Terms & Conditions
By signing up with Erickson Web Designs (EWD) you agree and consent to the terms and conditions stated below. This page contains the most up to date information and supersedes any other source.
If you are not satisfied with the results of your website I will do what I can to resolve your concerns. If after 30-days after having launched your website you still are not happy with the changes your money is fully refunded upon your request (Translation: You risk nothing). For me, this is a business and it is my goal to keep you as a satisfied customer (Translation: I want to keep you happy).
To save you and me the aggravation of expensive and complicated contracts I do not require a contract for providing you with my website services. As with your clients, failure to make timely payment will mean I will have to remove your website from the Internet until payments are up to date - a reinstatement penalty may apply. Your agreement to have me create and maintain/host your website constitutes your understanding, agreement and consent to allow me to note EWD links as well as listing EricksonWebDesigns.com as your web design service in the footer. Reciprocating linking is encouraged. Updates to your website (maintenance) may be limited to weekly updates – most of the time this is not an issue as I do it almost daily.
Your website includes free Search Engine (SE) submissions, DNS setup (registration/initial transfer), graphical map and directions to your office(s) and free forwarding email address(es). [Please note, some email services may block automated forwarding messages (E.g., Comcast) - I will discuss this issue with you.] There is no setup charge. There are no additional charges for general maintenance and updates to your website. Additional services may be available and will be reviewed on a case by case basis.
Your domain name (DNS) preference may not be available if it is already registered. I will try to help you with finding an alternate available name if I can. Your name, if short and easy to spell, is a good choice. Sometimes making a slight change can make the difference, such as adding your degree after your name, using only your last name, adding your middle initial, etc. However, sometimes something shorter and more poignant or serene can be used – be creative! Also, if I’m setting up your domain name, I will register the domain name under the EWD umbrella so that I can have immediate Internet access to create your website or should a transfer or other recovery be necessary – without this the website development will be delayed. Sorry, I do not provide hosting without the DNS nor do I practice "pointing" a DNS elsewhere - this is to avoid conflicts between the hosting and website development being in two different hands ... it's like having two therapists working with the same client; it only leads to problems.
If you currently own a domain name you want me to publish to (e.g., another hosting service) I cannot guarantee your website will function completely as I will not have full access to the hosting servers - this is why emphasize having the domain name transferred. If you own the transferred domain name you will remain owner of the domain while EWD will make the annual renewal payments as long as you have your website with EWD. Additional forwarding domain names (when available) can be arranged on your behalf for only $15/yr per domain name. Please note, there are many companies who prey on domain name owners trying to get you to renew through them at very inflated prices - should you receive such a notice please contact me immediately and do not renew through them as this may destroy my ability to maintain your website in addition to their inflated charges, not to mention you may lose your entire website.
Domain name transfers will be placed under the EWD's primary title and becomes the owner and administrator of the DNS if it is not already owned by you. If you desire to own your DNS please include this information in the comments box on the Sign Up page at the time of your register for services. There is no charge for transferring your domain name to the servers EWD uses. Transfers of an old or past DNS is available at the owner's discretion. To transfer a domain name purchased to create your website including additional forwarding domains to your primary DNS from the EWD umbrella to another hosting service will incur a $50 per DNS charge and does not include the fee of the domain name itself which is at the discretion of EWD. For long-term customers I do not charge a fee for the transfer or the domain as good faith. For short-term customers or those who have a history of late payments, delinquencies, account defaults, etc. there is no agreement and EWD is under no obligation to honor any kind of DNS/domain transfer. In cases where there is a transfer I will unlock and provide you with the authorization code necessary to make the transfer. The transfer is coordinated from the receiving end and is not the responsibility of EWD. New and recently registered domains cannot be transferred during the first 60-days per industry regulations - sorry there is nothing I can do about this.
EWD has the option to post links and images of your website to your website for the purposes of providing visitors to this website a sample of the websites created. If you do not wish to have your website listed on the Testimonials page please let me know to opt out. Links may also be placed on your website back to EWD to improve search engine placement of both your website and those of other customers thereby improving search directory positioning for all customers. Reciprocating links (e.g., Psychology Today) is another way to improve listing your website in search engine directories.
Search Engine ONLY Submissions (of non-Erickson Web Designs developed websites): Payments for Search Engine (SE) submissions are $99 for the first batch submission, which includes manual submissions to Google and Bing/Yahoo/MSN, using your email address as some SEs require you to complete the submission process. You are responsible for completing the submission process of those SEs who reply to your email address. Only SEs in the USA are submitted due to relevancy (if you would like other countries included please specify which countries). Future submissions for the same website address (URL) are $50 each if within 1-yr of the original submission. It is recommended to resubmit every 3-6 months. Each SE has its own schedule as to how long it takes to include submitted URL's to their directory. Some may take months and there is no guarantee your URL will be posted on a specific SE. EWD makes no guarantees of the effectiveness of how the SE's uses the information submitted.
Payments: To keep your life and mine uncluttered and as painless as possible, I do not require a contract. There is no setup charge - this alone can save you $1500. Payments are made one month in advance and due within 10-14 days of the invoice date. The first payment is for the first 2-months. Payment options are by secure credit card (via PayPal) or by check (or electronic "bill pay" from your bank). Credit card payments will incur an additional $5.00 fee (effective 8/1/15). Returned checks are subject to a $50 return fee and will result in the suspension or removal of the website until the financial balance is satisfied. Your monthly due date is based on the launch date of your website. Failure to make timely payment(s) may result in a late payment penalty fee, your site being removed or suspended from the Internet, forwarded to EWD or another Internet location, deleted in its entirety, &/or information may be posted on the site citing such delinquency along with the removal or alteration of your content until the balance due is resolved to the terms of this agreement. Effective 10/19/17 late payment fees may apply when payment(s) has not been received by the time the next invoice has been sent (1 month later). Payments by check are due 14 days from the date the invoice is sent, 10 days for PayPal payments - payment not received by these time frames are considered past due. Late payment fees start at $5.00 and can double every week payment remains past due. Failure to make payment(s) within 45 days from the invoice date may result in the suspension of the website and may require a reinstatement fee and may also place the account in default. Customers are encouraged to use their online bank's bill pay to set up a monthly auto-payment - the bank pays the postage and payments are never late. An account in default means there is no longer a business agreement between you (the customer) and EWD. Restoring the site is at the discretion of EWD. EWD is under no obligation to restore or provide any other services related to a previous site or agreement (defaulted accounts). The decision by EWD is final. If the site is to be restored you agree to a minimum $495 (and it may be significantly higher) reinstatement fee. Rates and terms subject to change without notice.
Neither EWD nor Tom Erickson is responsible for content, code, links, images or services you provide. EWD nor Tom Erickson guarantees the effectiveness of the website(s) developed or the content published on your behalf. EWD will do everything reasonably possible to ensure your website is functioning properly - but sometimes there are technical issues outside my control. EWD is not responsible for hosting/server services changes and I will try to resolve them as best I can. EWD reserves the right to refuse service. In the unlikely event of legal action, it is agreed between the customer (including past customers) and EWD that no legal action/lawsuit of any kind shall be brought until the arbitration procedures of the county and state (Snohomish, WA) where website services are rendered shall be exhausted and any legal action/lawsuit shall only be maintained in the county and state where the services are rendered. The non-prevailing party at the arbitration shall be responsible for all attorney fees, arbitrator fees and costs, and are to be paid prior to the commencement of any legal action/lawsuit. Not responsible for SE ranking.
Privacy: EWD takes your privacy very seriously. Your personal information (name, financial information, phone, address, and email) will not be shared with others under ANY circumstances. I (Tom Erickson)/EWD treat your information as if it was my own personal information.
Terms subject to change without notice.