Chapter 20: Internet and WebCenter Policies

 

Market Singapore’s Internet and WebCenter policies cover all forms of Internet activity related to Market Singapore, including, but not limited to, Secondary Websites, auction sites, social networking sites, weblogs/blogs, classified ads, message boards, email communications, and WebCenters. For purposes of this Internet and WebCenter policy, Secondary Websites shall mean any UnFranchise® Owner website with its own unique URL that promotes Market Singapore products or the Market Singapore business opportunity, other than the Market Singapore Custom Website and maWebCenters.


SEC. 1        MARKET SINGAPORE WEBSITE IS THE ONLY PERMITTED POINT OF SALE       

(A)    Market Singapore’s Custom Website and maWebCenters are the only accepted points of sale (for example, selling through an online “check out” or “shopping cart” or accepting an online payment) for Market Singapore products and services on the Internet.

(B)    UnFranchise Owners may not supply Market Singapore products to a non- UnFranchise Owner with the knowledge or suspicion that the non-UnFranchise Owner intends to market the products over the Internet. UnFranchise Owners must immediately cease and desist from supplying products to a non- UnFranchise Owner upon learning that the products are being marketed on the Internet.


SEC. 2        NO SALES OR ADVERTISING OF MARKET SINGAPORE PRODUCTS ON ONLINE AUCTION OR SHOPPING SITES

(A)    Market Singapore UnFranchise Owners may not sell any Market Singapore products or services through online auction Websites, including, but not limited to, eBay or Yahoo, nor place any advertisement or promotion of Market Singapore or its products or services on such sites.

(B)    Market Singapore UnFranchise Owners may not sell any Market Singapore products or services through online shopping Websites, including, but not limited to, Amazon.com, nor place any advertisement or promotion of Market Singapore or its products or services on such sites.


SEC. 3    ALL SECONDARY WEBSITES SEEKING TO PROMOTE MARKET SINGAPORE OR MARKET SINGAPORE PRODUCTS MUST BE REGISTERED 

(A)    Secondary Websites are permitted only if they are registered with Market Singapore’s Compliance Department before they are posted for public access on the Internet.  

(B)    Registration can be completed by emailing the URL of your Website to webregistration@marketamerica.com.

(C)    All registered Secondary Websites must prominently display a registration number in the bottom right corner of the landing page of the Secondary Website.

(D)    Registration of a Website does not constitute approval of the Website’s content, and all Websites are subject to Market Singapore’s review to confirm compliance with the Market Singapore Internet policy.

(E)    Any Secondary Website that has not been registered in compliance with Market Singapore’s Internet policy must be taken down immediately. UnFranchise Owners who are contacted by compliance personnel will not be permitted to keep the site posted while changes are being made to bring the site into compliance. UnFranchise Owners who own or control websites that violate this registration policy are subject to having their access to https://sg.unfranchise.com blocked without prior notice, in addition to being subject to the Corrective Action Procedure and other appropriate remedies.


SEC. 4        UNFRANCHISE OWNERS MUST PROPERLY REPRESENT THEIR STATUS

(A)    Any UnFranchise Owners communicating through the Internet must use the word “independent” to describe their status, for example, by using the terms “Independent UnFranchise Owner”.  

(B)    If the title or page of any Secondary Website, message board, social networking site, or any profile pictures or weblog/blog references Market Singapore or contains the name of any Market Singapore trademark or trade name, the title or page must also include the words “unofficial” or “Independent UnFranchise Owner”.


SEC. 5        ONLY APPROVED CLAIMS AND TESTIMONIALS MAY BE USED TO PROMOTE MARKET SINGAPORE OPPORTUNITY OR PRODUCTS

(A)    UnFranchise Owners may only make the precise claims concerning Market Singapore products or services and income claims that appear in official company literature or publications. All other claims are strictly prohibited. 

(B)    UnFranchise Owners may not make any unauthorised testimonials concerning Market Singapore products or services, the marketing plan, or the company via any forms of communication on the Internet.


SEC. 6        DISTRIBUTION OF UNAUTHORISED CONTENT IS PROHIBITED  

UnFranchise Owners may not distribute materials or make statements in any form on the Internet that:

(A)    Use any Market Singapore copyrighted material, including but not limited to materials from Market Singapore Websites, publications or presentations, or recorded webinars or tutorials of any kind; 

(B)    Depict the Market Singapore business plan; 

(C)    Misuse the name or likeness of any Market Singapore executive or employee, or the trademarks or trade names of Market Singapore’s partner stores (direct or indirect partners); or 

(D)    Disparage or defame Market Singapore, including, but not limited to, Market Singapore’s related companies, subsidiaries, officers, directors, employees and other UnFranchise® Owners.

However, UnFranchise Owners may distribute materials on the Internet that are provided to them through the Downloads section on https://sg.unfranchise.com, including, but not limited to, pre-approved Banner Ads and Sponsored Ads.


SEC. 7    FREE SHIPPING ADVERTISING; NO PRODUCT DISCOUNT ADVERTISING

UnFranchise Owners may advertise “Free Shipping”. However, UnFranchise Owners may not list or advertise any products below the Suggested Retail Price.  Any other reference to product prices, discounts, additional units for the same price, or the use of the terms “discount,” “free,” or any other terms that suggest discount pricing or favorable financial terms below the Suggested Retail Price of products, is strictly prohibited.


SEC. 8     NO CONTACT INFORMATION BESIDES AN UNFRANCHISE OWNERS WEBSITE AND WEBCENTERS

Contact information, other than the URL of a Market Singapore website, as a means towards purchasing Market Singapore products, is prohibited. For example, UnFranchise Owners may not display a toll-free number, email address, mailing or postal address, or link to a third-party website as a way in which a potential customer can contact the UnFranchise Owner to purchase product; however, linking to the contact information on the UnFranchise Owner’s Website is acceptable.


SEC. 9    "AD WORD" ADVERTISING: MUST USE MARKET SINGAPORE-PREPARED ADS/ACCURATE DISCLOSURE OF DOMAIN NAMES

(A)    Only pre-approved Sponsored Ads, provided to Market Singapore Website owners through the download section of https://sg.unfranchise.com, may be submitted to search engines, either directly or by proxy (for example but not limited to, using a pay-per-click service).  The use of any other ads for this type of advertising is expressly prohibited regardless of the ad’s content.  UnFranchise Owners may submit proposed ads for review by Market Singapore by sending them in an email to internetcompliance@marketamerica.com with the words “Online Ad Request” in the subject line.

(B)    Ads may not disguise the UnFranchise Owner’s domain name to appear as a Market Singapore domain name. For example, a Sponsored Ad for Isotonix® may not show the domain name as SG.SHOP.COM but must show as [SG.SHOP.COM/YOUR WEBSITENAME].


SEC. 10     LIMITED LICENSE TO USE MARKET SINGAPORE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 

(A)    Copyrights: Market Singapore grants a limited license to its Independent UnFranchise Owners to use and display current Market Singapore product images and logos (but not Partner Store images and logos) from SG.SHOP.COM on the Internet for marketing and promotional purposes only; provided, however, that such images may not be altered in any way. For example, current images of bottles or product packaging for Market Singapore-branded products can be used.

(B)    No other images, photographs, or logos contained on any Market Singapore Website may be used on Secondary Websites or for other Internet uses.

(C)    Secondary Websites or other Internet use may not copy the “look and feel” of any Market Singapore Websites or publications.    

(D)    Trademarks: Market Singapore grants a limited license to its Independent UnFranchise Owners to use and display Market Singapore’s brand and product names; provided, however, that such use must contain the appropriate trademark designation as shown on SG.SHOP.COM.

(E)    The use of meta tags and key words with Market Singapore’s trademark brand and product names is permitted.

(F)    Except as permitted under this Section, UnFranchise Owners may not advertise or promote any Market Singapore products if such advertising or promotion will violate the copyrights, trademarks, or trade names of Market Singapore or its partner stores (direct or indirect partners). 


SEC. 11    DOMAIN AND WEBSITE NAMES

(A)    No domain name shall incorporate in part or in whole or be confusingly similar to any of Market Singapore’s trademarks or trade names or incorporate the names of Market Singapore executives or employees, the terms “discount”, “free”, “free shipping”, or similar terms, or the trademarks or trade names of Market Singapore’s partner stores (direct or indirect partners).

(B)    Market Singapore retains the right to reject a domain name selected for a Secondary Website at any time. In the event such a name is rejected by Market Singapore the UnFranchise Owner must select another name.

(C)    UnFranchise® Owners may use a domain name pointing service to link a domain name to their Custom Website. However, UnFranchise Owners may not mask the domain name of their Custom Website, including but not limited to the use of wrappers, frames, or other known methods to change the “look and feel” of their Custom Website.

(D)    Names for UnFranchise Owner Websites shall not incorporate in part or in whole, or be confusingly similar to, any of Market Singapore’s trademarks or trade names. Also, these names shall not incorporate (i) the names of Market Singapore executives or employees; (ii) the terms “discount”, “free”, “free shipping”, or similar terms; or (iii) the trademarks or trade names of Market Singapore’s partner stores (direct or indirect partners). Market Singapore retains the right to reject a Website name at any time. In the event such a name is rejected by Market Singapore the UnFranchise Owner must select another name.


SEC. 12    SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES 

(A)    UnFranchise Owners may reference their Market Singapore UnFranchise Business and Market Singapore products on social networking sites strictly according to the Internet and WebCenter policies contained in this Chapter and the Advertising and Promotion policies contained in Chapter 19.  

(B)    Profile pictures and/or avatars may not include Market Singapore’s copyrighted or trademarked images or logos.

(C)    Group names may not use the word “official” or “corporate.” The names of groups or pages with (i) a Market Singapore focus or (ii) containing links to entities or individuals affiliated with Market Singapore must contain the words “Independent UnFranchise Owner.” 

(D)    Market Singapore may, at its sole discretion, prohibit the use of any social media group or page name at any time. In the event Market Singapore prohibits the use of a social media group or page name, the UnFranchise Owner must select another social media group or page name.

(E)    UnFranchise Owners may promote their Market Singapore business on their own social networking pages but may not promote the Market Singapore business on the pages of the Market Singapore Partner Stores.

(F)    UnFranchise Owners’ social networking activities must comply with all rules and policies set by the social networking site on which they are conducting activity. Violations of any such rules or policies shall constitute a violation of Market Singapore’s Internet and WebCenterPolicies.

(G)    UnFranchise Owners may not advertise or promote both Market Singapore and any other competing company on the same social networking account. (See the IUA&A for details.)

         (1)    Advertising and promotion of a competing company includes, but is not limited to

                  (a)    Liking or commenting on a social networking post concerning a competing company;

                  (b)    Sharing a social networking post about a competing company;

                  (c)    Directly posting on a social networking site about a competing company.

         (2)    If an UnFranchise Owner’s contract with Market Singapore is terminated for any reason, the UnFranchise Owner’s social networking account used to advertise and promote Market Singapore may not be used to advertise or promote another competing company for a period of twenty-four (24) months (or longer if UnFranchise Owner is subject to other Agreements with Market Singapore).


SEC. 13    EMAIL

UnFranchise Owners are only allowed to reference Market Singapore in emails as follows:

(A)    A signature block that identifies the UnFranchise Owner as an Independent UnFranchise Owner is permitted.

(B)    Text hyperlinks to the UnFranchise Owner’s own Website or WebCenter are also permitted as part of an email signature block that identifies the UnFranchise Owner as an Independent UnFranchise Owner. The email where this link originates may not make any statement that is inconsistent with the rules, regulations, policies, and procedures of Market Singapore or the Market Singapore Internet Policy.

(C)    UnFranchise Owners are prohibited from sending SPAM or SPAMMING (sending unsolicited emails) that is either directly or indirectly related to Market Singapore. This prohibition includes any SPAM emails that reference Market Singapore or any Market Singapore products or services, any hyperlinks to an UnFranchise Website or to the Market Singapore website, or the Market Singapore marketing plan, directly by name or otherwise. Such unauthorized references include the use of close approximations, generic references, and/or the use of general descriptive references to any intellectual property of Market Singapore.


SEC. 14    INTERNATIONAL INTERNET SALES

Market America-branded products and services may not be sold in countries where Market Singapore or its affiliates have not officially opened for business including the Emerging Market Countries, with the exception of products and services being offered through SHOP Global. Market Singapore shall be considered “open for business” in a country in which the MPCP has been initiated or where Market Singapore or its affiliates is otherwise authorised to conduct business.  

Independent UnFranchise Owners may promote or refer Market America branded products to individuals in countries where Market Singapore or its affiliates is not yet open for business including the Emerging Market Countries through their SHOP Global site. SHOP Global is the only point of sale of Market America branded products to countries where Market Singapore or its affiliates are not officially open for business. Independent UnFranchise Owners shall not engage in sales of Market America branded products directly to customers in countries where Market Singapore or its affiliates is not open for business. UnFranchise Owners may not supply Market America branded products to an individual with knowledge or suspicion that such individual intends to retail the products in countries where Market Singapore or its affiliates is not open for business yet. 


SEC. 15        WEBCENTER POLICY

(A)    WebCenters and Website Sales: UnFranchise Owners participating in the Market Singapore WebCenter programme must adhere to the following terms and conditions in exercising the use of their WebCenters:

         (1)     WebCenter owners who elect to solicit the help of non- UnFranchise Owners to sell websites may not preclude or deny the non- UnFranchise Owner access to the Market Singapore business opportunity if the non- UnFranchise Owner wishes to begin an UnFranchise Business. Non- UnFranchise Owners who are on trial runs of the UnFranchise Business Opportunity through selling websites for a WebCenter owner may not be solicited for sponsorship by another WebCenter owner.

         (2)     A WebCenter owner may not allow his or her WebCenter to be used by another UnFranchise Owner to sell websites for the purpose of avoiding the purchase of a WebCenter. A WebCenter owner may help another WebCenter owner learn how to sell websites. However, any BV and retail profit generated from such help and support must be duly credited to the assisted UnFranchise Owner. 

         (3)     In providing cross-line support, an UnFranchise Owner shall not make such support conditional upon the cross-line UnFranchise Owner or prospect engaging in any activities which attempt to divert his or her effort, production, or activity away from the original line of sponsorship within the MPCP. 

         (4)     Monies accepted in consideration for creating or modifying a third-party website through the WebCenter interface must first be applied to activating the Web site prior to applying the payment to any other purpose.

         (5)     UnFranchise Owners may not use the pre-approved UnFranchise Owners merchant accounts (associated with websites and the accompanying virtual terminals) to collect monies for website sales. Such accounts are not underwritten to allow website sales.

(B)    Website/WebCenter Collections:

         (1)    Definitions:

                  (a)    A “chargeback” is defined as a customer-disputed charge on a credit card statement and/or bank statement if paid by credit card.

         (2)    Chargeback Policy: All chargebacks received will incur a service charge as follows:

                  (a)    Service charge per chargeback received on Signup authorisation and Setup hosting, or down-payment on finance option and Setup hosting.

                  (b)    Service charge per chargeback received on WebCenter/Web site monthly hosting and Website finance payments.

                  (c)    Service charge per chargeback on domain names.

                  (d)    The Chargeback fee is currently S$42.00 or the current currency conversion.

         (3)    WebCenter/Web site Collections Policies:

                  (a)     The Purchase Receipt generated after purchase through the WebCenter must be filled out completely and signed. Email a copy of the signed form (scan or picture) to the following email address: billing@mawebcenters.com and sales@marketsingapore.com.sg. UnFranchise® Owners should retain a copy and proof of mailing for their records in case of a dispute or discrepancy.
Sending facsimiles or copies to WebCenters is not acceptable. Customised forms that contain the verbiage and customer information/authorisation found on the downloadable WebCenter forms are also acceptable.

                  (b)     UnFranchise Owners are responsible for repayment of any profit on transactions that are charged back, and any related service charge(s), in order to clear any chargeback.

                  (c)     All chargebacks must be cleared with a credit card, credit on account with Market Singapore. (If applicable)

                  (d)     If a chargeback is received by Market Singapore we will contact the UnFranchise Owner by telephone to speak to them regarding the chargeback. If immediate contact is not made with the UnFranchise Owner, Market Singapore will suspend any or all of the UnFranchise Owner’s contract privileges, until the chargeback is cleared or alternative payment arrangements are made.

                  (e)     Commissions may be withheld until all chargebacks, including any service charge(s), are cleared with Market Singapore. A commission will be held for only four consecutive weekly commission cycles from the week the commission would have otherwise been mailed, and if the chargeback has still not been cleared or payment arrangements made, the commission(s) will be forfeited.

                  (f)     Business volume for transactions that are charged back will be removed the day Market Singapore receives notification of the chargeback. The business volume removed will be applied to the week of the original transaction and any commission earned on that volume may be adjusted as appropriate.

                  (g)    Unless other repayment arrangements are made to clear the chargeback, any chargeback balance not satisfied within thirty (30) days will be turned over to a collection agency. If the chargeback is still outstanding after thirty (30) days, Market Singapore may consider taking legal actions.

(C)    WebCenter and Web site Cancellations and Credits: The following policies are applicable to cancellations of Websites and WebCenters.

         (1)    Websites must be cancelled within the 10-day trial period in order to receive a full refund.

         (2)    WebCenters must be activated at the time of purchase. A WebCenter subscription is considered a service and is non-refundable if cancelled.

         (3)    UnFranchise Owners must repay Market Singapore any profit received on a Website sale that was cancelled within the 10-day trial period. Payments can be made with a credit card or credit on account with Market Singapore. (If applicable)

         (4)    If the Retail Profit was paid on a website that is being charged back and the UnFranchise Owner has already received a payment for the retail profit on that website, Market Singapore will contact the UnFranchise Owner upon notification of the chargeback. The UnFranchise Owner’s account will be blocked until arrangements are made with our Web Collections Department.  

         (5)    Commission(s) may be held or applied to outstanding balances until all profits are repaid to Market Singapore. Any commission will be held for only four consecutive weekly commission cycles from the week the commission would have otherwise been mailed, and if the profit has still not been repaid, the commission will be forfeited unless other repayment arrangements have been made and accepted by Market Singapore.

         (6)    Business volume for all Websites that are cancelled within the 10-day trial period will be removed the day Market Singapore receives notification of the cancellation. The business volume removed will be applied to the week of the original transaction.

         (7)    WebCenters that have been cancelled for any reason must be reactivated using the appropriate reactivation code and fee.

         (8)    Credits for WebCenter-related and Website-related services are issued at the sole discretion of Market Singapore on a case-by-case basis.

(D)    WebCenter Suspensions: WebCenter owners may not suspend their WebCenter hosting at any time. WebCenters that are delinquent on hosting fees for 15 days will be disabled without notice. WebCenter owners may reactivate their WebCenters within 75 days of the date their account became delinquent by paying all of the delinquent hosting fees. WebCenters that are delinquent for more than 75 days will be cancelled.  


SEC. 16       INTERNET TRAININGS AND CORINGS

Due to the frequency that Internet-related products and services (and the related GMTSS training presentations) are updated, Internet trainings and corings are governed by the following:

(A)     Emulated Trainings and Corings: UnFranchise® Owners who are not Certified WebCenter Trainers (CWTs) may not conduct trainings or corings that emulate the WebCenter Certification Training (WCT) using materials obtained from previously attended Certified WebCenter Training courses. Non-CWTs may conduct corings using materials available to all UnFranchise Owners via https://sg.unfranchise.com.sg.

(B)    Approved Website Trainings and Materials: Without specific prior written approval from the Market Singapore Sales and Communication department, UnFranchise Owners may not teach or promote website sales methods or systems which deviate from Market Singapore’s WebCenter Certification Training (WCT). Only CWTs may conduct WCTs. In addition, only company-approved materials may be used in representing the Market Singapore WebCenters Website sales program at corings and GMTSS meetings.  

(C)     Approved Trainings: CWTs may not conduct WebCenter Certification Trainings that have not been approved through the GMTSS system, for a given date and location. A CWT who plans to conduct a training in an area within the same region as another CWT’s locality, or within the same region as another scheduled CWT curriculum training, should contact the affected trainer as a courtesy to inform him/her of the training and/or to coordinate training efforts.


SEC. 17    INTERNET AND WEBCENTER POLICY ENFORCEMENT AND DISCIPLINARY ACTION

(A)    Leader Responsibility: It is the responsibility of all leaders (Certified Executive Coordinators and higher Pin Levels) to enforce Market Singapore's Internet and WebCenter policies. 

         (1)    Any leader, upon learning of a clear or suspected violation of the Market Singapore Internet Policy, should immediately attempt to bring about compliance by directly contacting the violating UnFranchise Owner.

         (2)    If a leader cannot bring about compliance after directly contacting the violating UnFranchise Owner, then that leader should report the violation(s) or possible violation(s) to Market Singapore's Internet Compliance Coordinator immediately. UnFranchise Owners can contact the Internet Compliance Coordinator with the relevant facts at corporate office by mail, fax or by email at internetcompliance@marketamerica.com.

         (3)    All UnFranchise Owners, regardless of Pin Level, should report violations of this policy to upline leadership and/or Internet Compliance.

(B)    Disciplinary Action: Any violation of the Market Singapore Internet Policy may result in initiation of the Corrective Action Procedure which provides for a variety of sanctions including possible cancellation of the violating UnFranchise Owner’s contract.

         (1)    Violations of this policy may result in immediate suspension of the violating UnFranchise Owner’s Website and/or WebCenter, etc. as applicable pending the correction of the violation. UnFranchise Owners will have 10 days to correct minor violations of Market Singapore’s Internet Policy. 

         (2)    Failure to comply, repeat violations or egregious violations will result in initiation of the Corrective Action Procedure as described in the Market Singapore UnFranchise Manual.