Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing, browsing, or using the LSM platform in any way — including creating an account, posting an RFQ, submitting a bid, or sending a message — you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy.

If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not use the Platform and must close your account immediately.

These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you ("User", "you", "your") and LSM Platform ("we", "us", "our", "the Platform").

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Material changes will be notified to registered users at least 30 days before they take effect. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance.

2. Platform Description

LSM is a B2B marketplace platform that facilitates connections between European buyers seeking LED, LCD, OLED, MicroLED, E-Ink, transparent, and digital signage equipment, and verified manufacturers and suppliers worldwide.

The Platform provides:

• RFQ (Request for Quotation) system: Buyers post detailed project requirements; suppliers submit competitive bids.
• Anonymous bidding: Supplier identities are hidden during the bidding process to ensure fair competition.
• Secure chat system: Built-in messaging for buyer-supplier communication with file sharing capabilities.
• Manager-assisted negotiations: Professional platform staff who facilitate complex negotiations between parties.
• Supplier verification: Qualification review, document verification, and trust scoring system.
• Buyer services: LED installation, legal contract review, pre-shipment inspection, and negotiation agency services.

3. Eligibility and Account Registration

3.1 Eligibility

• You must be at least 18 years of age and legally capable of entering binding contracts.
• You must be authorized to act on behalf of the company or entity you register.
• You must be a legitimate business engaged in the LED/digital signage industry or related sectors.
• The Platform is intended for B2B (business-to-business) use only. Consumer purchases are not permitted.

3.2 Account Registration

• You must provide accurate, complete, and current information during registration. False or misleading information is grounds for immediate account termination.
• You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activities under your account.
• One account per business entity. Duplicate accounts created to circumvent platform rules will be terminated.
• You must notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account.
• We reserve the right to reject, suspend, or terminate accounts at our sole discretion, with or without cause, with reasonable notice.

3.3 Supplier Verification

• All suppliers must complete a qualification review before they can submit bids.
• Verification includes: company registration check, business certificate review, product catalog assessment, and reference checks.
• Verification does not constitute endorsement or guarantee of the supplier's products or services.
• We may revoke verification at any time if a supplier violates these Terms or provides false information.

4. Buyer Obligations

By using the Platform as a buyer, you agree to:

• Provide accurate RFQ specifications: All technical requirements, quantities, delivery timelines, and budget information must be truthful and complete.
• Respond to supplier questions: Timely responses to clarification questions help ensure accurate bids.
• Evaluate bids fairly: Assess bids based on objective criteria including price, quality, delivery terms, and supplier track record.
• Honor commitments: Once you select a winning supplier and agree on terms, you are expected to proceed with the transaction in good faith.
• Use platform communication: All pre-winner communication with suppliers must happen through the Platform's chat system. Exchanging personal contact information before winner selection is prohibited.
• Comply with import regulations: You are responsible for understanding and complying with all applicable import regulations, customs requirements, product safety standards, and certification requirements in your country.
• Pay for services: If you order paid services (LED installation, legal review, inspections, negotiation agency), payment is due as specified.

5. Supplier Obligations

By using the Platform as a supplier, you agree to:

• Provide accurate company information: All registration details, product specifications, certifications, and business credentials must be truthful and current.
• Submit genuine bids: All bids must reflect actual pricing, genuine product specifications, and realistic delivery capabilities. Fake or misleading bids are grounds for immediate account termination.
• Maintain responsive communication: Respond to buyer inquiries and platform notifications in a timely manner.
• Honor quoted terms: Prices, delivery dates, warranty terms, and Incoterms quoted in your bid must be honored if your bid is selected.
• Comply with export regulations: Ensure compliance with all applicable export control laws, product safety standards, and certification requirements.
• Maintain verification: Keep your certifications, documents, and company information up to date.
• Use platform communication: All communication with buyers must happen through the Platform until a winner is selected. Sharing contact information to bypass the platform is prohibited.

6. Communication Rules and Contact Confidentiality

6.1 Anonymity During Bidding

• Supplier identities are anonymized — buyers see "Supplier #1", "Supplier #2", etc.
• Only technical specifications, pricing, delivery terms, and company credentials (without identifying details) are visible.
• This ensures fair, unbiased evaluation based on merit rather than brand recognition.

6.2 Contact Revelation After Winner Selection

• When a buyer selects a winning bid, the supplier's company name and email are revealed to the buyer.
• The buyer's contact details remain hidden unless the buyer explicitly chooses to reveal them.
• Buyers can enable "Hide my contacts" in their profile to keep their details permanently private.
• When contacts are hidden, all communication happens exclusively through platform chat.

6.3 Platform Chat Features

• Text messaging with file/image/video attachments (up to 20MB)
• Built-in message translation (27 languages supported)
• Manager-assisted translation and negotiation
• Message history and read receipts

6.4 Violations

Sharing contact information to circumvent the platform (e.g., embedding contact details in bid descriptions, uploaded documents, or product images) will result in:

• First offense: Warning and content removal
• Second offense: Temporary account suspension (7 days)
• Third offense: Permanent account termination

7. Fees, Subscriptions, and Payments

7.1 Free Services

• RFQ Posting: Free for all registered buyers. No limits on the number of active RFQs.
• Bid Submission: Free for suppliers on the FREE tier plan.
• Platform Chat: Free for all registered users.

7.2 Paid Subscriptions (Suppliers)

• FREE: Basic profile, limited RFQ responses, standard support.
• PRO: Enhanced profile, unlimited RFQ responses, priority support, analytics dashboard.
• ENTERPRISE: Premium features, dedicated account manager, custom branding, API access.

Subscription fees are billed in EUR and are non-refundable except as required by applicable law. Subscriptions auto-renew unless cancelled at least 30 days before the renewal date.

7.3 Paid Services (Buyers)

7.4 Escrow (Coming Soon)

Escrow payment protection is currently under development and will be available as a future feature. When launched, escrow will hold buyer payments securely until goods are delivered and inspected.

7.5 Taxes

All prices are displayed in EUR by default (14 additional currencies available). Listed prices do not include VAT, import duties, or other applicable taxes unless explicitly stated. Buyers are responsible for all applicable taxes in their jurisdiction.

8. Intellectual Property

• Platform IP: All content, design, logos, trademarks, software, and documentation on the Platform are the exclusive property of LSM and are protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.
• User Content: You retain ownership of all content you upload to the Platform (RFQs, bids, chat messages, documents, images). By uploading content, you grant LSM a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, store, display, and reproduce that content solely for the purpose of operating and improving the Platform.
• Restrictions: You may not reproduce, copy, distribute, modify, create derivative works of, publicly display, or commercially exploit any Platform content without prior written consent from LSM.
• DMCA: If you believe your intellectual property rights have been infringed on the Platform, please contact us at legal@lsm-platform.eu with detailed information about the alleged infringement.

9. Prohibited Conduct

You must NOT:

• Use the Platform for any illegal purpose or in violation of any applicable law or regulation.
• Submit false, misleading, or fraudulent information (including fake RFQs, bids, or company credentials).
• Circumvent platform communication rules by sharing contact information to avoid platform fees or oversight.
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to other users' accounts, data, or the Platform's systems.
• Use automated scripts, bots, or crawlers to access or scrape Platform data without written permission.
• Interfere with or disrupt the Platform's infrastructure, servers, or networks.
• Impersonate another user, company, or entity.
• Upload malicious content, viruses, or harmful code.
• Harass, threaten, or abuse other users.
• Create multiple accounts to circumvent platform rules, limits, or bans.
• Resell, sublicense, or transfer your account or access to the Platform to third parties.

10. Limitation of Liability

• Platform "As Is": The Platform is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.
• No Warranty: We do not warrant that the Platform will be uninterrupted, error-free, secure, or free of viruses or other harmful components.
• Disclaimer of Liability: To the maximum extent permitted by law, LSM shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from or related to your use of, or inability to use, the Platform.
• Transaction Liability: LSM is not responsible for the conduct of users, the quality or safety of products, the accuracy of bids, the fulfillment of orders, or the outcome of any transaction between buyers and suppliers.
• Cap on Liability: Our total aggregate liability to you for all claims arising from or related to these Terms or the Platform shall not exceed the fees paid by you to LSM in the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the event giving rise to the claim.
• Force Majeure: We shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performance due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including natural disasters, pandemics, government actions, internet outages, or cyberattacks.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless LSM, its officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from or related to:

• Your use of the Platform
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any applicable law or regulation
• Your violation of any third-party rights, including intellectual property rights
• Any content you upload or transmit through the Platform
• Any transaction or dispute between you and another user

12. Dispute Resolution

12.1 User-to-User Disputes

Disputes between buyers and suppliers should first be attempted through:

• Direct communication: Use the platform chat to discuss and resolve issues.
• Manager mediation: Request a Platform Manager to facilitate the discussion.
• Platform review: Contact support@lsm-platform.eu for platform-assisted dispute resolution.

12.2 Disputes with LSM

Any dispute arising from these Terms or your use of the Platform shall be resolved as follows:

• Governing Law: These Terms are governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany.
• Jurisdiction: Any legal proceedings shall be initiated in the courts of Berlin, Germany.
• Mediation: Before initiating legal proceedings, the parties agree to attempt mediation through a mutually agreed mediator in Berlin.
• EU Consumers: If you are an EU consumer, you may also use the European Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) platform at https://ec.europa.eu/odr.

13. Termination

13.1 Termination by You

• You may close your account at any time by contacting support@lsm-platform.eu.
• Prior to closure, you should download any data you wish to retain (chat history, documents, bid records).
• We will process account deletion within 30 days, except where data retention is required by law.

13.2 Termination by Us

We may suspend or terminate your account if:

• You violate these Terms or any platform policies.
• You engage in fraudulent, deceptive, or illegal activity.
• You provide false registration information.
• You circumvent platform communication rules.
• Your account has been inactive for more than 24 months.
• We are required to do so by law or regulatory authority.

We will provide reasonable notice (typically 14 days) before termination, except in cases of serious violation where immediate termination is warranted.

13.3 Effect of Termination

• Your right to use the Platform ceases immediately.
• Active transactions in progress will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
• We may retain certain data as required by law (financial records for 7 years).
• Sections 8 (IP), 10 (Liability), 11 (Indemnification), and 12 (Dispute Resolution) survive termination.

14. General Provisions

• Entire Agreement: These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and LSM regarding the Platform.
• Severability: If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.
• Waiver: Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of that right or provision.
• Assignment: You may not assign or transfer your account or these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign our rights and obligations without restriction.
• Language: These Terms are drafted in English. In case of conflict between the English version and any translation, the English version prevails.
• Notices: All notices to you may be sent via email to the address associated with your account or through platform notifications.

15. Contact

For questions about these Terms of Service: