Terms of Service

Last Updated: May 13, 2026

Acceptance of Terms
The Artos "Safe Harbor" Mission
Eligibility & Account Registration
Community Standards & Prohibited Items
Fees, Payments & Taxes
Shipping, Returns & Refunds
Intellectual Property
Disclaimers & Limitation of Liability
Indemnification
Dispute Resolution (Binding Arbitration)
Termination
Contact Information

1. Acceptance of Terms

These Terms of Service ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you ("User," "Seller," or "Buyer") and Lampstand Digital LLC ("Company," "we," "us," or "our"), doing business as Artos. If you are registering as a Seller, these Terms also govern your commercial relationship with Artos, including payment processing, fees, and prohibited items.

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 buyers.

You acknowledge that Artos operates as a marketplace facilitator, not a retailer. While we provide the digital infrastructure for transactions between Buyers and Sellers, we also:

Calculate, collect, and remit sales tax on behalf of sellers in certain jurisdictions
Process payments through Stripe Connect
Facilitate refunds, chargeback responses, and dispute resolution
Set and enforce community standards for listings and conduct
Conduct seller verification to maintain marketplace integrity
Provide optional admin-assisted seller setup, shop preparation, and listing support

The contract for sale is directly between the Buyer and the Seller. Artos provides the platform for these transactions and may be responsible for certain tax obligations as a marketplace facilitator.

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 qualify as one of the following:

Individual Seller: A natural person who is at least 18 years old and a member in good standing of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Entity Seller: A business, monastery, or other organization acting through a named representative who is at least 18 years old, is a member in good standing of the Eastern Orthodox Church, and is authorized to bind the entity.
Verification: During onboarding, you or your authorized representative will be required to provide the name of the relevant 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.
Misrepresentation: If we discover that a Seller or representative has misrepresented their faith affiliation, authority, or verification details, we may suspend seller privileges immediately and initiate Guild membership review under the Bylaws, which may result in account termination and Guild membership termination.
Mission-Related Review: Serious or repeated conduct that undermines Artos's Orthodox "Safe Harbor" mission or marketplace integrity, including prohibited religious content, occult or blasphemous items, schismatic promotion, fraud, or intentional unethical conduct, may trigger separate Guild membership review under the Bylaws in addition to ordinary account enforcement under these Terms.

3.3 Artos-Assisted Seller Setup

Artos may offer seller-requested setup assistance after receiving authorization from the Seller or authorized representative. This may include creating or reusing a seller account profile, preparing a draft shop, editing shop settings, preparing shipping profiles, importing or creating product listings, editing prices, inventory, variants, images, descriptions, categories, return-policy text, and related marketplace content.

Artos-assisted setup does not make Artos the Seller of record and does not transfer the Seller's responsibilities to Artos. Sellers remain responsible for reviewing prepared content and for the truth, accuracy, legality, completeness, intellectual-property rights, inventory, pricing, tax treatment, shipping settings, return policy, product safety, and compliance of their shop and listings, including content prepared or entered by Artos at the Seller's request or with the Seller's cooperation.

Before Artos prepares a seller account, shop, or product-listing content for you, you must authorize the requested setup assistance through the method Artos provides, which may include an email-token approval link. Product-listing edit authorization may cover product creation, product edits, media, fulfillment fields, variants or items, prices, inventory, digital files, archives, deletions, and product-mode conversions. You may decline, withhold, or revoke temporary product-listing edit authorization where the Service provides that option.

Separate from seller-authorized help, Artos may moderate, hide, archive, correct, restrict, or otherwise act on shop or listing content for legal, fraud, safety, policy, marketplace-integrity, payment-compliance, tax-compliance, dispute, or enforcement reasons. These enforcement actions do not require temporary product-listing edit authorization.

Artos personnel may not complete religious-affiliation verification or religious-data consent on a Seller's behalf. The Seller or authorized representative must provide that information directly while signed in. Sellers must also complete Stripe Connect onboarding, banking, tax, and payout setup directly through Stripe or another approved provider when required.

We may maintain internal audit records of Artos-assisted setup authorization requests and responses, email-token approvals, account or shop setup actions, product-listing edit authorization requests and responses, content changes, approval actions, enforcement reasons, and related support activity for marketplace integrity, dispute handling, compliance, legal claims, and fraud-prevention purposes.

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:

Non-Orthodox Religious Items: Items promoting other faiths, denominations, or syncretic beliefs.
Schismatic or "Unverified" Content: Items promoting groups or individuals not in communion with the canonical Eastern Orthodox Church, or "relics" of unverified authenticity.
Blasphemous or Sacrilegious Content: Anything that mocks, degrades, or disrespects Christ, the Theotokos, the Saints, or the Church.
Occult, Esoteric, or "New Age" Items: Tarot cards, crystals, divination tools, or items claiming "energy healing" or spiritual benefits inconsistent with Orthodox teaching.
Political Propaganda: Merchandise promoting political parties, candidates, or divisive political ideologies.
Sexually Explicit Content: Pornography or erotica of any kind.
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.

4.3 Artificial Intelligence Generated Content

Sellers may not list or sell products where the primary item being sold is AI-generated content, including but not limited to AI-generated artwork, icons, liturgical materials, devotional materials, prayers, hymns, religious writings, audio, video, digital files, or printable goods.

Limited AI-assisted content may be allowed when it is incidental to a lawful, human-made product, such as a product description, packaging mockup, or ebook cover, provided it does not mislead buyers, violate intellectual property rights, or involve Orthodox liturgical, iconographic, devotional, or sacramental subject matter.

Artos may remove listings, request clarification, or restrict seller privileges if we determine that AI-generated content conflicts with the mission, trust, or religious integrity of the marketplace.

5. Fees, Payments & Taxes

5.1 Fees

Artos charges a Platform Commission on the total transaction amount (including shipping). The applicable fee percentage is disclosed to you when you list an item and can be found in our Seller resources.

Standard Vendors: 10% Platform Fee
Founding Vendors: 8% Platform Fee (for the first 12 months or as otherwise agreed)

In addition to the Platform Commission, you are responsible for standard Payment Processing Fees (e.g., Stripe fees, typically 2.9% + $0.30), which are deducted automatically from your payout. All fees are non-refundable.

Optional seller add-ons, including custom storefront domains and email marketing, may have separate monthly subscription fees disclosed in the seller dashboard before purchase.

5.2 Payment Processing

All payments are processed via Stripe Connect.

Buyers: 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 Off-Platform Transactions

Sales discovered through Artos must be completed through Artos checkout. Sellers may link approved social profiles for identity, community, and brand presence, but may not use listings, shop profiles, messages, QR codes, external URLs, payment instructions, or similar content to move orders, payments, negotiations, or customer service for Artos-discovered sales off the Service.

We may remove content, restrict messaging or selling features, cancel transactions, hold or reverse payouts where permitted by law, or suspend or terminate accounts that attempt to avoid Artos checkout, platform fees, buyer protections, dispute handling, tax handling, or marketplace records.

5.4 Taxes

Artos may calculate, collect, and remit applicable sales tax as a marketplace facilitator in jurisdictions where law requires it or where we have configured our payment and tax infrastructure to comply with marketplace facilitator obligations. Sellers remain responsible for taxes and obligations not collected or remitted by Artos, including income taxes, VAT, customs duties, and any other business taxes applicable to their operations.

5.5 Seller Email Marketing

Sellers who use Artos email marketing may contact only people who explicitly opted in to that Seller's marketing emails or whose consent the Seller has confirmed before import. Sellers are responsible for the content of their campaigns and must not upload purchased, scraped, or non-consenting contact lists. Artos may pause or remove email marketing access for suspected abuse, excessive bounces, spam complaints, legal noncompliance, or misuse of sending domains.

6. Shipping, Returns & Refunds

6.1 Shipping

Sellers are responsible for packaging and shipping items promptly. The physical fulfillment is the Seller's sole duty. We recommend using third-party services to purchase shipping labels.

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

6.2 Returns & Refunds

Physical Goods: Each Seller sets their own return policy. Buyers should review these policies before purchasing. However, Artos reserves the right to refund a Buyer (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). Content posted, imported, prepared, or edited by Artos through admin-assisted setup at your request or with your cooperation is treated as your Seller content once you review and accept responsibility for it. By posting content on Artos, or authorizing us to post or prepare content for your shop, 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).

License Termination: This license terminates when you delete your account or remove the content from the Service, except that we may retain cached or archived copies and continue to use content that was featured in marketing materials prior to removal for a reasonable transition period not exceeding 90 days.

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

Precedence: These Terms of Service govern commercial disputes with Lampstand Digital LLC arising from marketplace transactions, payments, fees, refunds, or platform use. The Bylaws of the Artos Vendor Guild govern internal Guild membership matters. In case of conflict between these Terms and the Bylaws regarding commercial matters, these Terms shall control.

Steward Classification: If either party contends that a dispute belongs under the Bylaws, the Stewards may make a preliminary administrative classification. That preliminary classification does not waive any arbitration right or override the role assigned to the arbitrator under this Section.

Exclusion for Internal Guild Membership Disputes: This Section 10 does NOT apply to disputes concerning membership eligibility, religious standing, or Guild membership consequences under Article VI of the Bylaws. Such disputes are governed exclusively by the Bylaws.

Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the breach, termination, enforcement, interpretation, or validity thereof 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. Questions about whether a commercial dispute falls within the scope or applicability of this agreement to arbitrate, including any challenge to a Steward's preliminary classification, shall also be determined by the arbitrator, except to the extent applicable law requires a court to decide the issue or if the matter may proceed in Small Claims Court under Section 10.3. 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 remove listings, suspend seller privileges, restrict your account, hold payouts to the extent permitted by law, or terminate 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.).
Fraud, intentional unethical conduct, or misuse of the marketplace.
Negative reputation (consistent poor reviews or failure to fulfill orders).

Ordinary violations of these Terms are addressed through platform enforcement under these Terms. Separately, serious mission-related or integrity-related violations may be referred to the Stewards for Guild membership review under the Bylaws and may result in suspension or termination of Guild membership in addition to any account-level action.

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:

Lampstand Digital LLC 66 Evans Street Gorham, NH 03581 New Hampshire, USA

Email: hello@artosmarket.com