General Questions
What is Kinetic Market?
Kinetic Market is a directory that connects Chicago’s Black-owned businesses with Shoppers who want to support them. It’s built to help Black entrepreneurs grow their visibility and give the community an easy way to back Black-owned businesses.
Is my personal data ever sold to advertisers?
No. Kinetic Market never shares or sells user data to third parties for advertising.
Do I need an account to use Kinetic Market?
You can browse listings without an account, but you’ll need one to save favorites or leave reviews.
Is Kinetic Market only for Chicago?
Right now, yes — the focus is Chicago. Expansion to other city markets is planned for the future.
Will Kinetic Market include nonprofits and job listings?
Yes — nonprofits and jobs are on the roadmap.
For Business Owners
How do I list my business on Kinetic Market?
You can submit your own listing directly, or reach out and have our team add it for you.
Does my business need to be 100% Black-owned to qualify?
No — a business qualifies as long as it has at least one Black owner who is active and visibly involved in the business. There’s no fixed ownership percentage required.
How do you verify a business is Black-owned?
While we manually review every listing and make every effort to ensure black-ownership. We verify through website about pages, social media profiles, or document verification.
How much does it cost to list my business?
Basic listings are free. Businesses that want more visibility can upgrade to a paid listing tier for added features.
How do I pay for a listing?
Kinetic Market accepts payments through Stripe and PayPal. We do not save any card details on our platform.
What categories of businesses can be listed?
All business categories are welcome. Contact us if you can’t find yours and we will add it, if appropriate.
Can I update my listing after it’s published?
Yes. You can edit your listing anytime from your dashboard, but all changes go through a quick review before they go live.
Will my business show up on a map?
Yes. every listing includes a map of its location, and there’s also a browsable interactive map so consumers can explore businesses across Chicago.
What happens if I stop paying for my listing?
Your listing stays live, it just downgrades to the free basic version until you upgrade again. You must delete your listing if you wish to remove it from our platform.
For Shoppers
How do I find businesses near me?
Search or browse by category and listing to find Black-owned businesses across Chicago.
Does buying from a listed business cost extra?
No. Shoppers never pay Kinetic Market for anything related to listed businesses. There is no fee to use our platform as a Shopper.
Can I filter by category?
Yes, you can search or browse by category and neighborhood to find exactly what you’re looking for.
How can I support Kinetic Market’s mission beyond shopping?
Follow along on social media, submit reviews about businesses you love on our platform, and check back as business, nonprofits, and job listings roll out.
How do I leave a review for a business?
Create an account, find the business’s listing, and submit your review directly on their page.