What do you need to think about when selling services online?
Protect your business with online terms: Selling services online is a way to open up your business to potentially thousands of customers in the digital space. However, when selling services online, businesses will need to include terms that define how services are being supplied, and the obligations of the business and the customer. To do this you need online terms for the supply of services. These are terms and conditions for an online shop / webshop selling services to consumers and/or businesses.
When to use these terms and conditions: You should use this template online selling terms and conditions for services where you are supplying services only. You should not use this document if you sell goods, or if you want to allow customers to make multiple purchase orders (a framework set of terms with statements of work will be required for this set-up - see our Master Services Agreement).
Ensure a valid means of acceptance: You must have a process in place to bring the online selling terms and conditions to the customer's attention and provide a clear mechanism for the customer to actively "accept" the terms, for example, via a tick box or clicking "I Accept" when they checkout and place their order. Failure to do so could result in the terms and conditions not being incorporated into the contract with the customer.
What should online terms for the supply of services include?
Key clauses: Docue’s dynamic template for the online terms for the supply of services covers, among other things, the following matters:
- Website order process: details of how orders are placed for the services (and accepted) via the website;
- Performance details: key details relating to how the services will be supplied;
- Supplier undertakings: the essential obligations relating to how the services are to be supplied and the supplier’s obligations in relation to its performance of the services are included;
- Consumer protections: if the services are being provided to individual consumers, consumer protection laws in the UK require certain protections to be offered to consumers in contracts. This online terms for the supply of services template includes those protections where you select the option that the consumers can purchase the services via the website;
- Defective services: provisions can be included that set out what happens when the services are provided in a way that fails to comply with the terms and conditions;
- Supplier’s liability: if you are the supplier, the online terms for the supply of services template includes optional clauses to include limitations and exclusions on your liability and potential financial exposure, in the event that there is a claim by a customer under the contract relating to the services; and
- Termination rights: a section can be included that sets out the supplier’s right to bring the agreement with customers to an end early.
Find out more: to find out more about the key clauses to include in service contracts, please read our handy blog.
What other templates do I need if I have a website?
When not to use: You shouldn’t use the template online selling terms and conditions for services where you are supplying physical goods or digital content (i.e. downloadable products such as software, music or video). You should also not use this document where industry standards or specific rules apply, as this document has been drafted with standard terms. This document assumes that the supplier is supplying the services directly, and not acting as an intermediary on behalf of a third party. If you are providing digital content, you should use our template online terms for the sale of digital content and if you are supplying goods you should use our template online terms for the sale of goods.
Website terms of use: This template for the online selling terms and conditions for services deals with sales of services made to customers via a website. However, it does not cover how a customer can use the website, and any restrictions you want to impose on their use. You should have separate website terms of use in place to deal with that.
Don’t forget about data protection!: If you are making sales online, you will collect personal data about customers via their use of your website and when they place their orders. It’s therefore vital that you have certain documents on your website to comply with data protection laws - this includes a website privacy notice and a cookie notice.
Using Docue ensures a high-quality outcome
Adaptable template: In order to create your online selling terms and conditions, all you need to do is click through the intelligent tick box options and text box answers and you’ll have comprehensive, tailored, and ready-to-use online terms for the supply of services in just minutes. If you get stuck along the way, don’t worry because Docue’s lawyers have included guidance notes to help you with the questions.
Lawyer-made content: This template online selling terms and conditions is drafted and maintained by English law-qualified lawyers, and is constantly kept up to date.
Tags: online selling terms and conditions, sale of services online, online terms for services, service terms, terms and conditions for the sale of services, online terms for the supply of services
