Effective Date: October 15, 2026 Version: 1.0 Applies to: All persons who submit content to the Platform, and all Sellers whose Products are reviewed.
Article 1: Introduction and Scope
1.1 This document governs content a User submits to the Platform: reviews, ratings, questions, answers, photographs, and other material: and states the integrity rules for reviews, the duties of a Seller in relation to reviews of the Seller's Products, and the manner in which the Company moderates submitted content. The integrity rules in this document implement the Federal Trade Commission Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials, 16 C.F.R. Part 465, under which a fake or misleading review, an undisclosed incentivized testimonial, and the suppression of a genuine review are deceptive practices.
1.2 If a provision of this document conflicts with the Terms of Use, this document controls for the User Content subject it governs. If a provision of this document conflicts with the terms of a program in which the User participates, the program terms control for that program. Policies and help pages explain this document; they do not amend it, and in any conflict this document prevails, except as the preceding sentences provide.
Article 2: Definitions
2.1 In this document Account: the account a person or business establishes with the Company to use the Platform.
Buyer: a person who purchases Products or Services through the Platform.
Company: All About Pawz, LLC, a Tennessee limited liability company.
Platform: the websites, applications, and services the Company operates under the name All About Pawz, including aapawz.com.
Products: goods offered for sale through the Platform.
Review: a rating, a written evaluation, or a testimonial a User submits about a Product, a Service, or a Seller, including a submission made through a question-and-answer facility where the context makes the submission evaluative.
Seller: a person or business the Company has accepted to offer Products or Services through the Platform.
Services: services offered through the Platform, including grooming, veterinary, pharmacy, and fulfillment services, as applicable.
Site: aapawz.com and its subdomains.
User: any person who accesses or uses the Platform, whether or not the person holds an Account.
User Content: content a User submits to the Platform, including listings, reviews, photographs, and messages.
Verified Purchase: a Review associated with an Order for the reviewed Product recorded on the Platform, identified as such where the Platform displays the Review.
Article 3: Ownership and License
3.1 The User retains ownership of the User Content the User submits. Submission does not transfer the User's copyright in the content to the Company.
3.2 By submitting User Content, the User grants the Company a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license, sublicensable to a service provider acting on the Company's behalf, to use, reproduce, display, distribute, and make technical adaptations of the content: including a thumbnail and a formatted excerpt: in connection with operating the Platform, including display of a Review on the Product page, inclusion of the content in search results and recommendation surfaces, and transmission of the content as the Platform's functions require. The license is bounded by the operation of the Platform. The license is not a right to license a User's photograph to an unrelated third party or to use a User's likeness in advertising without separate consent. This article is consistent with, and is the specific statement of, the license in the Intellectual Property Policy.
3.3 The User represents that the User owns or controls the rights in the User Content the User submits, that the content does not violate a law or the rights of a third party, and: for a Review: that the Review reflects the User's genuine experience. A false representation under this clause is a violation of this document, enforceable under Article 11.
3.4 Removal of the User's own content. A User may request removal of the User's own User Content by notice to support@aapawz.com. The Company honors a removal request, except that content that is evidence in a pending dispute or enforcement matter is preserved until the matter closes and is then removed.
Article 4: Review Integrity
4.1 A Review shall reflect a genuine experience with the Product, Service, or Seller reviewed. The following conduct is prohibited (a) Fake Reviews. A Review of a Product the reviewer has not used, whether by purchase or by other genuine experience. A Review without a Verified Purchase designation is held to the same genuineness standard as a Review with that designation.
(b) Undisclosed incentivized Reviews. A Review written in exchange for a discount, a free Product, or any other consideration, where the relationship is not disclosed clearly and conspicuously at the start of the Review. An undisclosed incentivized Review is deceptive regardless of whether the reviewer holds a favorable opinion of the Product.
(c) Selective solicitation and suppression. Soliciting a Review only from a satisfied customer, suppressing or diverting a negative Review, or using a review-request flow that filters by sentiment. A party that asks for Reviews asks every customer; the rating distribution shall reflect the customer base, not a selected subset.
(d) Retaliatory and competitor Reviews. A Review written to punish a Seller over a matter unrelated to the reviewed Product, or to damage a competitor.
(e) Manipulation. A coordinated, automated, or compensated effort to move a rating, including a purchased package of favorable Reviews, a review farm, an automated Review, and manipulation of a question-and-answer facility. A Seller who purchases Reviews commits fraud, not marketing.
(f) Review extortion. A statement by any party that a negative Review is posted, maintained, or removed in exchange for a refund, a payment, or another benefit to which the party is not entitled under the governing policy. A fake negative Review posted to extract a refund is review extortion, the Review is removed, and the act is enforceable against the reviewer under Article 11.
4.2 The prohibitions in this article bind a Buyer, a Seller, and any other User. A Seller's review obligations are also enforceable under the Selling Terms of Service. Review manipulation is treated as deception, not as aggressive marketing.
Article 5: Duties of a Seller in Relation to Reviews
5.1 A Seller may: (a) ask every Buyer for a Review through the Platform's review-request flow; (b) respond publicly to a Review of the Seller's Product in a professional manner; and (c) report a Review the Seller believes violates this document, through the reporting facility or to support@aapawz.com.
5.2 A Seller shall not: (a) offer compensation for a positive Review without the disclosure Article 4 requires; (b) condition a refund or support on the removal or revision of a Review; (c) threaten a reviewer; (d) publish a Buyer's personal information in a response to a Review; or (e) create or use a Buyer Account to review the Seller's own Product. Each prohibition in this clause is independently enforceable.
5.3 A refund is governed by the Returns and Refunds Policy, and a Review is governed by this document. The two are never traded against each other: an offer in the form of a refund in exchange for removal of a Review is review manipulation by the Seller.
Article 6: Questions and Answers
6.1 A product question-and-answer facility is subject to the integrity rules in Article 4: a genuine question, a genuine answer, and no manipulation. A Seller who answers a question about the Seller's own Product shall identify the Seller as the seller in the answer. An undisclosed answer by a Seller presented as the answer of a fellow Buyer is deceptive.
6.2 An answer that is in substance an advertisement for another Product is removed. The question-and-answer facility is a source of Product information, not a marketing channel.
Article 7: Photographs and Media
7.1 A photograph a User submits in connection with a Product shall depict that Product or its use and shall be the User's own photograph. A stock photograph, a manufacturer's image presented as the User's own, and a photograph of a different Product are misrepresentations.
7.2 A User shall not post an identifiable image of another person's child. A photograph depicting animal cruelty, unsafe use of a Product, or unlawful activity is removed and may give rise to enforcement beyond content removal.
Article 8: Moderation
8.1 The Company may remove User Content that violates this document, that is unlawful, that is fraudulent, or that otherwise undermines the integrity of the review system. A removal decision states the rule violated; a removal recorded without specification of the rule is not a completed decision.
8.2 Automated moderation assists human review and does not replace human review for a consequence that affects an Account. The author of content removed by automated moderation may appeal the removal, and the appeal is decided by a person.
8.3 Removal of User Content is not, standing alone, an enforcement measure appealable as an Account action. A content removal is appealed through the content appeal stated in clause 8.2. A measure that affects an Account: a restriction or a suspension: is appealed under Article 11, and enforcement and appeals generally are stated in the Enforcement and Appeals Policy.
8.4 The Company does not edit a Review for tone, does not alter a Seller's least favorable sentences, and does not remove a negative Review at a Seller's request. A negative Review that is genuine and within the rules remains published; the Seller's remedy is a professional public response under clause 5.1(b).
Article 9: Liability
9.1 Exclusion of certain damages. To the fullest extent permitted by law, neither party is liable to the other for indirect, incidental, special, punitive, or consequential damages, or for lost profits, lost revenue, or loss of goodwill, arising out of or relating to this document, even if the party has been advised of the possibility of those damages.
9.2 Cap. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company's total liability arising out of or relating to this document shall not exceed the greater of (a) the amounts the User paid to the Company under this document in the twelve months before the event giving rise to the claim, or (b) one hundred dollars ($100).
9.3 Carve-outs. This article does not limit (a) a party's indemnification obligations under this document; (b) liability for fraud or willful misconduct; (c) amounts a party owes for Orders, fees, chargebacks, or refunds under this document; or (d) liability that cannot be limited under applicable law.
9.4 Essential purpose. The parties agree that this article allocates risk between them, that it is an essential part of the basis of their bargain, and that it applies even if a limited remedy fails of its essential purpose.
Article 10: Indemnification
10.1 Duty. The User shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Company and its members, managers, employees, and agents from and against every claim, demand, action, loss, liability, judgment, settlement, cost, and expense (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to: (a) the User's breach of this document; (b) the User's User Content, including a Review the User submits; (c) the User's violation of any law or of the rights of any person.
10.2 Procedure. The Company shall give prompt written notice of a claim under this article. The User shall control the defense with counsel reasonably acceptable to the Company. The Company may participate in the defense at its own expense. The User shall not settle a claim in a manner that imposes any obligation or restriction on the Company, or that does not release the Company fully, without the Company's prior written consent.
10.3 Survival. This article survives the termination of this document.
Article 11: Enforcement and Appeals
11.1 Investigation. The Company may investigate any suspected violation of this document. The User shall cooperate with an investigation and shall produce the records this document requires the User to keep.
11.2 Notice. If the Company determines that the User has violated this document, the Company shall give written notice stating the provision violated and the facts relied on, except where notice would compromise an investigation of fraud, a safety risk, or a legal obligation.
11.3 Opportunity to cure. Where a violation is capable of cure, the User has ten (10) business days from notice to cure it and to confirm the cure in writing. No cure period applies to fraud, counterfeiting, a risk to the safety of a person or an animal, unlawful conduct, or a violation that by its nature cannot be cured. Review manipulation, including conduct under clause 4.1(e) and clause 5.3, is fraud for the purposes of this clause.
11.4 Measures. If a violation is established and is not cured within the period allowed, the Company may, proportionate to the violation: (a) issue a written warning; (b) remove or suppress a listing or content, including a Review; (c) cancel an Order or a booking; (d) suspend the Account or a program participation, in whole or in part; (e) terminate this document and the Account; and (f) exercise any other right or remedy available under this document or at law.
11.5 Appeal. The User may appeal a measure under this article by written notice to legal@aapawz.com within thirty (30) days of the measure, stating the grounds and attaching the records relied on. The appeal is decided by a person who did not make the original decision. The Company's decision on appeal is final. A measure remains in effect during an appeal unless the Company directs otherwise in writing. A content removal is appealed under clause 8.2 and not under this clause, except where the removal is tied to a measure against the Account.
11.6 No waiver by delay. The Company's delay in acting on a violation is not a waiver of the violation or of any later violation of the same kind.
Article 12: Term and Termination
12.1 Term. This document takes effect when the User first submits User Content or first offers a Product that is reviewed, and continues until terminated under this article.
12.2 Termination by the Company. The Company may terminate this document and the Account on thirty (30) days' written notice for any reason, and immediately on written notice if the User materially breaches this document, engages in fraud, or becomes ineligible to participate.
12.3 Termination by the User. The User may terminate this document on thirty (30) days' written notice to support@aapawz.com, or by closing the Account, provided the User has no Order, booking, or investigation outstanding.
12.4 Effect of termination. On termination: (a) the rights granted under this document end; (b) obligations that arose before termination: including payment, refund, chargeback, record-keeping, and indemnification obligations: survive until satisfied; and (c) the Company shall pay amounts owed, less amounts the Company may set off under this document, within thirty (30) days, except amounts held in connection with an open investigation or dispute.
12.5 Survival. The Definitions, Liability, Indemnification, Enforcement and Appeals (for measures taken before termination), Dispute Resolution, and General Provisions articles survive termination.
Article 13: Dispute Resolution
13.1 Any dispute arising out of or relating to this document, or to the relationship it governs, is governed by the Dispute Resolution Policy, which is incorporated into this document by reference.
Article 14: General Provisions
14.1 Amendments. The Company may amend this document by posting the amended document in the Document Center and giving notice to the User at the email address in the Account. An amendment that materially increases the User's fees or obligations takes effect thirty (30) days after notice; other amendments take effect on posting. Continued use of the Platform after the effective date of an amendment is acceptance of it. If the User does not accept an amendment, the User's remedy is to terminate under Article 12 before the amendment takes effect.
14.2 Notices. Legal notices under this document shall be sent to legal@aapawz.com. Operational notices, removal requests under clause 3.4, reports of a Review, and all other communications shall be sent to support@aapawz.com. A notice to the Company is effective when the Company acknowledges receipt or, for email, one business day after sending, whichever is earlier. Notices to the User are effective when sent to the email address in the Account or posted to the Account's notice facility in the portal, whichever occurs first. The User shall keep the email address in the Account current. DMCA notices are given as provided in the DMCA and Copyright Policy, to the designated agent at legal@aapawz.com.
14.3 Governing law. This document is governed by the laws of the State of Tennessee, without regard to its conflict-of-laws rules. Subject to the Dispute Resolution Policy, any proceeding arising out of this document shall be brought in the state or federal courts located in Shelby County, Tennessee, and the parties consent to personal jurisdiction there.
14.4 Severability. If any provision of this document is held unenforceable, the provision shall be enforced to the fullest extent permitted, and the remaining provisions continue in full effect.
14.5 Entire agreement. This document, together with the documents it incorporates by reference, is the entire agreement between the Company and the User for the subject it governs and supersedes every prior or contemporaneous statement, communication, or agreement on that subject, whether written or oral.
14.6 Assignment. The User shall not assign this document or any right or obligation under it without the Company's prior written consent, and an assignment without consent is void. The Company may assign this document to an affiliate or in connection with a sale of all or part of its business, on notice to the User.
14.7 Waiver. A waiver of any provision of this document is effective only in writing and only for the instance stated. No waiver is a waiver of any other provision or instance.
14.8 Interpretation. Headings are for convenience only. "Including" means "including without limitation." This document shall not be construed against a party on the ground that the party prepared it. The English-language text controls over any translation.
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