Brand Shield terms

1. These terms

These terms apply to brand owners who register a brand in QwikStone Brand Shield and to sellers who apply to sell a Brand Shield brand. They are part of your agreement with Qwikstone Technologies Private Limited together with the Terms of use and, if you sell, the Seller agreement.

2. Registering a brand

• You can register a brand if you own a registered or pending trademark for it (word or logo mark) in a country QwikStone serves, or are authorised by the owner to manage it. Give the trademark office, number, mark type, classes and the holder's name exactly as on the register.
• We verify each brand: we check the register and send a code to the email or phone on the trademark record (or ask for other proof), and may ask for the registration certificate. We may decline registrations we can't verify.
• Brand Shield protection is free. To list your own products you need a selling plan, such as the Brand membership or another Seller Hub plan.
• Keep your trademark details current. If the trademark lapses, is cancelled or is transferred, tell us — the brand's protection may end.

3. What protection means

• Who may list. Only the brand owner and sellers the owner approves can list products under the brand name. Listings by others under the brand are blocked or held.
• Brand items. Each product the brand owner lists is a brand item with its own number (for example QS-000123). Approved sellers can find an item by its number and start a listing from it, which carries over the brand's description and photos. Only the owner and approved sellers can see and sell a brand's items.
• Minimum prices. You may set a minimum price for each product series. Approved sellers can't list below it. Minimum prices must comply with competition law in each market; QwikStone may disable minimum prices where local law doesn't allow them.
• Brand page and ads. Verified brands get a brand page and can run Sponsored Brands ads under the Advertising terms.

4. Authorised sellers

• Sellers apply from Brand Shield → Authorised sellers, explaining where they buy the brand's products (for example the distributor, invoice numbers and how long they've sold it).
• The brand owner may approve, decline or later revoke a seller. Decisions must be made fairly and not to fix resale prices beyond lawful minimums or to exclude sellers for unlawful reasons. Revoking a seller holds their listings under the brand.
• Approved sellers must sell genuine products, describe them as the brand does, respect minimum prices and stop selling when authorisation ends.

5. Reporting misuse

• Brand owners can report listings that use their brand without authorisation, sell counterfeits, use their images without permission or make misleading claims. Reports must be accurate and made in good faith.
• We may hold or remove the listing while we review the report, and tell the seller.
• The seller can appeal through a support case with evidence (for example invoices showing the goods came from the brand or its distributor). We decide on the evidence and tell both sides.
• Repeated false or abusive reports can lead to the brand owner's Brand Shield access being limited. Repeated confirmed violations can lead to the seller's account being suspended.

6. Your responsibilities

• Brand owners confirm they have the right to the trademark and to enforce it, and that the information they give is true.
• QwikStone isn't a trademark authority. Our decisions on listings are about what appears on QwikStone and don't decide legal ownership. Either side may pursue its legal rights in court.
• You will compensate QwikStone for losses caused by registering a brand you don't own, or by reports you knew were false.

7. Ending

You can remove your brand from Brand Shield at any time; protection ends and listings that relied on your authorisation become ordinary listings that must not use your brand. We may end a brand's protection if the trademark lapses, the information was false, or these terms are broken.

8. Contact

Brand Shield questions: Seller Hub → Brand Shield → Cases & appeals. Grievance officer: [Grievance officer's name — to be added], grievance@qwikstone.com.