Last Updated: 9 January 2026
Welcome to RateMe! We're New Zealand's review platform connecting consumers with businesses they can trust. Before you start using our services, please take the time to read these Terms of Use for Businesses (we'll call them "terms" from here on). They explain what we expect from you and what you can expect from us.
When you claim a business profile, manage your account, reply to reviews, or use any of our services, you're agreeing to these terms. If you don't agree with these terms or can't comply with them, you shouldn't use our platform. It's that simple.
You agree to these terms by: (a) clicking a box or button confirming you agree; (b) claiming a business profile page; (c) accessing or using any of our services; or (d) signing any document that references these terms.
Got questions? Check out our Help Center first, or contact us at helpdesk@rateme.co.nz.
Important: Words in "quotation marks" have specific meanings that apply throughout these terms.
Us and You
When we say "RateMe", "we", "our", or "us", we mean RateMe, located at 17c Lane Street, Upper Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand. When we say "you" or "your", we mean the business entity or person you represent.
Our Platform
Our "platform" means all of RateMe's websites at www.rateme.co.nz, including any subdomains, mobile applications, and related services.
Our Services
Our "services" include everything we provide to businesses: your business account, the ability to claim and manage your business profile, reply to reviews, display review widgets on your website, access analytics and reporting, verification services, and any other features we offer now or in the future.
Please note:
Claiming Your Business Profile
To access our services, you or someone on your behalf needs to claim your business profile page on our platform. This is your home base on RateMe where consumers can find and review your business.
Our Current Service Model
Right now, all our services are completely free for businesses. You can claim your profile, reply to reviews, access analytics, and use all our features at no cost. However, we may introduce paid subscription services in the future. If we do, we'll give you plenty of notice and the choice to upgrade when you're ready.
Your Business Account
Once you've claimed your profile, you get access to a business account where you can:
Your Responsibilities
You're responsible for:
Business Domains
You promise that you (or your company) own or have the right to operate the business domain(s) you use our services for. If you're setting up an account for a business you don't own, you promise you have the authority to do so.
When using RateMe, you must follow our Guidelines for Businesses. These guidelines are really important—they explain what you should and shouldn't do on our platform. Most of it is common sense designed to keep RateMe a fair and trusted place for reviews.
We can update these guidelines from time to time, and any changes take effect immediately. We'll do our best to notify you of significant changes.
You May:
You Must Never:
Understanding Reviews
Reviews on RateMe are written by consumers, not by us. We don't endorse or verify the opinions expressed in reviews. Reviews represent the personal experiences and opinions of the reviewers who wrote them.
Public Nature of Reviews
All reviews and your replies are public and can be viewed by anyone on the internet. They may also appear in search engines like Google. Once published, reviews become part of the permanent public record, even if you delete your business account.
Replying to Reviews
You can reply to reviews about your business. When you reply:
Reporting Reviews
If you believe a review violates our guidelines (for example, it's fake, defamatory, or contains inappropriate content), you can report it. We'll investigate and take action if needed. However, you cannot report reviews simply because they're negative or you disagree with them.
Content Ownership
You own your business information, logos, and brand materials ("your content"). Reviews are owned by the consumers who wrote them. We own everything else on our platform, including our design, code, algorithms, and the RateMe brand.
When you use our services, you give us permission to use your business name, logo, and content to provide our services and operate our platform.
User Generated Content
Any content created by you or your users on our platform (like review replies) remains available on our platform even after you delete your account, unless it violates our guidelines and we remove it.
Using Our Widgets
You can display RateMe review widgets on your website as long as you:
Using Our Brand
You can mention that your business is on RateMe and link to your profile. However:
Other Services
You may want to integrate RateMe with other services or platforms (like your website, e-commerce platform, or other business tools). These third-party products have their own terms and conditions that apply to you, not these terms.
Our Responsibility
We're not responsible for third-party products or services, even if we help facilitate the integration. You use them at your own risk. Any issues with third-party products should be resolved with those providers, not with us.
We provide you with analytics and insights about your reviews and business performance on RateMe. This information is for your internal business use only. You cannot:
How We Handle Data
We take privacy seriously. Please read our Privacy Policy to understand how we collect, use, and protect personal information.
Your Data Responsibilities
You're responsible for:
Consumer Information
Any personal information about consumers that you access through our platform must be handled in accordance with New Zealand privacy laws. You cannot use this information for purposes other than managing your presence on RateMe.
Keeping Things Secure
Security is a shared responsibility. We do our part by implementing industry-standard security measures. You need to do your part by:
If Something Goes Wrong
If you become aware of any security breach, unauthorised access, or suspicious activity related to your account, you must notify us immediately at helpdesk@rateme.co.nz.
Business Verification
We offer business verification to help consumers identify legitimate businesses. Verification is optional and subject to our verification process.
To be verified, you'll need to:
We reserve the right to:
What's Coming
While our services are currently free, we plan to introduce paid subscription plans in the future. These may include:
When We Introduce Paid Services
We'll give you advance notice before introducing paid plans. You won't be automatically enrolled in a paid plan. Using paid services will be entirely your choice, and you can continue using our free services if you prefer.
When paid plans are available:
Changes to Our Services
We're constantly improving RateMe. We may add, modify, or discontinue features from time to time. We'll do our best to notify you of significant changes, but we're not required to give advance notice for minor updates.
Changes to These Terms
We may update these terms occasionally to reflect changes in our services, the law, or how we operate. We'll notify you of material changes by email or through a notice on our platform. Your continued use of RateMe after changes means you accept the updated terms.
Deleting Your Account
You can delete your business account at any time through your account settings. When you delete your account:
When We Might Suspend or Terminate Your Account
We can suspend or terminate your account immediately if:
We can also terminate your account at any time for any reason by giving you reasonable notice.
Disclaimer
Our services are provided "as is" and "as available". To the fullest extent permitted by New Zealand law:
Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by New Zealand law, we're not liable for:
Our total liability to you for any claims is limited to the amount you've paid us in the 12 months before the claim arose. Since our services are currently free, this means our liability is currently limited to zero dollars, except where New Zealand law doesn't allow such limitations.
Important Note
Nothing in these terms excludes or limits our liability for anything that cannot be excluded or limited under New Zealand law, such as liability for fraud or intentional misconduct.
Your Responsibilities to Us
You agree to compensate us for any losses, costs, or expenses (including legal fees) we incur because of:
Resolving Issues
Most concerns can be resolved quickly by contacting us at helpdesk@rateme.co.nz. We'll do our best to work things out.
Governing Law
These terms are governed by New Zealand law. Any disputes will be resolved in the courts of New Zealand.
Professional Advice
We don't provide legal, financial, tax, or professional advice. Any information we provide is general in nature. It's your responsibility to ensure you're using our services in compliance with all applicable laws.
No Partnership
Nothing in these terms creates a partnership, joint venture, employment, or agency relationship between you and RateMe. We don't endorse or recommend your business just because you're on our platform.
Entire Agreement
These terms constitute the entire agreement between you and RateMe regarding your use of our services, replacing any previous agreements or understandings.
Transferring Rights
We can transfer our rights and obligations under these terms to another company. You cannot transfer your rights without our written permission.
If Part of These Terms Is Unenforceable
If any part of these terms is found to be unenforceable, the rest remains in effect.
No Waiver
Our failure to enforce any part of these terms doesn't mean we waive our right to enforce it later.
Survival
Some sections of these terms (like liability limitations, indemnification, and ownership) continue to apply even after your account is deleted or these terms end.
Language
These terms are written in English. If we provide translations, the English version takes precedence in any disputes.
Questions about these terms or our services? Get in touch:
RateMe
Email: helpdesk@rateme.co.nz
Website: www.rateme.co.nz
Post: 17c Lane Street, Upper Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand