Terms & Conditions

Thank you for choosing Localist. We're a New Zealand business knowledge graph and discovery engine built to verify and showcase Kiwi enterprises through data-driven authority scoring and intelligent content visibility.

These Terms & Conditions ("Terms") form the agreement between you ("you", "your") and Localist ("we", "us", "our") whenever you use our website, platform, or services (the "Service"). By creating an account, claiming a listing, purchasing a membership, or otherwise using the Service, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms.

If you do not agree with these Terms, you should not use the Service. These Terms are designed to protect both you and us — they explain what we offer, what we don't, and the responsibilities we each carry.

Localist aggregates, enriches, and presents business information from public registers (including the New Zealand Business Number register), user submissions, and third-party data sources. Our role is to provide a platform where businesses can be discovered, verified, and understood — by customers and by AI-powered search engines.

What we do:

• Provide a searchable directory of New Zealand businesses.
• Sync and display data from public registers such as the NZBN register.
• Offer membership plans that unlock profile features, content tools, and visibility enhancements.
• Calculate authority and AI-readiness scores based on the information available to us.
• Offer sponsored slot placements for businesses that want additional visibility.

What we don't do:

• We don't guarantee any specific search ranking, AI citation, or placement in any third-party platform.
• We don't guarantee leads, enquiries, sales, or any commercial outcome.
• We don't warrant that the information displayed is always current, complete, or error-free.
• We don't act as a representative, agent, or partner of your business.

The digital landscape changes constantly. Search engines, AI models, and online platforms operate under their own rules — many of which are outside our control. We provide tools and data to help your business be discovered, but we cannot and do not promise specific results.

Localist offers several membership plans, each with different features and capabilities. The current plans and their pricing are displayed on our pricing page. We may change our plans, features, or pricing at any time, and changes take effect for new and renewing subscriptions.

How payment works:

• Memberships are billed in advance in New Zealand Dollars (NZD) via Stripe, our payment processor.
• Plans are billed on a recurring monthly basis unless otherwise stated.
• By subscribing, you authorise us to charge the applicable fee to your nominated payment method for each billing cycle until your subscription is cancelled.
• Tax (including GST) is applied where required by New Zealand law.

Memberships do not form credits. Your subscription fee pays for access to the features included in your plan during the current billing period. Unused features, time, or access do not accumulate, carry over, or convert to any form of credit — monetary or otherwise. If you downgrade, cancel, or your subscription lapses, any unused portion of the current billing period is not refunded or credited.

Failed payments. If a payment fails, we may retry it or suspend access to paid features until payment is resolved. We are not responsible for any loss of functionality, data visibility, or ranking that results from a lapsed or failed payment.

Price changes. We may adjust our pricing from time to time. Where a price increase applies to an existing subscription, we will notify you before your next billing date. The new price takes effect on your next renewal unless you cancel before that date.

You can cancel your membership at any time. Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period — you retain access to your plan's features until that period ends, and no further charges are made.

How to cancel: You can cancel from your billing settings within the platform, or by contacting us. Cancelling your subscription stops future billing. It does not automatically delete your account or your listing.

What happens when you cancel:

• Your listing remains on Localist but reverts to the standard public profile — the same baseline information visible to everyone, including Google and other search engines.
• All premium features you had access to (services, products, case studies, team profiles, FAQs, credentials, portfolio, and other plan-gated content) are removed from public view.
• Your authority score and AI-readiness score are recalculated based on the reduced profile and may drop significantly.
• Any sponsored slot campaigns associated with your business are deactivated at the end of the billing period.
• Your verified badge, if applicable, may be removed if verification was tied to an active subscription.

No refunds for partial periods. We do not refund or credit the unused portion of a billing period when you cancel. You keep access until the period ends, and then your profile reduces to the public baseline.

Account termination. We may suspend or terminate your account immediately if you breach these Terms, provide false or misleading information, or engage in conduct that we consider harmful to the platform, other users, or the public. See Chapters 8 and 9 for details.

Localist offers "Sponsored Slots" (also called "Boost Campaigns") — paid placements that give your business additional visibility on the platform, such as featured positioning in search results, category pages, or other high-traffic areas.

How sponsored slots work:

• Sponsored slots are purchased as fixed-duration packages or custom-budget campaigns, paid via Stripe.
• A sponsored slot gives your business enhanced placement for the duration of the campaign. It does not guarantee clicks, enquiries, leads, or any commercial outcome.
• Sponsored content is always demoted below organic results in prime real estate to ensure fair discovery — sponsorship enhances visibility but does not override relevance.
• Where multiple sponsored slots compete for the same placement, we may rotate or randomise the order.

Sponsored slots are not endorsements. A sponsored slot means a business has paid for additional visibility. It does not mean Localist endorses, recommends, or vouches for that business. We do not verify the claims, quality, or conduct of businesses beyond what is described in these Terms.

Expiry and non-renewal. Sponsored slots expire automatically at the end of their purchased duration. Recurring sponsored subscriptions continue until cancelled. No refund or credit is provided for sponsored slots that are cancelled mid-campaign, deactivated due to a Terms breach, or rendered inactive for any other reason.

We may refuse or remove a sponsored slot. We reserve the right to decline, suspend, or remove any sponsored placement at any time, including where the business or content does not meet our standards, is the subject of a dispute, or we are required to do so by law. No refund is owed in such cases except where required by New Zealand law.

Localist syncs business information from the New Zealand Business Number (NZBN) register and other public data sources. This data is fetched via APIs and processed in batches. Due to the scale of the dataset — over 1.4 million entities — and the rate limits of the source APIs, data on Localist is not live.

What this means:

• Information displayed on Localist may be out of date, incomplete, or differ from the current official register.
• Updates to the NZBN register may take days, weeks, or longer to be reflected on Localist, depending on our sync schedule and API availability.
• We do not guarantee that any specific business, field, or record is present, accurate, or current.
• Our authority and AI-readiness scores are calculated based on the data available to us at the time of calculation — they are indicative, not definitive.

Not a substitute for the official register. Localist is an independent platform. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the NZBN register, the Companies Office, or any government agency. For authoritative, up-to-date information about a business, you should consult the official register directly.

Data from other sources. We may also display information from Google, user submissions, and other third-party sources. We are not responsible for the accuracy of third-party data, and we do not warrant that any information on the platform is correct.

No liability for data errors. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Localist is not liable for any loss, damage, or inconvenience arising from inaccurate, outdated, or missing information on the platform.

Many businesses on Localist are unclaimed — they exist in our database because they appear on a public register, but no one has verified ownership. When you claim a listing, you are asserting that you are the rightful owner or an authorised representative of that business.

By claiming a listing, you confirm that:

• You are the lawful owner of the business, or you are an authorised representative with permission to act on the owner's behalf.
• The information you provide during the claim process is truthful, accurate, and complete to the best of your knowledge.
• You understand that falsely claiming a business you do not own is a serious breach of these Terms and may have legal consequences.
• You accept full responsibility for all content added to the listing after it is claimed.

Verification. We may require you to verify your ownership through methods such as email domain verification, NZBN identity matching, website meta tag verification, or manual review. Our verification processes are designed to reduce fraud but are not foolproof. Verification does not constitute a guarantee or warranty of ownership.

Claim disputes. If another person or entity disputes your claim, we may investigate and require additional evidence from both parties. We reserve the right to revoke a claim, transfer ownership, or suspend the listing pending resolution. Our decision is final and binding for the purposes of platform access.

This chapter is vital. Localist takes the integrity of its listings seriously. Falsely claiming a business, providing misleading information, or publishing false content harms the rightful owner, the public, and the platform.

If you claim a listing you do not own:

• No refunds. Any membership fees, sponsored slot payments, or other charges you have paid are non-refundable. You do not receive a credit, a partial refund, or any form of compensation.
• We can revoke the listing. We will transfer or revoke the claim and restore the listing to its rightful owner or to an unclaimed state.
• We can terminate your account. We may immediately suspend or permanently terminate your account, including any other listings or subscriptions associated with it, with no credit or refund.
• You indemnify us. You agree to indemnify and hold Localist harmless from any claim, loss, damage, or expense (including legal costs) arising from your false claim.

If you add false data or misleading content to a listing:

• You take full responsibility and liability. Any content you publish on your claimed listing — including descriptions, services, products, photos, credentials, awards, case studies, and contact details — is your responsibility. Localist has no involvement in, and accepts no liability for, the accuracy, truthfulness, or legality of user-submitted content.
• You are responsible for ensuring that all content is accurate, not misleading, and does not infringe the rights of any third party (including intellectual property, privacy, and consumer protection rights).
• You indemnify Localist against any claim, complaint, or legal action arising from content you have published.

The rightful owner's recourse. If you are the rightful owner of a business that has been falsely claimed, you must prove your ownership to our satisfaction. Upon verification, we will revoke the false claim, transfer the listing to you, and terminate the false claimant's access to that listing. The false claimant receives no refund, credit, or compensation.

Fraud is serious. Falsely claiming a business, misrepresenting ownership, or publishing misleading content may constitute fraud under New Zealand law. Localist reserves the right to report such conduct to the New Zealand Police, the Commerce Commission, or other relevant authorities.

You are solely responsible for all content you publish on Localist. We do not actively review every piece of content, but we reserve the right to review, edit, remove, or hide any content at any time, without notice, where we believe it breaches these Terms or is otherwise inappropriate.

You must not publish:

• False, misleading, or deceptive information about your business or any other business.
• Content that infringes the intellectual property, privacy, or confidentiality rights of any person or entity.
• Inappropriate, offensive, explicit, or illegal material, including photos and images.
• Content that defames, harasses, discriminates against, or threatens any person or group.
• Content that promotes illegal goods, services, or activities.
• Malware, viruses, or any material designed to disrupt or harm the platform or its users.
• Any content that breaches New Zealand law, including the Fair Trading Act 1986, the Privacy Act 2020, or the Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015.

Our enforcement rights. If we find content that we believe breaches these Terms, is misleading, or is otherwise inappropriate, we may — at any time and without notice:

• Remove, hide, or edit the content.
• Suspend or restrict your account or listing.
• Revoke your claim and revert the listing to an unclaimed state.
• Terminate your account and cancel all associated subscriptions with no refund or credit.
• Report the matter to the New Zealand Police, the Commerce Commission, the Privacy Commissioner, or other relevant authorities.
• Take any other action we consider necessary to protect the platform, our users, or the public.

Reporting content. If you believe content on Localist breaches these Terms or is otherwise harmful, you can report it to us. We will review reported content and take action where appropriate. We are not obligated to act on every report and may request further information before doing so.

No liability for enforcement decisions. We are not liable for any loss, damage, or inconvenience arising from our enforcement actions, including the removal of content, suspension of accounts, or termination of subscriptions.

Localist uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to calculate authority scores, AI-readiness scores, generate content suggestions, and provide insights. We also display information that may be referenced by AI-powered search engines and assistants.

AI is a tool, not a promise. Our AI-driven features are designed to help your business be better understood by search engines and AI models. However:

• We do not guarantee any specific ranking on Google, Bing, ChatGPT, Perplexity, or any other search engine or AI platform.
• We do not guarantee AI citations — we cannot control whether an AI model chooses to reference your business.
• We do not guarantee leads, enquiries, traffic, or sales of any kind.
• AI-generated content and scores are indicative — they are based on available data and algorithms that may change without notice.
• AI can make mistakes. Information generated or surfaced by AI may be inaccurate. You should always verify important information independently.

Third-party platforms operate under their own rules. Google, AI models, and other platforms control their own ranking algorithms, citation decisions, and content policies. We have no control over how these platforms use, display, or rank information from Localist. No membership plan, sponsored slot, or feature on Localist guarantees any outcome on any third-party platform.

Your authority and AI-readiness scores are calculated by Localist based on the information available to us. They are internal metrics designed to help you understand and improve your profile. They are not an official rating, an endorsement, or a predictor of any external outcome. Scores may change at any time as our algorithms, data, or your profile changes.

Your content. You retain ownership of all content you submit to Localist, including business descriptions, logos, photos, service details, and other materials. By publishing content on Localist, you grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide licence to use, reproduce, display, and distribute that content for the purpose of operating and promoting the Service.

You confirm that you have the right to grant this licence and that your content does not infringe the intellectual property rights of any third party.

Our platform. The Localist platform — including its design, software, branding, authority scoring methodology, data models, and user interface — is owned by us and protected by New Zealand and international intellectual property laws. You may not copy, reproduce, redistribute, or create derivative works from the platform without our written permission.

Public register data. Business information sourced from the NZBN register and other public registers is subject to the terms of those registers. We display this data under the terms of the applicable licences and do not claim ownership of the underlying register data.

Infringement notices. If you believe content on Localist infringes your intellectual property rights, contact us with details of the infringement. We will review and take appropriate action, which may include removing the content.

To the maximum extent permitted by New Zealand law, Localist, its directors, employees, contractors, and affiliates are not liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of (or inability to use) the Service.

This includes, without limitation:

• Loss of revenue, profits, business, or anticipated savings.
• Loss of data, listings, or content.
• Loss arising from inaccurate, outdated, or missing information on the platform.
• Loss arising from the actions or omissions of third-party platforms (Google, AI models, etc.).
• Loss arising from the conduct of other users, including false claims or misleading content.
• Loss arising from service interruptions, outages, or maintenance.

Our maximum liability for any claim arising from these Terms or your use of the Service is limited to the total amount you have paid to Localist in the three (3) months preceding the event giving rise to the claim. If you have not paid anything, our liability is limited to NZ$50.

You indemnify us. You agree to indemnify and hold Localist harmless from any claim, loss, damage, or expense (including reasonable legal costs) arising from:

• Your use of the Service.
• Content you have published.
• Your breach of these Terms.
• Your violation of any law or the rights of any third party.
• Any false or misleading claim you have made about business ownership.

Consumer Guarantees Act. Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits any rights you may have under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 or other rights that cannot be excluded or limited by law. Where those rights apply, our liability is limited to resupplying the service or paying the cost of having the service resupplied.

Changes to these Terms. We may update these Terms at any time. We will notify material changes via the platform or by email. Your continued use of the Service after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms. If you do not agree, you should cancel your subscription and stop using the Service.

Account security. You are responsible for keeping your account credentials secure and for all activity under your account. Notify us immediately if you suspect unauthorised access.

Service availability. We do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free access to the Service. We may suspend, maintain, or update the platform at any time without notice. We are not liable for any downtime or service interruption.

Third-party links. The platform may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the content, accuracy, or practices of those websites.

Governing law. These Terms are governed by the laws of New Zealand. Any dispute arising from these Terms or your use of the Service is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the New Zealand courts.

Severability. If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in full force and effect.

Entire agreement. These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Localist regarding the Service.

Contact. If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us through the platform or at our published contact details.