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Terms of service

TERMS OF SERVICE

Last updated: May 2026

OVERVIEW

This website and our retail business are operated by Our Country Cottage, Inc., doing business as The Cottage ("The Cottage," "we," "us," "our"). These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of shopthecottage.com (the "Site"), your purchases of our products, and any interaction with us through third-party platforms or AI-powered tools that surface our products.

By using the Site, placing an order, or buying our products through any channel, you agree to these Terms. If you don't agree, please don't use the Site or place an order.

We may update these Terms from time to time. The current version is always posted on this page. Continued use after updates are posted means you accept the changes.

Our store is hosted on Shopify Inc., which provides our online ecommerce platform.

SECTION 1 — ELIGIBILITY

By using the Site or placing an order, you confirm you are at least 18 years old (or the legal age of majority where you live). You agree not to use our products or the Site for any illegal purpose, and not to violate any laws in your jurisdiction.

SECTION 2 — PRODUCTS, PRICING, AND AVAILABILITY

We do our best to show accurate product photos, descriptions, prices, and stock levels, but we cannot guarantee everything is perfect.

  • Colors may look different on different screens
  • Stock levels can change quickly as we sell across our two stores and online
  • Prices are in U.S. dollars and may change without notice
  • We may limit quantities, refuse orders, or discontinue products at our discretion
  • We may correct errors in product info, pricing, or availability at any time, even after an order is placed

SECTION 3 — HOW ORDERS WORK (THE OFFICIAL RECORD)

This section matters, especially if you found us through an outside platform.

Placing an order is an offer, not an acceptance. When you submit an order through our Site or through any third-party platform that connects to our store, you are making an offer to buy. Your offer becomes a binding order only when we send you an order confirmation email from us (or from Shopify on our behalf).

The official record of your order is the Shopify order record and the confirmation email we send you. If anything you saw before checkout (price, description, availability, promo code, shipping estimate) does not match your confirmation email, the confirmation email and Shopify record control.

We may cancel or modify orders if:

  • A product was mispriced or out of stock
  • We suspect fraud, reseller activity, or a violation of these Terms
  • An error appeared on our Site or on a third-party platform
  • We cannot verify the billing or shipping information

If we cancel an order you already paid for, we will refund you in full.

SECTION 4 — THIRD-PARTY PLATFORMS AND AI-POWERED TOOLS

You may discover, view, or purchase our products through platforms we do not operate, including but not limited to:

  • Search engines and shopping comparison sites (Google, Bing, etc.)
  • Social media platforms (Meta, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok)
  • AI-powered assistants and chatbots (such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI, Claude, and similar tools)
  • Shopping apps and integrations (Shop app, Google Shopping, marketplace listings)
  • Affiliate, influencer, or referral content

We do not control how these platforms display, describe, recommend, or price our products. AI tools in particular may generate descriptions, comparisons, recommendations, or summaries about our products that are inaccurate, outdated, or fabricated. We are not responsible for:

  • Product information generated, summarized, or recommended by AI tools
  • Prices, promo codes, availability, or shipping times shown on third-party platforms
  • Reviews, ratings, or commentary that did not come from us
  • Any technical issues, fees, or terms imposed by a third-party platform

Only information shown on shopthecottage.com at the time of checkout, and confirmed in your order confirmation email, is binding. If something an AI tool or third-party platform told you does not match what we confirm, what we confirm wins.

If you discovered us through a third-party platform, we welcome you, and our products and policies are the same regardless of how you got here.

SECTION 5 — RETURNS AND REFUNDS (APPLY TO ALL CHANNELS)

Our return and refund policy applies the same way no matter where you placed your order, whether on our Site, through the Shop app, via a Meta or Google shopping link, through an AI-powered assistant, or any other channel.

Full details: https://shopthecottage.com/policies/refund-policy

A few key points:

  • Final sale items cannot be returned or exchanged. This includes all sale or discounted items and all gift cards.
  • Returns must follow the timing and condition requirements in our Refund Policy
  • Refunds are processed to the original payment method
  • For orders placed through third-party platforms or AI tools, that platform may display its own return language, but our Refund Policy is what governs your return

SECTION 6 — ACCOUNT AND BILLING INFORMATION

You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information when you place an order or create an account, and to keep it up to date. We need this so we can process your payment, ship your order, and reach you if something comes up.

We accept the payment methods shown at checkout, which may include credit and debit cards, Shop Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and gift cards. All transactions are in U.S. dollars.

SECTION 7 — MARKETING EMAILS AND TEXT MESSAGES

If you opt in to marketing emails or SMS/text messages from The Cottage, here is what to know:

  • Email: You can unsubscribe at any time using the link at the bottom of any marketing email.
  • SMS/Text: By providing your mobile number and opting in, you consent to receive recurring marketing text messages from The Cottage at that number, including messages sent using automated technology. Consent is not a condition of purchase. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies. Reply STOP to unsubscribe or HELP for help. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.

Our full Privacy Policy: https://shopthecottage.com/policies/privacy-policy

SECTION 8 — INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

All content on the Site (logos, photos, product descriptions, graphics, text, design) is owned by The Cottage or our licensors and is protected by copyright, trademark, and other laws. You may not copy, reproduce, resell, scrape, or use our content for commercial purposes without our written permission.

This includes a specific restriction on using our content, images, or product data to train artificial intelligence or machine learning models, or for any automated data extraction, without our explicit written consent.

SECTION 9 — USER SUBMISSIONS, REVIEWS, AND TAGGED CONTENT

If you tag us, send us photos or reviews, or submit any content to us (collectively "User Content"), you grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use, display, and share that content in our marketing across any channel, including in-store, online, social media, email, paid ads, and third-party platforms. We are not obligated to use it, pay for it, or keep it confidential.

You agree that your User Content:

  • Is your own, or you have permission to share it
  • Does not violate anyone's rights, including copyright, trademark, or privacy
  • Is not false, defamatory, abusive, or offensive
  • Does not contain malicious code or spam

We may remove any User Content at our discretion.

SECTION 10 — PROHIBITED USES

You agree not to:

  • Use the Site for any unlawful purpose or to violate any law
  • Infringe our intellectual property or anyone else's
  • Harass, abuse, or harm anyone, or engage in discriminatory conduct
  • Submit false or misleading information
  • Upload viruses or malicious code
  • Scrape, crawl, harvest data, or use bots without our written permission
  • Use our Site or our content to train AI or machine learning models without our written permission
  • Resell our products without authorization
  • Interfere with the security or operation of the Site

We may terminate your access at any time for violating these Terms.

SECTION 11 — DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES

The Site, our products, and any related services are provided "as is" and "as available." To the fullest extent allowed by law, we disclaim all warranties, express or implied, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.

We do not guarantee the Site will be uninterrupted, error-free, or secure. We do not guarantee that information about our products shown on third-party platforms or generated by AI tools will be accurate.

SECTION 12 — LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

To the fullest extent allowed by law, Our Country Cottage, Inc., The Cottage, and our owners, officers, employees, contractors, and suppliers will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including lost profits, lost data, or replacement costs, arising from or related to:

  • Your use of, or inability to use, the Site or our products
  • Any product you purchased from us through any channel
  • Errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in product descriptions, pricing, photos, or availability
  • Content, descriptions, comparisons, or recommendations generated by third-party AI tools, chatbots, or assistants (including ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI, Claude, or similar tools) about The Cottage or our products
  • Information, listings, or transactions on third-party platforms (search engines, social media, marketplaces, shopping integrations, affiliate or influencer content)
  • Delays, failures, or technical issues caused by third-party platforms or services we do not control

Our total liability for any claim related to a product or order will not exceed the amount you paid for that product or order. Some states do not allow these limitations, so they may not apply to you in full.

SECTION 13 — INDEMNIFICATION

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Our Country Cottage, Inc. and our owners, officers, employees, contractors, and suppliers from any claim, demand, or expense (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from your breach of these Terms, your violation of any law, your infringement of anyone's rights, or your misuse of the Site or our products.

SECTION 14 — GOVERNING LAW AND VENUE

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Maryland, without regard to conflict-of-law rules. Any dispute arising from these Terms or your use of the Site or our products will be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, and you consent to the jurisdiction of those courts.

SECTION 15 — CHANGES, TERMINATION, AND MISCELLANEOUS

  • Changes: We may update these Terms at any time by posting the updated version. Continued use of the Site or placement of an order means you accept the changes.
  • Termination: We may suspend or terminate your access to the Site, or refuse service, at any time if we believe you have violated these Terms.
  • Severability: If any part of these Terms is found unenforceable, the rest remains in effect.
  • No waiver: If we do not enforce a provision, that does not waive our right to enforce it later.
  • Entire agreement: These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and Refund Policy, are the full agreement between you and us.

SECTION 16 — CONTACT

Questions about these Terms?

The Cottage (Our Country Cottage, Inc.) 562B Ritchie Highway, Severna Park, MD 21146 hello@shopthecottage.com 410-647-6742