For a plain-language overview of the Verified Merchant Program, see our For Businesses page. This page contains the full binding terms.
EchoPulse LLC
These Merchant Terms of Service (the “Merchant Terms”) govern your use of EchoPulse as a verified business owner. EchoPulse is a digital media and technology platform operated by EchoPulse LLC, a New Jersey limited liability company with its principal office at 805 Oak Avenue, Westfield, New Jersey 07090 (“EchoPulse,” “we,” “us,” or “our”).
By applying for verification as a business owner on EchoPulse, you (“Merchant,” “you,” or “your”) agree to these Merchant Terms in addition to our general Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, which remain in effect for your account. If you do not agree to these Merchant Terms, do not apply for merchant verification.
These Merchant Terms apply only to your activities as a verified business owner. Your activities as a regular user of EchoPulse continue to be governed by our general Terms of Service.
To become a verified merchant on EchoPulse, you must first create and maintain a regular user account in good standing. Merchant verification is granted to an existing user account; it does not create a new or separate account.
Once verification is granted, your regular user account is transformed to reflect your verified merchant status. This includes the following changes to your existing account:
As a verified merchant, you gain the following abilities on the platform:
The Verified Merchant badge signifies that EchoPulse has confirmed the account holder’s identity and legitimate affiliation with the business at the time of verification. It does not constitute an endorsement of the business’s products, services, quality, or conduct, nor does it represent a recommendation or warranty of any kind.
Verified merchant accounts are subject to the following restrictions. These restrictions exist to protect EchoPulse users from unsolicited commercial contact and to preserve the integrity of community discussion.
Some of these restrictions are enforced structurally by the EchoPulse platform, meaning the relevant features are disabled for verified merchant accounts and cannot be accessed regardless of intent.
Violation of any of these restrictions may result in warning, suspension, or termination of verified merchant status under Section 10.
To preserve the integrity of merchant-user interactions and to protect all parties from off-platform abuse, EchoPulse enforces a bidirectional communication block between verified merchants and regular users. This block operates in both directions:
You acknowledge that this bidirectional block is a core design feature of the EchoPulse trust model, not merely a policy, and that it applies to all verified merchants and all users without exception. Attempts to circumvent this block, including by creating or using secondary accounts to privately contact users about merchant business, are a material breach of these Merchant Terms and grounds for immediate termination under Section 10.
A single EchoPulse account cannot hold both Verified Merchant status and EchoPro (Trusted Community Reviewer) status simultaneously. This separation is maintained to prevent conflicts of interest between business representatives and community reviewers.
If you are approved as a Verified Merchant, any existing EchoPro status on your account will be automatically revoked at the time of merchant approval. Should your Verified Merchant status later be revoked or cancelled, you will be eligible to apply for EchoPro after any applicable cooldown period.
The Verified Merchant Program is available to both businesses and independent service providers (freelancers), including licensed contractors, realtors, tutors, personal trainers, freelance creative professionals, and similar individuals.
The verification standards for freelancer accounts are the same as for business accounts, except that the business verification document may be a relevant professional certification, licensing document, or business registration appropriate to the service offered.
Verification typically takes about 7 business days for Phase 1 applicants and 3 business days for Phase 2 paid merchants.
To apply for verification, you must submit the following through the in-app merchant application form:
Submission of this information does not guarantee approval. EchoPulse may request additional documentation at its sole discretion if the initial submission is incomplete, unclear, or requires clarification.
All verification applications are reviewed manually by EchoPulse administrators. EchoPulse makes commercially reasonable efforts to review applications within the following timeframes:
These service level targets are goals, not guarantees. EchoPulse reserves the right to take additional time to review applications that involve unusual circumstances, incomplete documentation, conflicting claims, or potential fraud concerns.
EchoPulse reserves the sole and absolute discretion to approve or deny any verification application. Denial of a verification application may be based on, without limitation:
If your application is denied, EchoPulse will notify you and will typically provide the reason for denial to help you understand how to address the issue. You may reapply with corrected or additional documentation after a thirty (30) day cooldown period.
All verified merchants, regardless of when they were initially verified or which tier they participate in, must re-verify their business affiliation once per calendar year. Re-verification requires submission of current proof documents that confirm your continued legitimate affiliation with the verified business.
EchoPulse will provide notice of upcoming re-verification deadlines not less than thirty (30) days and again not less than fourteen (14) days before the re-verification deadline.
If valid re-verification documents are not submitted by the deadline, your verified badge will be paused. If valid documents are not submitted within sixty (60) days of the deadline, your verified merchant status will be revoked and your account will revert to a regular user account.
EchoPulse users may report that a verified business has closed or ceased operations. When multiple credible reports are received within a rolling 90-day window, EchoPulse will initiate a closed-business review. In such a review:
You must promptly notify EchoPulse of any material change to the verified business, including without limitation:
Material changes trigger a re-review of your verified status, during which your verified badge may be paused until the new information is confirmed.
Merchants who complete verification during EchoPulse’s Phase 1 launch period (the “Phase 1 Period”) are designated as “Founding Merchants.” The Phase 1 Period ends on December 31, 2026.
Founding Merchants receive lifetime free access to the Tier 1 verification feature set, subject to the conditions in this Section 4 and subject to these Merchant Terms as amended from time to time.
The Tier 1 verification feature set included in the Founding Merchant benefit consists of: business claim, verified badge, business name as display name, bio with business name and location, and the right to respond to posts that tag or reference the verified business.
The Founding Merchant benefit is limited to the Tier 1 feature set described in Section 4.1. It does not extend to:
The Founding Merchant benefit attaches to your individual EchoPulse user account, not to the underlying business entity. This means:
EchoPulse may terminate the Founding Merchant benefit, in whole or in part, if you materially breach these Merchant Terms, engage in fraud, engage in conduct that harms the EchoPulse community, or in any other circumstance listed in Section 10. Termination of Founding Merchant benefit does not waive any other rights EchoPulse may have.
Merchants who verify during Phase 2 or any later phase are charged a monthly verification fee of nine dollars and ninety-nine cents (US$9.99) per month (the “Tier 1 Fee”), unless a different price is in effect at the time of verification. The Tier 1 Fee provides access to the same Tier 1 verification feature set described in Section 4.1.
Founding Merchants are not charged the Tier 1 Fee, subject to the conditions in Section 4.
Any verified merchant, including Founding Merchants, may pay to boost their own posts on EchoPulse. Boost pricing and boost duration are set forth on the applicable boost purchase screen at the time of purchase. Boosted posts are clearly labeled as “Promoted” and are subject to the restrictions in Section 6.
The Tier 1 Fee, if applicable, is billed monthly in advance. Post boost fees are charged at the time of purchase. All fees are non-refundable except as expressly stated in these Merchant Terms or as required by applicable law.
You authorize EchoPulse or its payment processor to charge the payment method on file for all fees incurred under these Merchant Terms. You are responsible for keeping your payment method information current.
If a charge is declined, EchoPulse may suspend your verified merchant status until the outstanding balance is paid.
New merchants subject to the Tier 1 Fee receive a seven (7) day grace period beginning on the date verification is granted. No Tier 1 Fee is charged during the grace period. If you cancel verification within the grace period, you will not be charged. If you do not cancel within the grace period, your first monthly Tier 1 Fee will be charged on the eighth (8th) day.
Except as provided in Section 5.4, monthly Tier 1 Fees are non-refundable. If you cancel verification mid-month, you will retain verified merchant status through the end of the then-current billing period and will not be charged for the next month.
Post boost fees are non-refundable once the boost has begun running, except in cases where EchoPulse determines, in its sole discretion, that a technical error prevented the boost from being delivered as purchased.
EchoPulse may change the Tier 1 Fee or the pricing of any other merchant feature at any time. For fee increases affecting merchants currently paying a recurring fee, EchoPulse will provide at least thirty (30) days’ advance notice by email or in-app message before the new price takes effect.
Your continued use of the paid feature after the notice period constitutes acceptance of the new price. You may cancel at any time if you do not accept the new price.
All fees are exclusive of applicable taxes. You are responsible for any sales tax, use tax, value-added tax, or similar tax imposed on the fees you pay to EchoPulse, except for taxes on EchoPulse’s income.
You may only boost posts that you yourself authored from your verified merchant account and that relate to your verified business. You may not boost posts authored by other users. You may not boost posts that do not relate to your verified business.
All boosted posts are clearly labeled as “Promoted” so that EchoPulse users can distinguish paid placement from organic content. You may not attempt to hide, remove, or obscure the Promoted label.
You may not use post boosts to amplify content that disparages, criticizes, or targets competing businesses. Boosted posts must focus on your own verified business.
Boosted posts must comply with EchoPulse’s general content standards, which prohibit without limitation false or misleading claims, illegal activity, harassment, hate speech, sexual content, or content that violates the intellectual property rights of others.
EchoPulse may decline to run, or may terminate, a boost that violates these standards, and EchoPulse’s sole financial obligation in such cases is to refund the pro-rata unused portion of the boost fee.
By applying for verification and by maintaining verified merchant status, you represent and warrant to EchoPulse that:
You acknowledge that false representations or warranties may result in immediate termination under Section 10, referral to law enforcement, and liability for damages.
EchoPulse is built on community trust. As a verified merchant, you expressly agree that:
EchoPulse does not remove, suppress, or alter reviews or posts in exchange for payment, advertising, or merchant status. Paid tiers and post boosts unlock tools and visibility; they do not confer any power over content authored by other users.
Responses you post as a verified merchant are your content and are subject to EchoPulse’s general Terms of Service. You represent that your responses are truthful, do not defame any person or business, and do not disclose confidential information, protected health information, or other information you are not legally permitted to share.
You grant EchoPulse the license to use your responses as set forth in the general Terms of Service.
EchoPulse expects verified merchants to engage with users professionally and in good faith. Harassment, personal attacks, threats, or profanity directed at users are grounds for suspension or termination of verified merchant status.
EchoPulse’s collection and use of your personal information, including the identification documents and proof of affiliation you submit during verification, is described in our Privacy Policy. By applying for verification, you consent to the collection, storage, and processing of that information for the purposes of verification, ongoing trust and safety, legal compliance, and the other purposes described in the Privacy Policy.
Verification documents are retained only as long as necessary for verification and trust and safety purposes, or as required by applicable law.
You may cancel your verified merchant status at any time by navigating to the merchant settings in the EchoPulse app or by sending written notice to legal@echopulseapp.com. Upon cancellation, your verified badge and other merchant features will be removed at the end of the then-current billing period (if applicable). Your regular user account remains active unless you separately close it.
EchoPulse may suspend or terminate your verified merchant status immediately, without advance notice, for any of the following:
In addition to the listed causes in Section 10.2, EchoPulse may terminate your verified merchant status for any reason or no reason, with thirty (30) days’ advance notice. In the case of termination for convenience, EchoPulse will refund any prepaid fees for the period beyond the effective date of termination on a pro-rata basis.
Upon termination of verified merchant status:
Sections 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, and 14 survive termination of these Merchant Terms.
If your Verified Merchant status is revoked, you may appeal the decision within thirty (30) days of the revocation notice by emailing support@echopulseapp.com with a written explanation and any supporting documentation. EchoPulse will review appeals within fourteen (14) business days and communicate the outcome by email. The appeal decision is final. During the appeal period, your verified status remains revoked.
You and EchoPulse are independent parties. Nothing in these Merchant Terms creates an agency, partnership, joint venture, franchise, or employment relationship between you and EchoPulse. You may not represent yourself as an agent, partner, or employee of EchoPulse.
You may not assign, transfer, or sublicense your rights or obligations under these Merchant Terms, including by operation of law or in connection with a change of control of your business, without the prior written consent of EchoPulse. EchoPulse may assign these Merchant Terms freely.
EchoPulse may modify these Merchant Terms from time to time. If we make a material modification, we will provide at least thirty (30) days’ advance notice by email or in-app message before the modification takes effect.
Your continued use of verified merchant status after the modification takes effect constitutes acceptance of the modified Merchant Terms. If you do not accept a modification, your remedy is to cancel your verified merchant status before the modification takes effect.
These Merchant Terms, together with the general Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and any other policies referenced in them, constitute the entire agreement between you and EchoPulse regarding verified merchant status and supersede all prior or contemporaneous communications and proposals on the subject.
If any provision of these Merchant Terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in full force. Failure to enforce any right under these Merchant Terms is not a waiver of that right.
These Merchant Terms are governed by the laws of the State of New Jersey, without regard to its conflict of laws principles. The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods does not apply.
Before filing any formal dispute, you agree to first contact EchoPulse at legal@echopulseapp.com with a written description of the dispute and a proposed resolution. You and EchoPulse agree to attempt in good faith to resolve the dispute informally for at least thirty (30) days before initiating arbitration or litigation.
Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Merchant Terms or to your use of EchoPulse as a verified merchant that cannot be resolved informally under Section 12.2 will be resolved by binding individual arbitration, rather than in court, except as expressly provided in Section 12.5.
The arbitration will be administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Commercial Arbitration Rules and Consumer Arbitration Rules, as applicable. The arbitration will take place in Union County, New Jersey, or another location mutually agreed upon in writing. The arbitrator’s decision will be final and binding.
You and EchoPulse agree that any dispute will be brought in an individual capacity only, and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class, collective, consolidated, or representative action. The arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person’s claims and may not otherwise preside over any form of representative or class proceeding.
Notwithstanding the agreement to arbitrate, either party may:
To the extent any dispute proceeds in court rather than arbitration, you and EchoPulse each waive any right to a jury trial.
The EchoPulse platform and all verified merchant features are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. To the fullest extent permitted by law, EchoPulse disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, and any warranties that verification will attract customers, produce revenue, or result in any specific outcome for your business.
EchoPulse does not guarantee that verified merchant status will produce any specific number of reviews, posts, followers, or visitors, or any specific revenue or business outcome. Results vary based on many factors outside EchoPulse’s control.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, EchoPulse’s total aggregate liability to you for any and all claims arising out of or relating to these Merchant Terms or your use of EchoPulse as a verified merchant is limited to the greater of (a) the total fees you paid to EchoPulse in the twelve (12) months before the event giving rise to the claim, or (b) one hundred US dollars (US$100.00).
In no event will EchoPulse be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, exemplary, or punitive damages, including without limitation lost profits, lost revenue, lost business, or loss of goodwill, even if EchoPulse has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
The limitations in this Section 13.3 apply to the fullest extent permitted by law. Some jurisdictions do not allow limitations on implied warranties or the exclusion of certain damages, so these limitations may not apply to you in full.
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless EchoPulse and its officers, managers, employees, and agents from and against any and all claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or related to:
For questions, disputes, or notices under these Merchant Terms, contact EchoPulse at:
EchoPulse LLC
Attn: Legal
805 Oak Avenue
Westfield, New Jersey 07090
Email: legal@echopulseapp.com
For general merchant support questions (not legal disputes), contact support@echopulseapp.com.
By clicking “I Agree” (or equivalent) during the verification application, or by otherwise applying for or maintaining verified merchant status on EchoPulse, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Merchant Terms of Service in their entirety, including the binding arbitration and class action waiver provisions in Section 12.
See also: Terms of Service · Privacy Policy