🌊 ShopLocalOBX.com Marketplace Rules & Policies

Updated for 2025

Welcome to ShopLocalOBX.com — a curated marketplace celebrating makers, artists, small businesses, and uniquely Outer Banks finds. To keep this community safe, fair, and high-quality for everyone, all shoppers and sellers must follow the rules and policies below.

These guidelines ensure transparency, protect both buyers and sellers, and uphold the integrity of our local-first mission.

🛍️ 1. Marketplace Overview

ShopLocalOBX.com is a peer-to-peer platform. Each seller is the merchant of record for their own products and is responsible for their own pricing, product quality, shipping, taxes, and customer service. The marketplace provides the platform, visibility, and secure payment processing through Stripe.

💛 2. Who Can Sell on ShopLocalOBX.com

To maintain a trusted, high-quality marketplace:

Sellers must offer one or more of the following:

Handmade goods created by the seller

Locally made or designed Outer Banks products

OBX-themed merchandise

Curated, high-quality vintage or home décor items

Original artwork, photography, or crafts

The following are NOT allowed:

Yard-sale items, damaged items, or bulk liquidation

Mass-produced or drop-shipped goods

Items imported solely for resale

Counterfeit, replica, or trademark-infringing items

Weapons, hazardous items, or anything illegal

Food items without proper permits

Medical claims, supplementation claims, or regulated items

🏷️ 3. Pricing & Sales Tax All item prices must include any required North Carolina sales tax.

Buyers will not see an additional tax added at checkout. Sellers are responsible for:

Setting prices that already include tax

Determining the correct rate

Reporting and remitting their own taxes to the appropriate agencies

The price displayed to buyers must be the total price they pay.

🧾 4. Fees & Payment Processing

Payments are processed securely through Stripe Connect.

Sellers must activate their Stripe account before listing items.

Marketplace commission and Stripe fees are automatically deducted at checkout.

Sellers receive payouts directly through Stripe following its standard schedule.

🚚 5. Shipping, Delivery & Local Pickup

Sellers are responsible for:

Setting accurate shipping rates

Clearly stating whether an item is available for shipping, local pickup, delivery, or a combination

Shipping items within their stated processing time

Providing tracking (when applicable)

Communicating promptly with buyers

If local pickup is offered, arrangements must be made directly between buyer and seller.

🔄 6. Returns, Exchanges & Cancellations

Because each seller operates independently:

Sellers may set their own return/exchange policies

Policies must be clearly stated in each listing

Sellers are responsible for honoring their stated policies

Refunds may only be processed through Stripe for buyer safety

If a dispute arises, ShopLocalOBX may step in to mediate, but all responsibility for resolution lies with the seller

For digital items, all sales are final unless otherwise stated.

🖼️ 7. Photo, Content & Intellectual Property Requirements

Sellers must:

Use only photos they own or have rights to

Upload clear, accurate, high-quality images

Represent products truthfully and avoid misleading photography

Avoid using AI-generated images unless clearly disclosed and allowed

Ensure their items do not infringe on any copyright or trademark

Listings that do not meet quality standards may be declined.

💬 8. Communication Expectations

Sellers must respond to buyer messages within 48 hours

Professional, courteous communication is required at all times

Misleading statements, harassment, or unresponsiveness may result in account suspension

🧹 9. Listing Approval & Removal

To maintain marketplace quality:

Listings may require approval before going live

The marketplace may remove or decline any listing that violates guidelines

The marketplace may disable seller accounts engaged in prohibited conduct, poor customer service, or repeated policy violations

⚖️ 10. Liability

ShopLocalOBX.com:

Is not the seller of any items

Does not guarantee product quality, legality, or authenticity

Is not responsible for shipping delays, lost packages, damages, or communication issues

Does not handle or intervene in tax obligations

All transactions occur directly between the buyer and individual seller.

🔐 11. Privacy & Data Use

Buyer information may be used by sellers only for order fulfillment

Sharing or misusing customer data is strictly prohibited

All user data is protected under our Privacy Policy

🌟 12. Community Values

We are a local-first marketplace built on:

Creativity

Integrity

Transparency

Kindness

Support for small businesses and artists

Pride in the Outer Banks community

Sellers who do not align with these values may be removed at the marketplace’s discretion.

💬 Need Help?

Have a question about selling or shopping on ShopLocalOBX.com? Contact support anytime or reach out via the messaging tools inside your account.