Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

These Terms of Service ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you ("User," "Seller," or "Customer") and Lampstand Digital LLC ("Company," "we," "us," or "our"), doing business as Artos.

By accessing or using the Artos website, mobile application, or services (collectively, the "Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not access or use the Service.

2. The Artos "Safe Harbor" Mission

Artos is a specialized venue designed to serve as a "safe harbor" for the Eastern Orthodox Christian community. Unlike general marketplaces, we are a values-driven platform. We exist to support Orthodox Christian creators and provide a curated environment for customers.

You acknowledge that Artos is a venue, not a retailer. We provide the infrastructure for transactions, but the contract for sale is directly between the Customer and the Seller. We do not manufacture, store, or inspect the items sold by Sellers.

3. Eligibility & Account Registration

3.1 General Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old to use the Service. By creating an account, you represent and warrant that you are of legal age to form a binding contract.

3.2 Seller Eligibility (The "Orthodox Covenant")

To become a Seller on Artos, you must attest that you are a member in good standing of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

• Verification: During onboarding, you will be required to provide the name of your Parish and Priest.
• Audit Rights: We operate on a high-trust model, but we reserve the absolute right to audit your affiliation at any time.
• Termination for Misrepresentation: If we discover that a Seller has misrepresented their faith affiliation, their account will be terminated immediately and without appeal.

4. Community Standards & Prohibited Items

To maintain the spiritual and communal integrity of our "Safe Harbor," we enforce strict content guidelines. We reserve the right to remove any listing or ban any user that violates the letter or spirit of these rules.

4.1 Prohibited Items

Sellers may NOT list or sell:

1. Non-Orthodox Religious Items: Items promoting other faiths, denominations, or syncretic beliefs.
2. Schismatic or "Unverified" Content: Items promoting groups or individuals not in communion with the canonical Eastern Orthodox Church, or "relics" of unverified authenticity.
3. Blasphemous or Sacrilegious Content: Anything that mocks, degrades, or disrespects Christ, the Theotokos, the Saints, or the Church.
4. Occult, Esoteric, or "New Age" Items: Tarot cards, crystals, divination tools, or items claiming "energy healing" or spiritual benefits inconsistent with Orthodox teaching.
5. Political Propaganda: Merchandise promoting political parties, candidates, or divisive political ideologies.
6. Sexually Explicit Content: Pornography or erotica of any kind.
7. Illegal Items: Any item that is illegal to sell, possess, or ship under US law or the laws of your jurisdiction.

4.2 Conduct & Speech

We value free expression but prioritize safety.

• Violence: We strictly prohibit speech or content that encourages violence, threatens physical harm, or incites violent acts against individuals or groups.
• Civil Discourse: We reserve the right to ban users for harassment, doxxing, or behavior that fundamentally disrupts the peace of the marketplace.

5. Fees, Payments & Taxes

5.1 Fees

Artos charges a flat 10% Platform Fee on the total transaction amount (product price + shipping). This fee is deducted automatically at the time of sale. Fees are non-refundable.

5.2 Payment Processing

All payments are processed via Stripe Connect.

• Customers: You agree to pay for items using a valid credit or debit card. We do not accept cryptocurrency.
• Sellers: You must maintain a connected Stripe account to receive funds. You appoint Artos as your limited agent for the sole purpose of orchestrating transactions for you.

5.3 Taxes

Sellers are solely responsible for determining, collecting, and remitting any applicable sales taxes, VAT, or other duties associated with their sales. Artos is not responsible for your tax obligations.

6. Shipping, Returns & Refunds

6.1 Shipping

Sellers are responsible for packaging and shipping items promptly. While we may provide tools to generate shipping labels, the physical fulfillment is the Seller's sole duty.

• Risk of Loss: The risk of loss for items purchased passes to the Customer upon the Seller's delivery of the item to the carrier.

6.2 Returns & Refunds

• Physical Goods: Each Seller sets their own return policy. Customers should review these policies before purchasing. However, Artos reserves the right to refund a Customer (and charge the Seller) if an item is never shipped or is significantly not as described.
• Digital Goods: Due to the nature of digital content, all sales of digital files are final once the file has been accessed or downloaded. No refunds will be issued for downloaded content.

7. Intellectual Property

You retain ownership of your content (e.g., product photos, descriptions). However, by posting content on Artos, you grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, display, and reproduce your content for the purpose of operating and promoting the Service (e.g., featuring your shop in our marketing emails or on our homepage).

8. Disclaimers & Limitation of Liability

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE."

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, LAMPSTAND DIGITAL LLC DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. WE DO NOT GUARANTEE THAT THE SERVICE WILL BE ERROR-FREE OR UNINTERRUPTED.

IN NO EVENT SHALL LAMPSTAND DIGITAL LLC BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS OR REVENUE, WHETHER INCURRED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY. OUR TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY CLAIM ARISING OUT OF THESE TERMS SHALL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF $100 OR THE AMOUNT YOU HAVE PAID US IN THE PAST TWELVE MONTHS.

9. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Lampstand Digital LLC, its officers, directors, and employees from any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, and expenses (including legal fees) arising out of or related to: (a) your use of the Service; (b) your violation of these Terms; (c) your violation of any rights of a third party (including intellectual property rights); or (d) any dispute between you and another User.

10. Dispute Resolution (Binding Arbitration)

PLEASE READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY. IT AFFECTS YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS.

10.1 Binding Arbitration

Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the breach, termination, enforcement, interpretation, or validity thereof, including the determination of the scope or applicability of this agreement to arbitrate, shall be determined by binding arbitration in New Hampshire before one arbitrator. The arbitration shall be administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) pursuant to its Consumer Arbitration Rules. Judgment on the award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction.

10.2 Class Action Waiver

You and Lampstand Digital LLC agree that each may bring claims against the other only in an individual capacity, and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class or representative proceeding.

10.3 Small Claims Exception

Notwithstanding the foregoing, either party may bring an individual action in Small Claims Court in New Hampshire (or your local jurisdiction if required by law), provided the claim is within that court's jurisdiction and proceeds only on an individual basis.

10.4 Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by the laws of the State of New Hampshire, without regard to its conflict of law principles.

11. Termination

We may terminate or suspend your access to the Service immediately, without prior notice or liability, for any reason, including but not limited to:

• Violation of the "Orthodox Covenant" (Sellers).
• Posting prohibited content (Blasphemy, Violence, Occult, etc.).
• Negative reputation (consistent poor reviews or failure to fulfill orders).

Upon termination, your right to use the Service will immediately cease.

12. Contact Information

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