Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

HushaBuy ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and protect your personal information when you use our peer-to-peer marketplace for baby and toddler clothing.

By using HushaBuy, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

2. Information We Collect

Account Information

When you create an account, we collect:

• Email address (used for login and communications)
• Name (for account identification and shipping)
• Profile information (optional: bio, favorite sizes)
• Authentication credentials (securely hashed)

Listing Information

When you create a listing, we collect:

• Item photos and descriptions
• Pricing and condition details
• Size, brand, category, and material information
• Package dimensions and weight (optional)

Transaction Information

When you buy or sell, we collect:

• Shipping addresses (for order fulfillment)
• Order history and status
• Communication between buyers and sellers (for dispute resolution)
• Payment information (processed securely by Stripe—see section below)

Usage Information

We automatically collect:

• Device information (browser type, operating system)
• IP address and location data (for fraud prevention)
• Pages visited and features used (via Google Analytics)
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Operate the marketplace: Create and manage accounts, facilitate buying and selling, process orders, generate shipping labels
• Communicate with you: Send order confirmations, shipping updates, account notifications, and respond to support requests
• Improve our service: Analyze usage patterns, fix bugs, develop new features, and optimize user experience
• Ensure safety and security: Detect and prevent fraud, enforce our Terms of Service, resolve disputes
• Marketing and promotions: Send promotional emails about new features or special offers (you can opt out anytime)
• Legal compliance: Comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes

4. Third-Party Services and Data Sharing

HushaBuy uses trusted third-party services to operate the platform. We only share information necessary for these services to function:

Stripe (Payment Processing)

• What they receive: Payment information (card details), transaction amounts, seller bank account information (via Stripe Connect)
• Purpose: Secure payment processing and seller payouts
• Their privacy policy: stripe.com/privacy
• Note: HushaBuy does not store your full credit card information. Stripe handles all payment data securely.

Plaid (Bank Account Authentication)

• What they receive: Bank account and routing numbers, access tokens for account verification
• Purpose: Secure bank account verification for seller payouts and optional buyer ACH payments
• What we do NOT receive: Your bank login credentials or passwords. Plaid handles authentication directly with your financial institution.
• What we receive: Only account identifiers (account & routing numbers) and tokens needed to facilitate payments through Stripe.
• Their privacy policy: plaid.com/legal/
• End User Privacy Policy: plaid.com/legal/#end-user-privacy-policy

EasyPost (Shipping & Labels)

• What they receive: Shipping addresses, package dimensions, USPS label requests
• Purpose: Calculate shipping rates and generate USPS shipping labels
• Their privacy policy: easypost.com/privacy

Twilio (Phone Verification)

• What they receive: Phone numbers for SMS verification codes
• Purpose: Send one-time verification codes for phone-based authentication
• Their privacy policy: twilio.com/legal/privacy

Google Analytics (Usage Analytics)

• What they receive: Anonymous usage data, page views, device information
• Purpose: Understand how users interact with HushaBuy to improve the platform
• Measurement ID: G-EYB7NYXF0B
• Their privacy policy: policies.google.com/privacy
• Opt-out: You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking using browser extensions or cookie settings

Vercel (Hosting & Infrastructure)

• What they receive: Technical data necessary for hosting (logs, error reports)
• Purpose: Provide reliable hosting and platform infrastructure
• Their privacy policy: vercel.com/legal/privacy-policy

Resend (Transactional Emails)

• What they receive: Email addresses, email content (order confirmations, notifications)
• Purpose: Deliver transactional and account-related emails
• Their privacy policy: resend.com/legal/privacy-policy

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

HushaBuy uses cookies and similar technologies to:

• Essential cookies: Keep you logged in, remember your preferences, ensure site security
• Analytics cookies: Track usage patterns via Google Analytics to improve the platform
• Session cookies: Maintain your shopping session and cart state

You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences. Note that disabling essential cookies may affect site functionality.

6. Data Retention

We retain your information:

• Account data: As long as your account is active, plus up to 3 years after closure for legal and dispute resolution purposes
• Transaction records: 7 years (for tax, accounting, and legal compliance)
• Listing history: Until you delete listings, or 2 years after account closure
• Analytics data: Aggregated and anonymized indefinitely for product improvement

7. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

Access and Portability

Request a copy of your personal data in a portable format

Correction

Update or correct inaccurate information (you can do this directly in your account settings)

Deletion

Request deletion of your account and personal data (note: some information may be retained for legal compliance)

Opt-Out of Marketing

Unsubscribe from promotional emails via the link in any marketing email

Do Not Sell (California Residents)

HushaBuy does not sell your personal information to third parties. We only share data with service providers as described in this policy.

To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@hushabuy.com or support@hushabuy.com.

8. Children's Privacy

HushaBuy is designed for parents and caregivers, not children. We do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 13 years old. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child, please contact us immediately.

Photo Policy: To protect children's privacy, we prohibit users from posting photos that show children's faces or other identifying features. Violations will result in listing removal and potential account suspension.

9. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information:

• Encryption in transit (HTTPS/TLS) and at rest
• Secure authentication (password hashing, magic link login)
• Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
• Access controls limiting who can view personal data
• Trusted third-party services with strong security practices (Stripe, Vercel, etc.)

However, no system is 100% secure. We encourage you to use strong passwords and report any suspicious activity immediately.

10. International Users

HushaBuy is based in the United States. If you access the platform from outside the U.S., your information may be transferred to and processed in the United States, which may have different data protection laws than your country. By using HushaBuy, you consent to this transfer.

11. Changes 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 material changes via email or platform notification. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

12. Contact Us

Questions or concerns about your privacy? We're here to help:

• General privacy inquiries: hello@hushabuy.com
• Privacy rights requests: privacy@hushabuy.com
• Support: support@hushabuy.com