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Web Design Policies
Updated January 01, 2022
What You Need to Know
To ensure that your web design project goes smoothly and we remain friends at the end we need you to be aware of your responsibilities and ours, as well as certain limitations, including a few things we simply can’t promise.
Privacy Policy
We hate spam just as much as you do. We will never share your information with third parties unless required to do so by law or requested by you. The information we collect from you will only be used to maintain your services with us and to represent the quality of our work to others, such as in our online portfolio.
You can learn more about how we handle website information on our Terms of Service.
Ownership of Website Design
Upon completion of any website design and payment of web design and development fees, the client is the owner of the commissioned website. The client may continue to use the commissioned website to promote the clientʼs company or organization regardless of whether he/she chooses to continue further services with PixoLabo.
The client does not have the right to resell the design or development to other companies. The client does have the right to add pages onto the existing site or have another company add pages onto the existing site using the commissioned website design/development.
Ownership of Website Domain Name
Website domain names are leased from domain name registration companies. When PixoLabo registers a domain name for a client, that registration will be made in the clientʼs name. Upon payment of any outstanding fees, the client has the right to use that domain name regardless of whether he/she chooses to continue further services with PixoLabo. Domain name renewal and renewal fees are the responsibility of the client.
If the client chooses to have PixoLabo renew the domain name on behalf of the client, an additional service fee will apply. Clients are advised to closely monitor the renewal date of a registered domain name and to verify that the renewal of said domain name has been completed. PixoLabo is not responsible for expired domain names.
Ownership and Copyright
All text, photos, videos, and graphics used as content in a commissioned website must be provided by the client (unless the client has hired PixoLabo for content development). The client must have ownership or written permission to use all content he/she provides for use. It is up to each client to ensure his/her design and/or content does not infringe on any trademark, service mark, or copyright laws.
PixoLabo is not responsible for intellectual property infringements on behalf of clients. Also, PixoLabo will not be responsible for submitted content. Clients should not mail irreplaceable photos or documents, or send content that must be returned through Japanese, US, or International mail.
Project Initiation
The initiation of a web design or development project requires a signed or electronically submitted estimate or contract form, payment of half of the initial web design/development fees for custom website design, or the entire setup fee for blogs or templates, plus the client logo or any other element or content that is required to be used in the design.
Project Timeliness Incentives and Penalties
PixoLabo cannot complete a website if the client does not provide content (the text and/or photos, videos, or other media to be used in the website) or other required elements (pre-existing logo or account login information, etc.) Therefore we do require all of our clients to understand that without adhering to the project timeline their project could be delayed and/or face other consequences.
PixoLabo will provide clients with a timeline for providing client-sourced content and will work with the client to ensure all client-provided content meets our guidelines. If PixoLabo is waiting for content or other pieces of information, the client will be notified.
(Professional graphic design, SEO, and photography services are available for a surcharge if the client needs assistance with that part of their project.)
It is the clientʼs responsibility to inform PixoLabo of any potential delays ahead of time. We will work with the client as much as possible to revise timelines, but we may not always be able to do so.
If the client fails to handle the requests in a timely manner, their website project will be placed on hold, and the client will be billed for applicable hours to date.
We are always happy to help clients to get their projects back on track. However, if client-driven delays persist, PixoLabo will complete as much of the project as possible without the missing elements, and provide the client with a final notice.
If the client fails to respond to the final notice within 5 business days, their website project will be terminated, and the client will be billed for the remaining balance of the stated project cost.
PixoLabo reserves the right to consider the project complete in its entirety and at that point invoice the client for all future work.
How Content May Be Submitted
We prefer that content be submitted via DropBox, and we will provide a project folder on our Dropbox for client use. If clients prefer, content should be put on CD/DVD and mailed, shipped, or delivered to PixoLabo, AXiS 502, 6-6 Umedamachi, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, 980-0005 Japan. Please note that we can not be responsible for lost shipments. We also accept some content via email; please check with us first.
The text must be selectable as actual text rather than as flattened images. Images should be hi-res and fully editable. We accept Adobe Photoshop PSD, JPEG and TIFF files, Adobe Illustrator AI, EPS, or PNG files, and Microsoft Word files. All text and photos/graphics must be clearly labeled with the name of the page on which it will be displayed.
Content may not be submitted via fax or as paper copies. Exceptions to this policy must be approved in advance and will incur a surcharge. Any files that do not meet our minimum requirements will be rejected. Additional graphics and image preparation fees may apply to client-provided files.
How Revisions to a Website Design are Handled
We take pride in providing attractive designs, and the vast majority of our clients are extremely pleased with the design we create for them. However, design is a subjective art, and not everyoneʼs tastes are the same. While we will gladly make initial minor modifications for no additional charge, it is important to be clear on how revisions to the look of a website design are handled.
The discovery questionnaires which describe the look of the commissioned web design project are part of all web design projects. Completing them helps our team to focus on the design elements favored by the client.
Design preferences, such as the look of the site, the color scheme, the functionality, monitor resolution preferences, etc., should be specified during the discovery phase. If any design preference stated in the discovery phase was not met, the adjustments will be made free of charge. If the client develops preferences or changes his/her mind after the completion of the work, adjustments will be made by the hour at rates ranging from $125.00 to $ 175.00 per hour.
Designs for Sub-Pages
Unless otherwise specified in the design contract, sub-pages of any website will use the same overall design as the home page. Formatting requests for sub-pages will be considered but will not be guaranteed. If the client requires specific looks or formatting for sub-pages, this request should be made at the time of the initial contract and may incur additional fees.
How Website Maintenance Requests are Handled
Clients who have signed up for a regular maintenance plan receive discounts off our hourly rates for website updates. Clients on a PixoLabo web maintenance plan may send update requests via email ([email protected]). Routine maintenance which fits into the allotted time specified in the clientʼs maintenance plan is typically completed in about three to four business days.
If a client on a website maintenance plan requests more than the scheduled amount of maintenance, he/she will be given an estimate and, if approved, the additional work will be completed at a discounted rate of $95.00 per hour and the turnaround time will be based on workload issues. Clients who are not on any maintenance plan may request website updates at the full $125.00 hourly rate and the turnaround time will be based upon our workload.
Monthly and quarterly maintenance plan fees are separate from hosting fees and may be canceled at any time. (See details under the Termination of Services section.)
How Technical Support is Handled
Clients whose websites are hosted by PixoLabo have access to emergency technical support 24 hours a day. In the event of a website hosting outage, clients can submit an email message and a technician will respond within 4-8 hours depending on the nature of the request. You can also request support from PixoLabo by emailing [email protected].
Please note, technical support cannot be provided for clientsʼ individual computer issues or for third-party products or services.
Billing and Payment Policies
All of our web design contracts include a payment plan worked out with the client in advance. This includes the amount of the required deposit, hourly or progress payments as applicable, and any remaining balance upon completion.
Once the remaining balance is paid in full, the completed website will be moved from the staging server to the clientʼs server so the website will go live. At that time, PixoLabo will also register the clientʼs website with Google, Yahoo, and Bing search engines.
Payment for ongoing services such as Hosting and Maintenance, SEO, or e-commerce support is billed in 3, 6, or 12 months cycles. Invoices are prepared via Invoice Ninja and delivered via email. Payment can be made via credit card.
Clients experiencing financial hardship should contact PixoLabo to discuss payment options.
For more information please visit our Billing Policies page.
Search Engine Guarantee
Every client would like his/her website to rank high in search engine results for selected keywords, yet search engine results are determined by a multitude of constantly changing factors, third-party search engines, and the amount and quality of competition on the internet.
PixoLabo guarantees certain search engine-friendly techniques will be used in the creating of each client website, including appropriate use of title and meta tags as applicable. A list of appropriate keywords or phrases is beneficial at the beginning of the project.
If the client is unable to provide the appropriate keywords or phrases we are happy to help. An initial SEO discovery can be included in your project. Additional search engine optimization (SEO) services are available for additional fees and billed by the hour or as ongoing service contracts.
Please note that PixoLabo is neither responsible for or can be held responsible for actual search engine results.
Monthly Service Plans
We offer support and maintenance plans for a variety of services, including website updates, website optimization, and search engine optimization campaigns. Depending on the service plans are available for periods ranging from 30 days to 12 months.
Search Engine Optimization Plans require an initial three-month minimum since it takes time to ramp up the effectiveness of these campaigns.
After three months, these plans convert to month-to-month plans which may be canceled at any time with a 30-day written notification. Services plans may be tailored to meet each clientʼs needs.
No service or standard of service is implied unless in writing in the agreement, and clients must be sure to include any specific request in writing.
Quality Guarantee
We take pride in offering high-quality services and professional customer service. While we make an effort to ensure every aspect of our service is to the clientʼs liking, we cannot control every variable. It is up to each client to regularly test the functionality of his/her website, email, and any other product or service to ensure everything works as desired.
If any problem is discovered or an error has been made, please report the problem to us immediately so we may take appropriate action. We cannot be responsible for the perceived loss of revenue under any circumstances. Content changes resulting from a clientʼs error and/or problems related to third-party vendors or technology, such as hosting servers or browser software may result in additional charges.
Mobile-Friendly Functionality
PixoLabo fully understands the value of a mobile-first and responsive website as per the Google Mobile Algorithm Update of 04/21/2015, as well as the Google Mobile-First Indexing announced in November 2016 and fully implemented in 2018. And we will do everything to make client websites as attractive and user-friendly as possible regardless of the user device. But not every functionality is fully supported on every mobile device currently available.
Termination of Services
If the client changes his/her mind about doing work with PixoLabo during the course of the initial web design or development phase, the client will be billed a fee equal to 50% of the total project cost and is responsible for any applicable hours completed to date. Depending on the amount of work completed at the time of cancellation, as well as any payments received to date, this may mean receiving a partial refund, no refund, or owing additional fees.
In order to protect clients from unintentional service interruption, clients wishing to terminate any services must request the service termination in writing.
Third-Party Vendors
Third-party vendors may have separate terms of service agreements. PixoLabo cannot be held liable for disputes with third-party vendors. PixoLabo cannot be held responsible for the lack of functionality or any other aspect of third-party services.
Refusal of Service
PixoLabo reserves the right to decline to do business with any client for any reason.
Changes to Web Design Policies
PixoLabo reserves the right to change these web design policies and terms of service at any time for any reason.