Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing blackcarrot.tech, booking a consultation, or engaging Blackstone ("Cakglo Ltd", "we", "us") for any services, you ("Client") agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, do not use our website or services.

These terms apply to all visitors, clients, and users of the Blackstone website and services across all markets where Blackstone operates (DE, NL, UK, US, FR, BE, SE).

2. Services

Blackstone provides the following digital marketing services to business clients:

• SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)
• Website creation and development
• Google Ads campaign management
• AI-powered audits and lead research tools
• Related consulting and strategic services

All services are delivered according to a written proposal and statement of work (SOW) agreed upon by both parties prior to commencement. Verbal agreements are not binding.

Discovery Calls

Initial strategy calls (up to 15 minutes) are offered free of charge and are non-binding. Participating in a discovery call does not constitute entering into a service agreement.

3. Payment Terms

Payment upfront

All services and products require full payment upfront before work commences. No exceptions. This applies to one-time projects, SaaS subscriptions, and retainer engagements alike.

SaaS and subscription services

Subscription-based services (AI tools, monthly retainers) are billed in advance at the start of each billing cycle. Access is granted upon receipt of payment.

Late payment & account suspension

If a scheduled payment fails, Blackstone will:

1. Automatic retry — Our payment processor (Stripe) will automatically retry the charge up to 3 times over 14 days.
2. Payment failure notice — You will receive an email notification on the day of the failed payment with instructions to update your billing information.
3. Grace period (Days 1-30) — Your account remains fully active for the first 30 days after a missed payment. You will receive reminder emails at Day 3, Day 7, Day 14, and Day 21.
4. Warning notice (Day 30) — If payment has not been received within 30 days, we will send a formal warning that your account will be suspended in 7 days.
5. Account suspension (Day 37) — Access to your account, dashboards, reports, and tools will be suspended. Your data will be preserved.
6. Data retention (Days 37-90) — Your data is retained for 90 days from the original missed payment date. During this period, you can reactivate your account by settling the outstanding balance.
7. Account deletion (Day 90) — If no payment is received within 90 days, your account and all associated data will be permanently deleted. This action is irreversible.

Outstanding balances may be referred to a collections agency at Blackstone's discretion. Any costs associated with debt recovery will be added to the outstanding balance.

To update your payment method or resolve billing issues, contact finance@blackcarrot.tech or visit your account dashboard.

Project services

For custom project work (website creation, ad campaigns, SEO engagements), full payment is required before the project begins. Work is delivered according to the agreed proposal and timeline.

Refunds

Payments are non-refundable once work has commenced. If Blackstone is unable to deliver the agreed scope, a pro-rated refund will be issued for undelivered work at Blackstone's discretion.

Currency

Payments are accepted in EUR, GBP, or SEK as specified at checkout or in the proposal. The Client is responsible for any currency conversion costs or bank fees.

4. Deliverables & Intellectual Property

Ownership transfer

Upon receipt of full payment for a project, Blackstone transfers ownership of all project deliverables (website files, content, ad creative) to the Client, except as noted below.

Retained IP

Blackstone retains ownership of all proprietary tools, frameworks, methodologies, AI workflows, and internal systems used to deliver services. Deliverables may incorporate these but the underlying systems remain Blackstone's property.

Third-party licenses

Some deliverables may include third-party fonts, images, plugins, or software licensed separately. The Client is responsible for maintaining any required licenses after project handover.

Portfolio rights

Blackstone reserves the right to reference the Client's name and describe the nature of services rendered in our portfolio, case studies, and marketing materials, unless the Client requests confidentiality in writing.

5. Client Obligations

The Client agrees to:

• Provide accurate and complete information required to deliver the agreed services
• Respond to requests for feedback, content, or approvals within the timelines specified in the SOW
• Ensure they hold the rights to any content, trademarks, or materials provided to Blackstone
• Not provide false, misleading, or infringing materials for use in campaigns or websites
• Comply with all applicable laws in their jurisdiction, including advertising regulations

Delays caused by the Client (e.g. failure to provide required assets, feedback, or approvals) may result in revised timelines, for which Blackstone cannot be held responsible.

6. Excluded Sectors & Prohibited Use

• Gambling and online betting operators
• Adult entertainment platforms or services
• Firearms, weapons, and ammunition retailers
• Tobacco, e-cigarettes, and vaping product companies
• Payday lending and predatory financial services
• Cryptocurrency investment schemes and NFT projects
• Multi-level marketing (MLM) or pyramid scheme businesses
• Pork and dog meat trades or businesses involved in animal cruelty
• Political campaigns, parties, or political advocacy organisations

Blackstone reserves the right to decline or discontinue services to any client at our discretion, with a pro-rated refund of unused prepaid fees.

7. Limitation of Liability

Blackstone provides services on a best-efforts basis. We do not guarantee specific rankings, traffic volumes, conversion rates, or advertising results. Digital marketing outcomes depend on many factors outside our control, including search engine algorithm changes, market conditions, and competitor activity.

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Blackstone's total liability to the Client for any claim arising out of or related to these Terms or the services shall not exceed the total fees paid by the Client in the three (3) months preceding the claim.

Blackstone is not liable for indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages, including loss of profits or business opportunities.

8. Termination

By the Client

The Client may terminate a project or retainer by providing 30 days' written notice. Fees for work completed up to the termination date are non-refundable. Any outstanding balances become immediately due.

By Blackstone

Blackstone may terminate services immediately in the event of: non-payment beyond 30 days of due date; breach of these Terms by the Client; discovery that the Client operates in an excluded sector; or behaviour that is abusive, threatening, or illegal.

Effect of termination

Upon termination, Blackstone will deliver all completed work and assets to the Client, subject to payment of all outstanding fees. Access to any Blackstone-managed platforms (e.g. Google Ads accounts) will be transferred to the Client upon request.

9. Governing Law & Disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes shall be resolved first through good-faith negotiation. If unresolved within 30 days, disputes shall be submitted to the courts of England and Wales with exclusive jurisdiction.

For EU-based Clients, nothing in these Terms affects your rights as a consumer or business under applicable EU law.

10. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be communicated by email to active clients at least 14 days in advance. Continued use of our services following the effective date constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

11. Blackstone Inspections App (Software)

These additional terms apply to the Blackstone Inspections application (web app and Android app):

• Licence. With an active trial or subscription you receive a non-exclusive, non-transferable right to use the app for your own business operations. Seats and features depend on your plan.
• Your content. Inspections, photos and reports you create belong to you or your company. We store and process them only to provide the service (sync, team access, report generation) as described in our Privacy Policy.
• Team accounts. Inspection data created under a company account is controlled by that company's administrator. Inviting team members and managing their access is the administrator's responsibility.
• Free trial. The 14-day trial is free, requires no payment details, and has usage limits (inspections, photos, projects). Trial accounts not converted to a paid plan are deleted 30 days after the trial ends.
• Availability. We aim for high availability but do not guarantee uninterrupted service. The app stores data locally on your device so field work can continue during connectivity drops; unsynced local data is your responsibility until it has synced.
• Acceptable use. Do not misuse the app (unlawful content, attempts to breach security, resale without agreement).
• Account deletion. You can delete your account at any time — in the app under Settings → Delete Account or via blackstoneapp.com/delete-account.html.

Questions? Contact us.