Three Sisters' Marketplace Basics

Effective Date: November 1, 2010

Welcome! This page reviews the basics of being a member of the Three Sisters' Marketplace community. If you still have questions after reading these policies, please check out our Terms of Use and/or our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

1. Membership:

   We expect all members of Three Sisters' Marketplace (staff, buyers/shoppers, artisans/sellers) to treat each other with respect and to generally be nice. Your username on Three Sisters' Marketplace's website (the "Site") is your identity on the site and you are responsible for your conduct and all content submitted under your username on the Site.

   By joining Three Sisters' Marketplace, you agree to abide by the policies outlined herein, our Terms of Use and other policies governing access to and use of the Site.

   • You must be at least 18 years of age to create an account on Three Sisters' Marketplace.
   • You may not use mature, profane or racist language or images in your username and/or any part of your shop.
   • You may not transfer ownership, administrative rights or sell your Three Sisters' Marketplace account to another party.
   • You may not use Three Sisters' Marketplace to direct shoppers to another online selling venue to purchase the same items as listed in your Three Sisters' Marketplace shop — if you list it here then you should sell it here.
   • Keep your account information updated and accurate. Your account must have a valid email address at all times. Three Sisters' Marketplace will use the email address on file in your account information to contact you when necessary.
   • Three Sisters' Marketplace does not allow a person to have more than one account due to the high level of confusion that may arise.
2. Transactions:

   Three Sisters' Marketplace is not a retailer. However, we are involved in the transaction to the degree that we are responsible for the transfer of funds from the buyer to the seller. Items will not be shipped prior to payment being received by Three Sisters' Marketplace.

   When a buyer completes Three Sisters' Marketplace's checkout process the seller and buyer will receive email notification from Three Sisters' Marketplace with information about the transaction in the form of an invoice.

   A Three Sisters' Marketplace transaction is complete when the buyer pays for the item, the seller ships the item, and the buyer receives the item. Payment is submitted to Three Sisters' Marketplace, which then transfers such payment to the seller in accordance with our Commission Policy.

   A seller's individual policies for shipping and insurance posted in the seller's Shipping Policies must comply with all of Three Sisters' Marketplace's site-wide policies and Terms of Use.

   Transaction policies for the Shopper-Buyer:

   • The buyer must pay the seller via the Three Sisters' Marketplace website procedures. Do not send payment directly to the seller or you will jeopardize your rights and protections that Three Sisters' Marketplace provides.
   • The buyer must submit valid shipping, billing and payment information on Three Sisters' Marketplace's checkout system.
   • In the event of a dispute concerning the return of the item(s) to a seller, the buyer may be asked to provide Three Sisters' Marketplace with proof of shipping back to the seller.

   Transaction policies for the Artisan-Seller:

   • The seller must ship the item(s) as they are described on the seller's shop page.
   • The seller must ship the item(s) within a reasonable amount of time, in accordance with the seller's Shipping Policies and Three Sisters' Marketplace Policies.
   • The seller must ship the item(s) to the shipping address submitted by the buyer. The seller should communicate with the buyer and Three Sisters' Marketplace if shipping information is unclear or inconsistent.
   • In the event of a dispute, the seller may be asked to provide Three Sisters' Marketplace with proof of shipping. Three Sisters' Marketplace will not hold the seller responsible for postal or shipping service delays or errors, theft or customs delays.

   Please read our Shipping Policy and Return & Refund Policy for additional details.

   Transaction concerns or disputes

   Three Sisters' Marketplace wants all of your experiences on the Three Sisters' Marketplace site to be great and we also understand that sometimes things don't always go as planned. As such, we are willing to help resolve all situations but we can't guarantee that we can meet a point of resolution that satisfies everyone.

   In the event of a transaction dispute, Three Sisters' Marketplace will work with the buyer and seller to resolve the situation to the best of our abilities.

   Non-delivery

   Non-delivery occurs when a seller does not, or cannot, ship an item that a buyer has paid for via Three Sisters' Marketplace. Shipping should occur in a timely manner, typically so the item(s) are received by the Buyer within 5-10 business days.

   The buyer may then contact Three Sisters' Marketplace. When this occurs, both the buyer and the seller receive a notice from Three Sisters' Marketplace about the issue so it can be worked out. Three Sisters' Marketplace encourages all sellers to keep records regarding proof of shipping (for example: delivery confirmation, shipping service receipt, etc.).

   • The seller must ship goods within a reasonable amount of time, in accordance with the seller's Shipping Policies and Three Sisters' Marketplace Policies.

   A seller who fails to ship an item or settle a disputed transaction in a reasonable manner may be suspended from using his or her Three Sisters' Marketplace account.

   Returns & Refunds

   When a buyer is not satisfied with a purchase of an item or a class they must follow the Return & Refund Policy procedures. Three Sisters' Marketplace has a Return & Refund Policy that must be followed by both the buyers and sellers. This Return & Refund Policy is reviewed and agreed to by the Buyer prior to the completion of the sale, and by the Seller prior to joining Three Sisters' Marketplace.

3. Shops & Listings:

   Three Sisters' Marketplace provides a marketplace for crafters, artists, hobbyists, musicians, writers, etc. to sell their handmade, original creations.

   We encourage all sellers to provide information about yourself and/or your craft in your artisan profile. Shoppers will be interested in this information, as they are here specifically to buy handmade items directly from the artisan and they are seeking that personal connection to the artisans. You should explain your shop's policies regarding shipping and insurance on the Shop Policies page — noting that your policies must remain within the boundaries of the Three Sisters' Marketplace policies on Returns & Refunds Policy and Basic Shipping Policy.

   Please keep the following things in mind as you set up your shop and create listings for your items:

   • Do not make illegal use of photographs or written text. This is in violation of our Terms of Use.
   • Use of mature, profane and/or racist language or images in the public areas of your Three Sisters' Marketplace shop is not permitted. This includes your username, Profile, item titles, tags, and/or shop.
   • You may not set a minimum purchase amount requirement in your shop.
   • You may not engage in any activity to avoid Three Sisters' Marketplace's commissions. This includes but is not limited to: completing a transaction off-Three Sisters' Marketplace for an item or class listed on the Site once it has been initiated on the Site — if you list it here then you should sell it here.

   Handmade Items Made By You

   Handmade items must be created by the seller holding an account at Three Sisters' Marketplace shop. Below is general information regarding handmade items on Three Sisters' Marketplace.

   • Tailoring, restoring or repairing an item is not considered handmade.
   • Upcycled, reconstructed or significantly altered items are considered handmade.
   • Selling commercial or mass-produced items on Three Sisters' Marketplace is not permitted.
   • You may not list handmade items that you did not create. This is considered reselling and is not permitted.

   Listings that do not comply with Three Sisters' Marketplace's Terms of Use and Policies may be reviewed and removed from the site.

   Listings

   All listings on Three Sisters' Marketplace should be clear and accurate. Accurate titles, tags, photos and descriptions will aid in selling your items on Three Sisters' Marketplace. Keep these policies in mind as you list and describe your items:

   • Listing descriptions and photos must accurately describe the item for sale so buyers know exactly what is included in the purchase.
   • Listing prices and shipping prices should be reasonable for the item and each listing must be available for purchase.
   • All listings on Three Sisters' Marketplace must be for a tangible, handmade object.
   • You may not use Three Sisters' Marketplace to direct shoppers to another online selling venue to purchase the same items as listed in your Three Sisters' Marketplace shop — if you list it here then sell it here.
   • A listing must not be conditional upon the purchase of another listing in your shop. This includes listings for shipping upgrades and gift-wrapping upgrades.
   • Gift Baskets: Gift sets and kits that are a collection of handmade items may be sold on Three Sisters' Marketplace. Creatively re-packaging commercial items does not qualify them to be sold as handmade.
   • Gift Cards: Coming soon to Three Sisters' Marketplace. Details will be shared when they are launched.

   In addition to the listing and tagging rules that apply to all listings on Three Sisters' Marketplace, please review the specific policies that apply to the artisan's own handmade items that may be sold on Three Sisters' Marketplace. Some items are prohibited, and some items (like mature) require special attention to comply with Three Sisters' Marketplace's policies.

   Listings that do not comply with Three Sisters' Marketplace's policies may be reviewed and removed.

   Artisan Blogs:

   Artisans can add a link to their blog in their Shop. The same policies apply to these Artisan blogs and blog comments as apply to all of the content on the site.

   Blogs that do not comply with Three Sisters' Marketplace's policies may be reviewed and have the blog link removed.

   Reviews

   Reviews are a way to establish a reputation of trust for buyers, sellers and within Three Sisters' Marketplace. For every transaction, the buyer has the opportunity to submit a rating and an optional comment. Reviews directly affect a seller's reputation, so we ask that sellers take it seriously. Review ratings and comments may be removed by Three Sisters' Marketplace if deemed inappropriate.

   Sellers may ask Three Sisters' Marketplace to review the Reviews for removal by contacting Support to request a review of the content. Three Sisters' Marketplace does not investigate the validity of opinions or statements made in Reviews or mediate Review disputes. Reviews may be removed by Three Sisters' Marketplace at our discretion.

   Sellers with low overall Review scores or Sellers and/or Buyers who have violated the above policies for Review may be subject to review, which can result in suspension of account privileges and/or termination.

   Custom orders

   Custom orders or customizable items may be listed on Three Sisters' Marketplace if they adhere to the following policies for listing:

   • Custom Order listings must be listed for purchase with a set price.
   • The seller may use photographs of previous work and options for customization (for example: color choices) in the listing and these options must still fall under the set price listed for the Custom Order item.
   • The final custom item must comply with all of Three Sisters' Marketplace's policies for handmade items.

   Classes, Workshops and/or Events

   Three Sisters' Marketplace offers the opportunity for Sellers to post Classes, Workshops and/or Events for site users (buyers, shoppers, artisans and sellers) to register and attend. The registration process may include payment for the Classes, Workshops and/or Events, which is run through the Three Sisters' Marketplace Checkout System along with registration information. The following are some of the procedures/policies to follow for posting Classes, Workshops and/or Events.

   • Three Sisters' Marketplace is in no way responsible for the content, quality, or otherwise, of the Classes, Workshops and Events that are offered by Sellers on the Three Sisters' Marketplace site. Both Buyers and Sellers should be aware of the risks involved in attending a venue.
   • Artisans (Sellers) are responsible for securing the location for the Classes, Workshops and/or Events.
   • Sellers must create the Classes, Workshops and/or Events listing — including the cost, time, date, location, description, number of spots available, supplies included and/or supplies needed, objective and/or final product that will be produced as a result of attending such Class.
   • Sellers must also publish the cancellation and refund policy consistent with the Three Sisters' Marketplace Classes, Workshops and/or Events Policies.

   Classes, Workshops and/or Events listings that do not comply with Three Sisters' Marketplace's policies and Classes, Workshops and/or Events Policies may be reviewed and removed.

   Charitable listings and shops

   Three Sisters' Marketplace will, on occasion, run a Charitable Fund Raising Event on the Three Sisters' Marketplace site. All Sellers will be eligible to donate items for sale that will benefit these charities. This is totally optional and will not have any impact on the Seller's standing with Three Sisters' Marketplace. At this time there are no Charitable Listings or Charitable Shops allowed.

   Mature content

   Three Sisters' Marketplace aims to maintain a site appropriate for everyone so the use of mature content must comply with the following policies. Mature content is defined as: visual depiction of male or female genitalia, profane language, sexual activity or content, or graphic violence.

   • Item listings containing mature content must be tagged with "mature" and include the word "mature" in the item title.
   • Mature content and/or profane language or images are not allowed in your username, Profile, item titles, tags, avatar, logo, and/or shop titles.
   • The first thumbnail image in your item listing should be kept appropriate for everyone and the additional images in the listing may show the item in its entirety. Mature content and/or profane language or images are only allowed in the second, third and fourth photos of an item listing and the description text of a listing.
   • Pornography is prohibited on Three Sisters' Marketplace.

   Listings that do not comply with Three Sisters' Marketplace's policies may be reviewed and removed.

   Prohibited items

   Each Three Sisters' Marketplace seller represents and warrants that his or her use of the site complies with all applicable laws. Ignorance of the law is not a defense.

   Some items are inappropriate for Three Sisters' Marketplace, even though they may otherwise meet Three Sisters' Marketplace's selling criteria. You may not list the following types of items on Three Sisters' Marketplace; this list may not be all-inclusive as additional items may also be deemed prohibited upon review by Three Sisters' Marketplace:

   • Alcohol; Tobacco; Drugs, Drug-Like Substances, Drug Paraphernalia; Firearms and/or Weapons; Items that promote hatred, racial and/or religious intolerance; Live Animals, Illegal Animal Products; Motor Vehicles; Pornography
   • Additionally, a seller may not list any item that violates the seller's local laws, including shipping restrictions. Listings for prohibited items will be removed from the site, and the member's selling privileges may be suspended and/or terminated.

   Tags

   Accurate tags are very important, as many of Three Sisters' Marketplace's shopping features use tags to help shoppers find your listings. Here are guidelines for selecting tags:

   • Only use accurate tags that describe the specific item for sale in your listing.
   • If your listing contains mature content, then you must comply with Three Sisters' Marketplace's mature content policies. This includes tagging and titling your listing with the word "mature."
4. Site Procedures & Components:

   Community

   Three Sisters' Marketplace is about bringing together many members of the online community — artisans/sellers, shoppers/buyers and suppliers. All of these members are part of our Three Sisters' Marketplace community. Three Sisters' Marketplace has established multiple ways for members to interact with one another on the site.

   Please remember that these are public spaces, so be cautious when sharing personal information. Three Sisters' Marketplace's role is to facilitate open discussion and support our community through communication. Above all, treat one another with respect.

   Three Sisters' Marketplace does not allow spam in the community space; for this reason, unsolicited promotion or advertisement from representatives or affiliates of outside services, websites or other products is not allowed.

   Three Sisters' Marketplace reserves the right to remove any information from any community space on Three Sisters' Marketplace at any time, for any reason.

   Three Sisters' Marketplace Sales Tools

   Three Sisters' Marketplace offers many tools and insights on how to promote Three Sisters' Marketplace items and shops. These items are not a guarantee of increased sales but rather tools to help in endeavors to increase presence, personal following and the sales of items.

   Sellers use these items at their own discretion and understand that these items are supplied free of charge and for artisan/seller use. These tools are built to customize the content to promote each Seller's own shop and items. This customization must comply with all Three Sisters' Marketplace policies.

   Three Sisters' Marketplace Blog

   Three Sisters' Marketplace's blog publishes content on a regular basis. We promote featured artisans, shops and/or items. We also share information such as stories, videos, seller tips, etc. from Three Sisters' Marketplace and the art community. We are always looking for great stuff to share with artisans/sellers, buyers/shoppers, sellers and all members of our community so if there is something we should share then please let us know.

   Knowingly harassing, insulting or abusing other members is unacceptable in Three Sisters' Marketplace Blog comments. Constructive criticism is fine, but please be nice about it. Three Sisters' Marketplace does not allow spam in Blog comments. While Three Sisters' Marketplace has permission to use content that our users post on ThreeSistersMarketplace.com, our users may retain certain intellectual property rights for their work. If contacted about use of material please respect the artist's rights.

   Three Sisters' Marketplace reserves the right to remove Three Sisters' Marketplace Blog comments. Posting inappropriate comments may result in suspension of privileges and/or account termination.

Summary

Artisans/Sellers and Buyers/Shoppers who do not comply with Three Sisters' Marketplace's policies may be subject to review, which can result in suspension of account privileges and/or termination of their account. This includes all of that artisan/seller's accounts by virtue of association. In other words, Three Sisters' Marketplace reserves the right to suspend the use of the site for a person and all username(s) he/she operates under. Suspended or terminated members remain obligated to Three Sisters' Marketplace for all commissions per our Terms of Use.

Three Sisters' Marketplace reserves the right to alter these policies at any time.