Trove Marketplace is a mission-driven platform that seeks to empower individuals with disabilities through an inclusive, digital marketplace that celebrates creativity and entrepreneurship. We are committed to maintaining a positive, safe, and welcoming environment for all users. This Code of Conduct sets forth the standards and expectations for both sellers and buyers to ensure that Trove Marketplace remains a supportive and inclusive community.

1.1 Respect and Dignity

All users must treat each other with respect, dignity, and consideration. Discriminatory, abusive, or harassing behavior is strictly prohibited.

1.2 Inclusivity

Trove is a marketplace that celebrates diversity and welcomes individuals of all abilities, backgrounds, and identities. We encourage all users to foster an inclusive and supportive environment.

1.3 Integrity and Transparency

Sellers and buyers must communicate honestly and transparently, providing accurate information in all transactions, listings, and communications.

1.4 Commitment to Accessibility

All users are encouraged to engage in ways that are accessible and supportive of individuals with a wide range of disabilities. This includes respecting sellers' communication preferences, response times, and other accessibility considerations.

Trove Marketplace is a very special marketplace. The Sellers and the products they feature for sale must reflect Trove Marketplace's mission and reflect Trove Marketplace's desire to create a positive and supportive community for individuals with disabilities to sell their wares. In order to do this, Sellers on Trove Marketplace are required to adhere to the following standards so long as they are doing business with Trove Marketplace:

2.1 Be Honest: Ensure Accurate Listings

Sellers must provide clear, accurate, and complete descriptions of their products or services. Misleading information, false claims, or omissions are prohibited. If a service requires specific licenses or credentials, sellers must provide accurate proof upon request.

2.2 Be Kind: Engage in Respectful Communication

Everyone has their own struggles. When interacting on Trove Marketplace, Sellers must communicate in a kind, supportive, non-judgmental, professionally and courteously manner, including with other sellers, browsers, and buyers at all times. Hateful, disrespectful, sexist, racist, political, religious speech is not allowed and neither is swearing, ranting, and any type of defamatory content.

It also means that you may not use the empathetic nature of many of Trove Marketplace's Seller's by asking for monetary help or sales within the platform.

If you see a fellow Seller not abiding by this Code of Conduct, please contact us and let us know. If the violation involves you directly, you may remind the Seller of our Code of Conduct, but if you are unable to resolve the issue among yourself, please let us know by emailing us at support@trovemarket.com. It we determine that someone is violating our Code of Conduct, we will take measures to ensure Trove Marketplace remains a safe and supportive community, even if that means removing the offending person from the platform or suspending or removing them from the platform.

Sellers should aim to respond to buyer inquiries within [48 hours], or inform buyers of longer response times if needed.

2.3 Be Fair: Ensure Fair Business Practices

Sellers must set fair and reasonable prices that reflect the value of their handmade or custom-created products.

All refunds, returns, and exchanges must adhere to Trove's Dispute Resolution and Complaint Process.

2.4 Be Respectful: Prohibited Behavior for Sellers

Sellers may not engage in spammy behavior, such as sending unsolicited messages or advertising unrelated products. This includes that Sellers may not use Trove Marketplace to promote products for sale on other platforms such as Facebook Marketplace or Etsy.

Sellers must not pressure or coerce buyers into leaving positive reviews or making additional purchases.

2.5 Be Quiet: Proper Use of Trove Marketplace's Assets and Information

Sellers shall respect and not infringe the intellectual property ownership rights of Trove Market including, but not limited to, proprietary information, copyrights, patents, trademarks, and trade secrets. Sellers shall protect Trove Marketplace's confidential information and shall not divulge any Trove Marketplace information that would be considered sensitive or that is designated by Trove Marketplace as sensitive, proprietary of confidential.

2.6 Be Accurate: Ensure the Accuracy of Business Records

Sellers shall record and report facts accurately, honestly and objectively. Records must be accurate in all material respects. Do not hide, fail to record, or make false entries. All financial books and records must conform to generally accepted accounting principles or make appropriate disclosure of any variances from such principles. Suppliers should utilize appropriate audit and compliance processes for all aspects of their business.

2.7 Be a Good Boss: Labor

Trove Marketplace is an online community for people with disabilities to seller their handmade items. As such, Seller's may not use outside labor and all work must be voluntary. Suppliers must be committed to workplaces that are free from disabilities and harassment and provide for reasonable working hours in compliance with all applicable laws.

2.8 Be a Good Steward: Quality, Health & Safety

Sellers must apply safe work practices, including ensuring working conditions are clean, safe, and meet the basic needs of all people involved in created goods featured for sale on Trove Marketplace. Sellers must anticipate, identify, and assess emergency situations and events and minimize their impact.

2.9 Be Ethical: Product Quality & Safety

Sellers must provide Trove Marketplace with high-quality products, ingredients, and services that meet all applicable quality and food-safety standards. Suppliers must demonstrate that they have robust food safety and quality management systems, following Hazard Assessment and Critical Control Points (HACCP) principles. Suppliers must immediately report to Trove Marketplace any concerns about product safety.

2.10 Enforcement

Trove Marketplace reserves the right to terminate its business relationship with any Seller who violates any agreement or policy, including this Code of Conduct.

Buyers on Trove Marketplace are required to follow these guidelines to ensure a positive and supportive experience:

3.1 Respect and Patience

Buyers must communicate with respect, understanding, and patience, especially considering that sellers may have unique communication needs or require additional response time.

Buyers are expected to honor sellers' stated policies on response times, shipping, and refunds.

3.2 Honest Reviews

Buyers are encouraged to leave honest, constructive reviews that accurately reflect their experience. Leaving false, defamatory, or malicious reviews is prohibited.

3.3 Fair Dispute Resolution

If a dispute arises, buyers must make reasonable efforts to resolve the issue directly with the seller before escalating. Buyers should refer to the Dispute Resolution and Complaint Process for guidance on how to handle disputes fairly and respectfully.

3.4 Prohibited Behavior for Buyers

Buyers must not engage in abusive, harassing, or threatening language in any communication. Buyers must not make discriminatory or offensive remarks related to a seller's disability, identity, or other personal characteristics.

Both sellers and buyers must comply with the following mutual standards to maintain a positive marketplace environment:

4.1 No Discrimination of Harrassment

Discrimination, harassment, or exclusionary behavior based on disability, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, or other protected characteristics is strictly prohibited. Violations of this policy will result in immediate suspension or termination of the offending user's account.

4.2 Compliance with Laws and Policies

All users must comply with applicable laws and Trove's platform policies, including the Prohibited Items Policy, Non-Discrimination, Inclusion, and Accessibility Policy, and Terms of Use.

4.3 Privacy and Data Security

All users must respect each other's privacy and personal data. Sharing or misusing another user's personal information is prohibited. Sellers and buyers must adhere to Trove's Privacy Policy regarding the handling and protection of personal information.

4.4 Reporting and Enforcement

If a user witnesses or experiences behavior that violates this Code of Conduct, they are encouraged to report it by contacting Trove Support at support@trovemarket.com. Trove will review and address all reports in accordance with our Dispute Resolution and Complaint Process.

Trove takes violations of this Code of Conduct seriously. Potential consequences include:
Warnings: For minor or first-time violations.
Temporary Suspension: For repeated or moderate violations.
Permanent Account Termination: For severe or repeated violations, harassment, or illegal behavior.

We may terminate or suspend your seller account and your access to our services at any time, for any reason, and without advance notice. If we do so, it's important to understand that you don't have a contractual or legal right to continue to use our services. Trove Marketplace reserves the right to change, suspend, or discontinue any of the services at any time, for any reason. We will not be liable to you for the effect that any changes to the services may have on you, including your income, investment in marketing materials or your ability to generate revenue through the services. Trove Marketplace reserves the right to take additional actions, including legal recourse, if necessary to protect the safety and integrity of the platform.

Trove may update this Code of Conduct from time to time to reflect changes in our community standards or policies. All users will be notified of significant updates, and continued use of the platform constitutes acceptance of the revised Code.

If you have any questions or concerns about these Terms, please contact us at:
Email: support@trovemarket.com
Mail: Trove Market, 1221 Bowers St., PO Box #61, Birmingham, Mi. 48012

Thank you for being a part of the Trove community and for contributing to a positive, inclusive, and supportive environment!