Blog Details

Author - Associate Aliza Abdin

The "terms and conditions" section is a basic requirement on every website, which usually explains the legal relationship between the website and the customer, whether it consists of legal disclaimers; billing notices, privacy policies; refund policies; or any other details. The terms and conditions are listed on the website, are required to be accepted by the user. But the contents of a website's terms and conditions particularly are subjected to on the type of business in which it is engaged and the extent of its data collection, and which types of functions the website has, and so on.

An example of terms and conditions for a website:

The terms and conditions govern the usage of the website by the registered users. Through accessing XYZ website either by the website or any by the Application, the users must acknowledge, accept and agrees the following mentioned terms and conditions of XYZ website, which are intended to work for every user. The terms and conditions are effective from the time the users' login to XYZ website. Through accepting these terms and conditions, the users are also accepting and agreeing to be obligatory by the Privacy Policy and the Data Policy of XYZ website. Please read these terms and conditions carefully. If any user does not accept or agree with the stated Terms, then does not use the XYZ website and our Application Services.

Website Terms and Conditions: Returns, Refunds, and Lost Items

If the website is in engaged in e-commerce through selling goods to customers, then the website probably needs a terms and conditions legal notice concerning the credit card billing, returns as well as refunds. As an instance, many websites allow users to return unused goods for up to 30 days after purchase. The website owner might want to include similar language in the website.

Also, there are other disclaimers that the website must make in terms and conditions page that depend on the website.

Example of a Return Policy, Refunds and Lost Items in a website

“30 Day Return Policy – Unused Goods Only - Returns are only accepted within 30 days of the date of purchase. Towards being qualified for a return, the item should be unused and in the same condition that the users received it. It should also be in the original packaging. To return the goods, please contact us at xyzgoods@hotmail.com. The website requires a receipt or proof of purchase to process the returns. You shall be responsible for shipping costs. If the product is received, by the website, in unused and undamaged condition and the product is in its original packaging, we shall refund your purchase. Several types of products are exempted from being returned, such as gift cards and downloadable software products. These products are identified on the website and during the ordering process as being non-returnable. Please do not send the purchase back to the manufacturer.”

Refunds

“Once the user’s return is received and inspected, we shall send an email to notify the user that we have received the returned item. The website shall also notify the users of the approval or rejection of the refund. In case it is approved, then the users' refund would be processed, and credit would automatically be processed to the credit card or original method of payment of the users, within a certain amount of days.”

Late or Missing Refunds

“If the users have not received a refund yet, firstly the users must check their bank account again. Then contact the credit card firm, it might take some time before the refund gets processed officially. Next, contact the particular bank. There is often some processing time before a refund is sent. If the user has done all of this and still have not received his refund yet, please contact us at info@xyz.com.”

Website Terms and Conditions: Privacy Policy

If the website is set up in such a way that the website gathers certain types of personal data form the users to the website (name, address, phone number, credit card data), then the website must include a privacy policy in the terms and conditions page. In the privacy policy, the website must explicitly spell out how private information shall be used and not used. For instance, if the website intends on selling user’s names and addresses to a marketing firm, the website is required to spell this out in the privacy policy.

A privacy policy is mainly a legal disclosure that defines the ways the website gathers, uses, discloses and manages a user’s “personal information.” The intention is to inform the users of how the website collect and use their data; thus, like the Terms of use, it is significant that this is drafted to the particular application’s data usage features. Privacy policies must be updated whenever there is a change in the way a website uses user’s customer information.

In many cases, the name of the user, address of the user, email address, and phone number are considered personal information, whereas health data, sexual orientation information, location data, and financial data (amongst others) might be considered “sensitive information” as well as “personal information,” and might be a subject to more strict protections.

Also, if the website collects information from children, comprises health or financial data, or the website has operations in other countries, there might be additional laws with which the website must comply with.

Furthermore, the website must put a disclaimer that the terms of use and privacy policy of the website can be changed at any time at its sole discretion and without any compulsion to inform the user(s) of the said changes before making the changes. Also the terms and conditions in this Privacy Policy should be read with the ‘Terms and Conditions’ and other related policies for the website and application.