Thank you for choosing Gustazos.com to promote your business!
We look forward to serving your business’s advertising needs to foster responsible, sustainable growth. This agreement sets out the rights and responsibilities of you, the merchant, and us, Social Media, LLC, owner and operator of the Gustazos® brand and trademark, with regard to your voucher offering on Gustazos.com.
Merchant Agreement
The Parties
This agreement (hereafter “Merchant Agreement” or “Agreement”) is entered into by and between Social Media, LLC (“Gustazos”), a Puerto Rican limited liability company with its principal offices located at Galería San Patricio B5 Tabonuco Street, Suite 201, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico 00968 and you, the merchant entering into and approving this Agreement (“Merchant”) (collectively, “Parties” or “the Parties”). This Merchant Agreement is effective and Merchant agrees to be bound by its terms upon the execution of the first product sale on Gustazos.com (“Effective Date”).
The Exchange
Merchant wishes to offer its products for sale on Gustazos’ website, www.gustazos.com, through vouchers (“Voucher”) which are valid for Merchant’s goods as detailed on the Voucher on www.gustazos.com. Such Vouchers are offered and available for purchase by the public at www.gustazos.com (“Website” or “the Website”). Vouchers sold on the Website are eligible for redemption and use according to the details on the face of the Merchant’s offer (“Offer” or “the Offer”), the Terms and Conditions listed on the particular voucher Offer, and the Terms and Conditions for www.gustazos.com, available at www.gustazos.com/page/terms. These products shall be available for pickup at the Gustazos Marketplace pickup center at the San Patricio Mall in Guaynabo.
Gustazos wishes to market and sell Merchant’s Vouchers to purchasers on the Website. Merchant shall be the seller of any goods offered via the Voucher on the Website. Gustazos shall be the seller of intangible rights, embodied within the Merchant’s Voucher.
NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, and in consideration of the mutual covenants set forth in this Agreement, the Parties agree as follows:
I. General Terms and Offer Terms
This Agreement embodies the general terms of all Merchant Offers that Merchant promotes on the Website. The general terms and conditions of this Merchant Agreement will apply to every Offer that Merchant advertises through the Website specified in the Insertion Order. The terms of each Offer Terms are subject to, and shall supplement, but not supersede, the remainder of the terms of this Agreement. To the extent there is conflict between the Offer Terms and the remainder of this Agreement, the remainder of this Agreement shall prevail.
II. Gustazos.com Vouchers – How It Works
This section discusses how a Gustazos.com Voucher Offer functions.
A. Gustazos.com, Merchant, and the Voucher
Gustazos will promote the Voucher according to the terms specified by Merchant and the remainder of this Agreement. Merchant remains the seller of all goods and services set forth in the Voucher. Gustazos will cause the Voucher to be sent to the purchaser of the Voucher electronically, upon purchase of the Voucher, the purchaser will present the Voucher to Merchant for redemption according to the terms of the Offer.
1. Presentation of Offers
Gustazos will present Merchant’s Offer to the purchasing public through the Website. The presentation of Merchant’s Offer may be made as a featured offer or as a side offer. Merchant shall give final approval of the Offer, prior to the launch of any Offer, in conformance with section 6 below, Submission of Information for Offer and Approval of Form of Offer.
2. Restrictions on the Offer
No restrictions on the Offer and related Vouchers are allowed unless specifically provided for by this Agreement. Vouchers shall be redeemable up to and including the Voucher Expiration Date. After the Voucher Expiration Date, as required by applicable law, Merchant shall: (1) allow the continued redemption of Vouchers; or (2) allow the redemption of Vouchers for credit with the Merchant in the amount of the total amount paid for the Voucher. Should applicable law require Merchant to do further, Merchant shall comply with all applicable laws and regulations.
3. Redemption of Voucher for Face Value after Expiration
Upon expiration, all Vouchers shall be redeemable for a period of five (5) years after the Expiration Date for the full purchase price of the Voucher (the “Paid Value”). For example, a Voucher offering a $50 service for an Offer Purchase Price of $19 shall be redeemable for $19 toward any service offered by the Merchant for five (5) years after the Voucher Expiration Date.
4. No Additional Charges Beyond Voucher Price Allowed
Merchant shall not require any person redeeming a Voucher to pay any amount, whether in the form of a fee or charge, that conflicts with the terms of the Offer. This section does not preclude the Merchant from requiring the payment of taxes as required by applicable law. However, should Merchant require Voucher purchasers to pay tax on the value of the redeemed Voucher, Merchant shall indicate on the face of the Offer that taxes are required to be paid by the Voucher redeemer.
5. Specific Conditions Related to Offer
Merchant will adhere to any and all Specific Conditions related to the Offer, as set forth in any Specific Conditions exhibit attached the Offer.
6. Submission of Information for Offer and Approval of Form of Offer
Merchant shall submit all necessary information related to the Offer in order to present the Offer on the Website. Such information includes: photographs, language for the offer, and any other information relevant to, or necessary to present, the Offer. Based on the information provided, Gustazos will produce a link of the Offer and publish it on the Gustazos.com website. Merchant shall be responsible and make sure that the information provided is accurate and up to date, as there will be no chance of review by Merchant prior to going live.
In the event that Merchant does not meet its timing obligations under this section 6, Gustazos may, at its discretion, elect to delay the posting of the Offer or cancel the posting of the Offer.
B. Sale of Vouchers – Authorization for Gustazos to Sell Vouchers
Merchant hereby authorizes Gustazos to market, offer, sell, and submit Merchant’s Offer to purchasers in a manner consistent with this Merchant Agreement and the Website’s Terms and Conditions, available at http://www.gustazos.com/page/terms.
C. Termination of Sale of Vouchers
Gustazos may terminate the marketing, offering, selling, and submission of Merchant’s Vouchers at any time, for any reason.
D. Marketing, Offering, and Sale of Vouchers
Gustazos will market and offer Vouchers for purchase on the Website according to the terms of this Agreement. Gustazos will list Vouchers for sale at its discretion, within the terms of this Agreement.
Maximum Number Available: Should Merchant specify a Maximum Number of Vouchers available, Gustazos shall use reasonable business efforts to prevent further purchases of the Offer upon reaching the set maximum.
E. Offer Modification or Revision
Gustazos reserves the right to modify or revise the layout and description of Merchant Offers at its discretion. However, Gustazos is not obligated to make any modifications or revisions.
G. Offer Termination
Gustazos reserves the right to reject or discontinue the publication of any Voucher. Gustazos also reserves the right to require Merchant to modify or revise its Offer or Offers in order to comply with Gustazos’ business standards and applicable laws or regulations.
H. Refund of Vouchers Purchased
In the event a customer demands a refund for an Offer purchased on the Website before the Voucher has been redeemed or expired and Merchant has been paid for such Voucher, Gustazos and Merchant shall be responsible for proportions of the refund according to the revenue split negotiated between Gustazos and Merchant for redeemed Vouchers. Gustazos shall invoice Merchant for its contribution toward any such refund, or shall withhold the corresponding amount from any further Merchant payments.
In the event a customer demands a refund for an Offer purchased on the Gustazos’ Website after the Voucher has been redeemed, Merchant shall be responsible for the refund for redeemed Vouchers. Gustazos shall invoice Merchant for its contribution toward any such refund, or shall withhold the corresponding amount from any further Merchant payments.
I. License Grant – Merchant’s Name, Logo, Trademarks, Photographs, etc.
Merchant grants Gustazos a non-exclusive worldwide license and right to use, reproduce, license, display, distribute and transmit the Merchant’s name, logo, trademarks (“Merchant’s Marks”), photographs, graphics, artwork, text, and other content (“Content”) provided or specified by Merchant to market, promote, sell, or distribute Vouchers. Gustazos’ license shall permit Gustazos to use such Content and Merchant’s Marks in all forms in which Vouchers are marketed, promoted, transmitted, sold, or distributed, including but not limited to, the Gustazos Website. Merchant also represents and warrants that the Content does not infringe upon or violate the copyrights, trademarks, patents, or other proprietary rights of any other party and has obtained all necessary consents, permissions, licenses and other documents from other parties and will indemnify and hold Gustazos harmless from and against any and all claims, suits, threats, demands, actions and causes of action brought directly or indirectly by any of these parties.
J. Taxes and Merchant Payouts
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Taxes
Merchant hereby attests that it is registered for sales tax and use tax collection, and shall be responsible for properly accounting for and paying all sales taxes and use taxes associated with the goods and/or services listed on, and/or provided upon remittance of, the Voucher. Gustazos does not withhold or remit taxes to taxing authorities in connection with Merchant's sales on Gustazos.com.
2. Merchant Payout for Vouchers Redeemed
Gustazos shall provide Merchant Payouts for Vouchers redeemed in conformance with this section. The Merchant Payouts shall be made according to redemptions tracked by Gustazos. All Voucher redemptions will be noted in the Gustazos Platform in order to be eligible for payment. On or before every other Friday, Gustazos shall deposit biweekly Payouts for Vouchers marked as redeemed on the Gustazos Platform by the prior Friday at midnight, La Paz (-4) Time. Payouts shall be electronically deposited in Merchant’s specified account.
The Merchant Payout shall be paid to Merchant per each voucher redeemed as follows: Product Offer Purchase Price (with such Product Offer Purchase Price plus any taxes and fees paid on the Gustazos platform) minus a credit card processing fee of 2.3% of the Product Offer Purchase Price (plus taxes and fees paid on the Gustazos platform) minus Gustazos' Marketing and Advertising Fee as defined below.
Gustazos Marketing and Advertising Fee: Gustazos shall retain a marketing and advertising fee of twelve percent (12%) of the Offer Purchase Price for all sales completed on the Gustazos.com platform.
gustitos®go Merchants' Preferential Rate. For Merchants enrolled in the gustitos®go program for a one (1) year or longer term, the Marketing and Advertising Fee shall be nine percent (9%) of the Offer Purchase Price instead of twelve percent (12%).
As an example of the above, if a Merchant’s Voucher is bought on Gustazos.com for $100 including all taxes and fees and redeemed at redeemed at the Gustazos Pickup Center, Gustazos shall retain $12 as its Marketing and Advertising fee and $2.30 to cover credit card processing. Merchant shall receive $85.70 for said voucher once redeemed. If Merchant is a gustitos®go Merchant, if a Merchant’s Voucher is bought on Gustazos.com for $100 including all taxes and fees and redeemed at Merchant, Gustazos shall retain $9 as its Marketing and Advertising fee and $2.30 to cover credit card processing. Merchant shall receive $88.70 for said voucher once redeemed.
All money retained by Gustazos is compensation for Gustazos’ advertising and selling Vouchers for Merchant.
III. Term and Termination of This Agreement
This Agreement shall remain in effect for one (1) year after the last date on which a customer redeems a Voucher offered for sale by Merchant via Gustazos. Gustazos may terminate this Agreement at any time at its discretion by giving Merchant written notice of such termination. The expiration of the one (1) year term shall not in any way affect the purchaser’s usage of the Voucher, or Merchant’s obligation for redemption of Vouchers.
A. No Advertising Similar or Better Offer Online During Voucher Offer
Merchant agrees that Merchant will not promote a similar or better online offer with respect to the products or services in the Offer for a period of ninety (90) days after the Merchant’s date of feature on the Website.
B. Implications of Breach of This Agreement
In the event Merchant violates any part of this Agreement, Gustazos may withhold all pending payments notwithstanding the terms of payment outlined in the remainder of this Agreement and require the repayment of any and all advance payments. In the event Merchant violates any part of this Agreement and Gustazos does not exercise its right to terminate this Agreement, payment for all Vouchers will be made on an as-redeemed basis in conformance with section II, subsection J of this Agreement.
C. Survival of Terms After Expiration or Termination of Agreement
The following sections of this Agreement shall survive any expiration or termination of this Agreement.
IV. Merchant Representations and Warranties, and Indemnification
A. Merchant Representations and Warranties
Merchants hereby represents and warrants throughout the Term of this Agreement that: (a) Merchant has the rights, power, and authority to enter into this Agreement; (b) Merchant is registered for sales tax and use tax collection purposes in all states, territories, and countries in which Merchant’s goods and services will be provided pursuant to the terms and presentation of the Voucher; (c) once the Voucher has been electronically provided to a purchasing customer, the Voucher shall be immediately eligible for redemption by the purchase; (d) all terms and conditions of the Voucher offer, including all discounts or goods or services offered, comply with all local, state, and federal law, statutes, rules, regulations, and orders (“Laws”), including and not limited to, any law or regulation governing the use, sale, or distribution of alcohol, any Laws governing Vouchers, gift cards, gift certificates, or vouchers; (e) Merchant owns all rights, titles, and interest in the Marks and Content and has the right to grant licenses in the Marks and Content as stated in this Agreement; (f) the Voucher and any advertising or promotion of Merchant’s products or services do not represent false, deceptive, or unfair advertising or disparagement under any applicable Laws; and (g) the Marks and Content do not and will not violate any copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property right or right of privacy or publicity of any third party or Laws.
B. Indemnification
Merchant agrees to defend, indemnify and hold harmless Gustazos and its affiliates, volunteers, partners and service providers, and their respective directors, officers, employees, affiliates and agents and their heirs, successors and assigns (“Indemnitees”), from and against any and all liabilities, demands, losses, damages, costs, expenses, fines, amounts paid in settlements or judgments, including without limitation, costs, reasonable attorneys’ fees, witnesses’ fees, investigation expenses, cost of management time, any and all out-of-pocket expenses, consequential damages, and all other expenses and costs incident thereto (collectively referred to as “Damages”) resulting from: (a) any breach or alleged breach of this Agreement by Merchant or Merchant’s agents or employees; (b) any breach or alleged breach of the Representations and Warranties within this Agreement; (c) any claim or recovery action for state sales tax or use tax obligations (“Taxes”) as a result of the sale and redemption of a Voucher; (d) any claim by a local, state, or federal government entity for unused Vouchers or unredeemed cash value of any Vouchers or any other amounts under applicable escheat, unclaimed property, abandoned property, including, but not limited to, claims for penalties and interest (“Abandoned Property Claims”); (e) any claim by a local, state, or federal government entity for violating any Laws related to the sale, distribution, or use of alcohol; (f) any claim sounding in warranty, false advertising, product defects, personal injury, death, or property damage due to Merchant’s sale of products or services through a Voucher on Gustazos’ Website (“Consumer Protection Claims”); (g) any claim, lawsuit, investigation, proceeding, regulatory action, or other cause of action that may be suffered by reason of any loss, damage, death, injury, and/or other reason arising out of or in connection with the purchase of a Voucher on Gustazos’ Website and any infringement or alleged infringement or other violation of any patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret, or other intellectual property right or right of privacy or publicity.
Without limiting the above, Merchant shall pay all money owed to any party, as well as all attorneys’ fees, related to any action against, or determinations against, Indemnitees related to any action to pursue Indemnitees for Taxes, Abandoned Property Claims, or Consumer Protection Claims.
V. Legal Compliance: Gift Cards, Gift Certificates, and Abandoned Property Laws
3 Merchant agrees to comply with all Voucher terms set forth above, on the Gustazos Website, and on the face of the Offer, and all applicable Laws. Merchant further agrees to ensure that any and all of Merchant’s Vouchers offered for sale on the Gustazos Website comply with any and all Laws that regulate vouchers, vouchers, gift cards, gift certificates, and discounts. Such Laws include, but are not limited to: all state or local Laws governing expiration dates, service charges, dormancy fees, or other terms and conditions of the Voucher, the Credit Card Act of 2009, contract law, advertising laws, and any other applicable Laws.
As required by state or federal Laws, Merchant shall permit the Voucher purchaser to redeem the Voucher with the Merchant for the total amount paid by the purchaser for the Voucher, meaning the cash value or redemption value of the Voucher. Merchant shall comply with all requirements of any such Laws.
As required by escheat or unclaimed or abandoned property Laws, Merchant shall be solely responsible for, and agrees to report and pay the applicable local, state, or federal governmental agency for any unredeemed cash value of any Voucher issued under this Agreement. Additionally, Merchant shall track and account for cash paid by any and every purchaser of a Voucher issued under this Agreement, including any unredeemed amount(s) of cash paid by the purchaser for a Voucher, in order to comply with this Section V.
A. Voucher to be Honored After Expiration Date in Certain Circumstances
In the event a Voucher purchaser makes an appointment for services or presents a Voucher for redemption prior to the expiration date of a Voucher, Merchant shall observe all redemption value in the Voucher that remains after the expiration date, even if such services or goods must be provided after the established expiration date for redemption.
In the even Merchant, by choice or necessity, does not operate the Merchant’s business for a period of time, during which time a Voucher is otherwise redeemable, Merchant shall extend the time for redemption of the Vouchers for the same period of time that Merchant’s business was not operational.
B. Extension of Time for Redemption of Vouchers – Force Majeure – Acts of God
In the event of any force majeure delay due to causes beyond the reasonable control of Voucher purchasers or Merchant, including, but not limited to, acts of God, fire, explosion, fuel shortages, strike, civil uprising, or any act or failure to act of any civil or military authority (“Delay”), the Voucher Expiration Date shall be extended for a period of time equal to the time lost by reason of such delay. Merchant shall promptly restore the original operating conditions and shall remit the funds for any Vouchers that are unused as a result of any Delay. Merchant shall promptly notify Gustazos of any such Delay and its effect on the Offer and demonstrate that Merchant has done everything reasonable to minimize the resulting Delay and to accommodate Voucher holders.
Merchant shall not be excused from performing pursuant to the Offer as a result of any Delay. Additionally, Merchant shall remain liable to Gustazos for any refunds that must be provided as a result of the Delay. Refunds are considered a result of the Delay if a Voucher purchaser indicates that any refund request is a product of the Delay.
VI. Confidentiality of this Agreement and Intellectual Property Rights
A. Confidentiality
This Agreement and the terms contained herein are confidential. Merchant agrees not to disclose the terms of this Agreement to any other party, with the exception of Merchant’s employees, parent companies, and shareholders as required, but only upon exercising reasonable precautions to protect confidential information.
The terms of this Agreement are not known to the general public. Any breach of this Agreement by Merchant will cause irreparable damage to Gustazos that cannot be remedied by any remedy provided for by law. In turn, in the event of a breach of this Agreement, Gustazos shall be entitled to injunctive relief and/or specific performance, in addition to any and all such further relief as may be deemed appropriate. This section does not foreclose the possibility of monetary damages being awarded to Gustazos for any such breach.
B. Intellectual Property
Merchant agrees and acknowledges that Social Media, LLC, a Puerto Rico limited liability company, owns all rights, titles, and interests in the Gustazos Website, Gustazos trademarks, any software, technology, or tools used by Gustazos to promote, sell, market, generate, or distribute Vouchers (collectively, “Social Media Intellectual Property”).
Merchant shall not redistribute, circulate, sell, rent, license, transfer, rent, display, reproduce, modify, or share Social Media Intellectual Property in whole or in part. Nor shall Merchant use Social Media Intellectual Property as an element of a good or service for sale, rental, lease, or other distribution.
Merchant shall not use Social Media Intellectual Property, in whole or in part, as a basis for derivative work based on Social Media Intellectual Property. This prohibition extends to reworking, translating, reverse engineering, decompiling, or dissembling Social Media Intellectual Property.
VII. Limitation of Liability
Aside from indemnification rights and obligations pursuant to this Agreement, in no event shall either party be liable for any special, incidental, exemplary, statutory, consequential, punitive, or any other indirect damages of any kind. This limitation of liability applies regardless of the form of the action, whether contractual, tort, negligence, strict product liability, statutory, or otherwise, and regardless of whether either party provides advance notice of the possibility of such damages. Gustazos’ only liability to Merchant for any claims arising out of, or related to, this Agreement or any errors, omissions, or misplacements of the Vouchers shall be limited to the amount of opportunity fees paid under this Agreement. This limitation of liability shall be effective to the fullest extent allowed by applicable law.
Any claim related to, resulting from, or arising out of, any error or omission in a Voucher must be made within one (1) year of the first publication of Voucher on Gustazos’ Website. If Merchant does not make any such claim within the one (1) year period prescribed, Merchant shall be deemed to have waived any such claim.
VIII. Miscellaneous
A. Relationship of the Parties: No Joint Venture
Nothing in this Agreement or otherwise shall be construed to create a joint venture, partnership, principal and agent, employer and employee, or other agency relationship between the Parties. Neither Party has the authority to bind the other Party.
B. Entire Agreement
This Agreement represents the entire and sole agreement between the Parties. This Agreement supersedes any and all prior or contemporaneous agreements, whether written or oral, concerning the subject matter of this Agreement. Any Insertion Order executed by Merchant shall supplement, but not supersede, the terms of this Agreement. To the extent there is conflict between the terms of an Insertion Order and this Agreement, this Agreement shall prevail.
C. Modification
No modification or claimed waiver of any portion of this Agreement shall be valid except by express written amendment signed by an authorized representative of each Party to this Agreement.
D. No Assignment or Transfer
Merchant may not assign or transfer its rights or obligations under this Agreement at any time without Gustazos’ prior, express written consent.
E. Disclaimer of Warranties
Unless expressly set forth in this Agreement, all warranties are expressly disclaimed. Neither party makes any representations or warranties, whether express or implied, including, but not limited to, any implied warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. Gustazos does not warrant or guarantee that services offered on or through the website will be uninterrupted or error-free, that the purchase, remittance, or redemption of Vouchers will be error-free, that omissions, errors, or misplacements on Vouchers offered for sale will be corrected, or that Vouchers will result in any revenue or profit for Merchant.
F. Section Headings
The headings in this Agreement are for convenience and ease of reference only and shall not be construed to limit or otherwise affect the meaning of any part of this Agreement.
G. Governing Law
This Agreement and any dispute shall be interpreted and construed according to the laws of Puerto Rico, without giving effect to conflicts of law principles. Any dispute, controversy, or claim arising as a result of, or in connection with, this Agreement or the Insertion Order shall be addressed and resolved by binding arbitration in Puerto Rico. The governing law of any such dispute, controversy, or claim shall be the law of the State of the defendant and any and all applicable laws.