Acceptable Use Policy
To ensure a safe, fair, and enjoyable experience for everyone, please follow these guidelines when using CartDash. Violations may result in account suspension or termination.
General Platform Usage
Account Responsibilities
- You are responsible for all activities under your account
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date account information
- Do not share your login credentials with others
- Immediately report unauthorized access or suspicious activity
- One person may not maintain multiple accounts without authorization
Communication Standards
All communications on CartDash must be:
- Professional and respectful
- Relevant to the transaction or inquiry
- Free from harassment, threats, or discrimination
- In compliance with applicable laws
- Not used for unsolicited commercial messages (spam)
Important
CartDash reserves the right to monitor communications on our platform to ensure compliance with this policy and to protect our community.
Payment Modes & Pay After Delivery
Overview of Payment Modes
CartDash vendors can operate under two distinct transaction models. Understanding the requirements for each is crucial for maintaining your account status.
- Payment Before Delivery (Escrow): Funds are secured from the customer before the order is processed. This is the default mode for new accounts.
- Pay After Delivery: Customers receive goods before payment is processed. This is a privileged feature restricted to verified subscription plans.
Eligibility for "Pay After Delivery"
To protect the integrity of the marketplace, Pay After Delivery is strictly limited to vendors who meet the following criteria:
- Active Subscription: You must be on a Premium Plan (Monthly or Yearly) OR have an active 7-Day Free Trial.
- Profile Verification: Your vendor profile must be 100% complete (Name, Phone, State, Address).
- Service Areas: You must have valid "States of Service" selected in your dashboard.
Free Plan Restriction
The Free Plan is NOT eligible for Pay After Delivery. Vendors on the Free Plan are required to use Payment Before Delivery (Escrow). Attempting to bypass this restriction via technical exploits or account manipulation is a violation of this policy and may result in immediate suspension.
Trial & Subscription Expiration Policy
- 7-Day Free Trial: Eligible vendors may use Pay After Delivery for a one-time 7-day trial period. Once the trial expires, access to this mode is revoked until a premium subscription is purchased.
- Automatic Reversion: If a Premium subscription expires, or if the 7-day trial concludes, the system will automatically revert your store's Payment Mode to "Payment Before Delivery (Escrow)." You will be notified to renew your subscription to restore Pay After Delivery privileges.
Commission Structure
Your payment mode and plan determine the commission fees deducted from your sales:
- Free Plan / Escrow: A 5% platform commission is charged on all successful transactions.
- Premium Plans & Trials: Enjoy 0% commission on sales when you are on a paid subscription or active trial.
Prohibited Items & Activities
Strictly Forbidden
Illegal Items
Drugs, weapons, stolen goods, counterfeit items, or anything illegal in your jurisdiction
Dangerous Materials
Explosives, hazardous chemicals, radioactive materials, or recalled items
Harmful Content
Malware, viruses, hacking tools, or items designed to circumvent security
Offensive Items
Hate speech materials, items promoting violence, or sexually explicit content without proper age verification
Regulated Items
Prescription drugs, medical devices, alcohol, tobacco without proper licensing
Intellectual Property
Unauthorized replicas, pirated media, or items infringing on trademarks/copyrights
Prohibited Commercial Practices
- Fee avoidance: Attempting to avoid CartDash fees by directing transactions off-platform
- Review manipulation: Fake reviews, review trading, or coercing customers for positive reviews
- Misrepresentation: Creating fake listings, misleading descriptions, or false advertising
- Price manipulation: Artificially inflating or deflating prices to manipulate search results
- Account farming: Creating multiple accounts to abuse promotions or circumvent restrictions
Content & Intellectual Property
Your Content
- You retain ownership of content you upload to CartDash
- By uploading, you grant CartDash a license to display and distribute your content on our platform
- You are responsible for ensuring you have rights to all content you upload
- Content must not violate third-party intellectual property rights
- You may not upload content containing personal information of others without consent
CartDash Intellectual Property
- CartDash trademarks, logos, and platform design are our property
- You may not use our intellectual property without written permission
- Automated scraping or copying of platform content is prohibited
- Reverse engineering or attempting to extract source code is forbidden
- Creating derivative works based on our platform requires authorization
Copyright Complaints
If you believe your intellectual property rights have been violated on CartDash, please contact us at support@cartdash.com with detailed information about the infringement.
Security & System Integrity
Prohibited Technical Activities
- Unauthorized access to CartDash systems or data
- Attempting to breach platform security measures
- Introducing viruses, malware, or harmful code
- Overloading systems with excessive requests (DoS attacks)
- Using automated bots or scrapers without permission
- Circumventing geographic restrictions or access controls
Data Protection Requirements
- Respect the privacy of other users
- Do not collect or store personal data of other users without consent
- Report data breaches or security vulnerabilities to us immediately
- Comply with all applicable data protection laws
- Use platform data only for intended transactional purposes
Policy Enforcement Process
CartDash takes policy violations seriously. Here's how we handle enforcement:
Consequences may include: Content removal, account suspension, permanent banning, or legal action in severe cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I accidentally violate the policy?
For first-time minor violations, we typically issue a warning and request corrective action. Repeated or serious violations result in stricter measures.
How do I report a policy violation?
Use the "Report" button on any listing or profile, or email violations@cartdash.com with detailed information and evidence.
Can I appeal an enforcement action?
Yes, you have 7 days to appeal by emailing appeals@cartdash.com. Include your account details and explanation of why you believe the action was incorrect.
Why can't I select "Pay After Delivery"?
Pay After Delivery is exclusive to Premium plans or the 7-Day Free Trial. If you are on the Free Plan, your store is automatically set to "Payment Before Delivery." You must upgrade your subscription to access this feature.
What happens when my Pay After Delivery trial expires?
Once your 7-day trial or paid subscription expires, your account will automatically revert to the "Payment Before Delivery" (Escrow) mode. You will not be able to process new "Pay After Delivery" orders until you renew your subscription.
Are there items that require special permission?
Yes, certain categories like handmade food items, custom artwork with trademarks, or age-restricted products may require verification before listing.
What about fair use of copyrighted material?
If you believe your use qualifies as fair use, you must be prepared to defend this position if challenged. We recommend consulting legal counsel.
How often is this policy updated?
We review and update our policies quarterly. Major changes will be communicated to all users at least 30 days before implementation.
Policy Updates & Compliance
This Acceptable Use Policy is a living document that evolves with our platform and legal landscape. Your continued use of CartDash constitutes acceptance of the current policy.
By using CartDash, you agree to comply with this Acceptable Use Policy and all applicable laws and regulations.