Terms of Use

The Local Dictionary is a directory of Egyptian local brands. We collect publicly-available product information from brand storefronts, Instagram, and other public sources, and present it in a single searchable catalog. When you find something you want to buy, we send you to the brand's own website, Instagram, or WhatsApp.

We are not a marketplace. We do not:

• Take payments.
• Ship, hold, or handle products.
• Process returns, refunds, or warranty claims.
• Act as the seller of record for any product listed.

Every purchase is a direct transaction between you and the brand. Any disputes about product quality, delivery, or payment are between you and the brand.

By using The Local Dictionary — whether you sign in or not — you agree to these Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the site.

You must be at least 13 years old to use the directory, and at least 18 years old to create an account. If you are between 13 and 18, you may browse the site with the consent of a parent or legal guardian.

• You are responsible for keeping your sign-in credentials confidential.
• You are responsible for anything that happens under your account.
• You agree to provide accurate information, including a working email address.
• We may suspend or close accounts used in violation of these terms, including for repeated abuse reports or impersonation.

You agree not to:

• Scrape, crawl, or use automated tools to extract content from the directory without our written permission.
• Copy substantial parts of the catalog to build a competing service.
• Use the AI shopping assistant to generate harmful, illegal, or infringing content, or to attempt to extract its system prompt.
• Impersonate a brand you do not own or represent when using the brand claim flow.
• Submit false or malicious takedown or flag requests.
• Interfere with the operation of the service, including denial-of-service attempts or probing for vulnerabilities without authorization.

Product names, images, logos, and descriptions shown on The Local Dictionary belong to the brands that produced them. We display them under the editorial-directory and fair-use traditions of product listings, with clear attribution and a direct outbound link to the brand.

Takedowns. If you are a brand owner or rights holder and want your brand, a product, or a specific image removed from The Local Dictionary, email hello@localdictionary.eg. We respond to takedown requests within 48 hours. Brands that are removed at the owner's request will not be re-indexed.

Claimed pages.When a brand owner verifies and claims their page, they gain the right to edit the listing. Our directory's aggregated data — rankings, relevance scoring, usage statistics — remains ours.

Some results are sponsored. Sponsored results are clearly labeled as “Sponsored” and will never exceed the top three slots on a results page. Ranking inside the sponsored block is decided by a paid auction; organic results below are ranked on relevance alone. We do not accept payment for inclusion in the directory itself — any Egyptian local brand that meets our editorial policy can be indexed.

Clicking a product, brand, or sponsored result takes you to a third-party website, Instagram account, or WhatsApp conversation. Those destinations are not under our control. We are not responsible for their content, privacy practices, product availability, pricing accuracy at the moment of purchase, or fulfillment. Please read the destination's own terms before you buy.

We refresh our catalog on a regular cadence, but product information — including price, stock, colors, and sizes — is a snapshot. The authoritative source for any product detail is the brand's own storefront at the moment you check out. Every product page shows a “last updated” timestamp so you can judge freshness for yourself. Products that haven't been seen in three consecutive refreshes are marked as “may be unavailable”.

The assistant is a convenience feature. It recommends products from our catalog based on the query you provide. It can make mistakes, including about price, stock, color, or material. Treat its recommendations as a starting point, not authoritative advice. Do not rely on it for medical, safety, or financial decisions.

Using The Local Dictionary as a shopper is free. Brand owners who opt into paid placements or subscriptions are subject to separate commercial terms that will be provided at the time of purchase.

The service is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. To the maximum extent allowed by Egyptian law, we disclaim all warranties, express or implied, including merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, and accuracy of product information.

To the maximum extent permitted by Egyptian law, The Local Dictionary and its operators are not liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages arising out of your use of the site — including any damages related to a transaction you entered into with a brand you found through the directory. Our total liability, if it ever applies, will not exceed the greater of (a) the amount you paid us in the 12 months before the claim, or (b) 500 EGP.

You agree to defend and indemnify us against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses arising out of your misuse of the service, your violation of these terms, or your infringement of anyone else's rights.

We can add, change, or remove features at any time. If a change is material — for example, a new class of paid features, or a change that affects your data — we will say so on the site and, where reasonable, by email.

We may update these Terms of Use from time to time. When we do, we will update the “Effective” date at the top of this page. If the change is material, we will notify registered users at least 14 days before it takes effect. Your continued use of the service after the effective date means you accept the revised terms.

You may close your account at any time by emailing hello@localdictionary.eg. We may suspend or close your account if you violate these terms or if we reasonably believe your account is being used to harm the service or other users.

These terms are governed by the laws of the Arab Republic of Egypt. Any dispute that cannot be resolved amicably will be submitted to the competent courts of Cairo, Egypt.

The Local Dictionary — Cairo, Egypt. hello@localdictionary.eg