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Terms of Service

Last updated: August 29, 2026

These Terms govern your use of The Retail Economist website and shopping tool (the "Service"), operated by Zoey Washington ("we," "us"). By creating an account or using the Service, you agree to these Terms.

The Service

The Retail Economist gives you an editorial read — BUY / SELL / HOLD / PASS — on secondhand fashion and home goods, based on a mix of our own editorial judgment and AI-assisted analysis. Free accounts get 3 reads total; paid accounts get 25 reads per month, billed monthly through Stripe. We may change these limits or pricing going forward; we'll post updated pricing on the site before it takes effect for new charges.

Not financial or authentication advice

Verdicts are editorial opinion, not professional appraisal, authentication, or financial advice. We do not physically inspect items, and we cannot guarantee an item's authenticity, condition, or resale value. You are responsible for your own purchase, sale, and authentication decisions — always use your own judgment, especially for high-value items, and consider a professional authentication service before a major purchase or sale.

Accounts and login

We authenticate accounts with a one-time code sent to your email — we don't use passwords. Keep access to your email secure, since anyone who can read your inbox can log in as you. You're responsible for activity on your account.

Subscriptions, billing, and cancellation

Affiliate links

Some links to shop an item (for example, on eBay) are affiliate links, and we may earn a commission if you make a purchase through one, at no extra cost to you. This never changes the verdict you're given.

Acceptable use

Don't use the Service to submit unlawful, abusive, or infringing content; to attempt to bypass usage limits, security, or authentication; to scrape or resell our outputs at scale; or to submit someone else's personal information without their consent. We may suspend or terminate access for violations of these Terms.

Content you submit

You retain ownership of what you submit (photos, descriptions, links). By submitting it, you grant us the license needed to process it and generate your verdict, including sending it to our AI provider (Anthropic) for that purpose. Don't submit content you don't have the right to share.

Disclaimers and limitation of liability

The Service is provided "as is," without warranties of any kind. We don't guarantee that verdicts are accurate, complete, or fit for any particular purpose. To the maximum extent permitted by law, we are not liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages, or for financial losses arising from a purchase or sale decision you made based on the Service. Our total liability for any claim is limited to the amount you paid us in the 3 months before the claim arose.

Changes to the Service or these Terms

We may update these Terms or the Service over time. If we make material changes, we'll update the date above and, where appropriate, notify subscribers by email. Continued use after a change means you accept the updated Terms.

Governing law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the United States and the state in which the business is operated, without regard to conflict-of-law principles.

Contact

Questions about these Terms: info@theretaileconomist.co.