Black Box Network Services General Terms and Conditions
Definitions
1.1 In these Conditions the following words have the following meanings:
"Black Box"— Black Box Network Services (UK) Ltd of 464 Basingstoke Road Reading Berkshire RG2 OBG
United Kingdom registered in England number 2182174;
"Business Day"— any day except a Saturday, Sunday, or public holiday on which the clearing
banks are closed for business;
"Conditions"— the conditions of sale set out in this document and includes any special terms
and Conditions agreed in writing between the parties;
"Contract"— the Contract for the purchase and sale of the Equipment and Services (if any);
"Customer"— the person who accepts a quotation from Black Box for the sale of the Equipment
or whose order for the Equipment is accepted by Black Box.
"Equipment"— the goods (including any instalment of the goods or any part of them),
which Black Box is to supply in accordance with the Conditions;
"Services"— including technical assistance in relation to the Equipment, which Black Box
is to supply in accordance with the Conditions.
1.2 Any reference in the Conditions to any provision of a statute shall be construed as a reference
to that provision as amended, re-enacted, or extended at the relevant time.
1.3 The headings in the Conditions are for convenience only and shall not affect their interpretation.
1.4 No variation to the Conditions shall be binding unless agreed in writing between authorised
representatives of Black Box and the Customer.
1.5 Black Box is not obliged to accept any order from the Customer.
2 GENERAL
2.1 Every Contract for the supply of Equipment or Services by Black Box to the Customer is subject to these
Conditions. All other conditions and terms whether implied by statute, common law, or trade usage, or
expressed by the Customer are hereby excluded save for Conditions expressly accepted by Black Box in writing
and Conditions and other terms, which cannot be excluded by law. Where Equipment is sold under a consumer
transaction, the statutory rights of the consumer (as defined by the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts
Regulations 1994) shall not be affected by these Conditions. These Conditions shall apply to any Equipment
supplied by way of replacement.
3 WARRANTIES AND LIABILITY
3.1 Black Box warrants that the Equipment will be free from defects in material and workmanship
for a period of 12 months from delivery provided that Black Box shall be under no liability in respect of:
3.1.1 any defect arising from any drawing, design, or specification supplied by the Customer;
3.1.2 any defect arising from fair wear and tear, wilful damage, negligence, abnormal working Conditions, failure to follow Black Box’s instructions (whether oral or in writing), misuse or alteration or repair of
the Equipment (other than repairs undertaken by Black Box or a person approved by Black Box in writing)
unless extended warranty protection has been purchased and/or provided (see Clause 3.6 below).
3.1.3 Any other warranty, condition, or guarantee, if the total price for the Equipment has not been paid
by the Due Date (as defined at Clause 6.5).
3.2 Any claim by the Customer that is based on shortage in delivery, or any defect in the quality or condition
of the Equipment or their failure to correspond with specification shall (whether or not delivery is refused by
the Customer) be notified in writing to Black Box within 10 Business Days from the date of delivery or (where
the defect or failure was not apparent on reasonable inspection) immediately after discovery of the defect or
failure and within the relevant warranty period. If delivery is not refused and the Customer does not so notify
Black Box, the Customer shall not be entitled to reject the Equipment and Black Box shall have no liability for
such shortage, defect, or failure, and the Customer shall be bound to pay the price as if the Equipment had
been delivered in accordance with the Contract.
3.3 Where Black Box is notified of a valid claim pursuant to Clause 3.2 (other than a shortage in delivery)
Black Box shall be entitled to repair or replace such Equipment (or the item in question) free of charge or,
at Black Box’s sole discretion, pay to the Customer up to 100% of the price of the Equipment in question
and Black Box shall have no further liability to the Customer.
3.4 Where the Customer requires repair or replacement of Equipment outside the relevant warranty period,
Black Box shall be entitled to charge in full for such repair or replacement. Where a Customer returns a product for repair
and no fault is found, Black Box shall be entitled to charge a fee to cover the time taken to test the product.
3.5 The Services are provided by Black Box on the basis that they are for the sole use of the Customer for the
purpose specified by the Customer. The Customer shall not use the Services other than for the said purpose
and shall not communicate the Services to any third party whether or not in connection with the said purpose.
3.6 In respect of any error or defect in Services provided by Black Box under a Contract which is notified to
Black Box in writing by the Customer within 10 Business Days of the provision of such Services, Black Box will
make reasonable resources available to investigate and endeavour to rectify the defect and otherwise Black Box
accepts no liability in respect of any error or defect in any Services or the consequences thereof and gives no
warranty in respect thereof.
3.7 Without prejudice to the generality of Clause 3.6, should the Customer use or communicate the Services
contrary to the provisions of Clause 3.5, the Customer will be solely liable to any third party for any error or
defect in such Services and the consequences (if any) thereof and the Customer will indemnify Black Box
against all loss, actions, claims, costs, demands, expenses, and liabilities whatsoever which the Customer
may incur either at common law or by statute in respect of any loss, damage, personal injury, or death
suffered by a third party by reason of any error or defect in such Services or by reason of the consequences
of any such error or defect.
3.8 Except in respect of death or personal injury caused by Black Box’s negligence, Black Box shall not be liable
to the Customer by reason of any representation, or any implied warranty, condition or other term, or any duty
at common law, or under the express terms of the Contract, for any consequential loss or damage (whether
direct or indirect, for loss of profit or otherwise), costs, expenses, or other claims for consequential compensation
whatsoever (and whether caused by the negligence of Black Box its employees, servants, or agents
or otherwise), which arise out of or in connection with the supply of the Services or the Equipment or their
use or resale by the Customer except as expressly provided in the Conditions.
3.9 From time to time extended warranty protection ("Fido Protection™") on certain products
may be available from Black Box on application by the Customer.
4 DELIVERY
4.1 Delivery will be made by the Customer collecting the Equipment at Black Box’s warehouse at any time after
Black Box has notified the Customer that it is available for collection or, if some other place is agreed between
the parties for delivery, by Black Box delivering the Equipment to that place.
4.2 Risk of damage to or loss of the Equipment shall pass to the Customer either when Black Box tells the
Customer the Equipment is available for collection or, in the case of Equipment to be delivered otherwise,
at the time of delivery or if the Customer wrongfully fails to take delivery of the Equipment the time when
Black Box has tendered delivery of the Equipment.
4.3 The Customer shall inspect the Equipment upon delivery and if it does not correspond in nature to
the goods ordered, the Customer shall notify Black Box in accordance with the provisions of Clause 3.2.
4.4 If the Customer fails to take delivery of the Equipment or fails to give Black Box adequate delivery
instructions at the time stated for delivery then, without prejudice to any other right or remedy available
to Black Box, Black Box may either, in its absolute discretion:
4.4.1 store the Equipment until actual delivery and charge the Customer for the reasonable cost (including
insurance) of storage; or
4.4.2 sell the Equipment at the best price readily obtainable and taking into account all reasonable storage
and selling expenses charge the Customer for any shortfall below the price under the Contract.
4.5 Where the Equipment or Services are to be delivered in instalments, each delivery shall constitute a
separate Contract and failure by Black Box to deliver any one or more instalments in accordance with the
Conditions or any claim by the Customer in respect of any one or more instalments shall not entitle the
Customer to treat the Contract as a whole as repudiated.
4.6 If Black Box fails to deliver the Equipment or Services for any reason other than a Force Majeure reason
or the Customer’s fault and Black Box is found liable to the Customer, Black Box’s liability shall be limited
to 100% of the price of the Equipment or Services not so delivered.
4.7 Any dates quoted for delivery of the Equipment or Services are approximate only and Black Box shall not be
liable for any delay in delivery of the Equipment or Services, howsoever caused. Time for delivery shall not be of
the essence. The Equipment or Services may be delivered by Black Box in advance of the quoted delivery date
upon giving reasonable notice to the Customer.
5 RETURN OF GOODS
5.1 Equipment which is in new condition and non-defective and enclosed in original unmarked packaging
may be returned to Black Box within 15 days of delivery for full credit excepting carriage (which shall be borne
by the Customer).
5.2 The Customer shall not return more than two items of any one product. (If the requirement is for more
than two of a single product which the Customer has not purchased previously, the Company strongly advises
that the Customer purchase one or two for testing in the application before ordering the full quantity required.)
5.3 In order to return Equipment, an Equipment Return Number (which is obtainable from the Returns
Co-ordinator at Black Box) must be clearly marked on the Customer’s delivery note. No processing of
returns will be allowed unless supported by the Equipment Return Number.
5.4 At Black Box’s sole discretion, Equipment may be returned for credit outside the 15-day period referred
to at Clause 5.1, however, a restocking fee of a minimum of 10% of list price will be levied for each 15-day
period or part thereof beyond the initial 15-day period.
5.5 If original packaging is marked or damaged in any way whatsoever or if the Equipment sourced by Black
Box is returned marked or damaged, or with items missing (e.g. user guide), a restocking fee will be charged.
5.6 Customised items (e.g. non-standard cables), books, tools, software, testers and any Equipment from the
following manufacturers — APC®, Nortell Networks®, Cisco, 3Com® and Intel® — cannot be returned under
any circumstances. Black Box reserves the right to amend this list of exclusions at any time.
5.7 Orders for customised items cannot be cancelled.
6 PRICES AND PAYMENTS
6.1 The price of the Equipment and Services shall be Black Box’s quoted price or where no price has been
quoted (or a quoted price is no longer valid), the price listed in Black Box’s price list current at the date of
acceptance of the order. All prices quoted are valid for 15 calendar days only or until earlier acceptance by
the Customer, after which time they may be altered by Black Box. Online prices are valid only at the time of ordering.
6.2 Unless otherwise agreed in writing, all prices for Equipment are quoted ex works inclusive of packing
but exclusive of any applicable Value Added Tax and delivery charges, which the Customer shall additionally
be liable to pay to Black Box.
6.3 If Equipment is delivered in instalments at the Customer’s request, each instalment represents an order
for the purposes of this Clause 6.
6.4 Any retail prices quoted in Black Box’s price lists or catalogues or other literature are recommended
prices only.
6.5 If the Customer has been granted credit, Black Box shall invoice the Customer for the price of the
Equipment and Services and any Value Added Tax and delivery charges on or at any time after delivery
unless the Equipment is to be collected by the Customer or the Customer wrongfully fails to take delivery
of the Equipment, in which event Black Box shall be entitled to invoice the Customer for the price at any time
after Black Box has notified the Customer that the Equipment is ready for collection or Black Box has tendered
delivery of the Equipment (as the case may be) and payment must be made in full within 30 calendar days
of the date of the invoice ("the Due Date"). The time of payment shall be of the essence of the Contract.
6.6 If payment is not made as required, then without prejudice to any other remedies available to Black Box,
Black Box shall be entitled to:
6.6.1 cancel the Contract or suspend any further deliveries to the Customer;
6.6.2 appropriate any payment made by the Customer to such of the Equipment as Black Box may think
fit (notwithstanding any purported appropriation by the Customer);
6.6.3 offset any credit notes against the unpaid invoices;
6.6.4 charge the Customer interest (both before as well as after any judgment) on the amount unpaid
at the rate of 2% per month or part month until payment in full is made;
6.6.5 cancel any Customer discounts;
6.6.6 charge, in the event of any invoice being passed to solicitors or a collection agency for collection,
a collection fee of 5% (minimum £60) in addition to interest and any legal charges payable.
6.7 If the Customer has not been granted credit, payment in cleared funds in full will be required at the
time of order.
6.8 If the Customer makes payment by credit card then payment will be taken at point of placing order and not when order is shipped to the Customer. There may be a delay between order being placed and shipped to the Customer if items are not in stock.
7 RETENTION OF TITLE
7.1 Notwithstanding delivery and passing of risk in the Equipment, title to the Equipment shall remain in Black
Box until such time as all amounts which are owed to Black Box are paid in cleared funds in full (whether in respect of Equipment which is the subject of a contract under these Conditions or any other sum whatsoever
due and payable by the Customer to Black Box).
7.2 Until such time as title in the Equipment passes to the Customer, the Customer shall hold such Equipment
as Black Box’s fiduciary agent and bailee and shall keep such Equipment separate from all other goods in
the Customer’s possession properly stored and protected, insured in accordance with Clause 7.5, and clearly
identified as Black Box’s goods, until that time the Customer shall be entitled to resell or use the Equipment in
the ordinary course of business provided that where it does so, it shall account to Black Box for the proceeds
of sale and hold such proceeds in a separate account on trust for Black Box.
7.3 Black Box shall be entitled at any time before title has passed to the Customer either to require the
Customer to deliver up the Equipment to Black Box and if the Customer fails to do so forthwith, to enter the
premises where the Equipment is stored and repossess the same, all charges incurred by Black Box in either
respect shall be the responsibility of the Customer.
7.4 The Customer shall not pledge or in any way charge by way of security for any indebtedness any of
the Equipment which is the property of Black Box and without prejudice to the other rights of Black Box,
if the Customer does so, all sums whatsoever owed to Black Box by the Customer shall forthwith become
due and payable.
7.5 The Customer shall insure and keep insured the equipment to the full price against "all risks" to the
reasonable satisfaction of Black Box until the date that the title in the Equipment passes from Black Box
to the Customer, and shall whenever requested by Black Box, produce a copy of the policy of insurance.
Without prejudice to the other rights of Black Box, if the Customer fails to so insure, then all sums
whatsoever owing by the Customer to Black Box shall forthwith become due and payable.
7.6 Nothing in this Clause 7 shall confer any right upon the Customer to return the Equipment or refuse
or delay payment therefore unless agreed by Black Box in writing.
8 CHANGES
8.1 Black Box reserves the right to substitute Equipment of an equivalent or better specification or design.
8.2 Any typographical, clerical, or other error or omission in any sales literature, quotation, price list,
acceptance of offer, invoice, or other document or information issued by Black Box shall be subject to
correction without any liability on the part of Black Box.
9 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
9.1 If any claim is made against the Customer that the Equipment infringes or that its use or resale infringes
the patent, copyright, design, trademark, or other industrial or intellectual property rights of any other person,
Black Box shall indemnify the Customer against all loss, damages, costs, and expenses awarded against or
incurred by the Customer in connection with such claim, or paid or agreed to be paid by the Customer in
settlement of such claim, provided that:
9.1.1 Black Box is given full control of any proceedings or negotiations in connection with such claim;
9.1.2 the Customer shall give Black Box all reasonable assistance for the purposes of such proceedings
or negotiations;
9.1.3 except pursuant to a final award, the Customer shall not pay or accept such claim, or compromise
such claim, or compromise any such proceedings without the consent in writing of Black Box (which shall
not be unreasonably withheld or delayed);
9.1.4 the Customer shall not do anything which would or might vitiate any policy of insurance or insurance
cover which the Customer may have in relation to such infringement, and this indemnity shall not apply to the
extent that the Customer recovers any sum under such policy or cover (which the Customer shall use its best
endeavours to do);
9.1.5 the Customer shall account to Black Box for all damages and costs awarded in favour of the Customer
which are payable by any other party in respect of such claim and where the Customer is required to give consent
in respect of settlement of such claim, such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed; and
9.1.6 without prejudice to any duty of the Customer at common law, Black Box shall be entitled to require
the Customer to take such steps as Black Box may reasonably require to mitigate or reduce any such loss
or damage, costs or expenses for which Black Box is liable to indemnify the Customer under this Clause 10.
10 INSOLVENCY
10.1 If the Customer makes any voluntary arrangement with its creditors or becomes subject to an administration
order or (being an individual or firm) become bankrupt or (being a company) go into liquidation
(otherwise than for the purposes of amalgamation or reconstruction) or if an encumberancer takes possession
or a receiver is appointed of any of the property or assets of the Customer or the Customer is unable to pay its
debts or the Customer ceases or threatens to cease to carry on business or Black Box reasonably apprehends
that any of these events are likely to occur in relation to the Customer, then Black Box shall be entitled to cancel
any Contract under these Conditions or suspend any further deliveries under such Contracts without any liability
to the Customer and if Equipment or Services have been delivered but has not been paid for, the price shall
become immediately due and payable notwithstanding any previous agreement or arrangement to the
contrary.
11 FORCE MAJEURE
11.1 If Black Box is prevented from performing any of its obligations under these Conditions by any circumstances
whatsoever beyond its control (including, without limitation, any strike, lock-out, or other form of
industrial action), further performance of the Contract shall either be suspended so long as Black Box is so
prevented or at Black Box’s option, cancelled, in which case Black Box shall not be liable for any loss, damage,
or injury of any kind whatsoever whether direct, indirect, or consequential to any person or any property caused
by or arising out of or in connection with such suspension or cancellation of the Contract and any monies paid
in advance for Equipment not delivered will be refunded in full to the Customer.
12 GENERAL
12.1 Any notice or other communication required or permitted to be given by either party to the other under
these Conditions shall be in writing addressed to that other party at its registered office or principal place of
business or such other address as may at the relevant time have been notified pursuant to this Clause 12 to
the party giving the notice or communication and may be given by facsimile transmission, post or recorded
delivery. Any notice served by first-class post shall be deemed to have been served 2 Business Days after the
date of despatch, any notice served by recorded delivery shall be deemed to have been served 2 Business Days
after the date of despatch and any notice served by facsimile shall be deemed to have been served at 10 a.m.
on the Business Day of the recipient next following the date of despatch.
12.2 No waiver by Black Box of any breach of the Contract or the Conditions by the Customer shall be
considered as a waiver of any subsequent breach of the same or any other provision.
12.3 The various provisions of this Agreement are severable and if any provision is held by any court of
competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect
the other provisions of these Conditions.
12.4 The Customer shall not remove, obscure, or obliterate any name, symbol, serial number, or other
identification appearing on the Equipment and violation of any provision of this Clause 12.4 shall entitle
Black Box to terminate the Contract.
13 LAW AND JURISDICTION
13.1 These Conditions shall in all respects be construed in accordance with the laws of England
and the parties shall submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts.
