Terms of Service

These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of websites, online services, portals, forms, proposals, communications, and services provided by THICKRIM LLC, an Illinois limited liability company (“THICKRIM,” “we,” “our,” or “us”).

By accessing our websites, submitting a form, approving a proposal, signing an agreement, paying an invoice, or using our services, you agree to these Terms.

If you are entering into these Terms on behalf of a business or organization, you represent that you have authority to bind that business or organization.

1. Our Services

THICKRIM provides digital agency, website, marketing, hosting, software, automation, consulting, and IT-related services.

Services may include:

• Website design and development
• WordPress, Shopify, Next.js, and custom website work
• Website hosting, maintenance, and support
• Local SEO and search visibility services
• Google Business Profile support
• Digital advertising support
• Analytics, tracking, and reporting setup
• CRM, automation, and workflow setup
• Client portals, forms, and internal tools
• Branding, content, and design services
• Domain, DNS, email, and cloud configuration support
• Consulting, strategy, and technical advisory services

Specific deliverables, pricing, timelines, payment terms, and responsibilities are governed by the applicable proposal, invoice, statement of work, service agreement, order form, or written approval.

2. Eligibility and Authority

You may use our websites and services only if you are legally able to enter into a binding agreement.

If you use our services on behalf of a company, client, employer, or organization, you represent that you have authority to act on their behalf.

3. Proposals, Estimates, and Statements of Work

Proposals, estimates, quotes, and statements of work are valid only for the period stated in the document. If no expiration date is stated, the proposal is valid for 14 days from the date issued.

A project is not considered scheduled or active until THICKRIM receives required approvals, deposits, signed agreements, access credentials, content, and any other required materials.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, proposals do not include:

• Paid advertising spend
• Third-party software fees
• Domain registration or renewal fees
• Premium plugins, themes, or licenses
• Stock photography, fonts, or media licenses
• Copywriting beyond the listed scope
• Legal review
• Advanced accessibility remediation
• Ongoing support after launch
• Hosting, maintenance, or security services
• Major revisions outside the approved scope

4. Client Responsibilities

You agree to provide timely access, information, feedback, approvals, credentials, content, images, business details, and other materials needed to perform the services.

You are responsible for ensuring that materials you provide are accurate, lawful, and do not infringe the rights of others.

Client delays may affect timelines, launch dates, campaign performance, cost, and availability.

If a project is delayed because of missing content, missing access, delayed approval, or failure to respond, THICKRIM may pause the project, revise the timeline, charge reactivation fees, or issue invoices for completed work.

5. Content and Materials

You are responsible for all content, claims, images, logos, trademarks, videos, product information, service descriptions, pricing, warranties, testimonials, legal disclosures, and business information you provide or approve.

You represent that you have the right to use all materials you provide to us.

THICKRIM may edit or format content for design, usability, search visibility, or clarity, but you remain responsible for reviewing and approving final content before publication.

6. Third-Party Platforms and Services

Our services may involve third-party platforms, including but not limited to:

• Google
• Meta
• Cloudflare
• WordPress
• Shopify
• Stripe
• Square
• HubSpot
• Mailchimp
• Klaviyo
• GoHighLevel
• Supabase
• Vercel
• AWS
• Microsoft
• Google Workspace
• Domain registrars
• Hosting providers
• Analytics tools
• CRM and automation tools

Third-party services are governed by their own terms, policies, pricing, uptime, support, and availability.

THICKRIM is not responsible for downtime, account restrictions, platform policy changes, price changes, data loss, rejected ads, suspended accounts, API changes, plugin conflicts, or service interruptions caused by third-party providers.

7. Access Credentials and Security

You may need to provide account access, administrator permissions, API keys, DNS access, hosting credentials, CMS access, or other technical permissions.

You are responsible for maintaining secure passwords, multi-factor authentication, internal access control, and proper user permissions.

THICKRIM may recommend security practices but is not responsible for unauthorized access caused by weak passwords, credential sharing, compromised accounts, client-side malware, expired domains, unpaid third-party services, or failure to follow security recommendations.

8. Payments, Invoices, and Billing

Payment terms are stated in the applicable proposal, invoice, agreement, subscription, or statement of work.

Unless otherwise stated:

• Deposits are due before work begins.
• Invoices are due upon receipt.
• Monthly services are billed in advance.
• One-time project fees may be billed by milestone.
• Late payments may pause work or support.
• Client is responsible for third-party fees and pass-through costs.
• Payments are non-refundable once work has begun unless otherwise stated in writing.

THICKRIM may charge late fees, pause services, restrict portal access, suspend hosting, or withhold deliverables for overdue balances, subject to applicable law and any written agreement.

9. Subscriptions, Monthly Services, and Cancellation

Some services may be provided on a monthly, recurring, retainer, hosting, maintenance, or subscription basis.

Cancellation terms are governed by the applicable agreement, proposal, or invoice.

Unless otherwise stated in writing:

• Monthly services require 30 days’ written notice to cancel.
• Cancellation does not waive unpaid invoices or accrued fees.
• Work completed before cancellation remains payable.
• Third-party subscriptions may have separate cancellation terms.
• Hosting, support, maintenance, and monitoring may stop after cancellation.
• Data export, migration, or handoff services may require a separate fee.

10. Hosting, Maintenance, and Support

If THICKRIM provides hosting, maintenance, updates, monitoring, backups, or support, the specific service level is governed by the applicable plan or agreement.

Unless expressly included, hosting and maintenance services do not guarantee:

• Continuous uptime
• Immediate response
• Malware-free operation
• Complete protection from attack
• Compatibility with all plugins or third-party tools
• Unlimited revisions
• Unlimited content updates
• Emergency support
• Custom development
• SEO performance
• Advertising performance

We may perform maintenance, updates, security work, backups, or migrations as needed to operate and protect websites and systems.

11. Domains and DNS

Domain names are subject to registrar rules, expiration dates, renewal fees, transfer policies, and third-party terms.

If THICKRIM purchases, manages, or configures a domain on your behalf, you remain responsible for renewal costs, ownership records, DNS approvals, and any registrar requirements unless otherwise stated in writing.

THICKRIM is not responsible for expired domains, failed renewals, DNS propagation delays, registrar disputes, trademark disputes, or domain loss caused by missing payment, incorrect account information, or third-party registrar issues.

12. Website Launch and Approval

Before launch, you are responsible for reviewing and approving design, content, functionality, links, forms, legal pages, accessibility items, analytics, tracking, and business information.

Once you approve launch or request publication, you accept responsibility for the published content and functionality unless otherwise stated in writing.

Post-launch changes, bug fixes, content updates, design revisions, SEO work, and support may require a maintenance plan or separate invoice.

13. Revisions and Scope Changes

Project scope is limited to the services and deliverables expressly listed in the applicable proposal or agreement.

Additional requests, revisions, features, pages, integrations, design changes, meetings, content changes, troubleshooting, or technical work may be billed separately.

THICKRIM may provide a change order, revised estimate, or updated invoice for work outside scope.

14. Intellectual Property

Unless otherwise stated in writing, after full payment is received, you own the final custom website content, designs, and deliverables created specifically for you.

THICKRIM retains ownership of:

• Pre-existing code
• Internal tools
• Reusable components
• Templates
• Frameworks
• Processes
• Know-how
• Design systems
• Development methods
• Non-client-specific assets
• Software libraries
• Draft concepts not selected
• Unpaid work

Third-party software, plugins, themes, fonts, stock assets, and platforms remain subject to their own licenses.

You may not resell, redistribute, reverse engineer, or claim ownership of THICKRIM’s pre-existing tools, systems, templates, or reusable intellectual property unless expressly agreed in writing.

15. Portfolio and Marketing Use

Unless you request otherwise in writing, THICKRIM may display your name, logo, website, screenshots, project description, general results, and non-confidential work samples in our portfolio, proposals, case studies, social media, marketing materials, and sales materials.

We will not intentionally disclose confidential business information without permission.

16. Confidentiality

Each party may receive confidential information from the other.

Confidential information may include business plans, credentials, pricing, technical information, client lists, internal documents, strategy, financial information, and non-public project materials.

Each party agrees to use reasonable care to protect confidential information and to use it only for the purpose of the business relationship.

Confidentiality obligations do not apply to information that is public, already known, independently developed, lawfully received from another source, or required to be disclosed by law.

17. Acceptable Use

You may not use our websites, portals, services, hosting, forms, or systems to:

• Violate laws or regulations
• Infringe intellectual property rights
• Send spam or unlawful communications
• Distribute malware
• Attempt unauthorized access
• Interfere with service operation
• Harass, abuse, or threaten others
• Upload illegal, harmful, or deceptive content
• Misrepresent your identity or authority
• Circumvent security or access controls
• Use services for fraud, phishing, or unlawful activity

We may suspend or terminate access if we believe these Terms are violated.

18. Search, Marketing, and Business Results

THICKRIM may provide SEO, advertising, analytics, strategy, conversion, website, or marketing services.

We do not guarantee specific rankings, leads, sales, revenue, ad performance, approval by platforms, traffic levels, conversion rates, or business outcomes.

Marketing performance depends on many factors outside our control, including competition, budget, market conditions, pricing, customer service, reviews, platform algorithms, website history, location, demand, and client follow-up.

19. Accessibility

THICKRIM strives to build and maintain accessible websites and digital experiences. Accessibility work depends on the project scope, budget, platform, content, third-party tools, and client requirements.

Unless expressly included in a written agreement, advanced accessibility audits, legal compliance reviews, manual assistive technology testing, PDF remediation, video captioning, third-party widget remediation, and formal WCAG conformance reports are not included.

Clients are responsible for reviewing and approving accessibility requirements for their own websites and businesses.

20. Legal, Tax, Medical, Financial, and Professional Advice

THICKRIM does not provide legal, tax, medical, financial, insurance, or regulated professional advice.

Website content, policies, disclaimers, privacy pages, contracts, and compliance-related materials we help draft or format should be reviewed by qualified professionals before use.

21. Warranties Disclaimer

Our websites, services, deliverables, and online materials are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis unless otherwise stated in a written agreement.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, THICKRIM disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, uninterrupted operation, error-free performance, and specific business results.

22. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, THICKRIM will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages, including lost profits, lost revenue, lost data, business interruption, reputational harm, or loss of goodwill.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, THICKRIM’s total liability for any claim related to the services will not exceed the amount paid by you to THICKRIM for the specific service giving rise to the claim during the three months before the event giving rise to liability.

Some jurisdictions do not allow certain limitations, so some limitations may not apply.

23. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless THICKRIM, its owners, employees, contractors, vendors, and affiliates from claims, damages, liabilities, costs, and expenses arising from:

• Materials you provide
• Content you approve
• Your business operations
• Your use of our services
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of law
• Your infringement of third-party rights
• Your misuse of third-party platforms
• Claims related to products, services, warranties, advertising, or representations made by your business

24. Termination

We may suspend or terminate services, access, hosting, support, or project work if:

• Payments are overdue
• Required access or approvals are not provided
• You violate these Terms
• You misuse systems or services
• A third-party platform suspends or restricts access
• Continuing work would create legal, security, ethical, or operational risk
• The applicable agreement allows termination

Termination does not eliminate payment obligations for work performed, services provided, or costs incurred before termination.

25. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Illinois, without regard to conflict-of-law principles.

Unless otherwise stated in a written agreement, disputes will be handled in the state or federal courts located in Illinois.

26. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time.

When changes are made, we will update the “Last Updated” date. Continued use of our websites or services after changes are posted means you accept the updated Terms.

27. Contact

For questions about these Terms, contact:

THICKRIM LLC Email: contact@thickrim.com Support: support@thickrim.com Phone: (847) 496-0013 Website: thickrim.com/contact