effective date is now maintained centrally and updated at deployment rather than manually placed in each policy.
- ▪v2.2 — 2026-06-30 — Legal-review pass: §5 payout holds tied to Stripe lifecycle + limited operational triggers; §11 adds gross-negligence + willful-misconduct carve-out; §12 replaced placeholder with two-tier informal-then-arbitration structure, class-action waiver, small-claims carve-out, 30-day opt-out.
- ▪v2.1 — 2026-06-30 — Added Section 6a AI Use (Creator-Owned AI Policy): distinguishes AI-for-operations (allowed under content license) from AI model training (opt-in only, never a condition of marketplace access).
- ▪v2.0 — 2026-06-30 — Marketplace-model rewrite. Adds Maker/Buyer role split, marketplace-facilitator tax section, expanded moderation & appeals references, limitation-of-liability and indemnity clauses, dispute-resolution framework.
- ▪v1.0 — 2025-12-01 — Initial Beta Terms (short-form, retail framing).
§19Related Policies
- ▪Maker Agreement — the full Maker contract, including exclusivity, taxes, and payout terms.
- ▪Buyer Protection Policy — how disputes are handled and when the Platform intervenes.
- ▪Returns & Refunds Policy — return windows, refund methods, damaged/lost items.
- ▪Shipping & Logistics Policy — processing times, carriers, risk of loss, international shipping.
- ▪Prohibited Items Policy — what may and may not be sold on the Platform.
- ▪Community Guidelines — conduct standards for messaging, reviews, and community spaces.
- ▪Privacy Policy & Cookie Policy — how we collect, use, and protect data.
- ▪Intellectual Property & DMCA Policy — how to report infringement and how repeat-infringer accounts are handled.
- ▪Fee & Pricing Policy — current commissions, listing fees, and payout schedule.
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These Terms of Service sit at the top of the marketplace policy hierarchy — below applicable law and above the topic-specific policies. Where a topic-specific policy provides more detail (shipping, returns, buyer protection, etc.), that detail controls within its topic.
Version: 2.6 · Last updated: 2026-06-30 · Effective: On production launch (date set at go-live)