Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

Account Registration Information

When you create a mercarie account, we collect information such as:

• Full name, email address, and phone number
• Mailing address and shipping address
• Date of birth and gender (optional)
• Username and password
• Profile photograph (optional)

Transaction Information

We collect information related to your buying and selling activities:

• Item listings, descriptions, and photographs
• Purchase history and transaction details
• Payment information (processed by secure payment processors)
• Shipping and delivery information
• Return and refund requests

Communication Information

We collect information from your communications:

• Messages between buyers and sellers
• Customer support inquiries and responses
• Feedback and reviews you provide
• Email correspondence

Device and Usage Information

We automatically collect technical information when you use our Service:

• Device type, operating system, and browser type
• IP address and approximate location data
• Pages visited, time spent on pages, and links clicked
• Search queries and browsing history on mercarie
• Crash reports and performance data

Location Information

We may collect precise location information if you grant permission through your device settings. This helps us:

• Display local listings and recommendations
• Improve delivery and shipping estimates
• Prevent fraudulent activities

Information from Third Parties

We may receive information from:

• Social media platforms (if you sign up via social login)
• Payment processors and financial institutions
• Shipping and delivery partners
• Marketing partners and analytics providers
• Third-party verification services

2. How We Use Your Information

Providing Our Service

We use your information to:

• Create and manage your account
• Process transactions and ship items
• Facilitate communication between buyers and sellers
• Provide customer support and resolve disputes
• Enable features like wishlists, saved searches, and notifications

Marketing and Communications

With your consent, we use your information to:

• Send promotional emails and offers
• Notify you about new categories, items, or features
• Send personalized recommendations based on your browsing history
• Conduct surveys and collect feedback
• Send push notifications (if you've enabled them)

Improving Our Service

We use information to:

• Analyze usage patterns and trends
• Conduct A/B testing to improve user experience
• Develop new features and improvements
• Monitor system performance and reliability

Safety and Fraud Prevention

We use your information to:

• Detect and prevent fraudulent transactions
• Verify user identity and prevent account takeover
• Monitor suspicious activities and patterns
• Enforce our Terms of Service and other policies
• Protect against security threats and data breaches

Legal and Compliance

We may use your information to:

• Comply with legal obligations and court orders
• Respond to government inquiries and investigations
• Protect our legal rights and interests
• Maintain records for tax and accounting purposes

3. How We Share Your Information

Service Providers

We share information with service providers who assist us in operating our Service:

• Payment processors (Stripe, PayPal, etc.)
• Shipping and logistics partners (FedEx, UPS, DHL, etc.)
• Cloud hosting and data storage providers
• Analytics services (Google Analytics, etc.)
• Marketing and email platforms
• Customer support software providers

Buyer and Seller Communication

When you use our messaging feature, the following information is shared between parties:

• Your name and profile information
• Messages and communications
• Item details and listing information
• Shipping address (for sellers to fulfill orders)

Public Information

The following information may be publicly visible on the mercarie platform:

• Your username and profile photo
• Seller ratings and reviews
• Item listings and descriptions you've posted
• Public comments and feedback

Legal Disclosure

We may disclose your information when required by law or when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to:

• Comply with legal obligations, court orders, or government requests
• Enforce our Terms of Service and other agreements
• Protect the safety and rights of our users and the public
• Prevent fraud and illegal activity

Business Transfers

If mercarie is involved in a merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, or asset sale, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will provide notice before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

Aggregated and De-identified Data

We may share aggregated and de-identified data with partners, advertisers, and third parties. This data cannot be used to identify you personally.

4. Data Retention

How Long We Keep Your Information

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide our Service and fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy. The retention period varies depending on the type of information:

• Account Information: Retained for as long as your account is active, plus 12 months after account closure for legal and audit purposes
• Transaction Data: Retained for at least 3 years for tax, accounting, and dispute resolution purposes
• Messages: Retained for as long as the associated transaction is active, plus 12 months
• Device and Usage Data: Typically retained for 12-24 months
• Marketing Data: Retained until you unsubscribe or opt out

Deletion Requests

You can request deletion of your account and associated personal information. However, we may retain certain information to:

• Comply with legal obligations
• Resolve disputes and enforce agreements
• Maintain transaction records for tax purposes
• Prevent fraud and maintain security

5. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information:

How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at:

• Email: privacy@mercarie.com
• Submit a request through your account settings
• Mail: mercarie Privacy Team, [Your Address]

Marketing Preferences

You can manage your marketing preferences by:

• Clicking "Unsubscribe" in promotional emails
• Adjusting notification settings in your account
• Disabling push notifications in your device settings
• Opting out of interest-based advertising in your device preferences

6. Security of Your Information

Security Measures

We implement comprehensive security measures to protect your personal information:

• SSL/TLS encryption for data in transit
• AES-256 encryption for sensitive data at rest
• Secure password hashing using industry-standard algorithms
• Regular security audits and penetration testing
• Multi-factor authentication for account protection
• Access controls and role-based permissions
• Regular employee training on data privacy and security

Important Notice

While we implement strong security measures, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your information. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your password and account credentials.

Data Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach involving your personal information, we will notify you without unreasonable delay through email, phone, or other means as required by law.

7. Children's Privacy

mercarie is not intended for children under the age of 13 (or the applicable age of digital consent in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13, we will delete such information immediately and terminate the child's account.

For children aged 13-18, we provide limited collection of information and encourage parents to monitor their children's online activities.

If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately at privacy@mercarie.com.

8. Third-Party Links and Services

External Links

mercarie may contain links to third-party websites and services that are not operated by us. This Privacy Policy does not apply to these external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services before providing your information.

Social Media Integration

If you choose to sign up or log in using your social media account (Facebook, Google, etc.), we will receive certain information from that platform in accordance with their terms. You can control what information is shared through your social media account settings.

Third-Party Analytics

We use third-party analytics services (Google Analytics, Mixpanel, etc.) to understand how users interact with our Service. These services may collect information about your online activities across different websites.

9. Updates to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify you of any material changes by:

• Posting the updated policy on our website with a new "Last Updated" date
• Sending you an email notification (for significant changes)
• Requiring your explicit consent (if required by law)

Your continued use of mercarie after we post changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please don't hesitate to contact us: