At Home Baked Today, we believe homemade should also mean honest, safe, and responsibly made. Every baker on our platform agrees to uphold the following standards before listing their products.

These standards help protect our customers, our bakers, and our marketplace community.

1. Legal Compliance

All sellers must:

  • Operate in full compliance with their local and state cottage food laws
  • Maintain any required permits, registrations, or food handler certifications
  • Only sell products legally permitted in their jurisdiction

Sellers are solely responsible for understanding and following the laws that apply to their business. Sellers are independent businesses — not employees, agents, or partners of Home Baked Today — and are solely responsible for their products, ingredients, labeling, packaging, and fulfillment. No employer–employee relationship is created.

2. Food Safety Commitment

Our bakers agree to:

  • Prepare food in accordance with applicable cottage food regulations
  • Follow safe food handling and sanitation practices
  • Store and transport products safely
  • Prevent cross-contamination to the best of their ability

Products are made in home kitchens that may not be subject to routine government inspection.

3. Ingredient Transparency

Sellers must:

  • Provide a complete and accurate ingredient list
  • Clearly disclose major allergens (including milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, etc.)
  • Ensure product descriptions are truthful and not misleading

Honesty builds trust — and trust is everything.

4. Accurate Listings & Representation

  • Photos must accurately reflect the product being sold
  • Pricing must be clear
  • No false claims (including health or medical claims) are permitted

We reserve the right to remove listings that do not meet our standards.

5. Professional Conduct

Sellers agree to:

  • Communicate respectfully with customers
  • Fulfill orders as described
  • Address customer concerns promptly and professionally

6. Accountability & Responsibility

Each seller is an independent business owner and is fully responsible for:

  • Their products
  • Their labeling
  • Their customer interactions
  • Any claims arising from their goods

Seller agrees to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Marketplace and its owners from any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, or expenses arising from Seller's products, conduct, or violations of law.

7. Prohibited Items

The following cannot be sold on Home Baked Today:

  • Items not allowed under cottage food laws in your state
  • Perishable foods (applicability varies by state)
  • Alcohol-infused goods (not allowed in any state)
  • Products requiring refrigeration
  • Cannabis-infused goods (not allowed in any state)

8. Our Right to Protect the Community

To maintain a safe and trusted marketplace, we reserve the right to:

  • Request documentation
  • Remove listings
  • Suspend or terminate accounts
  • Issue refunds when appropriate

Our goal is always fairness, safety, and integrity for everyone involved.

9. Tax Responsibility

Seller is responsible for:

  • Collecting sales tax (if required)
  • Reporting income
  • Paying all business taxes

Home Baked Today cannot be held responsible for vendor's tax compliance.

Our Promise

This marketplace exists to celebrate small-batch baking, creativity, and the comfort of homemade goods. When you join us as a seller, you become part of something intentional — a space built on care, transparency, and shared responsibility. We're so grateful you're here.