Terms & Conditions

Effective Date: January 1, 2026

Welcome to West Ga. Marketplace. These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the West Ga. Marketplace website, community forums, and advertising platforms (collectively, the "Service").

By using our Service, you also agree to our Privacy Policy, Refund Policy, and DMCA Policy.

1. Acceptance of Terms

By creating an account or posting content, you represent that you are at least 18 years of age and agree to these Terms.

2. Description of Services

West Ga. Marketplace provides:

Local Classified Ads: Free listings with optional "Featured" upgrades.
Community Forum: Public and private messaging for local users.
West Ga. Spotlight: A business directory offering free 90-day listings and premium "Home Page" advertising spots.

3. User Accounts and Conduct

You are responsible for your account security. You agree not to post illegal, obscene, or defamatory content. While we provide a messaging system, we are not responsible for the interactions between users.

4. Classified Ads and Featured Listings

a. Standard Listings: Standard classified ads are free to post and will remain active on the site for 90 days or until removed by the user.

b. Featured Upgrades: Users may opt to purchase a "Featured Listing" upgrade for a fee of $3.00 USD. This upgrade grants the specific advertisement priority placement at the top of its category for a duration of seven (7) consecutive days from the time of payment.

c. Expiration of Upgrade: Upon the expiration of the 7-day Featured period, the advertisement will automatically revert to a Standard (free) listing. It will not be deleted, but it will lose its priority placement.

d. Refunds: As the increased visibility is a digital service rendered immediately upon payment, all fees for Featured Listings are non-refundable, regardless of whether the item sells before the 7-day period expires.

5. West Ga. Business Spotlight

a. Standard Business Listings: Local businesses may create a standard listing free of charge. These listings remain active for 90 days and must be manually renewed by the business owner to remain visible.

b. Premium Home Page Listings: Businesses may purchase a "Premium Spot" for a fee of $25.00 USD. This grants the listing a priority position on the Home Page "Spotlight" section for a period of 30 days.

c. Availability: Premium Spots are limited to four (4) spaces at any given time to ensure maximum visibility.

d. Reversion: After the 30-day premium period expires, the ad will automatically revert to a Standard (free) listing unless a renewal payment is processed.

6. Payments and Refund Policy

All payments are for digital advertising services and are non-refundable. Detailed terms regarding payments can be found in our Refund and Cancellation Policy.

7. Copyright and User Content (DMCA)

We do not claim ownership of the content you post. However, by posting, you grant us a license to display it. If you believe your copyright has been infringed, please follow the steps in our DMCA Policy.

8. Limitation of Liability

West Ga. Marketplace is a platform, not a seller or publisher. We are not liable for:

The accuracy of any ad or forum post.
The quality or safety of items sold via classifieds.
Any interactions or disputes between users or businesses.
Any content posted by users that may be offensive or incorrect.

9. Moderation and Reporting

We reserve the right to remove any content without notice. Users can report inappropriate content via the "Report" tool or by emailing us.

10. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Georgia.