Terms of Service

Version 3.0 – February 2, 2026

1. Agreement to Terms

These Terms of Service (“Terms”) constitute a legally binding agreement between you (“User,” “Subscriber,” “you”) and BierGeek (“BierGeek,” “Platform,” “we,” “us,” “our”).

By accessing the Platform, creating an account, submitting a listing, or purchasing a subscription plan, you agree to be bound by these Terms.

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

2. Nature of the Platform

BierGeek is a global digital visibility and directory platform for breweries, beers, and related establishments.

The Platform provides:

  • Directory listings
  • Tiered subscription plans
  • Visibility enhancements
  • Featured placements
  • QR code tools
  • User rating systems
  • Global ranking systems
  • Verified check-in mechanisms
  • Gamification features (badges, rewards)
  • Marketplace positioning tools

BierGeek:

    • Does not sell or distribute alcohol
  • Does not process alcohol transactions
  • Does not guarantee commercial outcomes
  • Does not verify regulatory compliance of listed entities

All commercial risk remains with the subscriber.

3. Eligibility

You must:

  • Be at least 18 years old (or legal age in your jurisdiction)
  • Have authority to represent the business you list
  • Provide accurate and lawful information

You are responsible for compliance with all local advertising and alcohol-related laws.

4. Account Registration

To access premium features, you must create an account.

You agree to:

  • Provide accurate information
  • Maintain account security
  • Notify us of unauthorized access
  • Accept responsibility for all activity under your account

We may suspend or terminate accounts at our discretion for violations or risk exposure.

5. Subscription Plans & Auto-Renewal

5.1 Billing Structure

Paid plans are subscription-based and may:

  • Renew automatically
  • Bill monthly or annually
  • Continue until cancelled

By purchasing a subscription, you expressly authorize recurring billing.

5.2 Cancellation

You may cancel at any time through your account settings.

Cancellation:

  • Stops future billing
  • Does not retroactively refund prior charges
  • Ends premium features at the close of the billing cycle

5.3 Refund Policy

Unless required by applicable consumer protection law:

  • Payments are non-refundable.

5.4 EU/UK Consumers

If you qualify as a consumer under EU or UK law, you may have a 14-day withdrawal right for digital services unless you:

  • Explicitly consent to immediate performance, and
  • Acknowledge loss of withdrawal rights once service begins.

By activating your subscription immediately, you expressly waive withdrawal rights where permitted by law.

6. Chargebacks & Payment Disputes

Initiating a chargeback without first contacting BierGeek to resolve a billing dispute constitutes a breach of these Terms.

We reserve the right to:

  • Suspend the account
  • Recover chargeback fees
  • Provide transaction records to payment processors
  • Pursue recovery of outstanding amounts

7. Listings & Content License

You retain ownership of submitted content.

By submitting materials (logos, labels, descriptions, images, data), you grant BierGeek a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to:

  • Display
  • Reformat
  • Promote
  • Index
  • Cache
  • Distribute
  • Archive

for Platform operation and marketing.

You warrant that:

  • You own or are authorized to use submitted content.
  • It does not infringe third-party rights.

8. Intellectual Property Protection

All proprietary elements of the Platform are owned by BierGeek, including:

  • Database structure
  • Taxonomies
  • Classification systems
  • Ranking algorithms
  • Platform logic
  • Source code
  • Shortcode systems
  • UX/UI
  • Branding

You may not:

  • Scrape or extract database content
  • Reverse-engineer ranking systems
  • Copy structural data
  • Replicate taxonomy architecture
  • Use automated tools to harvest listings

Unauthorized use may result in legal action.

9. Rankings, Algorithms & Visibility

BierGeek uses dynamic systems that may consider factors such as:

  • Subscription tier
  • User engagement
  • Verified check-ins
  • Data completeness
  • Algorithmic weighting
  • Platform experimentation

You acknowledge:

  • Rankings are algorithmic and not factual endorsements.
  • Visibility may change without notice.
  • We may modify ranking logic at any time.
  • No specific placement is guaranteed unless expressly stated.

Manipulation, artificial engagement, or fraud may result in immediate removal.

10. User Ratings & Reputation

User ratings reflect individual opinions.

BierGeek does not verify every review and is not responsible for:

  • Accuracy of user opinions
  • Reputational impact
  • Commercial consequences

We reserve the right to remove abusive, fraudulent, or unlawful reviews.

11. Platform Evolution

We may:

  • Add or remove features
  • Change subscription tiers
  • Modify pricing
  • Introduce advertising in the future
  • Launch APIs or developer tools
  • Integrate AI or automated systems

Subscribers acknowledge that the Platform is evolving.

Continued use constitutes acceptance of changes.

12. Copyright & Takedown Procedure

If you believe content infringes your copyright, submit a written notice including:

  • Identification of copyrighted work
  • Identification of infringing material
  • Your contact information
  • A statement of good faith belief
  • A statement under penalty of perjury of accuracy

Send notices to:
legal@biergeek.com

We may remove allegedly infringing content and notify the submitter.

13. Acceptable Use

You agree not to:

  • Provide false information
  • Manipulate ratings or check-ins
  • Use bots without authorization
  • Interfere with platform security
  • Upload unlawful, defamatory, or infringing content

Violation may result in suspension or termination.

14. Data Protection

Use of the Platform is governed by our Privacy Policy.

Where applicable, we aim to align with:

  • GDPR
  • CCPA
  • International data protection principles

Users may request data access, correction, or deletion where legally required.

15. Disclaimer of Warranties

The Platform is provided “as is” and “as available.”

We disclaim all warranties, including:

  • Merchantability
  • Fitness for a particular purpose
  • Continuous availability
  • Error-free operation
  • Commercial results

16. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law:

BierGeek shall not be liable for:

  • Indirect damages
  • Lost profits
  • Reputational harm
  • Algorithmic ranking changes
  • Downtime
  • User-generated content

Total aggregate liability shall not exceed the greater of:

  • Amount paid in the previous 3 months, or
  • USD $100

17. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify BierGeek against claims arising from:

  • Your content
  • Your misuse of the Platform
  • Regulatory violations
  • Alcohol advertising violations

18. Governing Law & Arbitration

These Terms shall be governed by general principles of international commercial contract law.

Any dispute shall be resolved by binding arbitration in a neutral jurisdiction selected by BierGeek, unless mandatory law requires otherwise.

Class actions are waived where legally permitted.

19. Severability

If any provision is unenforceable, the remainder remains in effect.

20. Entire Agreement

These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and BierGeek.