Terms of Service
Issued by Whaitiri Black Limited (trading as GIWAHS) · NZ Company No. 6860633 · NZBN 9429046803306 · GST No. 125-955-886 · Registered office 55 Ngatitoa Street, Takapuwahia, Porirua 5022, New Zealand.
These Terms of Service govern your access to and use of the GIWAHS platform, operated by Whaitiri Black Limited (trading as GIWAHS). By accessing the platform or applying to the Founding Partner programme, you agree to these terms.
1. Platform purpose
GIWAHS is a sourcing intelligence platform: independently verified factory profiles, editorial product and supply-chain trend signals, and a public Trust Centre that underwrites every claim. GIWAHS is not a marketplace. We do not process transactions between buyers and suppliers, do not hold escrow, and do not take commission on supplier–buyer engagements.
2. Eligibility
You must be 18 or older and authorised to act for any company you represent. Suppliers must be legally registered entities in their country of operation and free of NZ MFAT / OFAC consolidated-sanctions exposure.
3. Account responsibility
You are responsible for safeguarding your account credentials and for any activity under your account. Notify support@giwahs.com promptly of unauthorised use.
4. Founding Partner Programme
The Founding Partner Programme is limited to 500 Founding Partner positions worldwide across three tiers (Gold USD $490/year · Elite USD $1,490/year · Enterprise USD $4,990/year). Each Founding Partner is contractually price-locked at their admission rate for 10 years from the date their first annual payment clears. The programme is governed in full by the Founding Partner Terms (Founder Vault Doc 26) and the Referral Programme Amendment (Doc 26.1 · in counsel review). Both documents are available from support@giwahs.com on request and will be published in full at /trust upon counsel sign-off.
5. No equity, no security, no offer
A Founding Partner subscription is a paid software-and-intelligence subscription. It is NOT an equity investment, not a security, not a profit-share, not a partnership in the legal sense, and not an offer of any financial instrument. Founders receive contractual access and contractual price-lock, nothing more. Whaitiri Black Limited remains 100% owned by its director and sole shareholder, Jay Elkington.
6. Information accuracy and buyer due diligence
GIWAHS aggregates publicly available data, supplier-submitted documentation, and third-party verification reports. We endeavour to keep information current but provide no warranty of completeness or fitness for any particular purpose. Buyers must conduct independent due diligence — factory audits, sample evaluation, contractual safeguards, legal review — before engaging suppliers.
7. Refunds
Every annual subscription carries a 14-day full-refund window starting from the date payment clears the Whaitiri Black Limited NZ bank account (or Stripe ledger after activation). Within those 14 days, a Founding Partner may request a full refund without giving any reason; refund is paid within 48 hours of receipt of the request via the original payment rail. After 14 days the annual subscription is non-refundable but may be cancelled effective the next renewal date. Full policy: Founder Vault Doc 27, available on request.
8. Limitation of liability
To the maximum extent permitted by New Zealand law, GIWAHS is provided on an "as is" basis. Whaitiri Black Limited is not liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from platform use, including sourcing decisions made in reliance on platform information. The aggregate liability of Whaitiri Black Limited for any claim is limited to the fees paid by the claimant in the 12 months preceding the event giving rise to the claim.
9. Featured placement
Featured supplier placement is a paid promotional surface clearly labelled across the platform. Featured placement does not influence trust score, verification badges, or supplier position in the trust-sorted directory.
10. Prohibited use
You may not scrape the platform, misrepresent your identity, submit fraudulent documentation, use the platform for any unlawful purpose, or use the GIWAHS marks without express permission per the Brand Lock (Founder Vault Doc 41) and Press Kit (Doc 42). We reserve the right to suspend or terminate access for violations.
11. Intellectual property
All trademarks, copy, design, code, and proprietary content on GIWAHS remain the property of Whaitiri Black Limited or its licensors. The GIWAHS lockup and PAYMENTS_LOGO_V1 are subject to the lock policy in Doc 41 §5 and §5a.
12. Modifications
We may update these terms from time to time. Material changes will be communicated by email to active Founding Partners and posted on this page with a revised "Last Updated" date. Continued use after 30 days constitutes acceptance.
13. Governing law and jurisdiction
These terms are governed by the laws of New Zealand. Disputes shall be resolved exclusively in the courts of New Zealand. Whaitiri Black Limited is registered in New Zealand under Companies Office Number 6860633 with NZBN 9429046803306.
14. Contact
For questions about these terms, contact legal@giwahs.com. For founder-programme enquiries, contact founders@giwahs.com. For general support, contact support@giwahs.com.