Starting a small business feels like riding a bike for the first time. You’re excited but also a bit scared of falling. One thing that helps keep your business safe is using good disclaimers. These are special notes that tell customers what to expect and what not to expect from you. They help keep both you and your customers happy.
Think of disclaimers as safety nets for your business. Just like how you wear a helmet when riding a bike, disclaimers protect you from getting hurt if something goes wrong. They make clear what you can and can’t do, so nobody gets upset later. Let’s look at some disclaimers that can help your small business stay safe and strong.
Small Business Disclaimer Examples
Here are 15 disclaimer examples you can use for your small business. Each one works for a different need and helps keep your business safe.
1. General Business Disclaimer
“While we try our best to give you good info, we can’t promise that everything on our site is 100% right all the time. We’re not to blame if you make choices based on our info that don’t work out well. Please talk to experts before making big choices.”
This basic disclaimer works for almost any business. It tells people that your info might have mistakes sometimes. It also says they should check with experts before making big choices based on what they read on your site.
2. Medical Advice Disclaimer
“The health tips on this site are just for learning. They don’t replace real doctor advice. Always talk to your doctor before trying any health tips or changing your care plan. We don’t take blame for any health problems that happen after reading our site.”
For businesses that talk about health but aren’t doctors, this disclaimer is a must. It tells readers that your tips aren’t the same as seeing a real doctor. This helps keep you safe if someone gets sick after following your tips.
3. Financial Advice Disclaimer
“The money tips we share are just to help you learn. They aren’t meant as real financial advice for your own life. Our tips may not fit your needs. Please talk to a money expert before making any big money choices based on what you read here.”
If your business shares money tips, use this disclaimer. It makes clear that you’re not telling people what to do with their own money. This matters because money choices can have big effects on people’s lives.
4. Affiliate Link Disclaimer
“Some links on our site go to other stores. If you buy something after clicking these links, we might get paid a small fee. This doesn’t cost you extra or change which things we choose to show you.”
This disclaimer is for blogs or sites that make money from sharing links. It tells readers that you get paid when they buy things through your links. Being open about this helps build trust with your readers.
5. Product Results Disclaimer
“Results from using our products will be different for each person. The stories and photos we share are real, but they don’t mean everyone will get the same results. How well our product works for you depends on many things like how you use it, how often you use it, and your own body or life setup.”
This works great for any business selling things that might give different results to different people. It sets fair hopes for what your product can do and helps stop people from getting upset if they don’t get the exact same results as others.
6. Cookie Policy Disclaimer
“We use cookies to make our site work better for you. By using our site, you say it’s OK for us to place these tiny files on your computer. If you don’t want cookies, you can change your browser settings, but some parts of our site might not work right.”
Almost all websites need this disclaimer now. It tells people you use cookies (small files that help websites work better) and gives them a choice about it. This helps you follow rules about online privacy.
7. Email Newsletter Disclaimer
“By signing up for our emails, you say it’s OK for us to send you news and offers. We won’t sell your email to other companies. You can stop getting our emails anytime by clicking ‘unsubscribe’ at the bottom of any email we send.”
This disclaimer is for businesses that send email newsletters. It tells people what they’re signing up for and how they can stop getting emails if they want. This helps you follow email rules and builds trust.
8. Copyright Disclaimer
“All the words, pictures, videos, and other stuff on this site belong to us. You can look at and share our content, but you can’t sell it or say it’s yours. If you want to use our stuff for something else, please ask us first by emailing help@ourbusiness.com.”
Every business with a website should use this disclaimer. It tells people they can’t take your work and use it as their own. This helps protect all the hard work you put into making your site special.
9. User Comment Disclaimer
“We want you to share your thoughts in our comment section. But we will take down comments that are mean, have bad words, or try to sell things. We can remove any comment we think doesn’t fit with our site’s good feeling. By leaving a comment, you say it’s OK for us to show it on our site.”
If your site lets people leave comments, this disclaimer helps you control what shows up. It tells people the rules for commenting and says you can remove comments that don’t follow your rules.
10. Professional Service Disclaimer
“We try our best to give good service, but we can’t promise perfect results every time. We’re not to blame for any problems that happen because of using our service. Our total blame, if something goes wrong, won’t be more than what you paid us.”
Service businesses like cleaners, repair shops, or consultants need this disclaimer. It limits how much trouble you can get into if your service doesn’t work out perfectly. This helps protect your business from big money problems.
11. Online Course Disclaimer
“Our courses are made to teach you new skills, but we can’t promise you’ll make money or get a certain job after taking them. How well you do depends on many things like how much you practice, what you knew before, and other life stuff we can’t control. Each person’s results will be different.”
This works for businesses that sell classes or training. It tells students that taking your class doesn’t mean they’ll get rich or famous. This disclaimer helps set fair hopes for what your courses can do.
12. Testimonial Disclaimer
“The nice things our customers say about us are real. But these are just what some happy customers think. Their good results don’t mean everyone will have the same good results. How well our product or service works for you will depend on many different things.”
Use this if you share stories from happy customers. It makes clear that not everyone will get the same good results. This helps you avoid problems if new customers don’t have the same great experience.
13. Content Accuracy Disclaimer
“We check our facts and try to give true info, but stuff can change fast. We don’t promise all info is right or up to date all the time. We might change, add, or remove content without telling you first. Please check other sources too if you need super fresh or very exact info.”
This disclaimer helps blogs, news sites, or info sites. It says you try to be right but can’t promise perfect info all the time. This helps protect you if some info gets outdated or has small mistakes.
14. Child Safety Disclaimer
“Our products are made for adults to use. Some items may have small parts or other things that aren’t safe for kids under 12. Please keep these products away from small children and always check age warnings on our product pages.”
If you sell things that might not be safe for kids, this disclaimer is key. It tells grown-ups to be careful and watch their kids around your products. This can help keep kids safe and protect your business from problems.
15. Return Policy Disclaimer
“You can return most unused items within 30 days for a full refund. But some things like food, special orders, or sale items can’t be returned. Please check that items aren’t broken before you send them back. Return shipping costs are paid by you unless we sent the wrong item.”
Every store needs a clear return policy. This tells customers what they can and can’t return, and how the return process works. Being clear about returns helps stop fights with customers later on.
Wrapping Up
Good disclaimers act like safety guards for your small business. They set clear lines about what you do and don’t do. This helps stop mix-ups before they start. Having the right disclaimers shows you care about being open with your customers.
Using these examples as guides can help you make disclaimers that fit your own business. The best disclaimers talk straight without using fancy lawyer words. They help build trust with your customers by being clear about what they can expect.
So add these safety nets to your business today. They might seem like small add-ons, but they can save you from big headaches later. Your future self will thank you for taking this simple step to protect what you’ve worked so hard to build.