Terms of Service

Welcome, and thanks for considering a spot on The Rhody Showcase. These Terms describe how Own the Box Marketing LLC works with the local businesses who advertise with us. We have tried to write them in plain English so a busy owner can read them in ten minutes. If anything is unclear, just call or email us.

1.Acceptance of Terms

By using ownthebox.net, submitting a form, or reserving a category slot, you agree to these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, please do not use the site or purchase a slot. These Terms form a binding agreement between you (the advertiser, or a person authorized to act for the advertiser) and Own the Box Marketing LLC, a Rhode Island limited liability company.

2.Description of Service

Own the Box Marketing publishes The Rhody Showcase, a 9x12 shared-mail postcard delivered via USPS Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) to approximately 10,000 addresses in Rhode Island in postal areas with household incomes of $100,000 or more. Local businesses purchase exclusive category slots on the printed card. Our service includes design, layout, print coordination, mail drop, and basic reporting on the delivery route.

3.Advertiser Eligibility

• You must operate a legitimate, legally registered business.
• Only one business per product or service category is allowed per card. Once a category is paid for, it is locked for that edition.
• We reserve the right to verify business identity, licensing, or insurance before accepting an advertiser.

4.Payment Terms

• All payments are processed through Stripe. We do not store credit card information on our servers.
• Payment in full is required to lock a category slot. Until Stripe clears the payment, the slot remains open to other businesses.
• Each ad slot purchase includes a one-time service fee of $20 per card, charged at the time of slot purchase. This fee covers ad design and revisions, dynamic QR code setup and analytics, account maintenance, and list verification for that edition. The service fee is charged each time you advertise. If you skip an edition, no fee applies for that period. There is no subscription, no recurring charge, and no auto-renewal.
• Prices are listed in U.S. dollars and are subject to change for future editions. Your locked-in price applies only to the edition you purchased.

5.Category Exclusivity and Adjacent-Area Routing

Your purchase gives you the sole position in your category on the edition you purchased. We will not place a direct competitor (same category) on the same card.

If your category is already filled for the area you want, we will offer you a spot on the waitlist for the next edition, or route you to an adjacent-area edition of The Rhody Showcase if one has an open slot in your category. You are never charged until you confirm which option you want.

6.Content Responsibility

You are responsible for the accuracy and legality of everything you submit to be printed. By sending us your ad content, you represent and warrant that:

• You own or have the right to use all logos, images, photos, trademarks, and copy you submit.
• Any claims, offers, prices, or guarantees in your ad are truthful and comply with federal, state, and local law.
• Your ad does not infringe on anyone else's intellectual property, right of publicity, or privacy.

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Own the Box Marketing LLC, Steve Johnson, and our printing and mailing partners from any claim, damage, or expense (including reasonable attorney fees) that arises from the content you submit.

7.What We Promise to Do

• Design or lay out your ad tile using the artwork and copy you provide.
• Print The Rhody Showcase on the scheduled press date.
• Drop the finished cards at USPS for EDDM distribution on the scheduled mail date.
• Send you a delivery confirmation and basic route report once USPS has scanned the mailing.

We do not, and cannot, guarantee a specific number of calls, leads, walk-ins, or sales. Response depends on your offer, your category, the time of year, and many factors outside our control. We publish honest performance notes after each edition, but marketing outcomes are never guaranteed.

8.Refund Policy

• Full refund available anytime before the card ships to the printer. If you change your mind or your plans change, email or call us and we will refund the full amount (minus any payment processor fees that cannot be recovered from Stripe).
• No refunds after the cards ship to print. Once the file is at the printer, the press plates and paper are committed and we cannot recover the cost.
• This refund policy is stated on every Stripe receipt so there are no surprises.
• Disputed charges should be raised with us first at [email protected]. If we cannot resolve it, Stripe's dispute process applies.

9.Revisions and Final Approval

• During the design phase we will send you a proof. You can request reasonable revisions at no charge during this window.
• You must give written approval (email is fine) before your ad goes to print.
• Once you approve, the design is locked. Changes after approval are not possible for that edition.
• If you do not respond by the approval deadline printed on your proof, we reserve the right to print the most recent version as-is to keep the edition on schedule.

10.Intellectual Property

You keep all rights to your own logo, photos, and content. You grant us a limited license to use those materials only for the purpose of designing, printing, and distributing your ad in the edition you purchased, and for showing the finished card in our portfolio or marketing samples.

Own the Box Marketing owns the masthead (including the name "The Rhody Showcase" and any regional masthead names), the card layout, the compiled publication, the website, and all related branding.

11.Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent allowed by Rhode Island law, our total liability to you for any claim related to the service is limited to the amount you paid us for the edition in question. We are not liable for indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages, including lost profits or lost business opportunity, even if we were told such damages were possible.

12.Right to Refuse

We reserve the right to decline or remove any advertisement that is, in our reasonable judgment, offensive, deceptive, illegal, discriminatory, or inconsistent with the tone of a community publication. If we refuse an ad after payment, we will issue a full refund.

13.Termination

Either party may end the business relationship at any time with written notice. If you terminate before print, the refund policy in Section 8 applies. Sections that by their nature should survive termination (Content Responsibility, Intellectual Property, Limitation of Liability, Governing Law) continue to apply.

14.Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Rhode Island, without regard to its conflict-of-law rules. Any dispute not resolved informally will be brought in the state or federal courts located in Rhode Island, and both parties agree to that venue.

15.Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. When we do, we will post the new version on this page and update the "Last updated" date at the top. Material changes take effect on the date noted. Continued use of the site or service after that date means you accept the updated Terms.

16.Contact