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Terms of Use

The fine print.

Last updated: 13 July 2026 Contact: info@smallpie.co.nz Provider: SmallPie, Auckland, New Zealand

These terms explain how you can use our site and work with SmallPie. Please read them before you browse, send an inquiry, or sign a proposal. By using our site or services you accept these terms. They are written in plain language on purpose; if anything is unclear, ask us.

Overview

Who we are

SmallPie is a boutique web studio based in New Zealand. We design, build, and support fast websites and related digital assets for real businesses, using a mix of in-house work and contractors who act under our instructions.

How these terms work

These terms apply to your use of our site and to studio work, unless your signed proposal or agreement says something different. If there is a conflict, the signed document wins for that project.

Using our site

  • Use the site only if you can legally enter into contracts in your region.
  • Do not break the law, and do not try to hack, scrape, overload, or reverse-engineer our site or infrastructure.
  • Do not impersonate anyone or submit content that is unlawful or infringes someone else's rights.

Inquiries and indicative estimates

Our inquiry form can produce an indicative price estimate from the details you enter. Please treat these figures as a starting guide only:

  • An estimate is generated automatically from the information you provide. It is not a quote, offer, or fixed price, and no contract is formed by using the calculator.
  • Your final price is confirmed only in a written proposal, once we understand the real scope.
  • The figures are in New Zealand dollars and are indicative; the actual investment can be higher or lower depending on scope, content, and integrations.

Projects

Proposals and scope

  • We usually send a written scope that sets out deliverables, timelines, and investment.
  • Accepting a proposal by email, signature, or payment creates a binding agreement.
  • Work outside the agreed scope may be treated as additional work with a fresh estimate.

Your responsibilities

  • Provide timely feedback, approvals, and access so we can keep momentum.
  • Make sure any content or instructions you give us are accurate and lawful.
  • Nominate a single project contact for decisions and sign-offs where possible.

Fees, GST, and payment

Pricing and GST

  • Prices are quoted in New Zealand dollars. Unless we clearly state otherwise, quoted prices exclude GST, and GST is added for New Zealand clients where it applies.
  • Retainers and care plans renew on the cycle described in your plan.
  • We can review pricing for future work with reasonable notice.

How payment works

  • Most projects start with a deposit, with the balance billed at agreed milestones or on completion, as set out in your proposal.
  • Online payments are processed securely by Stripe. Your card details are entered directly with Stripe and are never stored by SmallPie.
  • Invoices are due on the date stated on the invoice. We may pause work or limit access if invoices remain unpaid after reminders, and you are responsible for any bank fees on your side of a transfer.

The client portal

  • If we provide a client portal, access is granted to you for your project and remains our property.
  • Keep your login details secure and do not share your account. You are responsible for activity under your account.
  • Do not attempt to access another client's data, probe, or scrape the portal.
  • We may suspend or end portal access on project completion, for non-payment, or if we reasonably suspect misuse.

Intellectual property

What we own

  • We own our studio name, logos, website design, internal tools, and base components.
  • We may reuse non client-specific patterns, code, and processes in other projects.
  • Nothing in these terms transfers our general know-how or underlying frameworks.

What you receive

  • Once paid in full, you get a licence or ownership as set out in your proposal.
  • Typically you receive the right to use the delivered site and assets for your business.
  • You must not resell our work as a template or toolkit unless we agree in writing.

Showcasing our work

We may display non-confidential parts of your project on our Work page, on social media, or in pitches as examples of our work. If you need a quiet period for launch or special confidentiality, tell us in writing and we will respect reasonable limits.

Your content and confidentiality

  • You keep ownership of the logos, copy, images, and assets you provide, and you give us a licence to use them so we can deliver and support the project.
  • You confirm your content does not infringe anyone else's rights.
  • Both sides may share confidential information during a project. Each side will protect the other's and use it only for the project. This does not apply to information that is already public or lawfully received elsewhere.

Our Privacy Policy explains how we handle personal information. These terms govern the contract; the Privacy Policy governs privacy.

Third-party services

  • We often integrate platforms such as hosting, payment tools, analytics, and CMS or e-commerce systems. Each is governed by its own terms, which you may need to accept directly.
  • We are not responsible for changes those providers make to features, pricing, or availability, or for the content of any site we link to.

Disclaimers and liability

Consumer law

Nothing in these terms limits rights you have under the New Zealand Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 or Fair Trading Act 1986 that cannot be excluded. Where you acquire our services for the purposes of a business, you agree that the Consumer Guarantees Act does not apply, to the extent that is fair and reasonable under section 43 of that Act.

General disclaimers

  • Our site is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis.
  • We do not promise the site or any project work will be error-free or always available.
  • Results such as conversion lift or ranking improvements depend on many factors outside our control.

Limit of liability

To the maximum extent allowed by law, our total liability for all claims relating to a project or your use of our site is limited to the amount you paid us for the service that gave rise to the claim during the twelve months before the event. We are not liable for lost profits, lost revenue, loss of data, or indirect or consequential loss.

Indemnity

You agree to indemnify SmallPie and our team from claims, costs, and losses arising from your misuse of the site, your breach of these terms, or content you supply that infringes someone else's rights, except to the extent we caused the issue.

Suspension and ending a project

  • We may suspend access to the site or a project environment if we reasonably believe there is a security risk, misuse, or non-payment, and we will act reasonably to resolve it with you.
  • Either side can end a project for convenience if your agreement allows it. If a project ends early, you pay for work done and approved up to that point.
  • Clauses on fees, IP, confidentiality, liability, and disputes continue after termination.

Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of New Zealand. If we have a dispute, we will first try to resolve it in good faith by talking. If that fails, the courts of New Zealand have exclusive jurisdiction, although we may still seek urgent injunctive relief in any court that will hear it.

Changes and questions

We may update these terms to reflect changes in our studio, the law, or our services. When we make material changes, we will update the date at the top and may add a notice here. If you keep using the site or services after an update, you accept the new terms. Questions? Email info@smallpie.co.nz. We prefer plain language and will keep it simple.