Terms of Service

1. About Firefly and These Terms

Firefly is a consumer-to-consumer (C2C) bartering platform that enables registered individuals to exchange items directly with each other — without any monetary transaction.

By registering for or using Firefly, you agree to these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, please do not use the platform.

Firefly acts solely as a technical facilitator and coordinator. It is not a party to any trade, does not act as a seller or buyer, and does not take ownership of or handle any traded item.

2. Who May Use Firefly

• You must be at least 18 years of age to register.
• You must provide accurate registration information (name, email address).
• You may only create one account per person.
• Accounts may not be shared or transferred.

3. C2C Trades: Transactions Between Users

All trades on Firefly occur directly between users. Firefly does not buy, sell, or hold any items. The platform only identifies potential trade cycles and notifies participants.

• When you submit a trade offer, you agree to complete the trade if your offer is selected as part of a detected trade cycle.
• This agreement is binding and irrevocable once a cycle is confirmed.
• You are solely responsible for the item you offer: its condition, accuracy of description, and fulfilment of your trade leg.
• Firefly does not guarantee the condition, legality, or value of any item offered by another user.
• Any dispute arising from a trade is between the parties to that trade. Firefly may assist with moderation but is not liable for trade outcomes.

4. Withdrawal Rights

The EU Consumer Rights Directive (Directive 2011/83/EU) and its national implementations grant consumers a 14-day right of withdrawal from distance contracts concluded with traders (professional sellers acting in a commercial capacity).

This right of withdrawal does not apply to trades on Firefly for the following reasons:

• Firefly is not a trader — it is a platform facilitator, not a seller of goods.
• Your trade partner is a private individual — trades on Firefly are between consumers. Consumer-to-consumer contracts are outside the scope of the Consumer Rights Directive.
• No monetary price is involved — the Directive's cooling-off provisions apply to commercial distance sales, not barter exchanges between private individuals.

By submitting a trade offer, you acknowledge that no statutory right of withdrawal applies to completed C2C trades on Firefly, and that you are bound by the trade commitment once a cycle is confirmed. If you believe a trade partner has acted in bad faith, please use the platform's reporting function.

5. Your Data and Privacy (GDPR Art. 13)

In accordance with GDPR Article 13, Firefly provides the following information about the processing of your personal data.

Data Controller

Firefly is the data controller for personal data processed on this platform. Contact details are available in the Contact section below.

Data We Collect and Why

We collect your email address, display name, and mailing address to operate your account and fulfil trades. Listing details, trade records, and notification records are processed to provide the core platform service. Consent records and audit logs are retained to comply with our legal obligations. Usage analytics (anonymised) may be processed with your consent for platform improvement.

Your Rights Under GDPR

• Access your data — download a machine-readable export from your account page.
• Correct inaccurate data — update your profile at any time.
• Delete your account and data — subject to open trade obligations.
• Receive your data in a portable format — JSON export on your account page.
• Object to processing — withdraw consent on your consent settings page.
• Lodge a complaint with a data protection authority — in Germany: the Bundesbeauftragter für den Datenschutz und die Informationsfreiheit (BfDI), or your local Landesbeauftragter.

No Third-Party Data Sharing

Firefly does not share your personal data with external analytics providers, advertising networks, or tracking services. All analytics run on Firefly-controlled infrastructure.

6. Platform Transparency (Digital Services Act)

Firefly operates as an online platform under the EU Digital Services Act (DSA — Regulation (EU) 2022/2065). In compliance with our transparency obligations, we provide the following information.

Content Moderation

Firefly may remove listings or suspend user accounts that violate these Terms or applicable law. All moderation decisions are recorded.

Notice and Action (DSA Art. 16)

Any person may report a listing or user for illegal or harmful content via the Report function on the platform. Reported content is reviewed by Firefly administrators, and reporters are notified of the outcome.

Internal Complaint Mechanism (DSA Art. 20)

If you disagree with a moderation decision affecting your content, you may file an internal complaint via the platform. Complaints are reviewed by a Firefly administrator and resolved within a reasonable timeframe. You may also use an out-of-court dispute settlement body certified under DSA Art. 21.

Transparency Reporting

Firefly publishes periodic transparency reports on content moderation activity, including the number of reports received, actions taken, and complaint outcomes, in accordance with DSA Art. 15/24.

7. Prohibited Conduct

• List or trade counterfeit, stolen, or illegal items.
• Harass, defame, or threaten other users.
• Submit false or misleading listing descriptions.
• Create multiple accounts or impersonate other users.
• Attempt to circumvent platform security measures.

8. Limitation of Liability

Firefly provides the platform on an "as-is" basis. Firefly is not liable for the quality, safety, legality, or fitness for purpose of any item traded, for disputes between users, or for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from use of the platform.

Nothing in these Terms limits Firefly's liability for fraud, wilful misconduct, or where exclusion is prohibited by mandatory law.

9. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany. If you are a consumer in the EU/EEA, you also benefit from the mandatory consumer protection provisions of your country of habitual residence.

The European Commission provides an Online Dispute Resolution platform: ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr.

10. Changes to These Terms

Firefly may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be communicated to registered users by email or in-platform notification at least 30 days before they take effect. Continued use of the platform after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

11. Contact

For questions about these Terms, data protection, or to exercise your GDPR rights, please contact Firefly Support. Contact details will be published here before the platform launches.