Terms & Conditions
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These terms govern every engagement between DesignCore and its clients. They're written plainly, on purpose — because a good partnership starts with a clear agreement.
The Agreement
By engaging DesignCore ("we," "us," or "our") for services — whether by booking a call, initiating a payment, or accepting a proposal — you ("Client," "you," or "your") agree to these Terms & Conditions in full.
These terms, together with any signed proposal or statement of work, form the complete agreement between you and DesignCore. No other representation, verbal or written, overrides what is stated here unless expressly agreed to in writing by both parties.
The Services
DesignCore provides fractional creative services to brands on a monthly retainer basis. Our standard engagement includes:
Ten (10) hours of work per calendar week, delivered by a dedicated creative lead.
Access to our full discipline stack, including web design, brand identity, photography, social media management, video, and motion design.
A weekly thirty-minute strategy sync with your assigned lead.
Unlimited iteration within the scope of agreed weekly hours.
Unused hours do not roll over into subsequent weeks or months. Hours are tracked and reported on request.
Fees & Payment
Retainer Fee
The standard monthly retainer is three thousand US dollars ($3,000), billed in advance on the first of each calendar month via Stripe. All fees are exclusive of applicable taxes, which are the Client's responsibility.
Late Payment
If payment is not received within seven (7) days of the due date, DesignCore reserves the right to pause all active work until the balance is settled. A late fee of 1.5% per month may apply to any overdue amounts.
Expenses
Direct out-of-pocket expenses — such as stock licensing, third-party software, production costs, or travel — are passed through at cost and billed separately. We will not incur any expense over one hundred dollars ($100) without prior written approval.
Term & Cancellation
Engagements operate on a rolling month-to-month basis. Either party may cancel at any time by providing fourteen (14) days written notice by email.
If cancellation occurs mid-month, no refund is issued for the current billing cycle, but DesignCore will continue to deliver agreed services through the end of that cycle.
DesignCore reserves the right to terminate an engagement immediately, without refund, if the Client breaches these terms, engages in abusive or unlawful conduct, or requests work that violates our content and ethics policies.
Scope & Revisions
The scope of work for each engagement is defined by a combination of the Client's stated priorities, DesignCore's weekly recommendations, and the agreed weekly hour allocation.
Revisions are part of the creative process and are included in the standard retainer, provided they fall within the weekly hour allocation. Work that materially exceeds the standard scope — such as full brand systems, multi-day video shoots, or campaigns with paid media production — may require an additional proposal and fee.
DesignCore reserves final creative judgment over execution quality. If a Client request would compromise deliverable quality, we reserve the right to decline and propose an alternative.
Intellectual Property
Ownership of Deliverables
Upon full payment of the applicable invoice, the Client receives a worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual license to use all final delivered work for their intended commercial purposes.
Full intellectual property assignment — including exclusive ownership, transfer of rights, and trademark registration support — is available upon written request and may be subject to an additional fee.
Working Files & Process Assets
DesignCore retains ownership of all working files, source assets, intermediate drafts, templates, proprietary tools, workflows, and methodology unless otherwise agreed in writing.
Third-Party Assets
Stock imagery, fonts, music, and other third-party assets are licensed to the Client under the terms of their respective providers. The Client is responsible for maintaining any ongoing licenses required to continue using such assets.
Portfolio Rights
DesignCore reserves the right to display delivered work in its portfolio, case studies, and marketing materials unless a written non-disclosure agreement specifies otherwise.
Use of AI Tools
DesignCore uses artificial intelligence tools to accelerate and augment its creative workflow. By engaging our services, the Client acknowledges and accepts that:
AI may be used in the ideation, production, editing, or refinement of deliverables.
All final work is reviewed, directed, and approved by human creative leads before delivery.
DesignCore does not share Client confidential information, brand assets, or strategy with third-party AI training datasets.
AI-generated elements may carry legal and regulatory considerations that continue to evolve; the Client is responsible for consulting legal counsel regarding use of AI-generated content in regulated industries.
Client Obligations
To ensure an effective engagement, the Client agrees to:
Provide timely access to brand assets, accounts, stakeholders, and approvals.
Respond to requests for feedback and input within a reasonable timeframe, generally within two (2) business days.
Ensure that any materials, copy, images, or brand assets provided to DesignCore are legally owned or properly licensed for the intended use.
Treat DesignCore team members with respect and professionalism at all times.
Delays caused by the Client's failure to provide inputs or approvals do not extend the monthly billing cycle or entitle the Client to a refund.
Confidentiality
Both parties agree to treat all non-public business information exchanged during the engagement as confidential. Neither party will disclose such information to third parties without prior written consent, except as required by law.
This obligation survives termination of the engagement for a period of three (3) years. For engagements requiring heightened confidentiality, a separate mutual non-disclosure agreement is available on request.
Warranties & Disclaimers
DesignCore warrants that its services will be performed with reasonable skill and care, in a professional and timely manner, by qualified personnel.
Beyond this, services and deliverables are provided "as is" and "as available." DesignCore makes no warranty, express or implied, regarding merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or that any deliverable will generate specific business outcomes, traffic, revenue, or conversions.
Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, DesignCore's total aggregate liability arising from or relating to the engagement shall not exceed the total fees paid by the Client to DesignCore in the three (3) months immediately preceding the event giving rise to the claim.
In no event shall DesignCore be liable for indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages — including but not limited to lost profits, lost revenue, lost data, or business interruption — even if advised of the possibility of such damages.
Indemnification
The Client agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless DesignCore and its personnel from and against any claims, damages, losses, or expenses arising from: (a) materials, content, or assets provided by the Client that infringe third-party rights; (b) the Client's use of deliverables in a manner outside the agreed scope; or (c) the Client's breach of these terms.
Modifications to Terms
DesignCore may revise these Terms & Conditions from time to time. Updated terms will be posted on this page with a revised "Last Updated" date. Material changes will be communicated to active clients via email at least fourteen (14) days in advance.
Continued use of DesignCore services after the effective date of updated terms constitutes acceptance of those changes.
Governing Law
These terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, United States, without regard to its conflict of laws principles.
Any dispute arising under these terms shall first be addressed through good-faith negotiation between the parties. If unresolved after thirty (30) days, the dispute shall be submitted to binding arbitration administered under the rules of the American Arbitration Association, with proceedings conducted in English.
Contact
Questions, concerns, or requests regarding these terms can be directed to our team at any time. We aim to respond within one (1) business day.
DesignCore
For all legal and contractual inquiries, including custom engagement terms, NDAs, and IP assignments.