IP & Content Policy

1. Purpose and Scope

This Intellectual Property & Content Policy (this “Policy”) explains the content standards, intellectual property rules, and complaint procedures that apply to the Global Trade Sourcing B2B Platform (the “Platform”). This Policy forms part of, and should be read together with, the Global Trade Sourcing Terms & Conditions (the “Terms”). Capitalized terms not defined here have the meaning given to them in the Terms.

2. Ownership of Platform Content

All software, designs, page layouts, code, databases, compilations, trademarks, logos, service marks, trade names, and other proprietary systems owned or licensed by Global Trade Sourcing remain the property of Global Trade Sourcing or its licensors. Nothing in these Terms or this Policy transfers ownership of any Global Trade Sourcing intellectual property to a User.

3. User Content License

Users retain ownership of the Content they submit to the Platform. By submitting Content, a User grants Global Trade Sourcing a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, transferable, sublicensable license to host, store, reproduce, display, publish, distribute, index, translate, adapt, reformat, promote, advertise, and otherwise use such Content in connection with operating, marketing, improving, and providing the Platform.

Users represent and warrant that they own or hold all rights, permissions, and approvals required for the Content they submit, and that such Content does not infringe any copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, design right, publicity right, privacy right, database right, or other proprietary right of a third party.

4. Prohibited Products and Restricted Content

Users must not list, buy, sell, promote, quote, negotiate, advertise, or facilitate any product, service, or content that is illegal, unsafe, restricted, misleading, abusive, or prohibited under Platform policy or applicable law, including counterfeit and replica goods, pirated or stolen items, restricted or hazardous materials offered without required approvals, and other categories listed in Section 9 of the Terms.

Attempts to bypass these restrictions through misspellings, altered keywords, coded language, hidden images, misleading categories, or off-platform routing are strictly prohibited. Global Trade Sourcing operates automated keyword, synonym, and pattern detection systems, together with manual review, to identify listings that use deliberately disguised terms for restricted or prohibited products; such listings are flagged and removed regardless of the specific wording used, and repeated attempts may result in account suspension or termination.

5. Marketplace Integrity: Reviews, Ratings, and Feedback

Users must not manipulate search rankings, reviews, ratings, badges, analytics, inquiries, or Platform metrics through bots, fake accounts, coordinated abuse, spam, click farms, duplicate listings, or keyword stuffing.

Users must not undermine the integrity of any feedback, review, or rating system on the Platform, including by leaving feedback for themselves or an affiliated business using secondary or alternate accounts, soliciting fake reviews, offering incentives in exchange for positive feedback, or retaliating against a User for leaving honest feedback.

6. Restrictions on Competitive Use of Platform Data

No User may copy, scrape, reproduce, resell, redistribute, commercially exploit, mass download, mirror, or create derivative works from the Platform's databases, directories, listings, or lead systems without prior written permission from Global Trade Sourcing.

No User may use the Platform, its databases, directories, listings, or buyer or supplier data, in whole or in part, to build, operate, populate, or commercially benefit a product, directory, or service that competes with Global Trade Sourcing, whether through manual collection, automated tools, or any other means.

7. Intellectual Property Infringement Complaints

Global Trade Sourcing respects the intellectual property rights of others and provides a process for rights holders to report suspected infringement appearing in a listing or other Content on the Platform. To submit a complaint, send a written notice to the Legal / Compliance email listed in Section 13 that includes:

• identification of the copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property right claimed to have been infringed, including registration numbers where applicable;
• identification of the specific listing, product, image, or Content alleged to be infringing, including a URL or listing ID sufficient to allow Global Trade Sourcing to locate it;
• your contact information, including name, address, telephone number, and email address;
• a statement that you have a good-faith belief that the use of the material is not authorized by the rights holder, its agent, or the law; and
• a statement, made under penalty of perjury or equivalent legal declaration in your jurisdiction, that the information in the notice is accurate and that you are the rights holder or authorized to act on the rights holder's behalf, together with your physical or electronic signature.

Upon receipt of a complete notice, Global Trade Sourcing may remove or disable access to the reported Content, and will make reasonable efforts to notify the User who posted it.

8. Counter-Notices

A User whose Content is removed in response to a complaint may submit a counter-notice to the same Legal / Compliance email, including: identification of the removed Content and its prior location on the Platform; a statement under penalty of perjury or equivalent legal declaration that the User has a good-faith belief the Content was removed as a result of mistake or misidentification; the User's name, address, telephone number, and a statement consenting to the jurisdiction set out in the Terms; and the User's physical or electronic signature. Global Trade Sourcing may, at its discretion and subject to applicable law, restore the Content after a reasonable waiting period unless the complaining party notifies Global Trade Sourcing that it has initiated legal proceedings.

9. Repeat Infringer Policy

Global Trade Sourcing may suspend or terminate, in appropriate circumstances and at its discretion, the accounts of Users who are found to repeatedly infringe the intellectual property rights of others or to repeatedly violate the content standards in this Policy.

10. Trademark and Brand Protection

Users must not use another party's trademarks, logos, brand names, or trade dress in a listing, company profile, or advertisement in a way that falsely implies endorsement, authorization, affiliation, or origin. Suppliers offering genuine branded goods must be able to demonstrate authorization to distribute those goods upon request.

11. Disclaimer of Adjudication

The submission, review, removal, or rejection of a complaint under this Policy does not make Global Trade Sourcing the adjudicator of any underlying dispute between the parties, and does not constitute a determination by Global Trade Sourcing regarding the merits of any claim. Parties remain responsible for resolving intellectual property and content disputes through lawful channels, including courts of competent jurisdiction.

12. Changes to this Policy

Global Trade Sourcing may update this Policy from time to time by posting the revised Policy on the Platform. Continued use of the Platform after a revised Policy is posted constitutes acceptance of the changes.

13. Contact Information

• Intellectual Property / Infringement Claims: legal@globaltradesourcing.com
• Content Policy / Restricted Product Reports: support@globaltradesourcing.com
• Website: www.globaltradesourcing.com