Official "Terms of Service" Advice & Review Post

[kerstin-orion.livejournal.com]

As an artist, it is critical to have a good Terms of Service. One that includes both your rights as the artist and the customer's rights in relation to your transaction. Not only does this educate your customers on how the process works and what to expect from it, but it protects both of you in case something goes wrong.

In our official T.O.S. discussion post, we discussed what to include in a Terms of Service, what constituted good terms, and what were questionable, shady, or downright illegal terms.

Now, artists, here's your chance to post your T.O.S. for critique. Don't know how to word a particular point you're trying to convey? Want to make sure your T.O.S. is fair for you and your customers? Need to make sure you didn't leave any gigantic loopholes? Link your T.O.S. here, and members can give you their advice.

This post can also be used to discuss any other questions that you have on your mind regarding how to build a T.O.S., maintain a good T.O.S. and how to make sure your clients read and agree to your T.O.S.

Before you post, please read through the previous T.O.S. discussion and maybe even the examples in the last T.O.S. post, apply what you learn there to your T.O.S., and then link your revised T.O.S. here for help polishing up. Please do not post a half-finished T.O.S. and ask folks to rewrite it for you. Be prepared for honest critique!

Comments

[viothefoxbird.livejournal.com]

If anyone wants to critique mine, I would definitely appreciate it! I've been using mine for years and have not had problems, but I'm always looking to improve :)

https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1NLHU0zUfVFT71ju0qiDXc_Um-_3aZLdhctOGBogAr1c

(Tos is at the bottom!)

[sweepshire.livejournal.com]

This came just at the right time! Since FA was down I was going to make my own website to keep my ToS and past commissions in one place.

I'll link to it once it's up, but I'd like some advice on refunds. I've only ever given out refunds a handful of times and it went smoothly, but I don't think I'm fully prepared for everything.

When I provided refunds before it was for $15 commissions that I'd cancelled myself due to personal reasons, since I'd done the sketches already I kept $2.50 of that to compensate the time I'd taken on them. If I'd done lines or even flats I would have obviously kept more. I think that's how refunds usually go?

The one thing I'm concerned with is someone asking for a refund after I'd completed their commission because they were unhappy with it (I do provide sketches for approval so this should prevent this in most cases). Do I refund them in full? Offer a partial refund with extra art? Offer a second commission at a discounted price?

Any advice would be appreciated!

[quescostumes.livejournal.com]

I'd love some critique on mine as well.

http://quescostumes.com/tos.html

[shagpoke.livejournal.com]

What odd timing, I was just writing up my ToS today.

I have an opinion question for the group, how bad is a ToS that is too wordy? Are small written paragraphs less desirable than nice simple point form?

[sbneko.livejournal.com]

My TOS is actually copy pasted from Squeedge's and edit for my own use (with permission of course!), just stating in case people see the similarities c:

Here we go! http://ladysbneko.weebly.com/terms-of-service.html

I think it sounds ok, but fixing things up always helps.

[lackoflollies.livejournal.com]

http://lackoflollies.livejournal.com/2692.html

Here goes nothing. x;

[mistresswolf.livejournal.com]

I posted last time seeing if someone would like to look over my page, but to my knowledge, nobody did. I'd like to ask this time too. I've recently made some changes to it and would like to know if there is anything weird or that could be added/changed. Thanks!

http://zenia.unixdaemons.com

[rimpala.livejournal.com]

NSFW, and this is my TOS for my fetish account on FA since that gets the most business:

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/4624953/

In particular I hope I'm not sounding too authoritarian in it, I want to be stern with it but at the same time I strive to be friendly and approachable with my customers.

[celestinaketzia.livejournal.com]

I just did a complete rewrite of mine, so let's see if I forgot anything.

https://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5043049/

[sweepshire.livejournal.com]

Ok I've finished my site!

http://sweep-commissions.weebly.com/

I'm afraid it's a bit long but I've tried to make it as digestible as possible while still covering everything.

The main bulk is on the ToS page, but there are more specific things on the commission pages and how-to page.

[radiocatastrophe (from livejournal.com)]

Looking for some feedback on my ToS - https://www.weasyl.com/journal/2219
I'm not in the dealings of what people normally talk about on here but anything would be helpful.

[germanchoclates.livejournal.com]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/onej56hqy4hakyw/Terms%20of%20Service.docx

Looking for feedback.

[mixilodia.livejournal.com]

I'd love it if someone would like to go over mine. :)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sBwQOjUvOeEyXyqpHny41T_jThI-rZGGdpDztEg2v7s/edit?pli=1

[itsamellama.livejournal.com]

Ahh yay! I'd be really grateful for any feedback (good or bad!) on my T.O.S. - I still worry I've left things out, more on the client's side than mine, really, or that I'm too vague or maybeeee too specific. I worry I overdo it and make it look like I get all the good out of the transaction and the client gets shortchanged. I'd also appreciate any advice on the wording as I think I shift between second person and third person. I have a hard time figuring out how to make things sound nicer and more concise.

Mel's Terms of Service (http://www.melgcabral.com/terms-and-conditions/)

Thanks so much, everybody!

[ithinkdirt.livejournal.com]

Oh... wow... uh... I was going to post mine here but my journal is gone?? Well that fucking sucks. I don't remember deleting the damn thing, but okay.

Apparently my advice is don't host your took-a-long-time-to-type-up TOS only on FA. -_- what a fool I am. Also look like an idiot since I link to a dead journal in my profile like a happy fool. yes! Check out that TOS journal for more details.

aaaaaauuuggh

[ansitru.livejournal.com]

I've been feeling for a while that mine is too concise, but I don't just want to start copy-pasting bits from other people's ToS-pages.

I am aware that a lot of things are probably missing (whelp, not good!) so general pointers on what needs to be written in / nitpicks on already written stuff are more than welcome! c:

http://hardrockangel.deviantart.com/journal/Commission-info-slots-OPEN-224141769
(Scroll down past the commission-slots for the concise ToS.)

[spytdragonfyre.livejournal.com]

I'd love some feedback on my ToS. http://sta.sh/01c4wttu3m67

[adzuki.livejournal.com]

I haven't edited mine in a while. I think it's a bit long winded, so I am thinking it needs to be shortened?

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eZhrpAAGcBK0cTOuO73hJeZLxDn-rzxWqro2oYKWT_k/edit

[vaekke.livejournal.com]

ahhh gosh, I've revised mine a bit based on the suggestions on this community, but it's still a little wordy. Ideas on making it easier to get through?

Old: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1UNcKeoUeZBks9yr-OeY1E2bFKXljduyHaE8h4dPOaKA/pub
New: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14aGwzWC1kZIPyVcVAoSTh6khdJqlyvSfx8lA_AZYDlE/pub

[crazy-onna.livejournal.com]

Hello. I have done a little editing on my ToS and would definitely appreciate any input to improve it. Thank-you!

http://kinetic-duet.deviantart.com/journal/TOS-Updated-Sept-15th-2013-224487931

[rhazafax.livejournal.com]

I would definitely appreciate some critique. I've been using my TOS for quite some time and it's been wonderful, but if there are ways to improve it, I'd love to hear it!

My ToS is hosted through google docs, and here is a link:

http://goo.gl/00mXh5

[ekbellatrix.livejournal.com]

Here it goes! xD

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5013011/

I've used past TOS posts here to form mine, since I'm terrible at formatting my ideas. So hopefully it makes sense and seems fair both to myself and commissioners. I'm open to any and all ideas!

[rimpala.livejournal.com]

Hey I have a TOS question regarding how to handle client refunds, how would one make it clear that no, you're not going to give the money back after the commission has been completed, approved, and delivered? Is it even ok? Just concerned about a client thinking they can get free artwork through some kind of loophole.