Terms for individuals

Last updated: August 2026

1. Scope of Service

Echo (the "Service"), operated by Frank Business Insights ("we", "us"), provides a platform to compose, schedule, and send physical letters on a specific future date. The Service consists of digital storage (encrypted) and automated printing and mailing via Swiss Post.

2. Eligibility

• By using the Service, you represent that you are at least 18 years of age and have the legal capacity to enter into a binding agreement.
• Minors and sponsored letters: If you are a minor and receive an Echo letter from an organization (e.g. a school or association), you need the consent of your legal guardians.

3. Service & Products

• Service: The fee paid (CHF) at the time of purchase includes storage, printing, and delivery via Swiss Post.
• Products:
  • Echo-1 (1 Year): Scheduled send only. Delivery can be set within 12 months from purchase (not earlier than 5 business days after purchase).
  • Echo-5 (5 Years): Scheduled send within 60 months from purchase (not earlier than 5 business days after purchase), or optional release by someone you trust (see below).
• Modifications (scheduled send): For letters on a fixed delivery date (Echo-1 and Echo-5 scheduled send), you may change content and the delivery date while the status is Scheduled. From about 4 business days before the target delivery date, the letter can no longer be changed so we can prepare printing and handover to Swiss Post. Printing and dispatch take place on the last business day before delivery.
• Echo-5 release by someone you trust (optional): Instead of a fixed dispatch date at purchase, you may store a letter for release by a person you trust. This release is available only with Echo-5 and only within your Echo-5 planning window.
  • Ready for release, not scheduled: After payment, the letter is held ready for release. It is not sent until your release code is used. Until release starts, you can still edit the letter content and recipient details in your account.
  • Release code: You receive one private release code per account (not per letter). You must store it securely and share it only with the person(s) you chose. The full code is shown only once; if you lose it, you must generate a new code in your dashboard. One code releases all letters in your account that are waiting for release.
  • Release page: Your trusted person enters the code on Echo’s public release page. We do not verify their identity. You are responsible for your choice of person(s) and for keeping the code confidential.
  • After the code is entered: We notify you by email. A waiting period of 14 days then begins. During this period you may cancel the entire release in your account; your letters return to the previous state (ready for release) and nothing is sent. If you cancel, the code you shared stops working and you must generate a new one.
  • Dispatch after the waiting period: If you do not cancel, we plan printing and delivery according to the options you selected: as soon as possible after release, on a chosen month and day (the first valid delivery date on or after that month and day once release has started), or on a specific calendar date. For a specific date, the earliest date you may choose follows the same minimum lead as scheduled send (about 5 business days from the day you seal the letter). If release happens after your chosen date, delivery follows the fallback option you selected in the app (for example no dispatch, send as soon as possible, or the next valid date).
  • Planning window, timing, and fulfillment: Release by someone you trust entitles you to secure storage and the option to release the letter for delivery within your Echo-5 planning window, which runs for five years from purchase for that letter. Letters must be released and dispatched within that period. We cannot guarantee that your trusted person will enter the code, or when they will do so. If such a letter is not released or not dispatched before the planning window ends, our contractual obligation is nevertheless fulfilled in full; you are not entitled to a refund, credit, or other compensation.
• Echo letters sponsored by organizations:
  • Principle: If you receive an Echo letter from an organization (e.g. a service provider, employer, or coach), that organization bears the cost of the Service. Your rights as an individual remain unchanged.
  • What the organization can see: Via its dashboard, the funding organization can only see:
    • Your name
    • The status of your Echo letter (e.g. “Voucher open”, “Writing”, “Scheduled”, “Sent”)
    • The delivery date chosen by the organization
    • Whether the voucher has been redeemed
  • What the organization cannot see: The private content of your Echo letter and your postal address are never visible to the organization.
  • Accompanying letter (certain packages only): Depending on the organization’s package, an accompanying letter from the organization may be enclosed in the envelope. This accompanying letter is a separate message from the organization and is enclosed before the envelope is sealed. By redeeming your sponsored Echo letter, you agree that an accompanying letter may be enclosed by the organization.
  • Cancellation by the organization: If the organization cancels its subscription or its letter quota is exhausted, Echo letters that have already been written and scheduled can still be sent at the chosen time. Unused Echo vouchers remain valid until their expiry date, unless the organization expressly revokes them.
  • Data protection roles: For Echo letters sponsored by organizations, the organization is the data controller for the data it collects (your name, status, delivery date). Echo acts as the organization’s processor. For the private content of your letter and your postal address, you remain solely responsible.

4. Address Management & Delivery

• Recipient's Address: The User is solely responsible for providing and maintaining an accurate physical address in Switzerland. We recommend checking the recipient's address periodically.
• Scheduling (scheduled send): For Echo-1 and Echo-5 scheduled send, the User chooses a preferred delivery date (Monday to Saturday, no public holidays), which must fall between 5 business days after the purchase and a maximum date that varies by product.
• Letters for release by someone you trust: For Echo-5 release, delivery is not scheduled at purchase. Delivery is planned only after your trusted person enters your release code, the waiting period in section 3 ends, and according to your chosen dispatch options. Until then, the scheduling rules above apply only to scheduled send letters.
• Delivery Date: While we aim for precision, the scheduled delivery date is a target and not a strict 'fixed date' (Fixgeschäft). We cannot guarantee the chosen delivery date and we are not liable for delays, losses, or damages caused by Swiss Post or other third-party logistical providers. In the event of technical failure or internal delays preventing dispatch on the exact date, we reserve the right to fulfill the service by handing the letter to Swiss Post as soon as reasonably possible thereafter. Such a delay does not entitle the User to a refund or damages.
• Undeliverable/Returned Mail: Users will not be notified if a letter was not delivered or is returned. Returned physical mail will be destroyed for privacy reasons. No refunds or second delivery attempts are provided for undeliverable mail.

5. User Content & Conduct

• Display and Layout: We are not responsible for the visual rendering of special characters, emojis, or specific formatting that may not translate accurately from digital display to physical print. It is the User's responsibility to ensure the layout is satisfactory.
• Content Responsibility: The User is solely responsible for the content of their messages. We do not proactively monitor or filter content.
• Prohibited Content: Content must not be illegal, defamatory, threatening, or violate Swiss Post regulations. Use of the service for harassment or stalking is strictly prohibited.
• No Legal Documents: Echo is for personal use only. It is not a valid medium for legally binding documents, including but not limited to Last Wills and Testaments, notices of termination, or legal claims. We disclaim all liability for any loss arising from the use of the Service for such purposes.
• No Monitoring: We do not proactively monitor content, but we reserve the right to refuse service if we become aware of a violation of these terms.
• Indemnification: The User agrees to indemnify and hold Frank Business Insights harmless from any third-party claims, damages, or costs (including legal fees) arising from the content of the User’s letter.

6. Data Protection & Privacy

• Encryption: Letters are stored using AES-256 server-side encryption.
• Data Deletion: To protect your privacy, the digital content of your letter and the recipient’s address will be permanently deleted from our active database 30 days after the letter has been handed over to Swiss Post.
• Statutory Retention: Financial transaction data (invoices) will be retained for 10 years to comply with Swiss accounting law (Art. 958f CO).
• Compliance: We process personal data in accordance with the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP/DSG).

7. Payment & Cancellation

• Fees and Refunds: The fee (CHF) is charged in full at the time of purchase and is non-refundable (Ein Widerrufsrecht ist ausgeschlossen.), regardless of whether the physical letter has been printed or dispatched at the time of a cancellation request. The User acknowledges that the Service begins immediately upon purchase with the allocation of encrypted server space and administrative overhead required to maintain the message for the selected duration.
• Voucher Validity: Vouchers are valid for two years from the date of purchase, unless a different validity period is displayed on the voucher itself. Vouchers must be redeemed within that period.
• No refunds for sponsored letters: For Echo letters sponsored by organizations, payment is made by the organization. A refund to the individual is excluded.

8. Limitation of Liability

• Statutory Scope: To the extent permitted by Art. 100 of the Swiss Code of Obligations (CO), liability for slight negligence is excluded.
• Auxiliary Persons: Pursuant to Art. 101 CO, liability for the actions of auxiliary persons (e.g., Swiss Post employees, external IT hosting) is excluded.
• Cap: Our total liability is limited to the amount paid for the specific letter in question.

9. General Provisions

• Force Majeure: We are not liable for failure to perform due to events beyond our control (e.g., natural disasters, pandemics, strikes).
• Language: These Terms are provided in English and German. In the event of a conflict between the versions, the German version shall prevail.
• Governing Law & Jurisdiction: Governed by Swiss law. Exclusive jurisdiction: Zürich, Switzerland.