Hifiverse

Certified Pre-Owned Program Terms

Hifiverse.io — Last updated: 29 April 2026 · Effective: first CPO partnership (planned Year 2 Q3–Q4) · Version 1.0 (DRAFT — PRE-LAUNCH)

Quick summary

  • The Hifiverse Certified Pre-Owned Program ("Hifiverse CPO") is a partnership between Hifiverse, premium audio manufacturers and authorised dealers. It offers buyers manufacturer-backed certification, an extended warranty and full provenance documentation on pre-owned audio equipment.
  • Three parties: the Manufacturer (sets the certification standard, issues the warranty, licenses its trademark); the Authorised Dealer (holds inventory, completes the inspection); and Hifiverse (operates the platform, enforces program rules, routes listings).
  • Each CPO listing carries the manufacturer's CPO badge and a manufacturer-issued warranty (typically 12–24 months).
  • Listings are exclusive to Hifiverse for 60–90 days before they may appear on competing platforms.
  • The Year 2 launch targets 1–2 brand partnerships; Year 3 targets 4–6 active brands.
  • Hifiverse's revenue is from manufacturer and dealer seller subscriptions, per-listing certification placement fees and editorial sponsorship — not from transaction commission, consistent with the platform-wide no-commission promise.

This document is a pre-launch draft. The final version will be published when the first manufacturer partnership goes live. The text below sets the framework; manufacturer-specific schedules will be added as annexes.

1. About these Terms

These Certified Pre-Owned Program Terms ("CPO Terms") are a multi-party document covering:

  • the Manufacturer Agreement between Hifiverse and each participating manufacturer;
  • the Dealer Participation Agreement between Hifiverse, the manufacturer and each participating authorised dealer;
  • the User-side enrolment route by which Pro subscribers can enrol eligible equipment they own in the program;
  • the Buyer-facing terms explaining what a CPO buyer is and is not buying.

The CPO Terms are part of the Terms of Service and are read together with the Dealer Agreement, the Marketplace Listing Terms, the Authentication Services Terms and the Privacy Policy.

2. Eligibility

2.1 Manufacturers

The CPO program is open to manufacturers of premium audio equipment that: operate an authorised dealer network; operate or partner with manufacturer-authorised service centres capable of performing the certification inspection; hold the trademark rights necessary to license the CPO badge; are not insolvent; are not on any sanctions list.

2.2 Dealers

Dealers may participate if they hold an active Partnership, Alliance or Enterprise subscription; are an authorised dealer of the participating manufacturer with current written authorisation; and have access to a manufacturer-authorised service centre.

2.3 Items

To be eligible, an item must: be a model designated by the manufacturer as eligible; have a verifiable serial number not on any manufacturer warning list; pass the manufacturer-defined CPO inspection at an authorised service centre; be within any age, hours-of-use or condition limits the manufacturer specifies; be sold by an authorised dealer (or, where the user-side route is open, by a Pro subscriber whose item passes manufacturer-led evaluation).

A failed inspection may be remediated and re-presented; a second failure removes the item from CPO eligibility for that inspection cycle. The dealer may still list the item as a non-CPO listing.

3. The certification process

The minimum elements that every manufacturer-specific annex must specify:

  1. Inspection checklist (typically 50–200 inspection points covering visual condition, functional performance, electrical safety, optional measurement of key parameters, originality of components and casework, completeness of accessories, software/firmware status).
  2. Reference standards against which the item is graded.
  3. Pass / fail / remediate criteria.
  4. Service-centre identification showing where the inspection was performed and by whom.
  5. Documentation outputs: a manufacturer-stamped certificate, photographs, the inspection report, and a unique CPO certificate ID.

The Hifiverse Authentication Service (see Authentication Services Terms) is separate from the CPO inspection. A CPO listing does not require a separate Hifiverse Authentication.

4. The CPO listing on Hifiverse

A CPO listing is presented with:

  • the manufacturer's CPO badge at the top of the listing;
  • a CPO certificate ID linking to a verification page;
  • the warranty term in months and the warranty scope in plain language;
  • the inspection summary (date, service centre, named inspector if the manufacturer permits);
  • the exclusivity window countdown, where applicable.

A non-CPO listing of the same item is not permitted on Hifiverse during the exclusivity window. A non-CPO listing on another platform during the exclusivity window is a breach by the dealer.

5. The Manufacturer Agreement

Key elements:

5.1 Trademark licence. A limited, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to use the manufacturer's marks solely in connection with the CPO program. The licence terminates when the Manufacturer Agreement terminates.

5.2 Inspection protocol. As set out in section 3.

5.3 Warranty terms. The manufacturer issues the warranty directly to the buyer. Typical: 12–24 months from CPO sale date, covering manufacturing defects and components that fail in normal use, not covering wear items, accidental damage, modifications or unauthorised repair.

5.4 Exclusivity window. Typically 60–90 days from publication. After the window, the dealer may list the item on competing platforms.

5.5 Manufacturer fees to Hifiverse. The manufacturer participates through a manufacturer seller subscription (not a separate fixed annual programme fee). CPO-related revenue comes from that subscription, per-certification placement fees and sponsored editorial fees — not from transaction commissions.

5.6 Manufacturer obligations. Maintain the inspection-protocol document, train and audit authorised service centres, honour the warranty, respond to CPO buyer complaints within reasonable timelines.

5.7 Hifiverse obligations. Operate the platform, enforce dealer-participation rules, route certified listings, host the verification endpoint, run editorial content about the CPO program, audit dealer compliance, suspend or remove non-compliant CPO listings.

5.8 Termination. Either party may terminate on 90 days' notice without cause; immediately for material breach (with cure period for curable breaches). On termination: dealers stop accepting new CPO inventory; existing CPO listings remain online with the warranty intact (because the warranty is the manufacturer's, not Hifiverse's).

6. The Dealer Participation Agreement

A dealer's specific CPO obligations:

6.1 Maintain authorisation throughout participation. If authorisation is withdrawn, notify Hifiverse and the manufacturer within 5 working days.

6.2 Each CPO listing reflects an item the dealer holds in stock. Pre-CPO inventory pictures must show the actual item.

6.3 Submit each item to a manufacturer-authorised service centre. Maintain records of each inspection.

6.4 Cooperate with the manufacturer's warranty claims-handling process.

6.5 Provide each CPO buyer with the manufacturer's CPO certificate, the warranty document, the inspection summary and any servicing or restoration history the manufacturer requires to be disclosed.

6.6 During the exclusivity window do not list the same item on a competing marketplace.

6.7 Use the CPO badge and the manufacturer's marks in line with the manufacturer's brand-standards manual.

6.8 Each CPO listing carries a per-listing certification placement fee (typically €100–€300 per listing depending on item value and service intensity). This is in addition to the dealer's subscription and is not a transaction commission.

7. User-side enrolment (Pro subscribers)

Pro subscribers may, where the manufacturer-specific annex permits, enrol eligible equipment they own. The route:

  1. User requests CPO enrolment from the user account.
  2. The manufacturer reviews initial documentation.
  3. If accepted, the item is shipped to a manufacturer-authorised service centre at the user's expense.
  4. The CPO inspection runs as per section 3.
  5. If passed, the item is listed on Hifiverse with the CPO badge.
  6. The user pays the per-listing certification placement fee.
  7. The user transacts directly with the buyer; Hifiverse takes no commission.

The user-side route does not apply to manufacturers whose annex excludes it.

8. The buyer side — what a CPO buyer is and is not buying

A CPO buyer on Hifiverse buys:

  • the physical item from the dealer or user (Hifiverse is not a party to the sale);
  • the manufacturer's CPO certification confirming the item passed the manufacturer's inspection;
  • the manufacturer-issued warranty for the period stated;
  • the buyer's statutory consumer rights against the dealer (or user-seller) under the law of the buyer's country.

A CPO buyer does not buy:

  • a Hifiverse warranty (Hifiverse is not the warrantor);
  • a guarantee against future failure, accidental damage or modification by the buyer;
  • transferability of the warranty unless the manufacturer-specific annex permits transfer;
  • insurance against theft, fire or transit damage.

Where the buyer believes the CPO certificate or the warranty is not honoured, the buyer's first contact is the selling dealer, then the manufacturer, then Hifiverse.

9. Liability framework

  • Hifiverse is liable only for its operation of the platform and any breach of these CPO Terms. Section 12 of the Terms of Service caps Hifiverse's liability.
  • The manufacturer is liable for the warranty it issues, for the integrity of the inspection protocol, and for trademark licensing.
  • The dealer (or user-seller) is liable for the contract of sale, for accurate representation of the item and for compliance with consumer-protection law.

No liability that cannot lawfully be excluded — including liability for fraud, gross negligence, wilful misconduct, death or personal injury — is excluded by these CPO Terms.

10. Data protection in CPO

The manufacturer is a separate controller of CPO certificate data, warranty data and any data the manufacturer collects directly. Joint controller arrangements where data is shared between Hifiverse, the dealer and the manufacturer are documented in the manufacturer-specific annex.

11. Pre-launch status

This document is published as a pre-launch draft. The CPO program does not begin commercial operation until at least one Manufacturer Agreement is signed. Until launch, no party is bound by these CPO Terms.

Contact

  • Email: info@hifiverse.io (subject: "CPO — Manufacturer", "CPO — Dealer", "CPO — Buyer")
  • Postal: Timelapse Games EOOD, Bulgaria