Merchant Standards & Trust

At Region Beacon, we believe local business owners and independent service professionals are the backbone of our communities. Our Merchant Standards and Trust Guidelines define the fair, transparent principles that govern our marketplace.

1. The Zero-Commission Marketplace Pledge

Unlike traditional gig apps and lead generation brokers that extract 15% to 35% of every job or bill you for unqualified shared leads, Region Beacon operates on a simple, flat subscription model ($14.99 per month, or $149 per year). We do not touch your payments, we do not deduct service fees, and we never insert ourselves between you and your hard-earned revenue.

• 100% of your earnings stay yours: You set your prices, submit your quotes, and collect payment directly via your preferred invoicing method.
• No hidden transaction fees: We do not levy payment processing surcharges on your customer work.
• Predictable operating costs: A fixed monthly or annual subscription that you can budget for with confidence.

2. No Shared Leads & Anti-Auction Guarantee

The standard lead broker model pits five local contractors against each other for the same customer phone number, creating a frantic race to the bottom where only the lead seller wins.

• Direct Inquiries: When a homeowner or client submits a request to your listing, it is routed exclusively to your business inbox and email.
• Transparent Broadcasts: If a customer submits an open request to a trade category, the customer is told exactly which verified local businesses receive it, and participating businesses are never charged per reply.
• Complete Customer Information: Requests include real customer names, unmasked phone numbers or emails, job descriptions, and attached photos so you can assess the job accurately.

3. Professional Standards & Licensing

To preserve customer trust and maintain the integrity of our directory, businesses listed on Region Beacon agree to:

• Hold and maintain in good standing all licenses, permits, and insurance required by Georgia law and local municipalities for their specific trade.
• Provide accurate, truthful representations of their experience, certifications, and service area.
• Deliver professional, code-compliant workmanship and honor written quotes provided to clients.
• Never engage in deceptive pricing, bait-and-switch tactics, or unauthorized subcontracting.

4. Authentic Reviews & Fair Ratings

Trust requires authentic community feedback:

• Reviews must reflect genuine customer experiences with the listed business.
• Businesses are prohibited from posting fake reviews, incentivizing false testimonials, or penalizing customers for honest feedback.
• Businesses have the right to publicly reply to customer reviews and request administrative review for provably fraudulent or abusive submissions.

5. Direct Dispute Resolution

Because Region Beacon is an advertising directory and not a general contractor or party to client agreements, any disputes regarding scope of work, scheduling, or payment are handled directly between the business and the customer. However, we reserve the right to suspend or remove any business or user that engages in harassment, fraud, non-payment, or repeated credible safety violations.

6. Merchant Data & Portability

Your business profile, photos, and client relationships belong to you. If you choose to cancel your subscription, you take your customer contacts and goodwill with you without penalties or platform lock-in.