General Conditions governing of the Sale and Delivery of Products
(to consumers, including distance selling)
1. Applicability of these General Conditions
1.1 These conditions apply, to the exclusion of any other conditions, to all offers, agreements and deliveries regarding products created or offered by the Designer.
1.2 The following definitions are used in these General Conditions:
a. Designer the design agency that or the designer who sells products;
b. Consumer a Consumer not acting in the conduct of a profession or business;
c. Consumer Purchase a purchase between a Designer and a Consumer;
d. Distant Purchase a Consumer Purchase whereby the agreement is concluded via the Internet or by telephone, fax or post.
2. Offers and agreements
2.1 An offer or quotation will be valid during the specified term or while stocks last.
2.2 Agreements between the Designer and the Consumer are concluded when the Designer confirms the order in writing, including confirmation by email. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the Designer reserves the right to refuse an order or to attach certain conditions to the delivery.
2.3 In the case of distance selling, agreements between the Designer and the Consumer will be concluded on acceptance of the offer by the Consumer and compliance with the stipulated conditions.
2.4 The Designer will have the right to make use of third parties in the performance of the agreement. Any and all rights and claims stipulated in these Conditions and in any further agreements for the benefit of the Designer will equally apply to any agents and other third parties engaged by the Designer.
3. Price adjustments
3.1 If the prices of raw materials or wages, import duties, taxes or other external costs increase after the conclusion of the agreement (whether or not due to currency fluctuations), the Designer will have the right to adjust the purchase price to that increase.
3.2 The Designer must inform the Consumer of such a circumstance as soon as possible, after which the Consumer will have the right to dissolve the agreement, unless it has been stipulated that the delivery will take place more than three (3) months after the purchase or the increase is due to a statutory price increase.
4. Delivery
4.1 The Designer will state a delivery period, absent which a 30-day delivery period will apply. Specified delivery and other terms will not be of the essence, unless otherwise expressly agreed in writing. If a term is exceeded, the consumer must provide a further term in which to deliver. If that term is also exceeded, the consumer may dissolve the agreement.
4.2 If the Designer requires information from the Consumer for the performance of the agreement, or if full or partial payment in advance has been stipulated, the delivery period will not commence until the Designer has received the correct and full information or the payment in advance. The delivery period for distance selling commences after the agreement has been concluded.
4.3 Delivery to consumers will take place in the manner stated by the Designer during the purchase process and at the address stated by the Consumer upon the conclusion of the agreement, including delivery at the post office or at neighbours/third parties specified by the Consumer on the grounds of absence. The risk in the products delivered will pass to the Consumer on the moment of delivery.
4.4 If the Consumer refuses to take delivery, the Designer may charge him the resulting costs. In that case the Designer will also have the right to dissolve the agreement, without prejudice to his right to claim full damages.
5. Retention of title
All products delivered will remain the Designer’s property until the Consumer has fulfilled all his obligations towards the Designer under the agreement.
6. Dissolution, cancellation and return of products
6.1 After the order has been confirmed, the Consumer may amend or cancel it only with the Designer’s prior consent. If the Designer has already incurred costs or will incur costs as a result of the amendment or cancellation, the Designer may charge those costs to the Consumer.
6.2 In the case of distance selling, the Consumer has the right within fourteen (14) working days after receipt of the product to cancel the purchase in writing without stating any reasons, by means of an unequivocal statement or using the model cancellation form included as Appendix I under these general conditions.
6.3 The cooling-off period referred to in paragraph 2 commences on the day after the Consumer, or a third party designated by the Consumer, who is not the carrier, has received the product, or:
a. if the Consumer has ordered several products in the same order: the day on which the Consumer, or a third party designated by the Consumer, has received the last product;
b. if the delivery of a product consists of several consignments or components: the day on which the Consumer, or a third party designated by the Consumer, has received the last consignment or the last component;
6.4 The Consumer bears the risk and burden of proof of correctly and punctually exercising the right to cancel the order.
6.5 If the purchase price and shipping costs have already been paid, they must be repaid as soon as possible but no later than fourteen (14) days after the Designer was informed that the Consumer wishes to cancel the distance purchase, unless the Designer has reason to believe that the products returned have already been opened, even thought that was not necessary in order to assess the product, or used, or have been damaged due to any act on the part of the Consumer. Repayment must be made using the same means of payment as that by which the original transaction was made unless the Consumer expressly agrees otherwise.
6.6 The Consumer must return the product immediately or in any event no later than fourteen (14) days after the day on which the Consumer informed the Designer of its decision to cancel the agreement. The product must be returned to the Designer undamaged, with all the accompanying accessories, and in its original condition.
6.7 The Designer may wait before making the repayment until it has received the product or the Consumer has demonstrated that the product has been returned, whichever is sooner.
6.8 Article 6.2 will not apply to the Distance Purchase of:
a. products whose price is subject to fluctuations on the financial market beyond the Designer’s control;
b. products that:
1) were produced in accordance with the Consumer’s specifications;
2) are clearly of a personal nature;
3) cannot be returned due to their nature; or
4) are subject to rapid spoilage or ageing.
c. audio and video recordings and software if the Consumer has broken the seal;
d. newspapers or magazines: or
e. services provided with the Consumer’s approval before the end of the period of seven (7) working days.
6.9 Unless distance selling has occurred and the Consumer has complied with Article 6, paragraph 6, products delivered may be returned only with the Designer’s prior written consent, in the manner stated by the Designer during the purchase process.
6.10 The direct costs involved in the return shipment of the products in the context of this Article will be payable by the Buyer, unless otherwise expressly agreed in writing.
7. Payment
7.1 The Designer has the right to demand full or partial payment in advance or cash on delivery. In case of distance selling, the Designer has the right to request up to 50% of the purchase price as an advance payment.
7.2 If products are delivered on account, the invoice amount must be paid within fourteen (14) days, without the Consumer being entitled to any discount or setoff.
7.3 If the Designer has not received (full) payment at the end of the payment period, the Consumer will be in default and will owe interest equal to the statutory interest rate that applies to consumer transactions. All costs incurred by the Designer in connection with late payment, such as procedural costs and judicial and extrajudicial costs, including the costs of legal assistance, bailiffs and debt collection agencies, will be payable by the Consumer. The extrajudicial costs will be charged on the basis of the Extrajudicial Collection Costs Decree. The fees in that Decree are:
. Minimum rate €40
. 15% on the first €2,500
. 10% on the next €2,500
. 5% on the next €5,000
. 1% on the next €190,000
. 0.5% on the excess of the principal, subject to a maximum of €6,775
7.4 Before charging collection costs, the Designer will send the consumer a demand for payment in which the Designer is given a period of fourteen (14) days after the day of the demand for payment in which to pay the claim after all.
8. Right of suspension and dissolution
8.1 In addition to the provisions regarding force majeure and the provisions of Article 12, the Designer will have the right to suspend (in full or in part) the performance of its obligations under all agreements that exist between the parties or to dissolve those agreements in full or in part without any notice of default or judicial intervention being required:
a. if the Consumer is in default or the Designer has good reason to believe that the Consumer will not perform its obligations in full and/or in time;
b. in the event of liquidation, a suspension of payment, a petition for a suspension of payment, bankruptcy or debt rescheduling, or any other circumstance as a result of which the Consumer can no longer freely dispose of its capital; or
c. if circumstances occur as a result of which it is impossible to perform the agreement or the Designer cannot reasonably be required to continue the agreement in an unamended form.
8.2 In the cases referred to in paragraph 8.1 any obligations of the Consumer will furthermore fall due immediately and the Designer will not be required to pay any damages. The latter will not apply in the event of dissolution on the grounds of circumstances for which the Consumer cannot be blamed.
9. Guarantees and complaints
9.1 The products to be supplied by the Designer will meet the customer requirements and standards that can reasonably be set at the moment of delivery and for which they are intended in the event of normal use. If applicable, guarantee provisions of suppliers and third parties, such as producers and importers, will apply to the products supplied by the Designer unless mandatory law dictates otherwise.
9.2 If the product is used outside the Netherlands, the Consumer must verify whether the products are suitable for use there and whether they meet the conditions and the applicable statutory and other requirements.
9.3 The Consumer will be required to inspect the products delivered immediately after receipt. Any defects established must be reported to the Designer in writing, stating the reasons, within two (2) months or in the case of external defects immediately.
9.4 If it has been proven that a product is not in conformity with the agreement and the complaint was filed in a timely manner, the Designer may, at its option, replace the product in question, arrange for repairs, or refund the invoice price plus any shipping costs paid.
9.5 All data, designs and images relating to colours, materials, dimensions and finishing will be for information purposes only. Divergences will not be reason for rejection, discount, dissolution of the agreement or damages if such divergences are minor.
10. Intellectual property rights
10.1 The Consumer expressly acknowledges that all intellectual and/or industrial property rights in respect of the products and the products, materials and information made available to the Consumer by the Designer, including samples, packaging, labels and designs (and their appearance), the composition and/or specifications of samples, products and semi-finished products, as well as technical and commercial know-how, models, moulds, drawings, designs and patterns, vest in the Designer, its supplier or other parties entitled.
10.2 If the Designer manufactures products or packaging on the basis of express instructions given by the Consumer, such as specifications, designs, sketches, models or patterns provided by the Consumer, the Consumer warrants that no third-party rights will be infringed. The Consumer indemnifies the Designer against any third-party claims in this context and will reimburse all costs incurred by the Designer in connection with such claims.
11. Liability for damage
11.1 The Designer will not be liable for damage caused:
a. by incompetent use of the products delivered or use for a purpose other than that for which they are suitable by objective standards;
b. because the Designer used incorrect or incomplete data provided by or on behalf of the Consumer;
c. third parties engaged in a performance of the agreement at the Consumer’s request or with the Buyer’s consent;
d. materials or services provided by third parties at the Consumer’s request or with the Consumer’s consent; or
e. misunderstandings, damage, delays or the improper receipt of orders and notifications due to the use of the Internet or any other means of communication (whether or not electronic).
11.2 Only direct loss attributable to the Designer will qualify for compensation. Any and all liability for indirect loss, including but not limited to consequential loss, loss of profits, damaged or lost data or materials, and loss of proceeds is excluded. In the case of Consumer Purchase the scope of this provision will be limited to that permitted on the basis of Article 7:24(2) of the Dutch Civil Code.
11.3 Insofar as the Designer is liable for the reimbursement of loss, that loss will be limited to the invoice amount for the delivery or partial delivery in question, on the understanding that that amount will not exceed the amount insured by the designer and will in any event be limited to the amount that the insurer pays the Designer in the case in question.
11.4 The Consumer indemnifies the Designer against any and all claims from third parties that incur losses in connection with the performance of the agreement and for the cause of which the Consumer is to blame.
11.5 The limitations recorded in Article 11.1 to 11.14 will not apply:
a. if the loss is due to intent or gross negligence on the part of the Designer or its executive or non-executive subordinates;
b. in the event of product liability towards a Consumer within the meaning of Book 6, Part 3, Chapter 3, of the Dutch Civil Code.
12. Force majeure
12.1 If the Designer is unable to perform the agreement due to an event of force majeure, it will have the right to suspend its obligations until the event of force majeure has ended. If that period lasts longer than two (2) months, either of the parties will have the right to dissolve the agreement in respect of the products affected by the event of force majeure, without being required to compensate the loss incurred by the other party. In that case the Consumer will be required to pay for the products already delivered.
12.2 In these General Conditions, ‘force majeure’ means, among other things, in addition to the definition of that term in the law and in case law, all external causes beyond the Designer’s control, either foreseen or unforeseen, as a result of which the Designer is unable to fulfil its obligations.
13. Complaints procedure for distance selling
13.1 The Consumer must submit complaints relating to the performance of the agreement, fully and clearly described, to the Designer within a reasonable period of discovering the defects.
13.2 If the Consumer is dissatisfied with how the Designer has handled the complaint, the Consumer can submit the complaint to the Disputes Committee through the European ODR Platform: http://www.ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr.
14. Dutch law and competent court
14.1 This Agreement is governed by Dutch law, also if an obligation is performed abroad in full or in part or if the Consumer resides there. The applicability of the Vienna Sales Convention is excluded.
14.2 In the event of disputes, the court of the Consumer’s place of residence will be the competent court.
14.3 The parties will submit a dispute to the court only after they have made every effort to settle the dispute in consultation.
15. Other provisions
15.1 The Dutch text of these General Conditions will at all times be decisive in the interpretation of these General Conditions.
15.2 Amendments and/or additions to these General Conditions will be valid and applicable only if recorded in writing. If the Designer uses additional conditions or any provisions that conflict with these General Conditions, that will not affect the validity and applicability of other provisions of these General Conditions.
15.3 These General Terms and Conditions are a translation of the Verkoop- en leveringsvoorwaarden Producten (t.b.v. consumenten, incl. koop op afstand) of the Association of Dutch Designers (BNO). In the event of any discrepancies between these two Terms and Conditions, the Dutch text will prevail.