Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By creating an account or otherwise accessing or using ZEM (the "Platform"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms") and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, do not use the Platform. We may update these Terms from time to time; continued use after changes take effect constitutes acceptance.

2. The ZEM Marketplace

ZEM operates an online marketplace that connects Customers with independent, third-party AI service providers ("Providers"). ZEM is not a party to, and assumes no responsibility for, the underlying services agreed to between a Customer and a Provider. Providers are independent contractors and are not employees, agents, joint venturers, or partners of ZEM. ZEM does not guarantee the quality, safety, legality, or outcome of any listing, consultation, job post, or service delivered through the Platform.

3. User Accounts

You must be at least 18 years old and provide accurate, current registration information to create an account. You are solely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account. Customer accounts and Provider accounts are subject to distinct verification requirements — Providers seeking a "Verified by ZEM" badge must pass ZEM's identity, business, and service-quality review. ZEM may suspend an account at any time pending investigation of suspicious activity.

4. Provider Pricing & Subscriptions

Providers may list services under the Free plan (one active listing, up to two additional listings at $10/listing/month for a maximum of three, and up to three customer job proposals per month) or the ZEM Pro subscription ($29.99/month, billed monthly, auto-renewing until cancelled), which includes unlimited active listings, the "Verified by ZEM" badge (subject to verification review), priority placement in search results, and unlimited customer job proposals. Subscription fees are non-refundable except as required by law or expressly stated in Section 6. You may cancel a Pro subscription at any time; cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing cycle and no partial-month refunds are issued.

5. Milestone Contracts, Payments & Escrow

For fixed-price project work, Providers create a proposed contract specifying the total project price and a schedule of milestones — each milestone defines a description of the work covered, a percentage of the total price, and a target date, together totaling 100% of the project price. The Provider sends this proposed contract to the Customer through ZEM's messaging system. The Customer may accept, decline, or take no action; a proposed contract not accepted within 10 days automatically voids. Once accepted, each milestone is billed on its scheduled date, with funds held in escrow by ZEM until the Customer approves that milestone's deliverable, at which point funds are released to the Provider. ZEM charges a 6% marketplace commission on the total value of every completed transaction, deducted automatically before funds are released to the Provider. All payments are processed through our third-party payment processor, Stripe, and are subject to Stripe's terms. Consultation calls and webinar/event listings are charged in full at time of booking rather than through milestones. ZEM is not a bank and does not pay interest on escrowed funds.

6. Refund Policy

Refund eligibility depends on listing type: (a) Milestone-based project contracts — a Customer may request a refund of an unapproved or materially non-conforming milestone within 14 days of that milestone's scheduled date; approved refunds return the escrowed balance for that milestone, and any milestone not yet billed is simply not charged; (b) Consultation calls — refundable if cancelled at least 24 hours before the scheduled time, non-refundable thereafter or on no-shows; (c) Webinars/events — refundable up to 48 hours before the event start; (d) Subscription fees (ZEM Pro, additional listing fees) are non-refundable once billed. All refund requests are subject to ZEM's dispute resolution process in Section 7 and to review of platform messages and delivery records.

7. Disputes & Contract Terms

Each accepted proposal, booking, or purchase forms a direct service contract between Customer and Provider; ZEM facilitates but is not a party to that contract. If a Customer and Provider cannot resolve a disagreement directly, either party may open a dispute through the Platform within 30 days of the transaction. ZEM will review submitted evidence (messages, deliverables, listing terms) and may, at its sole discretion, release, refund, or split escrowed funds. ZEM's dispute decisions are final and binding for purposes of fund release, but do not waive either party's other legal rights.

8. Provider Conduct & Listing Standards

Providers agree to represent their services, credentials, pricing, and delivery timelines accurately, to deliver work consistent with the listing description, to respond to Customer messages in good faith, and to comply with all applicable laws (including data protection and AI-use regulations relevant to the services offered). Misrepresentation, non-delivery, or repeated Customer complaints may result in listing removal, loss of Verified status, or account termination.

9. Intellectual Property

Except for deliverables explicitly transferred under a Customer-Provider contract, each party retains ownership of its own pre-existing IP. ZEM retains all rights to the Platform itself, including its software, design, and the ZEM name and logo. Providers grant ZEM a limited license to display their listing content, portfolio samples, and business name/logo on the Platform for marketplace purposes.

10. Termination

ZEM may suspend or terminate any account, with or without notice, for violation of these Terms, fraudulent or abusive behavior, chargebacks, or extended inactivity. You may close your account at any time; open transactions and escrowed funds will be settled per Sections 5–7 before final closure.

11. Limitation of Liability

The Platform is provided "as is" and "as available." ZEM disclaims all warranties, express or implied, regarding the services listed by Providers. To the maximum extent permitted by law, ZEM's total liability for any claim arising from use of the Platform is limited to the greater of $100 or the commission ZEM earned on the transaction giving rise to the claim. ZEM is not liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages.

12. Governing Law & Contact

These Terms are governed by the laws applicable in ZEM's jurisdiction of incorporation, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. Questions about these Terms can be sent to support@zemmarketplace.com.