When you set up a membership website, you’ll want to make sure the membership agreement protects you and your business. Ideally, you’ll want the contract to discourage government investigations and customer lawsuits.
During checkout, as part of the purchasing process, you’ll want new customers to acknowledge they’ve read, understood, and agreed to the terms and conditions contained within the membership agreement.
You’ll also want to make it clear in the contract that your business retains ownership of the intellectual property (IP) contained within the members area plus describe in plain language what IP rights a member has during and after membership. By doing this, you reduce the risk of having your site scraped or membership materials otherwise being shared for free with non-members.
The membership length, how it renews, and billing terms are essential items to include for paid membership sites. And you’ll want to describe your refund policy, how to make a cancellation request, and how disputes are handled if there’s a disagreement with a customer.
Of course, there are other important legal issues that should be covered in your website’s membership agreement. However, the ones identified above will get you off to a good start in reducing legal dangers.
If you need help with your membership website’s legal documents, now would be a good time to schedule a phone consultation with Website Lawyer Mike Young.
