RVA GUIDES – TERMS & CONDITIONS (ADVERTISING)

Effective Date: January 1, 2026

These Terms & Conditions (“Terms”) govern all advertising placements, Business Showcases, premium placements, digital placements, and related services (“Advertising”) purchased from RVA Guides, a publication of Accelerated Metrics LLC (“Publisher”). The advertiser (“Client”) agrees to these Terms by submitting payment, approving artwork, authorizing placement, or otherwise participating in Advertising.

1) Plain-Language Summary

  • RVA Guides publishes three (3) editions per year.

  • Each edition targets approximately 10,000 printed copies (estimate, not guarantee).

  • Advertising is sold per edition.

  • Clients may reserve 2 or 3 editions and receive a discount (paid in full up front).

  • All advertising is prepaid and non-refundable once production begins.

  • A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to reserve space and begin work.

  • Publisher does not guarantee leads, sales, traffic, or ROI.

2) Advertising Options Covered by These Terms

These Terms apply to all paid placements and services, including:

  • Full-page ads

  • Half-page ads

  • Business Showcases (2-page feature spreads)

  • Premium placements (inside front cover, inside back cover, back cover)

  • Digital placements associated with an edition

  • Any other promotional placement offered by Publisher

3) Reservation of Space & Availability

Advertising space is limited and sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

Publisher reserves the right to:

  • limit the number of advertisers per edition

  • limit the number of Business Showcases per edition

  • close advertising sales at any time due to capacity, production needs, or print deadlines

Space is not considered reserved until required payments are received.

4) Required Deposit (Non-Refundable)

A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to reserve advertising space and begin design, layout, and production work.

If Client proceeds with placement, the deposit will be applied toward the total invoice.

If Client cancels or fails to meet deadlines, the deposit remains non-refundable.

Publisher is under no obligation to begin design work, reserve space, or hold placement until the deposit is received.

5) Payment Terms (Prepaid / Required Before Print)

All Advertising is prepaid.

All balances must be paid in full by the deadline communicated by Publisher for the scheduled edition.

If payment is not received by the deadline, Publisher may:

  • withhold the placement

  • remove the placement from production

  • release the reserved space to another advertiser

Publisher is not required to hold space beyond the payment deadline.

Payment constitutes acceptance of these Terms and authorization to publish.

6) Multi-Edition Discounts (2 or 3 Editions)

Publisher may offer discounted pricing when a Client reserves multiple editions.

To receive a multi-edition discount:

  • Client must reserve the editions in writing, and

  • Client must pay in full up front for all reserved editions.

If Client does not pay in full, the reservation will be treated as single-edition pricing with no discount.

Discounts:

  • do not stack with other promotions unless explicitly stated in writing

  • apply only to the placements described in the offer

  • do not guarantee premium placement availability

7) Cancellation Policy

All cancellations must be submitted in writing.

Cancellation Before Production

Client may cancel an advertising reservation more than 21 calendar days prior to the print deadline for the scheduled edition.

If cancellation is approved by Publisher, Client may receive a refund or credit at Publisher’s discretion, less:

  • the $500 non-refundable deposit, and

  • any completed design or production work.

Cancellation Within 21 Days of Print Deadline

Cancellations requested within 21 calendar days of the print deadline are not refundable.

After Production Begins

Once production begins for an edition, Advertising for that edition is considered committed and non-refundable.

8) Edition Changes (“Rollovers”)

Publisher may allow a Client to move a paid placement from one edition to a future edition as a courtesy (“Rollover”), subject to all of the following:

  • Rollover requests must be made before the print deadline for the originally scheduled edition.

  • Rollover is subject to space availability.

  • Premium placements are not guaranteed to carry over.

  • Each placement may be rolled over one (1) time only.

  • Rolled placements must be used within 12 months of the original scheduled edition.

  • Rollovers do not create a refund or cancellation right.

If Client misses deadlines and does not request a rollover in advance, Publisher may omit the placement without refund.

9) Production Deadlines & Client Responsibilities

Client is responsible for providing:

  • accurate business information

  • accurate contact information

  • required artwork and/or content

  • approvals by stated deadlines

Publisher will communicate deadlines for each edition.

Failure to meet deadlines does not constitute grounds for refund.

10) Proofs, Approval & Non-Response

Publisher may provide proofs by email.

Client is responsible for reviewing proofs carefully.

If Client does not respond with approval or revisions by the stated deadline, Publisher may, at its discretion:

  • run the most recently provided or approved version, or

  • omit the placement for that edition.

Omission due to missed approvals does not constitute a refund.

11) Print Quality, File Requirements & Content Responsibility

Client is solely responsible for the quality and accuracy of all submitted materials.

Publisher is not responsible for print quality issues caused by:

  • low-resolution images

  • screenshots

  • poor-quality logos

  • incorrect file formats

  • color differences between screens and print

  • files supplied by Client or Client’s vendors

Client is responsible for verifying spelling, phone numbers, URLs, and all claims.

12) Publisher Control of Layout & Placement

Publisher controls the final layout, pagination, and placement of all Advertising.

Unless a premium placement is purchased and confirmed in writing, Publisher does not guarantee:

  • a specific page number

  • a specific section

  • adjacency to or separation from competitors

  • placement near maps, articles, or specific content

Publisher will make reasonable efforts to honor requests but retains final authority for production and layout purposes.

13) Business Showcases

Business Showcases are:

  • two-page editorial-style feature spreads

  • limited per edition

  • subject to Publisher’s formatting, style, and layout standards

Client is responsible for providing timely content and approvals.

Publisher reserves the right to edit content for clarity, length, and publication consistency.

14) Premium Placements

Premium placements are limited and reserved on a first-come basis.

Premium placement pricing is an add-on to standard placement pricing and must be paid in full before print.

Premium placements are not guaranteed unless purchased and confirmed in writing.

15) Right to Reject Advertising

Publisher reserves the right to reject, revise, or remove Advertising that is, in Publisher’s sole discretion:

  • misleading or deceptive

  • unlawful

  • offensive

  • inconsistent with publication standards

  • harmful to the RVA Guides brand or audience

Client remains responsible for any work already completed and for any non-refundable deposit.

16) Distribution, Circulation & Frequency (Estimates Only)

Publisher targets approximately 10,000 printed copies per edition.

Distribution occurs across a multi-month cycle and may include placement in and around Richmond, including visitor-facing and high-traffic locations.

Circulation, distribution methods, timing, locations, and quantities are estimates and may vary by edition.

Publisher does not guarantee:

  • placement at any specific location

  • delivery to any specific address

  • pickup volume at any specific venue

  • specific distribution timing

17) Digital Exposure (Supplemental Benefit)

Publisher may provide digital exposure related to an edition.

Digital inclusion is a supplemental benefit and may include:

  • online flipbook or PDF access

  • website listing related to the edition

  • directory references

Publisher makes no guarantees regarding impressions, views, clicks, or engagement.

Digital exposure may change over time as the website, tools, and distribution methods evolve.

18) No Guarantee of Results

Publisher does not guarantee leads, sales, revenue, foot traffic, website traffic, or return on investment.

Client acknowledges that Advertising effectiveness depends on factors outside Publisher’s control.

Dissatisfaction with performance does not constitute grounds for refund, cancellation, or credit.

19) Non-Transferability

Advertising placements are non-transferable and may not be resold, reassigned, or shared without written approval from Publisher.

20) Right to Use Advertising Materials

Publisher may display Client’s Advertising and/or Business Showcase for promotional, portfolio, sales, or marketing purposes, including on Publisher’s website and social media, unless Client requests otherwise in writing prior to publication.

21) No Verbal Agreements

Only written agreements are valid.

Any changes to placements, pricing, deadlines, premium placement, or special terms must be confirmed in writing by Publisher.

22) Limitation of Liability

Publisher’s total liability, if any, shall not exceed the amount paid by Client for the specific placement giving rise to the claim.

Publisher shall not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages.

23) Indemnification

Client agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Publisher, its owners, employees, contractors, and partners from any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, and expenses arising from:

  • advertising content

  • intellectual property disputes

  • consumer response

  • regulatory or legal issues

  • business operations or performance

24) Publisher Inability to Perform / Force Majeure

If Publisher is unable to publish an edition due to circumstances beyond reasonable control (including printing delays, supply shortages, labor disruptions, natural disasters, or governmental actions), Publisher may:

  • reschedule the placement to a future edition of equal value, or

  • issue a credit toward a future placement.

Publisher’s liability is limited to the prorated value of the affected placement.

If Publisher permanently ceases publication, Publisher’s obligation shall be limited to a prorated refund for any prepaid but undelivered editions.

25) Disputed Payments & Chargebacks

If Client disputes a charge, initiates a chargeback, or otherwise withholds payment through a credit card issuer or financial institution:

Before Print

Publisher may immediately remove all placements associated with the disputed payment from production.

Publisher is under no obligation to hold space during the dispute process.

After Print

If a dispute is initiated after an edition has gone to print or distribution has begun, Publisher will consider the edition delivered and fulfilled.

Publisher may suspend any remaining placements until the dispute is resolved in Publisher’s favor and payment is received in full.

Client is responsible for any fees, penalties, or administrative costs incurred by Publisher as a result of disputed payments or chargebacks.

Chargebacks do not constitute cancellation of obligations.

26) Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

27) Arbitration

Any dispute arising from these Terms shall be resolved through binding arbitration in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Each party shall bear its own costs unless otherwise determined by the arbitrator.

28) Severability & Entire Agreement

If any provision is deemed unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in effect.

These Terms constitute the entire agreement between Client and Publisher regarding Advertising.