A website without Terms and Conditions is like a car without seatbelts.
You may not need them right now, but you never know when something could happen to make you regret your decision.
Many beginning website designers forget to include a Terms and Conditions page. And most people who own a website don’t realize that they need Terms and Conditions until it’s too late — after they’ve already had a dispute with someone who visited their site.
You may think that your website doesn’t need Terms and Conditions. After all, aren’t Terms and Conditions the boring legalese you see when at the end of Apple updates? If your business isn’t as big as Apple, it may seem like you don’t need a Terms and Conditions webpage.
But consider these scenarios…
You sell a product with limited inventory. When a shopper tries to purchase, the product is already sold out. Although the shopper is annoyed, your Terms and Conditions make it clear that you reserve the right to cancel their order due to inventory mistakes.
You research and publish weekly articles (hey-o!). You find that a user is reposting your content to other sites and claiming it as their own. Fortunately, your Terms and Conditions spell out your intellectual property rights.
Your blog enables visitors to post comments. A user starts posts spam or illegal content. Good thing your Terms and Conditions explain bannable offenses and make it clear that you aren’t responsible for third-party statements.
In scenarios such as these, you’ll be grateful for comprehensive website Terms and Conditions.
What are Terms and Conditions?
Terms and Conditions are also sometimes called Terms of Service or Terms of Use. Depending on the website, you may see them abbreviated as T&C, ToS, or ToU.
Terms and Conditions are an agreement between your business and visitors to your website. They act as your contract with the users who visit your website or use your app.
Terms and Conditions cover topics such as:
- Privacy and data policies
- Purchase refund policies
- Intellectual property rights clauses
- Cancellation policies
- Liability and lawsuits
Why Your Website Needs Terms and Conditions
Terms and Conditions protect both you (the website owner) and your audience (the website visitors).
Let’s cover four reasons why you need Terms and Conditions.
Terms and Conditions help protect the website owner from liability
This is a very common reason to have Terms and Conditions. They can help protect you from legal liability if someone does not agree with what’s on your website, or how something works, and they file an official complaint against you.
Terms and Conditions are a way to set expectations for visitors to your site
Terms and Conditions spell out what a visitor can expect from your website and how they should behave. For instance, if you want people to abide by certain rules (such as not harassing other users), Terms and Conditions are a good way to make this clear from the get-go.
Terms and Conditions create a more professional image for your site
Professional websites have a Terms and Conditions section. Period. It has become the norm for serious sites and brands. Websites without clear Terms and Conditions appear less trustworthy.
Terms and Conditions provide a sense of security for your customers
Finally, Terms and Conditions can help your customers feel secure. This last point is especially important for online stores and websites that collect information (such as emails or names). Your visitors deserve to know what they can expect from you and how you will handle their data. Terms and Conditions clarify that information and instill confidence.
Protect Your Website with Terms and Conditions
Studio Anansi offers comprehensive Terms and Conditions to protect yourself and your website. We partner with the longest-running privacy policy generator listed as a vendor by the International Association of Privacy Professionals.
Protect your website in just 15 minutes. For less than $10/month, you’ll receive complete policies. Plus, you won’t need to worry about future legislation. Our policies automatically update when new laws go into effect.