Local Marketplace Terms of Service

Pre-production draft. Recommend licensed attorney review before major scaling. Not legal advice.

Last updated: [LAST UPDATED DATE — see docs/legal/ENTITY.md]

Effective date: [EFFECTIVE DATE — see docs/legal/ENTITY.md]

1. Agreement to these Terms

These Terms of Service ("Terms") are a binding agreement between you and [YOUR COMPANY LLC] ("Local Marketplace," "we," "us") governing your access to and use of the Local Marketplace mobile application, website, and related services (collectively, the "Service").

By creating an account, checking the acceptance box at sign-in, or using the Service, you agree to these Terms and to the documents incorporated by reference:

DocumentPurpose
Privacy PolicyData practices
Community GuidelinesListing and conduct rules
Meetup SafetySafety guidance for local meetups

If you do not agree, do not use the Service.

We may update these Terms. We will post a new "Last updated" date and, when required, notify you in the app. Continued use after changes means you accept the updated Terms, unless applicable law requires a different consent process. If you disagree with an update, stop using the Service and delete your account.

2. What Local Marketplace is (and is not)

Local Marketplace is a hyperlocal listing platform for physical items, discovered by ZIP code and radius. We help neighbors find nearby deals and coordinate local pickup / meetup — we are not a store, broker, escrow agent, or payment processor for items.

Local Marketplace does not:

  • Buy, sell, ship, or take title to items listed by users
  • Process payments between buyers and sellers for items
  • Guarantee that listings are accurate, safe, legal, or still available
  • Verify the identity, background, or character of users beyond basic account sign-in and optional phone verification
  • Provide purchase protection, refunds, or dispute resolution for offline item sales

    • Offline transactions (cash, Venmo, Zelle, etc.) are solely between buyer and seller. Local Marketplace is not a party to those transactions and cannot help with chargebacks, returns, or meetup disputes.

    3. Acknowledgment of marketplace risks

    There are inherent risks in buying from or selling to people you meet online, including fraud, misrepresentation, theft, or personal harm at meetups. You assume these risks when you use the Service and when you meet other users in person.

    Local Marketplace provides reporting, blocking, keyword filters, and moderation tools, but we do not guarantee a safe or successful transaction. See Meetup Safety.

    4. Eligibility

    You must be at least 18 years old and able to enter a binding contract where you live. By using the Service, you represent that you meet this requirement.

    You may not use the Service if you have been permanently banned, if you are violating another agreement with us, or if your use would violate applicable law.

    5. Accounts and security

  • Sign-in: Google authentication is used for account creation. Your display name and profile photo may sync from your Google account.
  • Accuracy: Keep your profile information (including location/ZIP used for discovery) reasonably accurate.
  • Security: You are responsible for activity on your account. Notify support@yourdomain.com if you suspect unauthorized access.
  • One person, one account: Do not create accounts to evade bans or moderation.

    • 6. Listings and user content

    6.1 Listing standards

    Every listing must:

  • Offer a physical item (not a service, digital good, or empty promise)
  • Be intended for local pickup / meetup in your area (no shipping through the platform)
  • Use real photos and honest titles/descriptions
  • Comply with Community Guidelines

    • Listings expire automatically after 21 days (standard accounts) or 2 months (Premium sellers), and are permanently deleted 7 days after expiry, including images, unless you renew or remove them sooner.

    6.2 Prohibited content

    You may not post content that is illegal, dangerous, deceptive, or violates our Community Guidelines, including weapons, drugs, stolen goods, counterfeit items, adult content, spam, or off-platform payment scams.

    6.3 License you grant Local Marketplace

    You retain ownership of your content. You grant Local Marketplace a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to host, store, reproduce, display, and distribute your listing content (including photos) only to operate and promote the Service. This license ends when content is deleted, except as needed for backups, legal compliance, or moderation records.

    6.4 Our rights

    We may review, remove, hide, pause, or refuse any content or account at any time, with or without notice, if we believe it violates these Terms, our Guidelines, or applicable law, or if it creates risk for users or Local Marketplace. We are not obligated to host any listing.

    7. Discovery, feed, and location

    The feed shows listings near your chosen ZIP code and radius. We may reorder results (for example, boosted or premium listings). We do not guarantee that every nearby listing appears in your feed or that you will receive messages or sales.

    8. Messaging, contact, and phone verification

  • The Service may offer direct messages between buyers and sellers for a specific listing — not general social chat.
  • Phone verification via SMS may be required to post, message, boost, subscribe, redeem promos, or advertise. By requesting a code, you consent to transactional SMS from Local Marketplace or our providers. Message/data rates may apply.
  • Do not harass, spam, or use messages for off-platform scams. Messages may be stored and reviewed for safety and legal compliance.
  • Contact reveal (phone/SMS) may require both parties to accept a deal in-app first.

    • 9. Reports, blocks, and enforcement

    ToolWhat it does
    ReportFlags a listing or user for review
    BlockHides a user’s listings and prevents new DMs between you
    ModerationWe may pause listings, warn, shadow-limit, or ban accounts

    We aim to review serious safety reports within a reasonable time, but we do not guarantee response times. Enforcement may include:

    1. Content removal or listing pause

    2. Warning or temporary restriction

    3. Permanent account ban

    See Community Guidelines for appeals. We are not required to provide a formal tribunal.

    Automated thresholds (for example, many reports in 24 hours) may pause listings pending review.

    10. Paid features (Boost and Premium)

    Optional paid features (listing boosts, premium seller subscriptions) are billed through Stripe on supported platforms.

  • Prices are shown before purchase
  • Subscriptions renew until canceled through Stripe or in-app management where provided
  • Boost fees are generally non-refundable once applied, except for technical failure on our side
  • Paid features do not guarantee views, sales, or immunity from moderation

    • Local Marketplace paid features are digital services to sellers, separate from any offline item payment between users.

    11. Promotional codes

    Promo codes may grant boosts or premium time subject to in-app rules, phone verification, and one-time-use limits. We may revoke or expire codes at any time.

    11.1 Founding Seller and launch seed promotions

    From time to time we run launch promotions — for example, a Founding Seller badge, complimentary ("comped") Premium time, or a small per-listing incentive paid to early sellers who help seed local supply before launch. These promotions are optional, limited-time, and discretionary, and are subject to additional terms:

  • Genuine items only. Incentives apply only to real, lawful, accurately described items you actually intend to sell for local pickup. Fake, duplicate, placeholder, joke, or low-effort listings do not qualify and may be removed without payment.
  • Admin approval and caps. We may require admin review before any incentive is credited, and we cap the number of paid/incentivized listings per person. We may decline, reduce, or claw back incentives for abuse, farming, or violations of these Terms or the Community Guidelines.
  • Not employment. Participating in a seed or Founding promotion does not create an employment, agency, partnership, or contractor relationship with Local Marketplace. You are not our employee or agent.
  • Taxes. Any cash or cash-equivalent incentive you receive is your responsibility for tax purposes. We may request a name and tax information and issue an IRS Form 1099 where required by law.
  • Changes. We may modify or end any promotion at any time. Promotions are void where prohibited.

    • 12. College student badge

    Optional `.edu` email verification may display a badge and unlock filters. Misrepresentation of student status violates these Terms and may result in badge removal or account action.

    13. User conduct

    You agree not to:

  • Violate law or others’ rights
  • Harass, threaten, or defraud other users
  • Circumvent bans, blocks, or moderation
  • Scrape, crawl, or automate access without permission
  • Manipulate ratings or reviews
  • Impersonate another person or business

    • 14. Third-party services

    The Service integrates with third parties (for example Google, Supabase, Stripe, Mapbox, AdMob). Your use of those services may be subject to their terms. Local Marketplace is not responsible for third-party outages or acts.

    15. Intellectual property

    Local Marketplace names, logos, and app design are our property. Do not use our branding without permission.

    15.1 Copyright complaints (DMCA-style)

    If you believe content on the Service infringes your copyright, email support@yourdomain.com with:

    1. Identification of the copyrighted work you claim was infringed

    2. Identification of the listing, URL, or user content you claim is infringing

    3. Your contact information (name, address, email, phone)

    4. A statement that you have a good-faith belief the use is not authorized

    5. A statement, under penalty of perjury, that your notice is accurate and you are authorized to act for the copyright owner

    6. Your physical or electronic signature

    We may remove or disable access to reported content and may terminate repeat infringers where appropriate.

    16. Disclaimers

    THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

    We do not warrant that the Service will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of harmful components.

    17. Limitation of liability

    TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE PLATFORM AND ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AND AGENTS WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS, DATA, GOODWILL, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES, ARISING FROM:

  • Your use of the Service
  • Any offline transaction or meetup with another user
  • Content posted by users
  • Unauthorized access to your account

    • OUR TOTAL LIABILITY FOR ANY CLAIM ARISING OUT OF THESE TERMS OR THE SERVICE WILL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) AMOUNTS YOU PAID US IN THE 12 MONTHS BEFORE THE CLAIM OR (B) $100 USD.

    Some jurisdictions do not allow certain limits; in those cases, our liability is limited to the fullest extent permitted by law.

    18. Indemnity

    You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Local Marketplace from claims, damages, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising from your content, your conduct, your offline transactions, or your violation of these Terms or law.

    19. Termination and account deletion

    You may stop using the Service at any time and delete your account in Settings. We may suspend or terminate your account at any time for any reason.

    Sections that by nature should survive (licenses for moderation records, disclaimers, liability limits, indemnity, dispute terms) survive termination.

    20. Governing law and disputes

    These Terms are governed by the laws of [YOUR STATE], United States, without regard to conflict-of-law rules, except where preempted by federal law.

    Informal resolution first: Before filing a claim, you agree to contact us at support@yourdomain.com and try to resolve the dispute informally for a reasonable period first.

    Disputes: You and Local Marketplace agree that any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service will be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located in [YOUR COUNTY], [YOUR STATE], and you consent to personal jurisdiction in those courts.

    Class action and jury trial waiver: To the maximum extent permitted by law, you and Local Marketplace agree that each may bring claims against the other only in an individual capacity, and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class, collective, consolidated, or representative proceeding. You and Local Marketplace each waive any right to a jury trial. If this waiver is found unenforceable for a particular claim, that claim (and only that claim) will proceed in court without these limitations.

    Time limit: Any claim must be filed within one (1) year after it arises, to the extent permitted by law.

    21. General

  • Entire agreement: These Terms and incorporated documents are the entire agreement between you and Local Marketplace regarding the Service.
  • Severability: If any provision is unenforceable, the rest remains in effect.
  • No waiver: Failure to enforce a provision is not a waiver.
  • Assignment: You may not assign these Terms; we may assign them in connection with a merger or sale.

    • 22. Contact

    Support: support@yourdomain.com

    Privacy: support@yourdomain.com