Last updated: 21 July 2026
1. Identification details
The website masonicforum.ro (the “Site”) and its online shop (the “Shop”) are operated by:
- Name: ARES GROUP S.R.L.
- Unique Registration Code (CUI): RO13356876
- Trade Registry number: J40/8354/2000
- Registered office: Bucharest, Romania
- Branch office: Casa Presei Libere, Corp C1, Bucharest, 013701, Romania
- General editorial e-mail: adrian@digiro.net
2. Definitions
“Seller” means ARES GROUP S.R.L., as identified in Section 1. “Buyer”/“Customer” means the natural or legal person placing an order on the Site. “Product” means a book or other item offered for sale through the Shop. “Order” means the electronic document by which the Buyer communicates to the Seller the intention to purchase Products. “Contract” means the distance contract concluded between Seller and Buyer, without the simultaneous physical presence of both parties, exclusively through the Site.
3. Subject matter
This document governs the sale of books and related products through the Shop, and the rights and obligations of the Seller and the Buyer in connection with such sales. Using the Site and placing an order implies full acceptance of these Terms and Conditions.
4. Products, prices and VAT
All prices shown on the Site are expressed in Romanian lei (RON) and include VAT. The applicable VAT rate is the one in force at the time the order is placed (standard 21%, or the single reduced rate of 11% for books and magazines, under Law No. 141/2025). The price shown on the Product page at the time the order is placed is the final price, excluding delivery costs, which are shown separately before the order is finalised. The Seller reserves the right to change prices, without affecting orders already confirmed.
5. Placing an order and formation of the contract
An order is placed by adding Products to the shopping cart and completing the checkout process on the Site. The Contract is considered concluded once the Buyer receives an order confirmation e-mail from the Seller. The Seller may decline an order in justified circumstances (e.g. Product unavailability, suspected fraud, incomplete contact details), in which case the Buyer will be informed and, if a payment was made, it will be refunded in full.
6. Payment methods
Payment can be made online, by bank card, through the payment processors NETOPIA Payments and Stripe. The Seller does not collect or store full bank card data – this is entered and processed directly by the payment processor, in accordance with PCI-DSS security standards.
7. Delivery
Products are delivered by courier, currently via SamedayCourier. The delivery cost and estimated timeframe are shown before the order is finalised, depending on the delivery address provided by the Buyer. Delivery times are estimates and may be affected by factors beyond the Seller’s control (e.g. delays in the courier network).
8. Legal conformity guarantee
Products benefit from the statutory conformity guarantee provided by Government Emergency Ordinance No. 140/2021 on the sale of goods, independent of any additional commercial warranty. In the case of a Product with a manufacturing or printing/binding defect, the Buyer may request repair, replacement, a price reduction, or termination of the contract, under the conditions set out by law.
9. Right of withdrawal – 14 days
Under Government Emergency Ordinance No. 34/2014, a Buyer who is a natural person has the right to withdraw from the Contract, without giving any reason and without penalty, within 14 calendar days from the day the Buyer (or a third party indicated by the Buyer, other than the carrier) takes physical possession of the Product (or of the last Product, where an order is delivered in several shipments).
Full details on exercising the right of withdrawal, the standard withdrawal form, timeframes and refund arrangements are set out in the Refund and Returns Policy, which forms an integral part of this Contract.
10. Exceptions to the right of withdrawal
Printed (physical) books are not exempt from the right of withdrawal. Should the Seller sell digital content (e.g. e-books) delivered immediately in the future, with the Buyer’s prior express consent to the loss of the right of withdrawal, this exception will be explicitly flagged on the order checkout page, in accordance with Article 16(m) of Government Emergency Ordinance No. 34/2014.
11. Processing of personal data
Personal data provided by the Buyer is processed by the Seller in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR) and the Site’s Privacy Policy.
12. Intellectual property
The content of the Site (text, images, trademarks, logos) is the property of the Seller and/or its partners and is protected by intellectual property law. Reproduction, distribution or use without the Seller’s written consent is prohibited.
13. Dispute resolution
Any disputes will be resolved amicably wherever possible. Where this is not possible, the Buyer may contact the Romanian National Authority for Consumer Protection (ANPC), including through the national Alternative Dispute Resolution (SAL) platform available at reclamatiisal.anpc.ro, or may bring proceedings before the competent Romanian courts.
14. Governing law
This Contract is governed by Romanian law. These Terms and Conditions do not affect any mandatory consumer-protection rights available under the law of the EU member state in which the consumer resides, where applicable.
15. Final provisions
The Seller reserves the right to amend these Terms and Conditions; amendments apply to orders placed after the updated version is published. For any questions, the Buyer may contact the Seller at the e-mail address given in Section 1.
