Last updated: March 2026 (added product information disclaimer)
helyi is a platform that helps local community groups run more smoothly. We don't own the relationship between members and their Local — that belongs to the organiser and the community itself. Our job is to support it.
Any concerns, questions, or complaints about your Local's products, orders, or operations should go to your organiser directly. helyi is not a party to those arrangements.
When you place an order through helyi, you are making a commitment to your Local. You are required to pay your organiser for any goods or services you purchase, whether through helyi or through your Local by any other means.
If an order goes unpaid, your organiser may take steps to collect what is owed.
Locals exist for the benefit of their communities — not as purely profit-driven businesses. Everyone involved, members and organisers alike, is expected to act in good faith and with basic decency toward one another.
People who consistently act outside this spirit — whether through abuse, dishonesty, or general unpleasantness — can and will be removed from their Local, and the helyi network.
Organisers run their Locals independently. They are responsible for the accuracy of product listings and pricing, collecting payment from members, and fulfilling orders. helyi is not a party to the relationship between organisers and their members.
Product information — including descriptions, ingredients, allergens, weights, and prices — is provided by suppliers and is the supplier's responsibility to keep accurate. Organisers are responsible for verifying the products they offer to their members. helyi does not independently verify product information and is not liable for any inaccuracies or omissions.
Before a Local can go live, the organiser must verify their phone number via a one-time SMS code, and confirm their identity using their South African ID number. The ID number is validated once and never stored. This is a fraud-reduction measure to protect members and the broader community.
Your data belongs to you — not to helyi.
Organisers own their community: the member list, order history, delivery instructions, supplier relationships, and all other data associated with their Local. helyi holds this data only to facilitate the Local's operation. If an organiser ever leaves helyi, their community data goes with them.
Suppliers own their product data: names, descriptions, pricing, images, and any other content they provide. helyi uses this data solely to display products within the markets that suppliers have agreed to supply. If a supplier leaves helyi, their product data — including images — leaves with them.
helyi's access to all of this data exists for one purpose: to support the relationships between members, Locals, and suppliers. We do not mine it, sell it, or use it for any purpose outside of that.
helyi provides the technology. We are not responsible for the quality of products, the conduct of organisers or suppliers, or the fulfilment of any order. Those responsibilities lie with the parties involved in each Local.
helyi only stores information needed to operate your account and support your Local. See our Privacy Policy for full details, including how organiser verification data is handled.
We may update these terms from time to time. Continued use of helyi after changes are posted means you accept the updated terms.
For platform or technical issues, email help@helyi.net. For questions about these terms, email legal@helyi.net.