All sales on this website are processed by Payhip Ltd (United Kingdom) as merchant of record. Payhip is responsible for VAT collection and remittance on all transactions under applicable EU and UK rules. VAT is not charged or collected directly by this operator.
Responsible for editorial content (§55 Abs. 2 RStV)
We are not willing or obliged to participate in dispute resolution proceedings before a consumer arbitration board.
Privacy Policy
Last updated: 29.04.2026
1. Data controller
Sam Groß
Email: stoic-library@outlook.com
No Data Protection Officer (DPO) has been appointed, as this business does not meet the statutory threshold requiring one.
2. What data we collect, why, and the legal basis
Email address — collected via the free guide opt-in form and the Payhip checkout. Legal basis: Consent under Article 6(1)(a) GDPR for the newsletter and email sequence; Performance of Contract under Article 6(1)(b) GDPR for purchase delivery. These are distinct bases and are treated separately.
Purchase data — name, email address, country, and transaction ID, processed and retained by Payhip for order fulfilment and legal compliance. Legal basis: Performance of Contract (Article 6(1)(b)).
Referral relationship data — records of which buyer shared a referral code and which subsequent purchase was made using it, retained for programme administration and dispute resolution. Legal basis: Legitimate interest (Article 6(1)(f)).
IP address and technical connection data — your IP address may be transmitted to third-party services when this site loads external resources (see Section 3 below). This site does not run its own analytics platform. Legal basis: Legitimate interest.
Email interaction data — opens, clicks, and unsubscribes recorded by Kit/ConvertKit for transactional and marketing email sequences. Legal basis: Legitimate interest for transactional emails; Consent for marketing sequences.
3. Third-party data processors
Payhip Ltd (United Kingdom) — sales platform and digital product delivery. Processes email address, purchase record, and payment data. The UK holds an EU adequacy decision. Privacy policy.
Stripe — payment processor used by Payhip. Processes payment card data. Based in the United States with EU subsidiaries. Privacy policy.
ConvertKit LLC / Kit (USA — Oregon) — email marketing and automation platform. Data transferred from the EU under Standard Contractual Clauses. Privacy policy.
Viral Loops — referral programme platform. Tracks referral codes and conversion events. May set functional cookies. Privacy policy.
Google Fonts — typography loaded from Google's CDN. Your IP address is transmitted to Google's servers when fonts are fetched. No personal data is stored for advertising purposes by this interaction. Google LLC, USA. Privacy policy.
Social media platforms (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube) — these platforms operate as independent data controllers. Please review their own privacy policies for information on how they process your data.
4. Data retention
Purchase records — retained for 10 years in accordance with §147 AO (German tax law). These records cannot be deleted in response to an erasure request due to this statutory obligation; this exception will be stated explicitly when handling any such request.
Email marketing list — retained until you unsubscribe or submit a deletion request.
Referral data — retained for the duration of the referral programme plus three years for dispute resolution purposes.
Consent records — retained for as long as the subscriber remains on the list, plus three years following removal.
5. Your rights under the GDPR
If you are located in the EU or EEA, you have the following rights:
Right of access (Art. 15) — you may request a copy of all personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification (Art. 16) — you may request correction of inaccurate data.
Right to erasure (Art. 17) — you may request deletion of your data. Note: purchase records are exempt from deletion due to statutory tax retention requirements under §147 AO. This exception will be explained in full when handling your request.
Right to restriction of processing (Art. 18) — you may ask us to pause processing while a dispute is resolved.
Right to data portability (Art. 20) — you may request your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
Right to object (Art. 21) — you may object to processing based on legitimate interests, including direct marketing. We will honour direct marketing objections immediately.
Rights related to automated decision-making (Art. 22) — this website does not use automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects.
Right to withdraw consent — where processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at stoic-library@outlook.com. We will respond within 30 days.
6. Supervisory authority
You have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority at any time. In Germany, the relevant authority is the Bundesbeauftragte für den Datenschutz und die Informationsfreiheit (BfDI) at bfdi.bund.de, or the relevant Landesbehörde for your state. In Austria: Datenschutzbehörde (DSB) at dsb.gv.at.
7. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision. Material changes will be communicated to purchasers by email where possible.
Cookie Policy
Last updated: 29.04.2026
This page explains how cookies and similar tracking technologies are used on this website.
What are cookies?
Cookies are small text files placed on your device by websites you visit. They are used to make sites work correctly and to provide functionality. This site does not use advertising cookies or analytics tracking pixels.
Cookies and third-party connections on this site
Strictly necessary — no consent required
Payhip checkout session cookies — set by Payhip when you initiate a purchase. Required for the checkout process to function. Session-scoped; expire when the browser session ends.
Functional — referral tracking
Viral Loops — the referral programme uses Viral Loops, which sets cookies and uses local storage to track referral codes, identify returning visitors, and attribute referrals. This is required for the "Pass It On" referral feature to function. Provider: Viral Loops, Inc. Retention: varies; typically 30–90 days. See Viral Loops privacy policy.
Kit (ConvertKit) — the email sign-up embed loads a script from Kit's CDN, which may set cookies or access local storage to prevent duplicate form submissions. Provider: ConvertKit LLC, USA.
Third-party resource connections
Google Fonts — this site loads typefaces from Google's CDN. When fonts are fetched, your IP address is transmitted to Google's servers. No advertising cookies are set by this interaction, but the data transfer to Google LLC (USA) occurs on page load. An alternative is to self-host the fonts to eliminate this transfer entirely.
Analytics and advertising
This site does not use Google Analytics, Meta Pixel, TikTok Pixel, or any other analytics or advertising tracking. If these are added in future, a consent mechanism will be implemented before any such scripts are loaded.
How to manage cookies
You can control and delete cookies through your browser settings. Instructions for the most common browsers:
Note that disabling cookies may affect the referral programme functionality.
Terms & Conditions
Last updated: 29.04.2026
1. Seller identity and contract formation
These Terms & Conditions govern every purchase made through this website and apply to contracts between the seller, Sam Groß, and the buyer. A binding contract is formed at the moment Payhip confirms payment. Products are available to persons aged 18 and over. The language of the contract is English.
2. Products and delivery
All products sold on this website are digital files (PDF format). No physical goods are shipped. Upon successful payment, you receive immediate access to a download link via Payhip. A link is also sent to the email address provided at checkout. If delivery fails for technical reasons, contact us within 48 hours for re-delivery.
3. Pricing and payment
Prices are displayed in Euro and are inclusive of applicable VAT. Payment is processed securely by Stripe via Payhip — see Payhip's terms for payment-specific terms. The price shown at checkout is the total price; no additional charges apply. Launch pricing is time-limited; standard prices apply after any promotional period.
4. Right of withdrawal — Widerrufsbelehrung
Standard EU right: Under EU and German consumer law, you ordinarily have a right to withdraw from a distance purchase within 14 days without giving any reason.
Exception for digital content delivered immediately: In accordance with Article 16(m) of the Consumer Rights Directive and §356 Abs. 5 BGB, the right of withdrawal expires before the end of the 14-day period if you have expressly consented to delivery beginning immediately upon purchase and acknowledged that you thereby lose your right of withdrawal. At the Payhip checkout, you will be asked to confirm this consent before the download begins.
If withdrawal applies: If you have not yet downloaded the file and wish to cancel within 14 days, contact us at stoic-library@outlook.com. We will process a full refund within 14 days of receiving your withdrawal request.
Model withdrawal form (Muster-Widerrufsformular): To exercise your right of withdrawal, send the following by email to stoic-library@outlook.com:
"I hereby give notice that I withdraw from my contract of sale of the following digital product: [product name], ordered on [date]. Name: [your name]. Address: [your address]. Date: [date]."
5. Licence to use
Upon purchase you receive a personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable licence to read and use the purchased PDF for your own private, non-commercial purposes. This licence is for the purchasing individual only. You may not:
Share, forward, upload, or distribute the file to any other person;
Resell, sublicense, or offer access to any other person in exchange for payment or otherwise;
Reproduce, excerpt, translate, or create derivative works from the content without written permission;
Use the content for commercial purposes of any kind.
Breach of these terms voids the licence immediately without refund.
6. Intellectual property
All original content in our products — including text, framing, design, layout, and the Philosopher persona voice and scripts — is owned by Sam Groß and protected by copyright. Quotations from Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and Seneca are drawn from public domain primary sources. Our original framing, commentary, and presentation around those quotations are our intellectual property.
7. AI-generated content
All written content — ebooks, journals, email sequences — was produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence. The Philosopher is a fictional archetype, not a real or historical person. The Stoic philosophy cited is real and drawn from verified primary sources. All historical figures (Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, Seneca) are cited accurately; citing them does not constitute their endorsement of any commercial product.
8. Disclaimer and limitation of liability
All products are for informational and educational purposes only. They do not constitute professional medical, psychological, psychiatric, or therapeutic advice. No professional relationship of any kind is created between buyer and seller. No specific results are guaranteed. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, liability is limited to the purchase price paid. Liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence cannot be excluded and is not excluded here.
9. Governing law and dispute resolution
These Terms are governed by the laws of Germany. For consumers within the EU, the mandatory consumer protection provisions of your country of residence also apply and cannot be contractually excluded.
EU online dispute resolution platform (mandatory link for EU B2C sellers): https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr. We do not participate in any alternative dispute resolution scheme.
10. Referral programme
Participation in the "Pass It On" referral programme is subject to the Referral Programme Terms below. In summary: rewards have no cash value, self-referral voids all accumulated credits, and the programme may be modified or discontinued with 30 days' notice to active participants.
Refund Policy
Last updated: 29.04.2026
Because our products are digital files that are delivered immediately upon purchase, and because buyers confirm at checkout that delivery begins immediately and the right of withdrawal is thereby waived, we do not offer refunds as a standard policy.
However, we handle the following situations fairly and without hassle:
Technical failure
If your file is corrupted, unreadable, or not delivered — full refund or re-delivery within 48 hours, your choice, no questions asked. Contact us at stoic-library@outlook.com with your order number.
Wrong product
If you purchased the wrong product due to unclear product description on our side, we will arrange an exchange within 7 days of purchase.
Chargebacks
If you have a problem with your purchase, please contact us before initiating a chargeback. We will resolve any legitimate issue promptly. Chargebacks issued for purchases that qualify for our goodwill refund policy will be treated as abuse of the payment system.
Disclaimer
Educational purpose only
All content on this website and in all products sold here — including ebooks, journals, card decks, email sequences, and any other materials — is for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing on this site constitutes professional medical, psychological, psychiatric, or therapeutic advice of any kind.
No professional relationship
Purchasing, downloading, or reading any product from Stoic Library does not create a therapist-client, advisor-client, or any other professional relationship between you and us.
Not a substitute for professional help
The Stoic practices and philosophical exercises described in our products are drawn from a 2,000-year-old philosophical tradition. They are not clinical protocols and are not a substitute for professional mental health care. If you are experiencing mental health difficulties, please consult a qualified healthcare professional. In a crisis, contact your local emergency services or a crisis line.
No guaranteed results
No specific results are guaranteed from any practice described. Individual outcomes vary. The content reflects the philosophical tradition it draws from, not clinical evidence for any particular outcome.
Accuracy of historical quotations
Quotations attributed to Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and Seneca are drawn from primary sources and are verifiable. Where a modern paraphrase or interpretive rendering is used rather than a direct translation, this is noted. Citing these historical figures does not constitute their endorsement of any commercial product.
AI-generated content
All content was produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence. The Philosopher persona is a fictional archetype — not a real, living, or historical person. The philosophical content it conveys is real.
Individual responsibility
You are responsible for how you apply any practice or idea described in our products. Use your judgement. Consult professionals when appropriate.
AI & Persona Disclosure
The Philosopher is a fictional archetype
The persona used across this website, our products, and our social media channels is a fictional character — a Stoic philosopher archetype. It is not a real person, not a historical person, and not a claim to be one. The persona does not have biographical identity, personal experience, or professional credentials of any kind.
AI assistance in all content production
All written content across Stoic Library — including ebooks, journals, email sequences, website copy, and social media scripts — was produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence. The voice, framing, and editorial style you encounter are AI-assisted constructions.
What is real
The Stoic philosophical tradition itself — 2,000 years old and entirely real.
The three historical figures cited: Marcus Aurelius (Roman Emperor, 121–180 CE), Epictetus (Stoic philosopher, c. 50–135 CE), and Seneca (philosopher and statesman, c. 4 BCE – 65 CE).
All quotations attributed to them, drawn from primary texts (Meditations, Discourses, Letters to Lucilius, etc.).
The philosophical practices described — journaling, negative visualisation, the dichotomy of control, memento mori — are real Stoic practices with a documented history.
What is constructed
The Philosopher persona voice, visual character, and scripts.
The editorial framing, narrative structure, and presentation style.
The AI-generated video and image content used on social media.
Social media platform compliance
Our social media accounts (TikTok, YouTube, Instagram) use AI-generated video and image content. Each platform has its own disclosure requirements for AI-generated realistic content; we comply with the current policy of each platform and update our disclosures as policies evolve. If you have a question about a specific piece of content, contact us.
All original content on this website and in all products — including text, product designs, brand elements, layouts, email sequences, and the Philosopher persona voice and scripts — is protected by copyright and owned by Sam Groß.
What is not protected (and why we say so)
Quotations from Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and Seneca are drawn from public domain primary sources. We are transparent about this because it strengthens our claim to the original framing, commentary, and editorial work we provide around those quotations.
Permitted use
Sharing individual short quotations on social media for personal, non-commercial use, with attribution to Stoic Library.
Personal study and reference.
Prohibited without written permission
Reproduction of our content for commercial purposes;
Distribution, resale, or sharing of product files;
Translation or creation of derivative works;
Use of the Philosopher persona, brand identity, or visual assets.
Permission requests and takedown notices
To request permission for any use not listed above, or to report infringement: stoic-library@outlook.com.
Referral Programme Terms — "Pass It On"
Last updated: 29.04.2026
1. What the programme is
"Pass It On" is a reader recognition programme. When you purchase any product from Stoic Library, you receive a personal referral code giving 15% off to anyone you share it with. When your referred friends complete purchases, you reach milestones that unlock rewards. This is not a commercial affiliate programme — no cash payments are made, and there is no obligation to promote our products.
2. How referrals are tracked
Each buyer receives a unique 15% discount code. A qualifying referral is a completed purchase made using your code. Clicks or visits do not count. Referral tracking is managed by Viral Loops. You can view your referral count and milestone progress via the link provided at the time of your purchase.
3. Milestone rewards
The First Circle (1 referral): 30-Day Stoic Card Deck — delivered automatically by email.
The Student (3 referrals): 90-Day Stoic Journal — delivered automatically by email.
The Practitioner (5 referrals): Stoic Year — 365 Days — delivered automatically by email.
The Philosopher (10 referrals): The Art of Living Well — delivered automatically by email.
The Teacher (20 referrals): The Complete Stoic Collection plus a personal letter from the Philosopher — delivered by email within 48 hours of milestone confirmation.
4. Reward delivery
Digital rewards are delivered automatically to the email address on file within a reasonable time of each milestone being reached. The personal letter at the Teacher milestone is prepared individually and delivered within 48 hours.
5. No cash value
All rewards are digital products with no cash value. Rewards cannot be exchanged, transferred, sold, or redeemed for cash under any circumstances.
6. Non-transferability
Your referral code and all accumulated referral credits are personal to you and cannot be transferred to another person.
7. Abuse policy
Self-referral (using your own code to make a purchase, whether directly or through a third party), coordinated gaming (multiple accounts, bulk fake purchases), or any other fraudulent use voids all accumulated referrals immediately and without compensation. We reserve the right to disqualify accounts where abuse is suspected, at our sole discretion.
8. Code expiry
Your 15% referral code does not expire for as long as the programme is active.
9. Programme modification and termination
We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or end this programme at any time. Active participants will be given 30 days' notice of any material changes. Rewards already earned at the time of termination will be honoured.
10. Product availability
Rewards are subject to the continued availability of the relevant digital product. If a reward product is discontinued, an equivalent product of equal or greater value will be substituted.
11. Tax
Benefits received through this programme may be taxable income in some jurisdictions. Participants are solely responsible for determining and fulfilling any tax obligations arising from rewards received.