Terms of Use & Sale

1. Legal Notice & Seller Identification

The website www.ponoto.com is published and operated by Florian Cochard, operating as a sole proprietorship (Entreprise Individuelle) under the registered commercial name Ponoto.

• SIRET / Registration No.: 822 363 040 00012
• Registered Address: 8 Place Roger Salengro, 31000 Toulouse, France
• Publication Director & Contact: Florian Cochard (florian@ponotocats.com)
• Customer Support Email: support@ponotocats.com
• Website Host: Vercel Inc., 440 N Barranca Ave #4133, Covina, CA 91723, USA (Contact: privacy@vercel.com)

2. Scope & Acceptance of Terms

These Terms of Use and Sale ("Terms") govern all browsing on www.ponoto.com and all distance purchases of physical goods made through the website by non-professional consumer clients ("Customer" or "You").

Placing an order implies full, unreserved acceptance of these Terms. Ponoto reserves the right to amend these Terms at any time; the version applicable to an order is that published online on the date the order is validated.

3. Products & Handcrafted Artisan Nature

Ponoto sells handcrafted pet accessories designed for felines, made from premium cotton twill, organic catnip (Nepeta cataria), and silver vine (Actinidia polygama). Every item is individually hand-crafted in France.

Due to the artisan production process, minor variations in stitching, exact dimensions, fabric pattern placement, or natural herbal aroma intensity may occur between individual products. These variations are inherent to handcrafted goods and do not constitute non-conformity or product defects.

4. Pricing, Tax Exempt Status & Payment

VAT Exemption: Ponoto operates under the French micro-entrepreneur tax regime. Pursuant to Article 293 B of the French General Tax Code (CGI), Value Added Tax (VAT) is not applicable to our sales. Prices are displayed and invoiced in Euros (€) net of tax ("TVA non applicable, art. 293 B du CGI").

Payment Terms: Payment is due immediately upon ordering. Transactions are securely processed online via credit/debit cards via Stripe. Orders are confirmed and dispatched only after complete validation of payment.

5. International Shipping, Customs & Biosecurity

Orders are dispatched internationally from our workshop in France to eligible destination countries as outlined in our Shipping & Return Policy.

• DDP Destinations (e.g. United States, Canada): Orders are shipped Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) via postal services with tracking. Import tariffs and customs clearance administrative costs are calculated and settled at checkout.
• DAP Destinations (Other Non-EU Countries e.g. United Kingdom, Norway, Switzerland): Orders are shipped Delivered at Place (DAP). Any local import duties, sales taxes, clearance fees, or administrative charges assessed by destination authorities are the sole responsibility of the buyer.
• Biosecurity Regulations: Our products contain natural dried plant materials (catnip and silver vine). Customers placing international orders outside the European Union are responsible for ensuring that their country’s import and biosecurity regulations permit the entry of dried botanical items. Ponoto cannot be held liable for customs seizures or impoundments resulting from local biosecurity restrictions.
• Unclaimed & Incorrect Address Parcels: If a package is returned to us due to an invalid shipping address provided by the customer or failure to claim the package from the local carrier, original shipping charges will not be refunded. Re-shipment fees must be fully settled prior to re-dispatch.

6. Right of Withdrawal & Hygiene Seal Exemption

In accordance with European legal provisions and Article L. 221-18 of the French Consumer Code, consumer clients possess a standard right to withdraw from distance purchases within 14 calendar days from delivery without giving any reason.

Hygiene & Pet Health Exception (Art. L. 221-28 5°): Pursuant to Article L. 221-28 5° of the French Consumer Code, the statutory right of withdrawal does not apply to sealed goods that have been unsealed by the consumer after delivery and which cannot be returned for reasons of health protection or hygiene.

To protect animal health and maintain strict hygiene standards, each Ponoto toy is dispatched in a sealed protective inner bag with a tamper-evident seal. You may exercise your right of withdrawal within 14 days of receipt only if the tamper-evident seal on the inner bag remains 100% intact and unopened. Breaking or opening this inner seal voids your right of withdrawal.

7. Statutory Legal Warranties

Ponoto is bound by legal guarantees under French law regardless of any commercial warranties offered:

• Legal Guarantee of Conformity (Art. L. 217-3 et seq., French Consumer Code): The seller delivers goods in conformity with the contract. The consumer has a period of 2 years from delivery to act, free of charge, to obtain repair or replacement of non-conforming goods (or failing that, a refund).
• Guarantee against Hidden Defects (Art. 1641 et seq., French Civil Code): The consumer may invoke the guarantee against hidden defects rendering the item unfit for its intended purpose within 2 years of discovering the defect, choosing between cancellation of the sale or a price reduction.

Exclusion: Normal wear and tear, material destruction caused by animal clawing, biting, or aggressive play, as well as modifications arising after delivery, do not constitute non-conformities or hidden defects.

8. Pet Safety & Supervised Play Notice

Our toys are stuffed with organic catnip (Nepeta cataria) and silver vine (Actinidia polygama). While these botanicals are non-toxic to felines during interactive play, the entire toy assembly is intended solely as a play accessory—not as consumable pet food or a dietary supplement.

Pet owners are strictly advised to supervise pet play. If a toy becomes worn, frayed, or damaged through active chewing or clawing, it should be immediately removed and replaced to prevent potential ingestion of fabric, thread, or structural components.

9. Intellectual Property

Ponoto is a registered trademark under European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) Registration No. 019358619. Product designs, original logos, photographs, text, and physical product presentations are protected under domestic and international intellectual property laws (including Locarno Classification 30-12). Unauthorised reproduction, imitation, or commercial exploitation is strictly prohibited.

10. Prohibited Conduct

Users are strictly prohibited from engaging in automated web scraping, unauthorized data extraction, copying proprietary toy patterns, or attempting to breach payment infrastructure or site security.

11. Governing Law & Consumer Mediation

Governing Law: These Terms and any purchases made under them are governed by French law. However, under Article 6(2) of the Rome I Regulation, consumers residing in the EU/EEA benefit from mandatory protection provisions granted by the legal enactments of their country of habitual residence.

Amicable Settlement & Consumer Mediation: In the event of a dispute, the Customer should first contact Ponoto customer support at support@ponotocats.com to reach an amicable solution.

Pursuant to Articles L. 612-1 et seq. of the French Consumer Code, in the event of an unresolved consumer dispute, the Customer has the right to access a certified French consumer mediation service free of charge. Customers may submit their claim to:

• Center for Consumer Mediation (CM2C): 14 rue Saint Jean, 75017 Paris, France | Website: www.cm2c.net

EU consumers may also utilize the European Commission’s Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) platform at ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr.