Terms of Service
Last Updated: February 14, 2026
1. Introduction
Welcome to Indie Watches ("Platform," "we," "us," or "our"), a web application operated by EcomBoost LLC, a limited liability company organized under the laws of the State of Texas, United States. These Terms of Service ("Terms" or "TOS") govern your access to and use of the Indie Watches platform at indiewatches.store, including all associated features, content, and services.
Indie Watches is a niche marketplace and community platform for microbrand watch enthusiasts. Our services include, but are not limited to: a marketplace for buying and selling watches (including mod parts, straps, and build kits), user profiles, community forums, brand discovery directory, price charts and analytics, watch collection registries, wrist-shot galleries, curated stacks, giveaways, referral programs, push notifications, email communications, and seller reputation systems.
By accessing or using Indie Watches, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, you must discontinue use of the Platform immediately. We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time; continued use after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.
2. User Accounts and Eligibility
2.1 Eligibility
You must be at least eighteen (18) years of age to create an account or use the Platform. By registering, you represent and warrant that you meet this age requirement and have the legal capacity to enter into a binding agreement.
2.2 Account Responsibilities
You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account. You agree to immediately notify us of any unauthorized use. We strongly recommend enabling Two-Factor Authentication (MFA) via an authenticator app for additional security. We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms or exhibit fraudulent behavior.
2.3 Profile Information
You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information when creating your profile. Usernames are immutable once set and cannot be changed. Misrepresentation of identity, credentials, or affiliations—including seller credibility scores and community reputation—may result in immediate account termination.
2.4 Account Types
Every account on Indie Watches can both buy and sell — there is no separate seller registration. Brand owners may additionally claim their brand through our Brand CMS, subject to admin approval. Reserved usernames (e.g., admin, ceo, founder, moderator) are blocked to prevent impersonation.
2.5 Brand CMS and Model Catalog
Verified brand owners may manage their brand profile and watch model catalog through the Brand CMS. Brand owners can update model specifications (photos, movements, materials, dimensions, descriptions, and other attributes) at any time. However, once a watch model has been added to the catalog, it cannot be deleted by brand owners or administrators. This permanence policy ensures the integrity of historical price tracking, marketplace listing references, and market analytics that depend on a continuous model catalog. This restriction is enforced at both the application and database level.
3. Marketplace Rules
3.1 Role of the Platform
Indie Watches acts solely as a facilitator connecting buyers and sellers of microbrand watches, mod parts, straps, and build kits. We are not a party to any transaction between users. We do not inspect, authenticate, appraise, or take possession of any item listed on the Platform. All representations regarding the condition, authenticity, provenance, and value of items are made exclusively by the seller.
3.2 Escrow Process
Marketplace transactions are processed through our escrow system powered by Stripe. When a buyer commits to a purchase, funds are held in escrow and released to the seller after the buyer confirms delivery, subject to a 14-day hold after delivery confirmation. If receipt is not confirmed within 14 days of tracking showing delivery, funds are automatically released to the seller. If a dispute arises during the escrow window, funds remain held until the matter is resolved per our dispute resolution process. Orders related to a reported seller are automatically placed in dispute status. Fund release is contingent upon the seller providing a valid shipping tracking number.
3.3 Commissions and Fees
Indie Watches charges a commission of five percent (5%) on completed marketplace sales, deducted from the final sale price. The applicable rate is displayed to the seller prior to listing. All fees are non-refundable unless otherwise stated.
3.4 Sales Tax
Sales tax is automatically calculated and collected via Stripe Tax based on the buyer's shipping address and applicable jurisdiction. Indie Watches remits collected taxes in accordance with applicable laws. Sales tax amounts are displayed to the buyer at checkout before payment is confirmed.
3.5 Seller Payouts
Seller payouts are processed through Stripe Connect Express. Sellers must complete identity verification (KYC) through Stripe to receive payouts. Indie Watches may be required to issue 1099-K tax forms to sellers meeting applicable reporting thresholds, as mandated by US tax law.
3.6 No Warranties on Items
The Platform provides no warranty, express or implied, regarding any item listed or sold through the marketplace. Buyers assume all risk regarding authenticity, condition, mechanical function, and fitness for a particular purpose. We strongly recommend that buyers request independent authentication prior to completing high-value purchases.
3.7 Shipping and Delivery
Shipping arrangements are the sole responsibility of the seller unless otherwise specified. Sellers must provide tracking information once an item has shipped. Indie Watches is not liable for any loss, damage, theft, or delay that occurs during shipping. Sellers are encouraged to use insured, trackable shipping methods. The Platform assumes no responsibility for items lost in transit.
3.8 Customs Duties, Import Taxes, and Brokerage Fees
For international orders, the buyer is solely responsible for all customs duties, import taxes (including VAT/GST), and brokerage fees assessed by the destination country's customs authority. These charges are not included in the purchase price or shipping cost shown at checkout. Upon shipment, the shipping courier (e.g., DHL, FedEx, UPS) will contact the buyer directly to collect any applicable fees before releasing the package for final delivery. This is a standard government-mandated process and is not initiated by Indie Watches or the seller.
Sellers are required to accurately declare the full sale price and item description on all customs documentation. Under-declaring or mislabeling items is a violation of international trade law and these Terms. Indie Watches will not mediate or reimburse any customs-related charges. Refusal to pay customs fees resulting in a returned package is the buyer's responsibility, including any return shipping costs incurred by the seller. For estimated duty rates by country, see our Customs & Duties Guide.
3.9 Prohibited Listings
The following are strictly prohibited: counterfeit or replica watches, stolen property, items that infringe on intellectual property rights, and any items that violate applicable local, state, or federal laws. We reserve the right to remove listings and suspend accounts at our sole discretion. AI-powered moderation may automatically flag or remove suspicious listings. New accounts (under 30 days old) are restricted to a maximum of 2 listings per day. Listings priced more than 50% below market average may be automatically flagged for admin review. High-value orders (≥$2,000) are placed on a verification hold requiring manual admin clearance before shipping.
4. Private Messaging and Off-Platform Arrangements
The Platform provides a private messaging feature to facilitate communication between users. Messages are subject to automated content moderation that blocks the sharing of external contact information (email addresses, phone numbers, social media handles, and external messaging links) to ensure transactions remain on-platform for your safety.
Any arrangements, trades, negotiations, or transactions conducted privately between users—whether through our messaging system or external channels—are entirely at the users' own risk.
Indie Watches does not facilitate, escrow, mediate, or assume any responsibility for private arrangements. We expressly disclaim all liability arising from disputes, losses, fraud, or damages resulting from off-platform or privately arranged transactions.
5. Forum and Community Guidelines
5.1 Acceptable Use
Users participating in community forums, brand pages, wrist-shot galleries, stacks, and discussion threads agree to:
- Engage respectfully and refrain from harassment, threats, hate speech, or personal attacks
- Avoid spam, self-promotion (unless in designated areas), and repetitive posting
- Refrain from posting misleading, defamatory, or knowingly false information
- Not share another user's personal information without consent
- Comply with all applicable laws and regulations
5.2 Moderation Rights
We reserve the right to moderate, edit, move, or remove any content at our sole discretion, including through AI-powered automated moderation. Repeated violations of community guidelines may result in temporary suspension or permanent termination of your account. Moderation decisions are final and not subject to appeal unless otherwise specified.
5.3 Community Reputation
Users earn community reputation through upvotes, contributions, and engagement. Reputation scores are calculated automatically and displayed publicly. Seller credibility scores and buyer scores are recalculated daily based on transaction history, reviews, disputes, and account age. Brand popularity rankings are computed daily using follower counts, review activity, community engagement, and listing volume. Accounts with low credibility may be automatically flagged for review.
6. Intellectual Property
All content, trademarks, logos, design elements, software, and proprietary technology on the Platform are owned by or licensed to EcomBoost LLC and are protected by applicable intellectual property laws. You may not copy, reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from any Platform content without prior written consent.
By posting content on Indie Watches (including listings, forum posts, reviews, wrist shots, and images), you grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, transferable license to use, display, reproduce, and distribute such content in connection with operating and promoting the Platform, including in email communications (weekly digests, newsletters), social media, and brand outreach materials.
7. Giveaways and Referral Programs
7.1 Giveaways
Indie Watches may host promotional giveaways from time to time. By entering a giveaway, you agree to abide by any specific rules posted for that giveaway. Winners are selected at random and notified via the Platform. Giveaways are void where prohibited by law.
7.2 Referral Program
Users may earn wallet credits by referring new users to the Platform via unique referral links. The referred user receives a $5 discount on their first purchase. The referrer earns a $5 wallet credit only after the referred user completes a qualifying purchase. Additionally, each successful referral grants one bonus entry into all active giveaways. Referral credits are subject to our fair use policy — abuse, including self-referrals, fake accounts, or automated signups, will result in forfeiture of credits and potential account termination.
8. Email Communications
By creating an account, you consent to receiving the following types of email communications:
- Transactional emails: Order confirmations, shipping notifications, delivery updates, escrow status, and security alerts. These cannot be fully disabled while your account is active.
- Weekly Digest: Curated roundup of trending watches, new listings, and community highlights.
- Newsletter: Platform news, brand spotlights, and feature announcements.
- Price Drop Alerts: Notifications when items on your wishlist change price.
- Promotions: Special offers, seasonal sales, and partner deals.
- Abandonment Recovery: Reminders for incomplete checkouts or recently browsed items.
- Win-Back Emails: Re-engagement messages sent to users inactive for 30 or more days, featuring platform highlights and new listings.
- Referral Reminders: Nudge emails sent 14 days after signup encouraging users to share their referral code.
- Wishlist Digest: Periodic summaries of wishlist activity and price changes.
You can independently opt in or out of each non-transactional email type in your account settings → Notifications. You may also unsubscribe via the link in any email. Email communications are powered by Resend.
9. Monetization and Subscriptions
Indie Watches may offer subscription tiers providing enhanced features such as advanced analytics, priority listings, early access to drops, and premium community badges. Subscription fees are billed on a recurring basis and are non-refundable except as required by applicable law. We reserve the right to modify pricing with thirty (30) days' prior notice.
Revenue is also generated through marketplace commissions (Section 3.3), promoted listing placements, strategic brand partnerships, and affiliate programs. Amazon Associate Disclosure: Indie Watches is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Links to Amazon products on our Platform may contain affiliate tags.
10. Data Usage and Analytics
We collect, process, and analyze user data—including browsing behavior, transaction history, search patterns, UTM attribution parameters, and engagement metrics—to improve Platform functionality, personalize user experiences, generate market insights (e.g., price charts, Price Index pages), and support business operations. Data practices are governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Aggregated and anonymized data may be used for analytical purposes, including market trend reports, brand popularity rankings, and performance metrics. We use pricing signals from marketplace transactions and historical records to power our Price Index features. No personally identifiable information will be shared with third parties for marketing purposes without your explicit consent. With your consent, we may share anonymized conversion data with advertising partners (Google Ads, Meta, TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat, Bing) for ad measurement and Enhanced Conversions. We also generate product data feeds for Google Merchant Center and Microsoft Merchant Center to enable listings to appear in shopping search results.
11. Privacy
Your use of the Platform is also governed by our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy, which detail how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information, including through third-party service providers (Stripe, Resend, Lovable Cloud, Google Analytics, Google Ads, GeoJS, Firecrawl, IndexNow, Google Indexing API) and advertising partners. We participate in the Amazon Associates affiliate program. By using Indie Watches, you consent to the data practices described in those policies. The Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy are available on our website and are incorporated into these Terms by reference.
12. Limitation of Liability
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, INDIE WATCHES, ECOMBOOST LLC, AND ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, AND AFFILIATES SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR:
- Any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of the Platform
- Any loss or damage resulting from user-generated content, including listing descriptions, forum posts, and private messages
- Disputes between buyers and sellers, including issues of authenticity, condition, or delivery
- Losses arising from off-platform or privately arranged transactions
- Service interruptions, data loss, or security breaches beyond our reasonable control
- The accuracy, completeness, or reliability of price charts, market data, or AI-generated content
- Errors in automated sales tax calculation or reporting
- Actions taken by automated moderation or fraud detection systems
In no event shall our total aggregate liability exceed the greater of (a) the fees paid by you to the Platform in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim, or (b) one hundred US dollars ($100).
13. Assumption of Risk
You acknowledge and agree that the purchase, sale, and ownership of watches—particularly through online platforms—involves inherent risks. These include, but are not limited to: risk of counterfeit or misrepresented items, shipping loss or damage, fluctuations in market value, and the inability to physically inspect items prior to purchase. You assume all such risks when using the Platform.
14. Indemnification
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless EcomBoost LLC, its officers, directors, employees, agents, and affiliates from and against any and all claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from: (a) your use or misuse of the Platform; (b) your violation of these Terms; (c) your violation of any third-party rights; (d) any content you submit, post, or transmit through the Platform; or (e) any transaction or dispute with another user.
15. Dispute Resolution
15.1 Informal Resolution
Before initiating formal proceedings, you agree to first contact us to attempt to resolve any dispute informally. We will endeavor to resolve complaints within thirty (30) business days of receipt.
15.2 Binding Arbitration
Any dispute, controversy, or claim arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Platform that cannot be resolved informally shall be settled by binding arbitration administered in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association (AAA). Arbitration shall take place in Travis County, Texas, United States, and shall be conducted in English.
15.3 Class Action Waiver
You agree to resolve disputes on an individual basis only. You waive any right to participate in a class action, class arbitration, or representative proceeding against EcomBoost LLC.
16. Termination
We may suspend or terminate your account at any time, with or without cause, and with or without notice. Upon termination: (a) your right to use the Platform ceases immediately; (b) any pending escrow transactions will be resolved per our standard procedures; (c) your email preferences and Resend audience memberships will be removed; (d) provisions that by their nature should survive termination shall continue in effect, including Sections 6, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 17.
You may terminate your account at any time through your account settings or by contacting support. Account termination does not relieve you of obligations incurred prior to termination, including outstanding fees or commissions.
17. Governing Law
These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas, United States, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any legal action or proceeding not subject to arbitration shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Travis County, Texas.
18. Changes to Terms
We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Material changes will be communicated via email notification (through Resend) and/or a prominent notice on the Platform at least thirty (30) days before they take effect. Your continued use of the Platform after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. If you do not agree with any changes, you must discontinue use and close your account.
19. Miscellaneous
Severability: If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.
Entire Agreement: These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and EcomBoost LLC with respect to the Platform.
Waiver: Failure to enforce any provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of that provision or any other provision.
Assignment: You may not assign or transfer your rights under these Terms. We may assign our rights without restriction.
20. Contact Information
For questions, concerns, or notices regarding these Terms of Service, please contact us:
EcomBoost LLC
Attn: Legal Department
Austin, Texas, United States
Email: legal@indiewatches.store