As more business is conducted over the Internet - including specialized content that is delivered via eBook or other electronic means - many businesses are implementing user agreements.
These agreements are very similar to written contracts that outline specific terms and conditions that your customers or visitors to your site must adhere to if they wish to use your site or do business with you.
In some cases, you may find that a simple static page with your terms and conditions will suffice.
However, if you are looking for a more legally biding agreement, you will need something drawn up that the visitor / customer has to agree to before continuing on with access to a certain area or purchase of your product.
These agreements can become very important if you've got a product that could be easily duplicated or repackaged and sold by your customers as their own product.
As you create your Customer or User Agreement, these four points must be included if you expect it to have any teeth: 1.
Describe exactly how your customers / visitors can and cannot utilize your site or product These regulations should also extend to your employees.
For example, you'll want to be sure to prohibit your employees from posting or sharing customer information on discussion forums.
2.
Who is permitted to access / visit your site Perhaps you only permit licensed customers to use access your site.
Or perhaps you require visitors to be of a certain age or citizenship.
Regardless, you need to include who is permitted access, even if it is the general public.
3.
What other policies your site has in place For example, you should indicate if you have a shipping or returns policy and then provide a link to them.
4.
Legal Issues In this case, you'll need to outline the procedures and responsibilities for taking legal action.
You'll need to include the geographic location where any an all legal actions will be filed and settled.
A user agreement is something that can be very beneficial to you and your business over the long term.
Not only can it protect your proprietary information, it could end up saving you significant sums of money down the line should you need to take legal action against someone who has pirated your product.