Terms of service.

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing and using Sippican Digital's services, you accept and agree to be bound by the terms and provision of this agreement. If you do not agree to abide by the above, please do not use this service.

2. Description of Services

Sippican Digital provides comprehensive web design, development, consulting, domain management, and website hosting services. Our services include:

• Web design and development
• Custom website development and programming
• Web consulting and strategy services
• WordPress development and customization
• E-commerce solutions and online stores
• Search engine optimization (SEO)
• Website maintenance and updates
• Domain registration and management
• Website hosting and maintenance
• DNS management and configuration
• Technical support and customer service
• Website templates and content management tools
• Digital marketing consultation
• Website performance optimization

3. User Accounts and Registration

To use our services, you must:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration
• Maintain and promptly update your account information
• Maintain the security of your password and account
• Accept responsibility for all activities under your account
• Be at least 18 years old or have parental consent

4. Payment Terms

Project Payments (Estimates & Development)

• 50% deposit required upon acceptance of project estimate
• Remaining balance due upon project completion and delivery
• Project work begins only after deposit is received
• Deposits are non-refundable once work begins

Invoice Payments (Services & Completed Work)

• Payment due within 30 days of invoice date
• Late payments subject to 1.5% monthly service charge
• No deposit required for invoiced services

Subscription Services

• Automatic renewal applies unless cancelled
• All fees are due in advance and non-refundable
• Price changes communicated 30 days in advance
• Failed payments may result in service suspension

General Payment Terms

• We accept major credit cards processed through Stripe
• Consulting services billed hourly or per agreed project rate

Refund Policy

• Domain registration fees are non-refundable
• Website hosting fees may be refunded within 30 days of initial purchase
• Custom development work is non-refundable once started
• Consulting services are non-refundable once rendered
• Refunds for completed work will not be provided if client changes requirements
• Refunds are processed within 5-10 business days

Project Changes and Additional Work

• Changes to project scope after approval will incur additional charges
• Rush delivery requests may incur additional fees (25-50% surcharge)
• Additional revisions beyond the agreed number will be billed separately

5. Acceptable Use Policy

You agree not to use our services to:

• Violate any local, state, national, or international law
• Transmit or store illegal, harmful, or offensive content
• Infringe on intellectual property rights
• Distribute spam, malware, or phishing content
• Engage in activities that compromise network security
• Use excessive server resources that impact other users
• Resell our services without explicit permission

6. Content and Intellectual Property

Your Content

• You retain ownership of content you provide to us
• You grant us license to use your content for project completion
• You are responsible for ensuring you have rights to all content provided
• You agree to backup your content regularly
• You must provide content in formats suitable for web use

Our Work Product

• Upon full payment, you own the final delivered website and custom code
• You receive source files and documentation upon project completion
• We retain the right to display completed work in our portfolio
• We may reuse general techniques, methods, and knowledge gained
• Third-party plugins, themes, and tools retain their original licenses

Development and Design Rights

• Custom designs become your property upon full payment
• We retain rights to any proprietary tools or frameworks used
• Open-source components remain under their respective licenses
• You may not resell or redistribute our custom development work

Our Proprietary Content

• Our templates, tools, and methodologies remain our intellectual property
• You may not copy, modify, or distribute our proprietary content
• Trademarks and service marks are property of their respective owners

7. Project Delivery and Client Responsibilities

Development Process

• Projects begin upon receipt of signed contract and deposit
• We provide project timelines as estimates, not guarantees
• Delays caused by client feedback or content provision extend timelines
• We provide regular project updates and milestone deliveries
• Client approval is required at designated project phases

Client Responsibilities

• Provide accurate project requirements and specifications
• Supply necessary content, images, and materials in timely manner
• Provide feedback within agreed timeframes (typically 3-5 business days)
• Ensure all provided content is legally owned or licensed
• Provide access to necessary accounts and hosting when required
• Test and approve delivered work before final payment

Project Completion

• Projects are considered complete upon client approval and final payment
• Minor revisions may be included as specified in project agreement
• Additional work beyond scope requires separate agreement
• We provide training and documentation for content management

8. Consulting Services

Consulting Scope

• Consulting advice is provided based on our professional experience
• Recommendations are suggestions, not guarantees of specific outcomes
• Implementation of recommendations is client's responsibility
• We do not guarantee specific business results from our advice

Confidentiality

• We maintain confidentiality of your business information
• Sensitive information will not be shared with third parties
• We may use general insights for improving our services
• Specific client data and strategies remain confidential

9. Service Availability and Support

Uptime and Availability

• We strive for 99.9% uptime but do not guarantee uninterrupted service
• Scheduled maintenance will be announced in advance when possible
• We are not liable for downtime beyond our reasonable control

Technical Support

• Support is provided via email and phone during business hours
• Emergency support is available for managed domain customers
• Response times may vary based on issue complexity
• Support for custom development is included for 30 days post-launch
• Ongoing support and maintenance available under separate agreement

Maintenance and Updates

• WordPress and plugin updates included in hosting packages
• Security monitoring and basic maintenance included
• Content updates and design changes require separate agreement
• Regular backups performed for hosted websites

10. Privacy and Data Protection

Your privacy is important to us. Our Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information. By using our services, you agree to our data practices as described in the Privacy Policy.

11. Termination and Cancellation Policy

Ongoing Services (Hosting, Subscriptions)

• Services may be cancelled at any time through your dashboard
• Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period
• No refunds for partial billing periods
• You remain responsible for all charges incurred before cancellation

Development Projects

• Once work begins, projects cannot be cancelled for refund
• Deposit and any completed work are non-refundable
• Final deliverables provided only upon full payment
• Changes in project scope require new agreement and payment

Termination by Sippican Digital

We may suspend or terminate services immediately if you:

• Violate these terms of service
• Fail to pay fees when due (after 15-day grace period)
• Engage in activities that harm our services or reputation
• Provide false or misleading information
• Fail to provide necessary materials within 30 days

12. Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability

Service Disclaimers

Our services are provided "as is" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement.

Web Development Disclaimers

• We do not guarantee specific business outcomes from our development work
• Website performance may vary based on hosting, content, and user behavior
• Third-party integrations and plugins are subject to their own terms
• Search engine rankings cannot be guaranteed
• Browser compatibility is provided for current major browsers only

Consulting Disclaimers

• Consulting advice is based on available information and our experience
• We do not guarantee specific business results from implemented strategies
• Market conditions and business factors may affect outcomes
• Implementation success depends on client execution

Limitation of Liability

In no event shall Sippican Digital be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including but not limited to loss of profits, data, business opportunities, or revenue arising out of or in connection with our services.

Our total liability for any claim shall not exceed the amount paid by you for our services in the 12 months preceding the claim, or $1,000, whichever is less.

11. Domain-Specific Terms

Domain Registration

• Domain registrations are subject to registry policies and ICANN regulations
• You must provide accurate WHOIS information as required by law
• Domain transfers may take 5-7 days to complete
• You are responsible for timely renewal of your domains

DNS Management

• DNS changes may take up to 48 hours to propagate globally
• We are not responsible for third-party DNS configuration issues
• Incorrect DNS changes may affect email and website functionality

12. Governing Law and Contact Information

These terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Massachusetts, United States. Any disputes arising under these terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located in Massachusetts.

If you have any questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us at:

• Email: [email protected]
• Address: PO Box 124, Marion, MA 02738
• Phone: (508) 538-1801

13. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Sippican Digital, its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses arising from:

• Your use of our services
• Your violation of these terms
• Your violation of any rights of another party
• Content you submit or transmit through our services

14. Force Majeure

We shall not be liable for any failure to perform our obligations due to causes beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, natural disasters, war, terrorism, labor disputes, or government actions.

15. Severability

If any provision of these terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary so that these terms shall otherwise remain in full force and effect.

16. Modifications and Entire Agreement

We reserve the right to modify these terms at any time. Changes will be effective immediately upon posting to our website. Your continued use of our services after changes constitutes acceptance of the new terms.

For significant changes, we will provide 30 days advance notice via email.

These terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any additional terms for specific services, constitute the entire agreement between you and Sippican Digital regarding the use of our services.