Terms and Conditions for Melanated Stock

Last Updated: October 08, 2025
Owner: CrownThrive LLC — Gretna, Virginia, United States
Contact: contact@melanatedstock.com

Welcome to Melanated Stock, part of the CrownThrive LLC ecosystem. These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern your use of the Melanated Stock platform, services, and all related tools. By accessing or using our site, creating an account, uploading content, or purchasing items, you agree to these Terms in full. Please read them carefully.

 

1. Overview and Acceptance

Melanated Stock is a digital marketplace for creatives — connecting photographers, artists, and content creators (“Sellers”) with clients, agencies, and buyers (“Buyers”) seeking authentic, culture-driven imagery and visual content. These Terms apply to all users, including both Sellers and Buyers. By using our site, you confirm that you are at least 18 years old and authorized to enter into this agreement.

 

2. Accounts and Registration

1. To use certain features, you must create a user account and provide accurate information including name, email, and payment details.
2. You are responsible for maintaining confidentiality of your login credentials and for all activity under your account.
3. Accounts found to contain false information or engage in fraudulent activity may be suspended or terminated without notice.

 

3. Content Ownership and Licensing

1. Sellers retain full copyright ownership of the works they upload.
2. By uploading to Melanated Stock, Sellers grant CrownThrive LLC a non-exclusive, royalty-bearing license to market, display, and sell their works through the platform and affiliated brands.
3. Buyers receive a license upon purchase that defines the scope of use (personal, editorial, or commercial). The license is non-transferable unless otherwise stated.
4. Sellers are solely responsible for ensuring they possess valid model and property releases for identifiable persons or private property.
5. Unauthorized reproduction, resale, or redistribution of purchased content is strictly prohibited.

 

4. Pricing, Payments, and Commissions

1. All prices on Melanated Stock are set in U.S. dollars and may be updated by Sellers or platform management at any time.
2. All sales are processed securely through Stripe Payments using Stripe Connect for automatic revenue splitting.
3. Platform Commission: 20% of each sale is automatically retained by Melanated Stock as a platform commission at checkout.
4. Seller Payouts: Sellers receive 80% of the sale credited to their balance. Withdrawals are available through Stripe or PayPal with a 5% payout/withdrawal fee.
5. Total Effective Fee: Combined, the 20% platform commission and 5% payout fee equal approximately a 25% total deduction per completed sale.
6. Sellers are responsible for any additional banking, conversion, or regional fees related to Stripe or PayPal transactions.
7. Buyer Fees: 5% of each sale is automatically retained by Melanated Stock as a platform commission at checkout.

 

5. Refunds and Disputes

1. All digital file sales are final once the content has been downloaded or accessed.
2. Refunds are considered only in cases of duplicate purchases, corrupt files, or listings that materially misrepresent the product.
3. Refund requests must be submitted within 7 days of purchase to support@melanatedstock.com.
4. If a refund is approved, the platform commissions and payout fees are non-refundable and may be deducted from future earnings.
5. Chargebacks initiated through Stripe or PayPal will result in temporary holds on accounts until the dispute is resolved.

 

6. Withdrawals and Payouts

• Seller balances become eligible for withdrawal once transactions have cleared and are free of disputes.
• Withdrawals are processed through Stripe or PayPal, each carrying a 5% processing fee.
• Payouts may take 3–7 business days depending on your financial institution or payment provider.
• Sellers are responsible for any taxes owed on their income. CrownThrive LLC may issue tax forms when required by law.

 

7. Prohibited Conduct

• Uploading copyrighted, obscene, defamatory, or harmful material is prohibited.
• Attempting to manipulate search rankings, sales data, or other users’ content is not allowed.
• Buyers and Sellers may not use the platform to promote unrelated products, solicit off-platform transactions, or violate U.S. or international law.

 

8. Intellectual Property and DMCA Policy

• Melanated Stock respects intellectual property rights and will respond to valid Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) notices.
• If your copyrighted material has been posted without permission, please email dmca@melanatedstock.com with supporting details.
• Repeat infringement may result in permanent account termination.

 

9. Privacy and Data Usage

• We collect personal and transactional information to operate the marketplace securely and efficiently.
• Payments are processed exclusively through Stripe and PayPal; Melanated Stock does not store full credit card details.
• We may analyze anonymized usage data to improve performance and personalization.
• Our platform integrates with EcoDrive and Stripe Climate for transparency in sustainability impact.
• For full details, see our Privacy Policy.

 

10. Limitation of Liability

• Melanated Stock provides its services “as is” and without warranty of uninterrupted availability.
• In no event shall CrownThrive LLC or its affiliates be liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from platform use.
• Our total liability to any user shall not exceed the total amount paid to or earned from the platform within the past 12 months.

 

11. Termination of Account

• We reserve the right to suspend or terminate any account that violates our policies or engages in fraudulent or harmful activity.
• Users may close their accounts at any time by contacting support, provided no active disputes or pending payouts exist.

 

12. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. Any disputes arising from this agreement shall be handled in accordance with applicable U.S. federal or Virginia state law.

 

13. Modifications

Melanated Stock may update these Terms periodically to reflect legal, technical, or business changes. Updates will appear with a revised effective date. Continued use after changes means you accept the new Terms.

 

14. Contact

If you have questions about these Terms, your account, or platform operations, please contact:
Email: contact@melanatedstock.com