Effective date October 26, 2026. Operator: Rhode Island Horological Society ("RIHOSO"), a Rhode Island nonprofit organization. Mailing address: 651 Putnam Pike, Greenville, RI 02828. Website: www.rihoso.com. Contact: info@rihoso.com.
1. Agreement and scope
These Terms govern the RIHOSO website and Watch Exchange. You accept them by affirmatively checking the acceptance box when creating an account or placing an order. Sellers also accept the Seller Agreement; members accept the Membership and Event Terms. A separate written repair order and Repair and Service Terms govern any repair service that is actually offered. Our Privacy Policy explains personal information practices. Transaction specific disclosures accepted at checkout control the stated price, fees and delivery arrangements but cannot reduce mandatory legal rights. The Seller Agreement controls seller payout duties if a provision conflicts with these Terms.
2. The Society and its role
RIHOSO supports horological education, community meetings and events, preservation of watchmaking knowledge, and scholarships for eligible watchmaking students. Revenue retained by RIHOSO from commissions, dues and other activities supports its mission and legitimate operations, including reasonable payroll, marketing, technology, administration and general business expenses. Unless a specific written restriction is accepted by RIHOSO, no fixed amount from a particular transaction is earmarked for a scholarship. Marketplace fees and dues are not represented as tax deductible charitable contributions.
The Exchange connects buyers and independent sellers. For a listing posted by another user, that seller, not RIHOSO, sells the watch and is responsible for title, authenticity, description, fulfillment and applicable seller warranties. The sale contract is between buyer and seller. RIHOSO administers the marketplace and the procedures it expressly promises here. It does not routinely possess, inspect, authenticate, appraise or insure listed watches and does not guarantee a seller's performance. A membership badge or identity check is not authentication or endorsement. Any separately purchased inspection or authentication must have its own written scope and provider terms. No manufacturer affiliation, authorized dealership or transferable factory warranty is implied.
3. Eligibility and account security
Exchange users must be at least 18, legally able to contract and based in the United States; shipping and payout destinations must be permitted United States locations supported at checkout. No international forwarding, cryptocurrency, cash substitute or off platform payment is permitted for Exchange orders. Businesses must identify their business status and authorize the account user. Provide accurate information, complete required identity and tax checks and promptly update changes. Protect your email and sign in credentials, and report suspected misuse promptly. You are responsible for activity you authorize and for failure to exercise reasonable account security; these Terms do not automatically make you liable for every unauthorized transaction.
4. Listings and prohibited activity
List only a watch you own or are authorized to sell, with transferable title and no undisclosed lien or claim. Counterfeit, replica, stolen and unlawful items are prohibited. Disclose reference, condition, known faults, restoration, refinishing, replacement or aftermarket parts, service history if known, and exactly which accessories and papers are included. Do not claim unverified manufacture dates, originality, accuracy, provenance or water resistance as established facts. Use photographs of the actual watch and protect full serial numbers and personal details from unnecessary public exposure. Sellers must retain complete identifying records privately for verification.
Do not commit fraud, manipulate prices or reviews, impersonate another person, harass users, send spam, scrape personal data, attack the site, circumvent sanctions or facilitate money laundering. Do not move an Exchange introduced transaction off platform to avoid its disclosed fee or safeguards. This restriction does not prohibit unrelated transactions or legitimate reviews, complaints or reports to authorities. RIHOSO may remove content and restrict accounts on reasonable fraud, safety, legal or policy grounds, with notice and an opportunity to respond where practicable. Emergency action may precede notice. Contact us to request review.
5. Offers and payment
A seller's final offer identifies the watch, included items, delivery method and total watch price inclusive of outbound insured shipping where applicable. It remains available for 72 hours unless the seller withdraws it before payment with prompt notice. An unpaid offer does not reserve the watch unless expressly stated. A sale contract forms when the buyer pays and the Exchange issues order confirmation, subject to failed payment, legal restrictions or a genuinely unavailable item. An unavailable item must be refunded; the seller may not substitute another watch or increase the paid price without a new agreement.
Checkout shows the watch price, applicable sales tax and any other charge before authorization. Payment is processed through Stripe. Under the approved payment arrangement, each seller appoints RIHOSO as limited collection agent, and the buyer's payment obligation to that seller is satisfied to the extent payment is successfully received through the designated processor, subject to a valid reversal or refund. The buyer need not pay a second time because the seller's payout is delayed or RIHOSO fails to transmit collected funds. This appointment does not make RIHOSO the watch seller or a general agent for either party.
The Exchange uses delayed seller release through its payment provider. It is not an escrow service, deposit account, investment account or promise of deposit insurance. Provider verification, settlement and bank processing can affect timing. Payment disputes and legal holds may delay release as described below. Paying does not guarantee authenticity or successful recovery from a dishonest seller.
6. Shipment and actual receipt
Unless a different date is clearly agreed before payment, the seller must ship within three business days after cleared payment and verification that shipment is authorized. Business days exclude Saturdays, Sundays and United States federal holidays. If timely shipment becomes impossible, the seller must promptly offer the buyer a revised date and the right to cancel for a full refund; silence is not consent to delay under this policy. Applicable mandatory shipping and refund rules control.
The seller must use coverage that expressly covers the watch for the full transaction price, tracked shipment and adult signature at the approved address. A declared value alone is not proof of insurance. The seller bears outbound loss and damage risk until actual delivery to the buyer or authorized recipient. A carrier scan is evidence but is not conclusive when credible evidence shows misdelivery, theft before receipt or loss. Report nonreceipt promptly; an inspection deadline does not begin before actual receipt. Do not redirect shipments without approval through the Exchange.
7. Inspection and seller release
Inspect promptly and report any materially not as described problem on the order page within 72 hours after verified actual receipt. If the reporting tool is unavailable, email the contact above with the order number and retain the message. RIHOSO will display the ordinary deadline and send available reminders. Photos and a specific explanation help, but a missing unboxing video alone does not defeat a claim. Preserve packaging and do not alter, service, resize, open or use the watch beyond reasonable inspection while a claim is pending; reasonable noninvasive professional inspection is permitted.
The ordinary release trigger is the buyer's affirmative acceptance or expiration of the 72 hour inspection period without a reported issue, provided delivery is verified and no other hold applies. Acceptance may trigger early release. A timely claim pauses release. Release authorizes payment processing; it does not guarantee immediate bank receipt. Release and expiration of this window do not waive rights concerning fraud, counterfeit goods, stolen property, title, latent defects or nonwaivable legal protections. Report later discovered issues promptly with evidence; RIHOSO will assess available contractual and processor remedies without guaranteeing recovery after payout.
For local pickup, buyer and seller must confirm the actual handover through the Exchange, including identity and a recorded handover time. Payment never releases solely because time has passed since ordering. The same 72 hour inspection period begins at verified handover unless the buyer affirmatively accepts earlier. If pickup is not completed within seven calendar days after payment, RIHOSO may cancel and refund unless both parties agree to a documented extension that the provider permits. A seller should not hand over a watch before confirmed payment authorization.
8. Claims returns and refunds
A materially not as described watch includes a wrong reference, counterfeit item, undisclosed material damage or parts, a material functional failure inconsistent with the listing, or missing promised accessories. Ordinary accurately disclosed wear and change of preference do not qualify. Any additional return right expressly offered by a seller and mandatory legal remedies remain available. Nonreceipt, suspected stolen goods and safety or legal issues are reviewed separately and are not excluded by the ordinary inspection deadline.
RIHOSO will request relevant evidence from both parties, provide a reasonable opportunity to respond, and issue a written explanation for its administrative decision on release or refund. Sellers should respond within two business days. Independent evidence may be requested; disclose any proposed expert cost before it is incurred and do not condition a mandatory remedy on an unlawful fee. A party may request internal reconsideration within seven calendar days with specific new evidence or identified error. This process is not binding arbitration, does not adjudicate legal ownership, and does not prevent court, regulator or card issuer remedies.
For an approved return, the seller must fund a suitable insured return label or prepaid shipping arrangement. The buyer must tender the complete watch and included items to the approved carrier within five business days after receiving usable instructions, unless extended for good reason. The buyer must package it reasonably and follow agreed instructions. Where the buyer complies with the approved return method, the buyer is not responsible for carrier loss; the seller handles the insurance claim. Damage attributable to buyer misuse or improper packaging requires evidence and does not justify withholding an unrelated amount.
The seller must inspect the return and report a specific substantiated issue within two business days of verified receipt. RIHOSO will initiate an approved full refund of the watch price including outbound shipping and collected tax as legally appropriate within two business days after satisfactory receipt or expiration of that response period, subject to any genuinely disputed return condition being promptly reviewed. A carrier loss under the approved return method must be resolved through a refund or other remedy required by this policy and law without forcing the buyer to await the seller's insurance recovery indefinitely. Refunds go to the original payment method; bank posting times vary. A seller's silence is not an indefinite veto. No Society commission is retained on a fully canceled or fully refunded sale. Partial refunds require recorded agreement or a lawful decision and corresponding fee and tax adjustments. No duplicate recovery is permitted.
If an item may be counterfeit or stolen, do not resell, destroy or ship it until RIHOSO provides lawful instructions, which may include preservation for an expert or authorities. A refund is not conditioned on unlawful shipment. The parties must cooperate with legitimate evidence preservation and lawful investigations. RIHOSO may seek processor recovery after payout, but does not provide an unlimited insurance fund.
9. Fees and taxes
There is no listing fee or separate buyer platform fee under this schedule. A seller pays 10 percent of the watch sale price inclusive of outbound shipping and excluding separately stated sales tax; the rate is 5 percent if that seller's eligible membership is active when the order is paid. Ordinary card processing is included in that commission. Any separate optional service must be priced and accepted before purchase. Fees are deducted from seller proceeds. An example: a $5,000 watch sale produces a $500 standard commission or $250 member commission, before any tax remittance. Seller membership does not discount the buyer's price automatically.
RIHOSO collects and remits taxes when legally required. Sellers must provide accurate location, business and tax information and remain responsible for obligations not assigned by law to the marketplace. Buyers may owe use tax where tax is not collected. Tax information reporting by RIHOSO or a processor does not determine whether a sale is taxable income. No particular Form 1099 K threshold or tax outcome is promised.
10. Content and intellectual property
You retain rights in your original content and grant RIHOSO a nonexclusive, royalty free license to host, reproduce, format and display it as needed to operate the Exchange. Use of listing photographs to promote the Exchange is limited to that purpose and may not imply your endorsement of unrelated products. The license ends when content is removed except for reasonable backup, legal and transaction records and existing promotional materials that cannot reasonably be recalled. You warrant that you have the necessary rights. These Terms do not authorize use of third party trademarks beyond lawful identification.
Report intellectual property concerns to info@rihoso.com. Send copyright notices under 17 USC 512 to info@rihoso.com or to the mailing address above. Include your signature, identification of the work and challenged material with location, contact details, a good faith statement of unauthorized use and a statement under penalty of perjury that the notice is accurate and you are authorized. A counter notice must include signature, identification and former location of the removed material, a statement under penalty of perjury of good faith mistake or misidentification, contact details, consent to the applicable federal district court's jurisdiction and acceptance of service. RIHOSO follows applicable notice, counter notice and restoration procedures and may terminate repeat infringers in appropriate circumstances. RIHOSO has not yet registered a designated agent with the U.S. Copyright Office; this section will be updated when it does.
11. Disclaimers and liability
TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED AS IS AND AS AVAILABLE, WITHOUT IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NON INFRINGEMENT. RIHOSO DOES NOT WARRANT A USER LISTING OR CONTINUOUS SITE AVAILABILITY. THESE DISCLAIMERS DO NOT CANCEL EXPRESS PROMISES IN THESE TERMS, SELLER OBLIGATIONS OR NONWAIVABLE CONSUMER RIGHTS.
TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, RIHOSO IS NOT LIABLE FOR INDIRECT, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES. ITS AGGREGATE LIABILITY FOR AN ORDINARY PLATFORM SERVICE CLAIM IS LIMITED TO THE GREATER OF $500 OR THE FEES OR DUES YOU PAID TO RIHOSO FOR THE AFFECTED SERVICE IN THE 12 MONTHS BEFORE THE EVENT. It does not cap amounts RIHOSO is obligated to remit or refund, liability arising from its fraud, willful misconduct or gross negligence, death or personal injury caused by its negligence, or any liability the law does not permit limiting. It does not limit a seller's liability for the watch. Separate repair obligations are governed by the service order and applicable law.
12. Responsibility for third party claims
To the extent permitted by law, a user must indemnify RIHOSO for a third party claim caused by that user's fraud, unlawful conduct, infringement or material breach of these Terms, including reasonable legal costs. There is no indemnity for loss caused by RIHOSO's own fault or for a good faith consumer claim against RIHOSO. RIHOSO must give reasonably prompt notice, permit appropriate participation in the defense and obtain consent before a settlement imposes nonmonetary obligations or admits liability for the user. This provision does not waive mandatory protections.
13. Disputes changes and notices
Rhode Island law governs, subject to mandatory law applicable to the consumer. Please first send a description and desired resolution to the contact above and allow 30 days for informal discussion where practicable. This does not toll legal deadlines, restrict a timely chargeback or regulatory report, or prevent urgent relief. No mandatory arbitration or class action waiver is adopted in these Terms. Subject to nonwaivable venue rights, disputes may be brought in state courts in Providence County or the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island where jurisdiction exists; eligible small claims proceedings remain available in a court with jurisdiction.
Material changes receive advance notice and a new effective date; obtain renewed affirmative acceptance where required. Paid orders remain governed by the version accepted at purchase, and paid membership terms are not retroactively reduced. Fee changes apply only to future orders after disclosure and required assent. We may suspend services for legitimate operational or legal reasons while addressing existing orders and required refunds. If a provision is unenforceable, remaining provisions apply to the extent lawful. Failure to enforce once is not a waiver. Statutory and payment provider rights remain intact. Electronic order and account notices are used where legally permitted; required separate consent for electronic records will be obtained when applicable.