1. Scope and parties
These Terms of Use govern access to garlandzhang.com (the “Site”) and to the Garland & Zhang Global Direct platform (the “Platform”), operated by Garland & Zhang, LLC (“G&Z”, “we”, “us”). By using the Site or Platform you agree to these Terms. Where a commercial transaction is governed by a signed sales agreement, that agreement governs the transaction and controls over these Terms to the extent of any conflict.
2. Phased services
Our services are being introduced in phases, and these Terms describe the phase in force today.
- Initial phase — commercial transactions. Large commercial transactions with business buyers. Payment is made by documentary credit arranged through the buyer’s bank, proceeds are remitted to our account at HSBC under the agreed terms, payment is released against the required documents, and delivery may be independently verified by a third party. Freight, warranty, cancellation, and refund terms are specified in each sales agreement, within the default framework described in the Shipping & Refund Policy.
- Later phase — retail sales. Retail and consumer sales are not offered today. Before they are introduced we will publish separate consumer terms of sale, a consumer privacy notice, and retail shipping, return, and refund policies.
Nothing on the Site or Platform is an offer to sell consumer goods, and no consumer-facing terms are in force.
3. Eligibility
- You must be at least 18 years old and authorized to bind the business you represent.
- Access is intended for businesses and their representatives: contractors, manufacturers and producers, logistics partners, and financial institutions.
- We may require verification before enabling catalog, ordering, or ledger functions — business registration, licenses, references, or a sample business card.
4. Accounts and credentials
You are responsible for the accuracy of your registration information and for keeping your credentials confidential. Notify us promptly of any unauthorized use. We may suspend or close an account that appears fraudulent, that fails verification, or that creates legal, sanctions, or counterparty risk.
5. What we do — and what we do not do
G&Z is a supply-chain and development company that coordinates direct sourcing, trade-zone pathways, logistics, inspection, and the documentation of commercial transactions between manufacturers and buyers. In a commercial transaction we act as the seller or as the contracting party named in the sales agreement.
We are not a licensed construction, engineering, legal, accounting, customs brokerage, or financial professional, and we are not a bank: we do not provide credit, we do not issue, advise, confirm, or guarantee letters of credit, and we do not give professional advice. Bank instruments and banking services are provided by the relevant banks. Determinations that require a licensed professional must come from your own licensed professionals; the Platform is an operational aid.
Quotations, lead times, and availability shown on the Platform are indicative. They become binding only when confirmed in a signed sales agreement.
6. Orders, sales agreements, and payment
Each commercial transaction is governed by a written sales agreement in addition to these Terms. The sales agreement sets the goods, specification, quantity, price, delivery term, document set, inspection arrangements, warranties, and the cancellation and refund position for that transaction, and it controls if it conflicts with these Terms.
Payment in the initial phase
The initial phase is built around large commercial transactions paid through the banking system rather than by card. Payment is made by documentary credit — a letter of credit arranged through the buyer’s bank in our favour — with the proceeds remitted to Garland & Zhang’s account at HSBC under the terms agreed for the transaction. to confirm with the company and its bank: the exact beneficiary details, and whether credits must be advised or confirmed through a named bank, payable at sight or on agreed usance terms
Payment is released against the required documents: the buyer’s bank pays when the document set specified in the sales agreement is presented and found compliant. Where the transaction provides for it, an independent third-party verification report on delivery forms part of that document set.
We pay inbound freight as part of the agreed terms for the initial phase. Duties, taxes, and other charges are allocated as the sales agreement states.
Card payments, consumer checkout, and online retail ordering are not offered in this phase; they are described in section 2 and will be governed by separate terms.
We may suspend performance or withhold documents where an undisputed amount is overdue, where a credit is not issued, amended, or confirmed as agreed, or where sanctions or compliance screening requires it.
7. Products, warranties, and inspection
Products supplied under a sales agreement carry the warranties stated in that agreement, together with any manufacturer’s warranty supplied with the goods. Where the agreement does not exclude them, and to the extent the law does not permit exclusion, statutory warranties apply.
Independent third-party verification on delivery may form part of a transaction, to confirm quantity, condition, and conformity with the agreed specification. The inspection body, its scope, the timing, the cost allocation, and the consequences of a non-conforming result are set out in the sales agreement. A verification report supports the release of payment; it does not remove the buyer’s own inspection rights under the agreement or under applicable law.
Where goods do not conform, the buyer’s remedies are those stated in the sales agreement — typically repair, replacement, or credit. Warranties do not cover normal wear, misuse, improper storage or handling after delivery, or modifications made without approval.
8. Third-party content and federal data
Catalog entries, factory pages, specifications, and documents may be supplied by participants or other third parties. We do not warrant third-party content and are not responsible for it. Federal contracting opportunities surfaced in the Platform are sourced from SAM.gov; they are provided as-is, are not verified by us, and no U.S. government agency endorses the Platform or warrants the accuracy or completeness of that data.
9. Regulatory status
G&Z is awaiting final authorization for its U.S. Alternative Site Framework Free Trade Zone designation. Activities described on the Site and Platform are prepared in anticipation of approval and commence upon issuance. Nothing on the Site or Platform is a promise of duty deferral, reduction, or elimination, or of any government approval. See Regulatory & Forward-Looking Statements.
10. Acceptable use
- Do not use the Site or Platform in violation of law, including export control, sanctions, anti-boycott, anti-money-laundering, or customs law.
- Do not misrepresent your identity, authority, certifications, or affiliations.
- Do not scrape, crawl, or extract data by automated means, or attempt to access areas or records you are not authorized to see.
- Do not upload malware, unlawful content, or information you do not have the right to share.
- Do not resell access to the Platform or interfere with its operation.
11. Your content
You keep ownership of the documents, images, and data you upload. You grant us a limited license to store, process, and display that content as needed to provide the services, verify participants, and administer orders and commissions. You confirm you have the rights needed to share it. Personal information is handled as described in the Privacy Policy.
12. Intellectual property
The Site, the Platform, its design system, text, graphics, and marks are owned by us or our licensors and are protected by applicable law. You receive a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to use the Platform for your internal business purposes. You may not copy, modify, distribute, or reverse engineer the Platform except as permitted by law. If you believe content on the Site infringes your rights, contact us with the details and we will review it.
13. Disclaimers
The Site and Platform are provided “as is” and “as available”. To the fullest extent permitted by law we disclaim all warranties, express or implied, including merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement, other than the warranties expressly stated in a sales agreement or required by law. Features described as preview, staging, or beta may change or be withdrawn and are provided without warranty. Banking services, letters of credit, and inspection services are provided by the relevant banks and inspection bodies, not by us, and we do not warrant their acts or omissions. We do not warrant uninterrupted or error-free operation of the Site or Platform.
14. Limitation of liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, neither party is liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for lost profits, lost materials, or business interruption. Our aggregate liability arising out of or relating to the Site or Platform is limited to to confirm — recommended: the fees you paid to G&Z in the twelve months before the event giving rise to the claim (or USD 100 if none). Liability arising under a sales agreement is governed by that agreement, not by this section. Nothing in these Terms limits liability that cannot lawfully be limited.
15. Indemnity
You will indemnify and hold G&Z harmless against claims, losses, and costs arising from your content, your breach of these Terms, your violation of law (including trade, export, sanctions, or customs rules), or your dealings with counterparties introduced through the Platform.
16. Suspension and termination
You may stop using the Platform at any time. We may suspend or terminate access for breach of these Terms, failed verification, legal or sanctions risk, or non-payment. Provisions that by their nature should survive termination — ownership, disclaimers, liability limits, indemnity, and governing law — survive.
17. Governing law and disputes
These Terms are governed by the laws of to confirm — the State of North Carolina is suggested given the company’s location, without regard to conflict-of-law rules. Disputes will be brought in to confirm — the state or federal courts located in that state, or binding arbitration. Commercial disputes under a sales agreement are governed by the law and forum stated in that agreement. Before filing anything, please raise the issue with us.
18. Changes to these Terms
We may update these Terms; the “last updated” date reflects the current version. Material changes will be notified to registered participants, and continued use after a change means you accept the updated Terms. When the retail phase is introduced, the terms that apply to it will be published separately.
19. Contact
Garland & Zhang, LLC · 86 Highway 294 · Murphy, NC 28906 · United States · robertgarland9@gmail.com a dedicated legal@ address is recommended before launch