Bernafon Terms and Conditions of Sale

Last Modified Date: April 2, 2024

These Terms and Conditions of Sale (“Terms of Sale”) govern the sale of all products (the “Products”), by Bernafon, LLC. or the company named on the Purchase Order (collectively “Seller”), to the buyer (each a “Buyer”). These Terms of Sale are subject to change by Seller, without prior written notice, at any time, in the Seller’s sole discretion. Any changes to these Terms of Sale will be in effect as of the “Last Modified Date” referenced above. Buyer should review these Terms of Sale prior to purchasing any Products. Buyer shall be bound by the Terms of Sale in effect at the time the order is placed.

1. Purchase Orders.

1.1 Buyer may, at its discretion, purchase Products by phone, facsimile, on Buyer’s portal, or by submitting a written purchase order or electronic order (each, a “Purchase Order”). Each Purchase Order will designate the desired quantities of Products, delivery dates, and destination.

1.2 Buyer understands that all Purchase Orders are an offer to buy the Products under these Terms of Sale. Each Purchase Order must be accepted by Seller, or Seller is not obligated to sell the Products. Seller may choose not to accept orders, in its sole discretion, even after Seller’s acceptance of an order. Seller specifically rejects any additional, different, or inconsistent terms or conditions proposed by Buyer in any Purchase Order.

2. Pricing and Payment Terms.

2.1 Pricing

(a) Buyer shall purchase the Products from Seller at the price set forth in Seller’s published price list in force as of the date Buyer submits the Purchase Order or at the price otherwise quoted to Buyer by Seller. The prices in the published price list are subject to change, at any time, without notice, and any quoted price for the Products expires after thirty (30) days.

(b) Prices do not include taxes or delivery charges. Accordingly, (i) taxes, charges, levies, duties, assessments, and other fees of any kind imposed by any governmental authority and (ii) charges for handling, freight, shipping, packaging of Products or the cost of insurance from the time the Products leave Seller’s premises shall be added to the price payable by Buyer for the Products.

(c) Any discount, rebate, and other price reduction (collectively “Discounts”) given by Seller to Buyer constitutes a discount under applicable law (42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(b)(3)(A)). Seller’s invoice may detail the Discounts and the allocation of net purchase dollars appearing on that invoice. As applicable, each party hereto will report Discounts and provide information as required under 42 C.F.R. § 1001.952(h).

2.2 Payment

(a) Buyer shall pay all amounts invoiced by Seller within sixty (60) days of receipt of such invoice. Invoices shall be issued upon or after delivery of Products to Buyer or Buyer’s agent, provided, however, that Seller’s credit department may, in its sole discretion, impose more stringent payment requirements, including requiring payment in advance or requiring provision of an irrevocable letter of credit.

(b) Buyer shall pay all sales, use, value-added, excise, or similar taxes and duties applicable to the Products. In lieu of certain tax payments, Buyer may provide Seller with a tax exemption certificate acceptable to the taxing authorities. Buyer agrees to reimburse Seller for any such amounts which Seller incurs on behalf of Buyer. All payments to Seller shall be made in U.S. dollars.

(c) Should Buyer become delinquent in any payment due hereunder, Seller shall not be obligated to continue performance under these Terms of Sale or any Purchase Order, and any amounts not paid when due will be subject to a service charge of one and one-half percent (1.5%) of the amount due per month or the highest rate permitted by applicable law, whichever is greater.

(d) If any Product is not paid for in accordance herewith, then Seller may, without prejudice to any other lawful remedy available to it, defer any further shipments until settlement is made or terminate these Terms of Sale.

3. Shipping and Delivery.

3.1 Shipments

(a) Buyer will pay all shipping and handling charges specified during the ordering process. Shipping and handling charges are reimbursement for the costs Seller incurs during the processing, handling, packing, shipping, and delivery of the Product.

(b) Seller will deliver the Products EXW (Incoterms 2020) Buyer’s facility. Title and risk of loss pass to Buyer when the Products are loaded aboard the vehicle of Buyer’s designated carrier at Seller’s facility. Products may only be shipped to a single Buyer facility, and such location must be provided to Seller in writing.

4. Returns and Credit Policy.

4.1 Returns

(a) Except for any Products designated as final sale or non-returnable, Seller will accept a return of the Products for a credit of the purchase price, less the original shipping and handling, and insurance costs, provided such return is made within ninety (90) days of receipt of the invoice, a completed Return for Credit form is included with the return, and provided the Products are returned in their original condition and packaging. Products returned will be subject to an $8.00 Product return processing and handling fee. In order to receive credit for a return, the return must include a completed Return for Credit form. To obtain a Return for Credit form, Buyer may contact Seller’s customer service at 1.800.526.3921 or log onto Buyer’s portal to download a copy.

4.2 Credit Policy

(a) Once Seller receives a properly made return, Seller will issue Buyer a Credit Memo, which Buyer may then apply, subject to the following terms:

• (i) If at the time of return Buyer has already paid for the Product and has a current outstanding balance due to Seller, Buyer will have ninety (90) calendar days from the issue date of the Credit Memo to apply the credit. If Buyer does not apply the credit in such time, Seller will apply the credit to Buyer’s oldest outstanding balance due to Seller.
• (ii) If at the time of return Buyer has already paid for the Product and has no outstanding balance due to Seller, Buyer will have one hundred and eighty-one (181) calendar days from the issue date of the Credit Memo to apply the credit. If Buyer does not apply the credit in such time, Seller will refund Buyer the amount.
• (b) Seller cannot guarantee a credit for Products returned via U.S. Mail without tracking or delivery confirmation. A shipping method which guarantees proof of delivery is recommended, such as UPS, Federal Express, or U.S Express Mail services. SmartChargers contain a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery and require special shipping considerations and shipping labels. To obtain return shipping guidelines for these chargers contact Seller’s customer service at 1.800.526.3921.

4.3 For defective returns, please refer to the manufacturer's warranty included with the Product.

5. Limited Warranty.

(a) All Products are covered by the manufacturer's warranty as detailed in the documentation included with the Product. To obtain warranty service for defective Products, please follow the instructions included in the manufacturer's warranty.

(b) ALL PRODUCTS ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY WHATSOEVER, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY (A) WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY; (B) WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE; OR (C) WARRANTY AGAINST INFRINGEMENT OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS OF A THIRD PARTY, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED BY LAW, COURSE OF DEALING, COURSE OF PERFORMANCE, USAGE OF TRADE, OR OTHERWISE, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

(c) SELLER SHALL NOT BE LIABLE, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, FOR ANY BREACH OF WARRANTY CLAIMS OR FOR ANY DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE MANUFACTURER'S FAILURE TO HONOR ITS WARRANTY OBLIGATIONS.

6. Limitation of Liability.

6.1 NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING IN THESE TERMS OF SALE TO THE CONTRARY, THE MAXIMUM CUMULATIVE LIABILITY, IF ANY, OF SELLER FOR ALL DIRECT DAMAGES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, CONTRACT DAMAGES AND DAMAGES FOR INJURIES TO PERSONS OR PROPERTY, WHETHER ARISING FROM SELLER’S BREACH OF THESE TERMS OF SALE, INDEMNITY OBLIGATIONS, NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHER TORT, OR OTHERWISE WITH RESPECT TO THESE TERMS OF SALE WILL NOT EXCEED, IN THE AGGREGATE, THE TOTAL FEES PAID TO SELLER BY BUYER UNDER THE PURCHASE ORDER WITH RESPECT TO THE PRODUCT TO WHICH THE CLAIM RELATES. IN NO EVENT SHALL SELLER OR ITS REPRESENTATIVES, AGENTS, OR AFFILIATES BE LIABLE TO BUYER FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, EXEMPLARY, ENHANCED, OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, LOST REVENUES, LOST PROFITS, OR DIMINUTION IN VALUE, REGARDLESS OF (I) THE FORESEEABILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, (II) WHETHER SELLER HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, AND (III) THE LEGAL OR EQUITABLE THEORY (CONTRACT, TORT, OR OTHERWISE) UPON WHICH THE CLAIM IS BASED, AND NOTWITHSTANDING THE FAILURE OF ANY AGREED OR OTHER REMEDY OF ITS ESSENTIAL PURPOSE.

7. Indemnification.

7.1 Buyer shall defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Seller and its officers, directors, employees, agents, affiliates, successors, and permitted assigns against any and all losses, damages, liabilities, claims, judgments, or settlements, including reasonable attorney’s fees and the costs of enforcing any right to indemnification under these Terms of Sale, incurred by Seller, arising out of a claim, suit, action, or other proceeding brought by a third party to the extent related to: (i) Buyer’s negligence, fraud, willful misconduct, or material breach of these Terms of Sale; (ii) Buyer’s improper servicing, repair or transport of Product; (iii) any violation of applicable laws; and (iv) Buyer’s misuse or unintended use of Product.

8. Intellectual Property.

8.1 “Intellectual Property Rights" means all industrial and other intellectual property rights comprising or relating to (i) patents; (ii) trademarks; (iii) copyrights; (iv) works of authorship, expressions, designs, design registrations, internet domain names, software, firmware, application programming interfaces, schematics, data, data files, databases, and other documentation, whether or not copyrightable or otherwise registrable, and whether or not registered; (v) trade secrets; and (vi) all industrial and other intellectual property rights, and all rights, interests, and protections that are associated with, equivalent or similar to, or required for the exercise of any of these rights under the laws of any jurisdiction.

8.2 Buyer acknowledges and agrees that: (a) any and all of Seller’s Intellectual Property Rights are the sole and exclusive property of Seller or its licensors; (b) Buyer shall not acquire any ownership interest in any of Seller Intellectual Property Rights under these Terms of Sale; (c) any goodwill derived from Buyer’s use of Seller’s Intellectual Property Rights inures to the benefit of Seller or its licensors, as the case may be; (d) if Buyer acquires any Intellectual Property Rights in or relating to any Products by operation of law, such rights are hereby irrevocably assigned to Seller or its licensors without further action by either of the parties; and (e) Buyer shall use Seller's Intellectual Property Rights only in accordance with these Terms of Sale and the instructions of Seller.

8.3 Buyer shall not: (a) take any action that interferes or infringes in any way with any of Seller's rights in or to Seller's Intellectual Property Rights; (b) challenge Seller’s right, title, or interest in or to Seller's Intellectual Property Rights; (c) make any claim or take any action adverse to Seller's ownership of Seller's Intellectual Property Rights; (d) engage in any action that tends to disparage, dilute the value of, or reflect negatively on the Products or any of Seller's Intellectual Property Rights; or (e) alter, obscure, or remove any of Seller's trademarks, copyright notices, or any other proprietary rights notices placed on the Products or other materials supplied by Seller.

9. Confidentiality.

9.1 “Confidential Information" means all non-public, confidential, or proprietary information disclosed by Seller, which is related, directly or indirectly, to these Terms of Sale and the Product pricing provided by Seller to Buyer hereunder (the “Purpose”), that is either (i) marked or otherwise identified as confidential when disclosed or, if given orally, is confirmed in writing as being Confidential Information within thirty (30) days; or (ii) that a reasonable person would understand to be confidential or proprietary due to the context of its disclosure and/or its scope, content, or nature.

9.2 Buyer shall not have any obligation with respect to the Confidential Information, or any part thereof, which: (i) was already in the Buyer’s possession prior to receipt from Seller, as evidenced by the Buyer’s written records, without any obligation to keep it confidential; (ii) is disclosed to the Buyer by a third party having a legal right to make such disclosure; (iii) is or becomes part of the public domain other than through breach of these Terms of Sale; (iv) is developed independently of the Confidential Information received from Seller; or (v) is disclosed pursuant to a subpoena, order, government request, law, regulation, or other legal proceedings, provided, however, that prior to any such disclosure Buyer shall first provide Seller with (a) prompt written notice of such requirement so that Seller may seek a protective order or other remedy; and (b) reasonable assistance in opposing such disclosure or seeking a protective order or other limitations on disclosure, at the Seller’s expense.

9.3 Buyer agrees to protect the Confidential Information disclosed by Seller with the same degree of care used to protect its own Confidential Information from unauthorized use or disclosure, but in no event less than commercially reasonable care.

9.4 Seller hereby retains its entire right, title, and interest, including all intellectual property rights, in and to all of its Confidential Information. Any disclosure of Confidential Information hereunder shall not be construed as granting an assignment, grant, option, license, or transfer of any other such title, interest, or right under any patent, copyright, or other Intellectual Property Rights of Seller, nor shall these Terms of Sale grant Buyer any rights in or to Seller’s Confidential Information other than the limited right review such Confidential Information solely to accomplish the Purpose.

10. Restrictions on Use.

10.1 Buyer must comply with all Product use restrictions that may be set forth in Seller’s catalogue, website, on the Product, in any documentation or label accompanying the Product, or any other use restrictions otherwise provided in writing to Buyer by Seller (each, a “Use Restriction”). For clarity, the Use Restrictions include Buyer’s compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations including, without limitation, those applicable to the sale, resale, and distribution of hearing devices via the Internet.

10.2 Any warranty granted by Seller with respect to the Products may be deemed void, at the sole discretion of Seller, if any Product covered by such warranty is used for any purpose not permitted hereunder or otherwise in violation of any Use Restriction.

10.3 Buyer shall not re-sell, assign, transfer or distribute the Products to any other reseller without express written permission to do so from Seller and Buyer shall not export the Products outside the country to which Seller delivers the Products.

11. Certain Prohibited Acts.

11.1 Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these Terms of Sale, Buyer shall not:

(a) make any representations, warranties, guarantees, indemnities, similar claims, or other commitments on behalf of Seller to any consumer or other person with respect to the Products, which are inconsistent with these Terms of Sale, or any other written documentation provided by Seller to Buyer; or

(b) engage in any unfair, misleading, or deceptive practices with respect to Seller and Seller’s trademarks or Products.

12. Miscellaneous.

12.1 Entire Agreement. These Terms of Sale, including and together with any related exhibits, schedules, attachments, and any other documents incorporated herein by reference, constitutes the sole and entire agreement between Seller and Buyer with respect to the subject matter contained herein, and supersedes all other understandings, agreements, representations, and warranties, both written and oral. In the event of any inconsistency between the statements in the body of these Terms of Sale and any other document, these Terms of Sale shall control. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if Buyer has entered into a supply or other agreement with Seller, in the event of any inconsistency between the statements in these Terms of Sale and the supply agreement, the terms of the supply or other agreement shall take precedence, govern and control.

12.2 Severability. If any term or provision of these Terms of Sale is found by a court to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, such a determination shall not affect any other term or provision of these Terms of Sale or invalidate or render unenforceable such term or provision in any other jurisdiction.

12.3 Amendments and Modification. These Terms of Sale may only be amended, modified, or supplemented by an agreement in writing signed by each of the parties.

12.4 Waiver. No waiver by any party of any of the provisions of these Terms of Sale shall be effective unless explicitly set forth in writing and signed by the party so waiving. No failure to exercise or delay in exercising any right or remedy arising from these Terms of Sale shall be construed as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right or remedy hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or remedy.

12.5 Assignment. Buyer may not assign any of its rights or delegate any of its obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of Seller. Any purported assignment or delegation in violation of this Section shall be null and void. No assignment or delegation shall relieve Buyer of any of its obligations hereunder.

12.6 Successors and Assigns. Buyer may not assign any of its rights or delegate any of its obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of Seller. Any purported assignment or delegation in violation of this Section shall be null and void. No assignment or delegation shall relieve Buyer of any of its obligations hereunder.

12.7 No Third-Party Beneficiaries. These Terms of Sale do not and are not intended to confer any rights or remedies upon any person or entity other than Buyer.

12.8 Choice of Law. These Terms of Sale and all related documents, including all exhibits attached hereto, and all matters arising out of or relating to these Terms of Sale shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New Jersey without giving effect to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of New Jersey or any other jurisdiction).

12.9 Choice of Forum. Any legal suit, action, or proceeding arising out of or relating to these Terms of Sale shall be instituted exclusively in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey or, if such court does not have subject-matter jurisdiction, the courts of the State of New Jersey, and each party irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in any such suit, action, or proceeding. The parties irrevocably and unconditionally waive any objection or claim based on the venue or inconvenient forum of any suit, action, or proceeding in such courts.

12.10 Force Majeure. Seller shall not be held responsible for delays or non-performance caused by activities or factors beyond its reasonable control, including without limitation, war, government action, labor stoppages or slowdowns, fires, acts of God, natural disasters, terrorism, riots, epidemics, pandemics, or any other activities or factors beyond its control, whether similar or dissimilar to any of the foregoing (“Force Majeure Event”). In the event of a Force Majeure Event, Seller shall provide written notice thereof to Buyer, along with Seller’s best estimate of the length of time such Force Majeure Event will delay or prevent performance hereunder.