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Effective May 25, 2004
This agreement governs your participation
in the Specialty Match Network Affiliate Program. This agreement
describes the entire terms and conditions for participation in the
Specialty Match Network Affiliate Program. Specialty Match Network
Affiliate Program is operated by Specialty Match Network Inc. In
this agreement, Specialty Match Network Inc. is referred to as "Specialty
Match". In this agreement, the term "Affiliate" refers to you (the
applicant), and "sponsoring Web site" refers to the Web site from
which you will link to Specialty Match Network Affiliate Program.
Wherever the agreement refers to "you" or "your", it means "the
Affiliate"; "we" or "our" refer to Specialty Match Network Affiliate
Program.
1. Description of Affiliate Program
The Affiliate Program provides Affiliates
the ability to earn commissions as compensation for distributing
the Specialty Match Network Inc. Properties (the “Specialty Match
Properties”) and generating online purchase of subscriptions and
other services. To accomplish this, Affiliates register to the Affiliate
Program located at url:
http://www.specialtymatch.com/specialty-match-network-affiliate-sign-up.html
(the “Program Site”) and utilize a self-service Web application
to access Specialty Match links, banner ads, and other integration
elements that link to the Specialty Match Properties (collectively,
the “Integrations”). Affiliates may include any or all such Integrations
on their sponsoring Web sites. Users who link to the Specialty Match
Site via an Integration and create a unique registration to the
Service in the same session are attributed to the Affiliate that
operates the relevant sponsoring Web site. When such users purchase
subscriptions to the Service during the term of this Agreement using
such registration, the relevant Affiliate is eligible for a commission
for such subscription as described below.
Please note that Specialty Match reserves
the right to change any of the terms and conditions in this Agreement,
including the payment terms described in this Section, by posting
a new agreement on the Affiliate Web site (or any successor or replacement
site), as described below in more detail in Section 15 (Modifications).
2. Make money sending traffic to our sites.
Specialty Match Network is a network of
web properties owned and operated by us. Each web property may offer
a commission for either leads or sales as an outcome of the traffic
you have referred to the individual sites. At the current time,
Specialty Match determines the commissions paid to its Affiliate
partners on a site-by-site basis. The payment could be as follows:
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Click. Affiliate partner is paid for
each click sent to a specific Specialty Match web property.
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Lead. Affiliate partner is paid for
each qualified lead that is created on a specific Specialty
Match web property. Specialty Match reserves the right to define
a qualified lead, based on percentage of profile completed,
number of logins and number of searches, to validate the lead
as genuine.
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Sale. Affiliate partner is paid for
each sale made on a specific Specialty Match web property.
Specialty Match reserves the right to withhold commissions
from its Affiliate partner if we deem any of the sales “suspect”.
Specialty Match Network, Inc payment policy
requires the Affiliate Web site to earn a minimum of $25.00 before
Specialty Match Network, Inc is obligated to pay the Affiliate Web
site. Specialty Match reserves the right to refuse to pay
any commission if Specialty Match determines in its sole discretion
that the referral is not a legitimate third-party referral.
If a subscription for which a Commission
Fee is paid to a referred Affiliate is later refunded or charged
back, the relevant Referral Fee will be deducted from the next payment
sent to Affiliate following such event. If Specialty Match is charged
a “Charged Back” fee as a result of fraudulent sales, we may, at
our sole discretion, pass on the bank fees to our Affiliate partner.
Specialty Match is the final decision
authority on all commissions.
3. Required Information;
Affiliate Account In order to join the
Affiliate Program, you must enter into this Agreement. You must
also provide Specialty Match with the information required in the
online application form at the Program Site. As part of this process,
U.S.-based Affiliates must provide Specialty Match with a social
security number or taxpayer ID number (also known as the
Corporate Taxpayer Identification Number or Corp TIN for short) for payment and record keeping
purposes. Affiliates must enter this information on their
account profile.
In addition, the Affiliate must submit
an executed IRS
Form W-9 to Specialty Match via mail or fax to the address set
forth below under Section 25 (Notice). Failure to provide Specialty
Match with an updated
W-9 will result in the withholding of earned commission payments
until the form is received. You are responsible for maintaining
the confidentiality of the username and password that you designate
as your login combination, and you are fully responsible for all
activities that occur under your username and password. You agree
to immediately notify Specialty Match of any unauthorized use of
your username or password or any other breach of security. Specialty
Match will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your
failure to comply with this provision.
4. Commission Payment
Specialty Match Network Affiliate Program
will send a payment for the applicable referral fee on the 15th
day of each calendar month. If the payment for the month is less
than the minimum payment of $25 (or such other amount as selected
by the Affiliate), payments will be rolled over into the next month
and succeeding months until the accumulated referral fee is greater
than the minimum payment. Specialty Match may determine how it wishes
to pay the Affiliate, either by check, wire transfer, PayPal or
any other method Specialty Match wishes to use.
5. Refunds, Chargebacks
If subscription is later refunded to the
customer or charged back by the customer, the referral fee and any
banking “Charge Back Fees” will be deducted from the next monthly
payment sent to the Affiliate. If the currently accumulated payment
amount is less than the amount of the deduction, the Affiliate may
be billed.
6. Subscription Payment Processing
Specialty Match Affiliate Program will
be solely responsible for processing every qualifying subscription
order placed by a customer on the Affiliates Pages. Payment processing,
renewal payment processing, cancellations and refund processing,
and related customer service are the responsibility of Specialty
Match Affiliate Program. All of the rules, operating procedures
and policies of Specialty Match regarding customer subscriptions
and/or services will apply to all subscription orders Specialty
Match receives. Specialty Match reserves the right to reject any
subscription order that does not comply with its rules, operating
procedures and/or policies. Affiliate is not permitted to make any
exceptions to Specialty Match’s rules, operating procedures or policies
or otherwise communicate with subscribers about these rules except
with Specialty Match's prior authorization, which may be withheld
in Specialty Match’s sole discretion.
7. Tracking of Subscription Sales
Specialty Match Network Affiliate Program
will be solely responsible for tracking subscription sales. Statements
of subscription sales activity will be provided to the Affiliate
as described in “Fee Payment” above. To protect the privacy of Specialty
Match’s customers, the names of and other personally identifying
information about customers will not be provided to Affiliate. All
information about customers and users collected by Specialty Match
shall be owned solely and exclusively by Specialty Match If a customer
registers on a Specialty Match Site through a link from your Affiliate
site, but subsequently purchases a subscription through a link from
a different Affiliate site, the commission will be payable only
to the Affiliate through which the customer actually purchased the
subscription.
8. Specialty Match Policies Apply to All
Orders
Every customer who buys a subscription
through this program is deemed to be a customer of Specialty Match.
Affiliate does not have the authority to make or accept any offer
on behalf of Specialty Match. All Specialty Match policies regarding
customer orders, including pricing and problem resolution, will
apply to these customers. Specialty Match is not responsible for
any representations made by Affiliate that contradict Specialty
Match’s policies.
9. Prices and availability
The price charged for subscriptions and/or
services sold under this program will be determined by Specialty
Match according to its own pricing policies. Prices may vary from
time to time as determined in Specialty Match's sole discretion.
Specialty Match policies will always determine the price paid by
the customer.
10. Prohibited Content
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No sponsoring Web site may display
any of the following content or engage in any of the following
activity:
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Sexually explicit material (pornography);
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Violent images or messages that promote
violence;
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Publication or distribution of content
that infringes on the intellectual property rights of others.
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Promotion of discrimination based on
race, sex, religion, national origin, physical disability, sexual
orientation or age;
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Promotion of activities or content
harmful to minors, whether directly or indirectly.
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Promotion of illegal activities;
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Promotion or display of defamatory,
libelous or harmful material or material that otherwise infringes
upon the rights of any third parties;
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Content that is inconsistent with Specialty
Match's policies and/or practices;
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Spamming of Affiliate's users who have
registered for the Service; or
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Any other content or activity that
Specialty Match finds objectionable in its sole discretion.
11. Copyrighted Material Sponsoring Web
Site.
You shall ensure that none of the materials
utilized or displayed on the sponsoring Web site, including your
logo and preamble text, infringe upon the rights, including the
intellectual property rights, of any third parties. You must have
express permission to use another party's copyrighted material.
Specialty Match will not be responsible if you use another party's
copyrighted material in violation of the law. Use of Specialty Match
Network Inc. Intellectual Property.
Affiliate acknowledges and agrees that
Specialty Match owns all right, title and interest in and to all
patents, copyright, trademarks, trade secrets, service marks, trade
names and other intellectual property in the Specialty Match Site,
the Program Site, the Integrations and the Service and any software
provided by Specialty Match in connection with this Agreement (the
"Specialty Match Intellectual Property"). Affiliate shall not take
any action inconsistent with such ownership by Specialty Match,
nor attempt to register any Specialty Match Intellectual Property
in any jurisdiction.
Specialty Match hereby grants to Affiliate,
for the Term of this Agreement, a non-exclusive, non-transferable
license to use the Specialty Match Intellectual Property contained
in the Integrations, subject to Specialty Match’s approval, for
the express limited purpose of performing under this Agreement.
You, by virtue of this Agreement, shall not obtain or claim any
right, title or interest in or to the Specialty Match Intellectual
Property, except the right of use as specified herein, and you acknowledge
and agree that all such use shall inure to the benefit of Specialty
Match. Affiliate shall use the Specialty Match Intellectual Property
only as provided by Specialty Match, and shall not alter the Specialty
Match Intellectual Property in any way. Specialty Match shall have
the right to monitor the quality of Affiliate's use of the Specialty
Match Intellectual Property.
Any references to the Specialty Match Intellectual
Property shall contain the appropriate trademark, copyright or other
legal notice provided from time to time by Specialty Match. Upon
a request from Specialty Match, Affiliate shall immediately cease
use of any and all Specialty Match Intellectual Property, on the
sponsoring Web site and elsewhere. Use of Specialty Match Profiles.
You may not use any profiles or other information regarding Specialty
Match users on the sponsoring Web site or anywhere else for any
reason whatsoever. Doing so may result in immediate termination
of this Agreement or suspension of your participation in the Affiliate
Program.
12. Restrictions on personal use.
This program is intended for commercial
use only, paying referral fees for subscriptions and/or services
sold to third parties who follow a link from your sponsoring Web
site to the Affiliate Pages.
13. Web Site service interruption.
Specialty Match Affiliate Program will
make every commercially reasonable effort to keep its Web sites
operational. However, certain technical difficulties may, from time
to time, result in temporary service interruptions. The Affiliate
agrees not to hold Specialty Match Affiliate Program liable for
any of the consequences of such interruptions.
14. Term of the Agreement.
This Agreement shall commence on the day
it is entered into by the Affiliate and shall continue until terminated
by Affiliate or Specialty Match as provided herein (the “Term”).
15. Modifications.
Specialty Match Network Inc. reserves the
right to change any of the terms and conditions in this Agreement,
at any time and in its sole discretion, by posting a new agreement
reflecting such changes on Program Site, such changes to be effective
upon posting. Specialty Match Network Inc. will not be required
to provide notice to Affiliates of changes to the Agreement other
than by posting the revised Agreement as described above. Affiliate
may not change or modify this Agreement. Without limiting the generality
of the foregoing, referral fee schedules, and all other provisions
of this agreement are subject to change without notice other than
posting such information on our Web site.
16. Termination of this Agreement;
Survival Either party, acting in its sole
discretion, may choose to cancel this Agreement at any time by written
notice of cancellation to the other. Such cancellation will be effective
3 days after such notice. Specialty Match Network Inc. reserves
the right to terminate any Affiliate that generates $0 in Commission
Fees during any consecutive 120-day period. In addition, Specialty
Match Network Inc. may terminate this Agreement immediately upon
notice to Affiliate of Affiliate’s breach of any provision of this
Agreement. Any provision of this Agreement that expressly states
that it shall survive or which, by its nature, must survive the
completion, expiration, termination or cancellation of this Agreement,
shall survive the completion, expiration, termination or cancellation
of this Agreement.
17. Representations and Warranties
Affiliate represents and warrants that
it has the necessary and full rights, power, authority and capabilities
to enter into this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder
and that the execution of and performance of its obligations under
this Agreement will not violate the rights of any third party, nor
any applicable federal, state and local law or regulation.
18. Warranty Disclaimer Specialty Match
Network Inc. makes no warranties, representations or conditions
with regard to the Affiliate Program, the Specialty Match Site,
the Program Site or the Service, whether express or implied, arising
by law or otherwise, including without limitation any implied warranty
of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or non-infringement
or any implied warranty arising out of course of performance, course
of dealing or usage of trade. Further, Specialty Match Network Inc.
expressly disavows any obligation to indemnify Affiliate or any
of its representatives or owners in connection with any lawsuit
or other proceeding arising out of any of Affiliate's users use
of the Specialty Match Site or the Service.
19. Limitation of Damages.
Specialty Match Network Affiliate Program
shall have no liability for any indirect, incidental, special or
consequential damages or any loss of revenue or profits arising
under or with respect to this agreement or the program, even if
Specialty Match Network Affiliate Program has been advised of the
possibility of such damages. Further, Specialty Match Network Affiliate
Program's aggregate liability arising under or with respect to this
agreement or the program shall in no event exceed the total referral
fees paid or payable by Specialty Match Network Affiliate Program
to Affiliate under this agreement.
20. Indemnification.
Affiliate shall defend, indemnify and hold
harmless Specialty Match Network Inc., its parent, subsidiary and
affiliated companies and its and their directors, officers, employees,
affiliates and agents, against any claim, demand, cause of action,
debt or liability, including reasonable attorney's fees, to the
extent that (i) it is based upon a breach of Affiliate's representations,
warranties or obligations hereunder; (ii) it arises out of the negligence
or willful misconduct of Affiliate; or (iii) it is based upon Affiliate's
violation of any applicable federal, state or local law or regulation
in providing products or services hereunder.
21. Miscellaneous.
Affiliate and Specialty Match Affiliate
Program are independent contractors and nothing in this agreement
is intended to or will create any form of partnership, joint venture,
agency, franchise, sales representative or employment relationship
between the parties. Affiliate shall not assign this Agreement,
by operation of law or otherwise, without the prior written consent
of Specialty Match Network Affiliate Program. Subject to the foregoing
restriction, this agreement is binding upon, insures to the benefit
of and is enforceable by the parties and their respective successors
and assigns.
22. Spam policy.
Affiliate may not send out any email containing
Specialty Match Network Inc.’s name or branding or any other Specialty
Match Intellectual Property without the express permission of Specialty
Match Network Inc. However, Specialty Match reserves the right to
reject any such request for permission, in its sole discretion.
Affiliate agrees to not utilize SPAM in promoting Specialty Match.
For the purpose of this agreement, SPAM is defined as emailing ANYONE,
in bulk or by single mailing, about Specialty Match, who has not
specifically requested the information directly from Affiliate.
Specialty Match Network Inc. considers any type of advertisement
about Specialty Match posted to a Newsgroup, Message Board, Mailing
List or Chat Room to be spam.
Activities that generate spam complaints
against Affiliate or Specialty Match Network Inc. may result in
the immediate suspension or termination of Affiliate account with
a cancellation of any pending commissions. Affiliate will also be
in violation of the Specialty Match Affiliate Agreement and subject
to legal action, and may be held liable for any financial loss incurred
by Specialty Match Network Inc. Any service interruptions to Specialty
Match Network Inc. as a result of Affiliates spamming will be billed
to Affiliate at 200 U.S. dollars per hour until service is restored.
23. Governing Law; Jurisdiction.
This Agreement shall be governed by the
laws of the State of California. Any legal action, suit or proceeding
arising out of or relating to this Agreement will be instituted
exclusively in a court of competent jurisdiction, state or federal,
located in the State of California, County of Orange, and in no
other jurisdiction. The parties hereby irrevocably consent to personal
jurisdiction and venue in, and agree to service of process authorized
by, such courts.
24. Severability.
In the event that any one or more of the
provisions contained herein shall, for any reason, be held to be
invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity,
illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provisions
of this agreement, but this agreement shall be construed as if such
invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions had never been contained
herein, unless the deletion of such provision or provisions would
result in such a material change so as to cause completion of the
transactions contemplated herein to be unreasonable.
25. Notice.
All notices and requests in connection
with this Agreement will be given in writing and will be deemed
given as of (1) the day they are received if sent either by messenger,
delivery service, or the U.S. mail or (2) the date sent if delivered
by email or fax, and addressed as follows: If to Specialty Match
Network Inc.:
Specialty Match Network Affiliate Program
668 N. Coast Highway, Suite 503
Laguna Beach, CA 92651 USA
AffiliateManager@specialtymatch.com
Fax (714) 464-4483
If to Affiliate: To the postal address,
email address and/or fax number provided by Affiliate during registration.
By joining you agree
to all of Specialty Match Network Affiliate Program's Terms and
Conditions.
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