Seller Community Guidelines

Community Guidelines for Sellers on the Palmstreet Live Streaming App

Welcome to the Palmstreet community! To ensure a positive and engaging experience for all members, please adhere to the following guidelines while participating in live streams on our platform:

1. Respectful and Inclusive Behavior:

Treat all community members, including viewers, fellow sellers, and Palmstreet team members, with respect and kindness. Harassment, hate speech, discriminatory language, ongoing negativity and offensive content are strictly prohibited.

Maintain a professional and family-friendly atmosphere during your live streams. Please follow these rules:

• No Substance Use During Live: The use of marijuana, any illegal substances, or excessive drinking during LIVE sessions is prohibited.
• No Political or Divisive Speech: Palmstreet is a plant community, not a place to talk about political topics.
• Age Restrictions: The host needs to be 18 years of age or older. Any minor (under 18) participants need to be supervised by an adult.
• User‘s Privacy: As a platform, to protect user's privacy, we do not allow any user's personal identifiable information (including but not limited to email, name, phone number and home address), to be used for anything outside shipping on other platforms or to contact buyers personally.
• No personal info collection: Sellers are not allowed to collect personal information from buyers. This includes, but is not limited to; personal info like name, address, email, phone number, etc. This information is only meant to be used for shipping products. Collecting this information from users through DM or any other means is forbidden.
• No derogatory talks (aka trash talk) or negative comments about other sellers or users.

2. No Solicitation in Other Sellers' Live Streams

To maintain the spirit of our inclusive and friendly community, we kindly ask that you avoid promoting your own merchandise or live streams during others' live streams unless invited to do so. Our goal is to support one another without detracting from the efforts of fellow members. Please be aware that not adhering to this guideline will result in a warning, with repeated violations leading to a ban.

3. No External Sales Solicitation:

Please refrain from promoting sales of your merchandise on other platforms (either explicitly or implicitly) during your live streams or in direct messages to other users. We want to maintain a seamless experience within the Palmstreet community. Payments for items must be processed through the Palmstreet platform. Sellers should never accept or solicit off-platform payments. Marketing products on live streams to sell off-platform is prohibited and may result in account review and potential banning.

Any off-platform transactions are not protected by the platform and may experience high transaction risks.

4. Responsible Live Behaviors:

• No Spamming: Sending repetitive messages is not allowed.
• No Phishing: Engaging in phishing activities is strictly prohibited.
• No Employee-Bidding: Employees of sellers cannot bid on their items, and sellers cannot bid on employees' items.
• No Pre-Sale: Do not run any form of pre-sale. You must sell what you have in possession. This rule is to be strictly upheld, to maintain fairness and avoid any potential complications arising from unfulfilled expectations.
• No Credit Offers: Selling future credit is not permitted. This includes any offers or exchanges related to credits that are not presently accessible.
• No Gambling: The sale of lottery tickets and any form of gambling are strictly forbidden on this platform, as per applicable laws. Violations may result in service termination and legal action. (For purchase-based giveaways, please see our policy here, for allowed game formats, please see our policy here.)
• Palmstreet LIVE sales are for sales in Palmstreet -only. No funds can be collected on any other platform during LIVE sales.

5. No Multiple Seller Accounts

We allow 1 seller account per household, unless you have over $750k in total sales on our platform and have at least one LLC/Corporation established.

  Why am I not allowed to do that?: Having multiple seller accounts has the potential to create an environment where multiple sellers can overtly monopolize the buyer community, all to the benefit of a single seller. This degrades the fair marketplace ideals that Palmstreet was founded on.

  Why can others have 2 accounts?: We set a very high bar to create a second account. By allowing only established sellers who have a long track record of providing high quality products and timely service to create a second account, and only if they plan to provide a very different line of products. For example, crystals & plants, tissue cultures & non-TC, etc. This will ensure a high bar for both quality and product diversity for the community.

6. Bidding Integrities

• No Shill bidding: Shill bidding is defined as sellers or associated parties bidding on an item, with the intent to inflate the item price, with no intent to purchase the item. Sellers and their associated parties cannot bid on their own items from separate accounts. Shill bidding may also violate laws in your state/country and result in severe penalties. Palmstreet monitors all bids, and your account will be banned if we find that you are suspected of shill bidding.
• No Troll Bidding (No Ghosting): Troll Bidding, also known as Ghosting, is defined as placing excessively high bids with no intention to purchase the item. It is forbidden in Palmstreet.

7. No Sales of Items Linked to MLM/Pyramid Schemes

You can sell items that follow our policies and guidelines, but advertising or listing MLM/pyramid schemes themselves is not allowed.

8. Conflict Resolution and Reporting:

If conflicts arise during live streams, aim to resolve them calmly and professionally. If you encounter any violations of the community or seller guidelines, report them to the Palmstreet team through the appropriate channels. If there are any issues with your orders, contact Palmstreet Support. In the event of a dispute caused by an inadequate product title (For example: lacking "cutting" in the product title), the seller will be responsible for 100% of the plant's price for reimbursement. Promptly address concerns, provide updates, and work towards resolving any problems to uphold trust within the community.

9. Accurate and Honest Product Names & Descriptions:

We request that sellers accurately name their products. Accurate product names are a good sign of professionalism, and ensures a good purchase experience for the buyers. Please avoid vague names such as "item" or "as shown". Intentional misrepresentation of product names may result in warnings and further punishments.

10 . Transparent Categorization of Special Products:

New plant parents are joining our community, and they need time to learn how to care for unique plant products. Sellers should clearly indicate special product categories in product titles, such as cuttings, tissue cultures, and fresh imports / recent imports / rehabs (definitions below). This helps newcomers to make informed choices about the care their plants need.

Honesty and transparency are key. Be honest and clear about the product you are selling, as there are even enthusiasts who enjoy rehabilitating plants!

Additional Clarities for Plants Needing Rehabilitation: When offering plants that are in need of rehabilitation, absolute transparency is essential. These plants can be particularly vulnerable during transit and may not always thrive or survive the journey. Therefore, it is imperative that you provide comprehensive details about their condition and requirements. Equally important is a well-defined return policy that explicitly addresses these circumstances.

Product Representation Guidelines: Effective product representation is crucial to maintaining the integrity of our platform and ensuring a positive experience for both buyers and sellers. Misrepresentation of products can result in serious consequences, including account removal. We take this matter seriously and will monitor it through customer complaints and expert assessments during live sessions. In the event of a dispute, we may also request import documents for verification purposes.

Violation Process:

• 1st Warning: Sellers will receive a warning for any instance of misrepresentation. This is an opportunity to rectify the issue and ensure accurate product representation.
• 2nd Violation: If there is a second violation within 30 days of the first warning, the seller's live sessions will be suspended for a period of 30 days. This is to emphasize the importance of accurate representation and give the seller time to review and adjust their practices.
• 3rd Violation: In the unfortunate event of a third violation, the seller's complete removal from Palmstreet will be implemented. This step is taken to protect the community from repeated misrepresentation and maintain a trustworthy marketplace.

Definitions:

• Fresh Import: Indicates plants imported and available for sale within 5 days of arrival. Sellers must write the exact word "fresh import" on the listing.
• Recent Import: Refers to plants imported within 4 weeks. None of the above import categories are considered rooted. Sellers must write the exact word "recent import" on the listing.
• Rehabilitation Plants: Plants that have suffered damage and will need extra care in order to restore them to full health. These plants are high risk as they are fragile and often do not survive. Sellers must write "Rehab Plant" or "Rehabilitation Plant" on the listing.
• Lightly Rooted: Describes a plant with terrestrial feeder roots in the initial stages of development. Imports can begin rooting within around 10 days under ideal conditions but may take up to 2 weeks.
• Fully Rooted: Refers to a plant with a root system that has begun to wrap around the pot or fully cover it, signifying a strong establishment.

11. Tipping Policy for Palmstreet Live Streaming

Palmstreet supports our community's appreciation for live sellers through a tipping feature. This feature is governed by the following terms and conditions:

• Eligibility and Access: Only registered users logged in from the United States can send or receive tips.
• Tipping Limits:
  - Maximum of $10 per tip.
  - Each seller may receive up to $800 in tips per live broadcast.
  - A daily limit of $1500 in tips is set for each seller.
• Transactions and Fees:
  Sellers receive 100% of tips. Palmstreet does not take a commission.
  Buyers are responsible for any applicable handling fees displayed at the time of tipping.
• Refunds: Tips are final and non-refundable.
• Risks and Contraindications:
  - Sellers are prohibited from soliciting tips outside of the built-in tip functionality, such as creating a separate store or other listings of their own to receive tips based on the terms.
  - Cannot be used to circumvent other applicable fees. For example: The use of tipping features to promote the sale of products or merchandise is prohibited.
  - It cannot be used to circumvent service fees for platform sales. If there is evidence, it will be banned immediately (account may be blocked)
  - Tips may not be exchanged for content, services, or performances that contain sexually explicit or nudity content or that violate the requirements of our Community Guidelines regarding adult content.
  - These Tips Terms & Conditions are subject to change at any time without notice.

12. Charitable Donations:

At Palmstreet, we understand that many sellers wish to drive support for a charitable cause or organization that is important to them. If you're a seller who wants to fundraise for a tax-deductible charitable organization (such as a 501(c)(3) status or equivalent with the IRS, or a similar legally-recognized non-US charitable organization), please keep in mind the following requirements:

• “Crowdfunding” (raising money to support personal projects, causes, or businesses) is prohibited.
• Palmstreet cannot verify donations. Each seller is responsible for ensuring the correct receipt of proceeds to a specific organization. Transactions for charity are entered into at the buyer's risk.
• Do not send unsolicited donation requests using any of the community features, such as direct messages.
• Donations may not be collected for organizations funding weapons or military training, or any organizations which support terrorist, extremist, or hate groups.
• You must receive the appropriate consent from the charitable organization to use their name and trademark.
• Include clear information about the donation details and the organization you’re supporting in your listing description(s) and other public shop pages.
• Donation receipts from the legally-recognized organization must be available upon request.

13. Chargebacks:

• No Chargebacks for Buyers: All sales are final. If there is an issue with your purchase, please contact the seller or the support. Buyers submitting payment disputes to credit card companies may be permanently banned from the platform.
• Chargeback Handling: If a chargeback arrises, the platform will do whatever it could, to work with the seller to resolve it. The seller should work with the platform in a timely manner, by providing proofs of packaging & shipping.
  

14. No Dropshipping from E-Commerce Platforms

We deeply care about the authenticity of products and customer service. We do not allow drop-shipping from e-commerce platforms such as Amazon.

15. Return Policies:

Sellers are encouraged to establish their own return policies for plants. During your live show, please clearly communicate and post your unique return policy to potential buyers.

In the absence of a seller-provided return policy, Palmstreet's default return policy will be applied to all orders.

PALMSTREET'S DEFAULT RETURN POLICY:

1. Severely Damaged or Flawed Plants During Transit:

In the unlikely event that a plant arrives severely damaged or seriously flawed (not including minor cosmetic damages), we are committed to addressing the situation. The seller will initiate a replacement or refund for plants that exhibit significant disfiguration, substantial leaf loss (more than 40%), or serious flaws like pest infestations that compromise the plant's health.

2. Claims for Missing or Incorrect Orders:

Claims for missing or incorrect orders must be submitted within one week from the delivery date. However, if there is proof of delivery, such as a signature or photo confirming receipt, claims for missing orders will not be processed. In the case of damage or loss during transit, buyers are responsible for contacting the carrier to file claims.

3. Seller Shipping Errors:
If sellers make a mistake sending a wrong product to a customer, it is not the customer's responsibility to send it back; sellers can kindly ask, but understand that it is very hard for the customer to wrap and ship a plant.

4. Refunds and Dislike of Plants:

The sellers do not offer refunds solely based on personal preferences or changes of mind after receiving a plant in person. If a healthy plant is delivered and you later decide you no longer like it, no refunds will be provided. Please be mindful of your choice before making a purchase.

5. Node/Cutting Risk Acknowledgment:

When purchasing nodes or cuttings, you acknowledge the inherent risk associated with shipping and the rooting process. Successful rooting is not indicative of our shop's performance. Additionally, variegated plants may not guarantee the persistence of variegation in new plants or cuttings.

6. Finality of Purchases:

All purchases of cuttings/plants are considered final. While our sellers take utmost care in packaging plants, damages induced during transit, such as browning or yellowing leaves, are not our responsibility. We encourage you to carefully assess your decision before making a purchase.

Please understand that our sellers strive to provide you with healthy and accurate representations of plants during live streams. However, due to the natural variations in living plants, some wear and tear can occur during transit. Rest assured that our commitment remains unwavering in delivering quality plants to you. Your understanding of these policies ensures transparency and accountability, contributing to a positive experience for both buyers and sellers.

7. Plant Listing Accuracy:

When listing products in your store, ensure the description mentions any discrepancies between the actual shipped product and the one depicted in the images. Also, clearly state the size of the pot accompanying the plant or other product dimensions. The use of AI-generated images or images taken from a different site or plant are strictly prohibited. Images must represent the actual product being sold. If the received product doesn't match the described size, Palmstreet reserves the right to handle refunds.

16. Adequate Preparation and Interaction:

Prior to your live stream, ensure you have a clear plan for what you'll be discussing and showcasing. Engage with your viewers throughout the stream, responding to questions and comments to create an interactive experience.

Before hosting your first official live stream, it's essential to schedule and complete a practice LIVE session with a Palmstreet team member. This practice session will help you familiarize yourself with the platform's features and guidelines.

17. Maintain Appropriate Attire and Setting:

Present yourself in a respectful manner by wearing appropriate attire during your live streams. Do not wear political or divisive attire - this is a plant community, not an appropriate place to talk about political stuff.

Ensure your streaming environment is tidy, bright, free from any distractions that could detract from the content. However, we always encourage a background filled with plants or plant decor.

Engage your audience during your live streams by fostering interaction. Answer questions, share insights about plants (care tips, new growth points, etc.), and let viewers learn about you and your background. Creating a personal connection enhances the overall experience.

18. Continuous Improvement and Feedback:

Strive for ongoing improvement in your live streams by seeking feedback from viewers and peers. This helps you provide content that meets the expectations and preferences of the Palmstreet community. Feel free to share any feedback with the Palmstreet team.

19. Social Media Engagement:

While we assist in promoting your live streams, the most effective way to attract viewers and potential buyers is by actively sharing your live stream links and Palmstreet shop across your social media platforms. We highly recommend finding plant-related Facebook groups to promote your LIVE! More information available here: https://www.Palmstreet .app/blog/live-sellers-faq Feel free to tag us, @ThePalmstreetApp, where relevant.

20. Minimum Duration for Live Streams:

We encourage live streams to be 45 minutes or longer. While you have the flexibility to extend beyond this timeframe once your stream has started, we kindly ask that you aim for a duration of at least 45 minutes to provide a comprehensive experience.

21. Update App for Optimal Performance:

Before initiating each live stream, make sure to update the Palmstreet app on all your devices. Frequent updates are rolled out to enhance performance and resolve any glitches that might occur due to outdated versions.

22. Stay Informed via Emails:

Please keep an eye on your emails as we'll be sending important updates and policy information through this channel. Staying informed ensures you're aligned with the latest developments in the Palmstreet community.

23. Concluding Your Live Streams:

To ensure a continuous and enjoyable viewing experience, kindly conclude your live stream once you're done. Extended breaks and then resuming sales on the same stream are not allowed. Live streams with 10 minutes of inactivity will be manually shut down.

24. Prompt Issue Reporting:

If you encounter any issues or negative behaviors during a live stream or with your shop, please reach out to us immediately, even if the issue is resolved. Timely communication helps us stay updated and address concerns effectively, contributing to a smoother experience for everyone.

25. Safety in Meetups and Transactions:

While meetups are allowed, prioritize your safety and well-being. Avoid sharing personal information that could potentially put you at risk. Ensure any in-person exchanges occur in safe and public locations.

26. Respect Copyrights and Logos:

When using logos or copyrighted material, obtain proper permission, unless the material is your own. Unauthorized use of logos or copyrighted content is not allowed and could lead to legal issues.

Protect your own and others' privacy by refraining from sharing personal contact information, financial details, or any sensitive data during live streams. This ensures the safety and security of everyone within the community.

27. Auction Etiquette:

Once an auction has commenced, refrain from artificially inflating the bidding price. It's essential to maintain fair competition and trust among participants. Encourage genuine bids from interested buyers.

28. No Improper Association with Obscene Content:

Do not improperly associate the Palmstreet name or brand with obscene or inappropriate content. The use of "Palmstreet" in usernames is reserved for employees only. Other accounts using 'Palmstreet' in their usernames are prohibited and will be investigated. Using 'Palmstreet ' in social media account usernames is discouraged and may result in investigation and legal action if seen as an attempt to impersonate our brand. Corrective action will be taken for improper brand association on social media or elsewhere.

29. Original and Authentic Content:

Live streams should feature original content related to plants, gardening, and related topics. Do not infringe upon copyright or use content that is not your own without proper permission.

30. Products That Can't Be Sold On Palmstreet :

To ensure the safety of both buyers and sellers, some types of plants and plant products are prohibited on Palmstreet. The following list should not be considered exhaustive and is subject to change.

• Plants intended for mind-altering, hallucinogen or otherwise drug-related use, including but not limited to marijuana, salvia, opium, kratom, peyote (all species of lophophora), psilocybin, and mescaline (including San Pedro Cactus)
• Poached plants - Stephania erecta, and any plant that is harvested from its natural environment
• Plants that are toxic or poisonous, including but not limited to hemlock, nightshade, oleander, and snakeroot
• Any products that are restricted at local, state, and federal levels, including but not limited to any endangered and invasive species
• Any endangered species, especially those governed by CITES

It is the responsibility of both buyers and sellers to stay up-to-date with local, state, and federal regulations. Please consult the guidance provided by the USDA, your state’s Department of Agriculture, and any shipping carriers you use.

31. Cross-Border Live Selling Prohibited:

We do not allow live sales from across the country borders (you can only live sell to US audiences when you're physically in the US). We do not allow live selling from non-US countries to the US audience with the help of VPN or other technical measures as of now. Violating this rule will result in a minimum 7-day ban on live sales.

32. Giveaway Policy:

Prohibited Behavior

• No Denying a Winner: You must not deny a user the item they won during a giveaway. Winners are not required to react in any way to claim their prize at the time of the drawing.
• Disclose Prize in Advance: You must disclose what the giveaway winner will receive before running the item. This disclosure may be in the applicable listing and/or during the live event or post.
• No Downgrading, Withholding or Changing Prize Based on Who Wins: Sellers must not downgrade, withhold, or change the giveaway prize based on who wins, for example:
  - You may not downgrade the prize if the winner has not made a purchase (or upgrade the prize based on a buyer winning).
  - You may not deny a winner because you suspect programmatic entry; if you suspect giveaway abuse, please report the user in our in-app reporting flow for Palmstreet to review.
  - You may not add requirements to win a giveaway outside of what is included in Palmstreet’s giveaway feature.
• Shipping: Sellers are generally responsible for covering shipping fees for giveaways. If the winner is expected to bear the shipping costs, this must be clearly disclosed to all participants before the giveaway begins.
• No Stopping a Giveaway: Once started, a giveaway can't be paused or canceled. A winner will be automatically drawn at the end of the predetermined time limit.
• No Future Redemption: Do not offer giveaways for redemption in a future event. All giveaways must be completed within the event in which the giveaway was run.
• No Circumvention: Sellers must not circumvent Palmstreet's giveaway rules in any way, including hosting giveaways without an alternative method of entry.

33. Participating in Giveaways

• We invite all users to participate in our giveaways, which are designed to be enjoyable and equitable for everyone.
• Single Entry Per User: Each user may enter once per giveaway, with entries required to be manual to maintain fairness.
• Violation Detection and Response: We use automated tools and, if necessary, human review to identify and address any misuse of our giveaway process. If you observe any abuse of the giveaway feature, please report it through our in-app reporting system to help us keep the process fair for all users.

34. Buyer Referral Contests

We allow only 1 referral for each specific physical address. Purchases made under different names to the same address will count as a single referral.

35. Prohibition of Identity Impersonation

Impersonating another user or entity on our platform, including using their name, likeness, or personal identifiers without authorization, is strictly prohibited and may result in warnings, account suspension, or termination.

36. Policy on Fund Release After Seller Ban

When a seller is banned, a risk assessment will be conducted 14 to 30 days after all orders have been delivered. Once the assessment is complete, the remaining funds will be released to the seller.

Thank you for being a part of the Palmstreet community and adhering to these comprehensive guidelines. Your contribution to the platform's positive environment is greatly appreciated. If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out to our support team. Happy LIVE streaming! 🌱🌿