1. Introduction & Pilot Scope

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern access to and use of this multi-tenant SaaS platform ("Platform") by participating pilot merchants ("Merchant"). By creating a store account, you acknowledge and accept these Terms in full.

2. Merchant Ownership of Data & Catalog

Merchants retain 100% intellectual property ownership of their store branding, uploaded product media, customer records, and order transactional data. The Platform claims no ownership rights over merchant content. Merchants can request a complete data export in structured CSV format at any time.

3. Platform Responsibilities & Availability

The Platform provides multi-tenant database infrastructure, visual storefront editors, edge caching, and order processing pipelines. While we target high availability (≥ 99.5% during business hours), scheduled maintenance windows may occur with advance platform announcements.

4. Payment & Order Handling (Cash on Delivery)

During Phase 7 pilot operations, customer payments are collected primarily via Cash on Delivery (COD) or external merchant accounts. The Platform does not hold, custody, or transmit customer funds. Merchants are wholly responsible for courier reconciliation and cash collection.

5. Prohibited Activities

Merchants agree not to upload malware, engage in fraudulent transactions, violate consumer protection laws, or store prohibited substances/goods. Violations result in immediate suspension with documented audit justification.

6. Termination & Offboarding

Either party may terminate the pilot agreement with written notice. Upon termination, merchants will be provided a 30-day window to export all catalog and order histories prior to atomic database purging.