What it is
Terms and Conditions are a contract you make with the visitors to your site.
They set out the behaviors you expect from your visitors as well as what your visitors can expect from you.
Why your site needs one?
Because, as we lawyers like to say, Terms and Conditions save asses.
Solidly drafted Terms and Conditions can limit your overall legal liability, protect your valuable intellectual property, and help you collect payments on time.
Without Terms and Conditions, any disputes arising from the use of, or purchases from, your site will likely be more messy and expensive.
What it should contain
As with Privacy Policies, the contents of your Terms and Conditions are dictated by your particular business.
Here’s a list of what your Terms and Conditions should (probably) contain (at the very least):
1. Where and how disputes will be handled (pick a state, any state …)
2. Limitations on warranty and damages
3. Intellectual Property policy, including how yours can and cannot be used and how you may use the intellectual property Contract & Agreement visitors post on your site
4. Your right to refuse service, including when and how you can exercise it
5. How purchases are processed, if you are a retailer
6. Refund policy (more on that below) and shipping policy, if applicable
7. How changes in your terms will be communicated
8. Disclaimers, if you give advice in certain fields like health, nutrition, finance, law, etc., including disclosures about any licenses you hold, or do not hold, within your field
9. Comment policy