Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

We collect the following types of personal information when you use CrateMate:

Account Information

• Name
• Email address
• Display name
• Date of birth
• Password (encrypted)

Location Information

• Country
• City

Profile Information

• Profile photos
• Vinyl collection data (records you add for trading)
• Trading preferences and activity

Usage Data

• Swap requests and history
• Messages and conversations
• Feedback submissions

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

• Account Management: Creating and managing your CrateMate account
• Facilitating Swaps: Connecting you with other collectors and enabling record trades
• Communications: Sending notifications about swap requests, messages, and account updates
• Platform Improvement: Analyzing usage patterns to improve our services
• Safety & Security: Preventing fraud and ensuring platform integrity
• Legal Compliance: Meeting our legal obligations

3. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services to operate CrateMate:

• Supabase: Database hosting and user authentication
• Vercel: Website hosting and infrastructure
• Resend: Email delivery for notifications and communications
• Vercel Blob: Image storage for profile photos and record images
• Google: Authentication services (Sign in with Google)
• Google Ads: Advertising services to support the platform

Each of these services has their own privacy policies. We encourage you to review their policies to understand how they handle your data.

4. Cookies & Tracking

Essential Cookies

We use essential cookies to maintain your session, remember your login status, and ensure the platform functions correctly. These cookies are necessary for the operation of CrateMate and cannot be disabled.

Advertising Cookies

We use Google Ads to display advertisements on CrateMate. Google may use cookies to personalize ads based on your browsing history. You can manage your ad preferences through Google's ad settings or opt out of personalized advertising.

5. Data Sharing

We do not sell your personal data to third parties.

Your information is only shared in the following circumstances:

• With Other Users: Your profile information (display name, location, collection) is visible to other CrateMate users to facilitate swaps
• Service Providers: With the third-party services listed above, solely to operate the platform
• Legal Requirements: When required by law or to protect our rights and the safety of our users

6. Your Rights (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Union, you have the following rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

• Right to Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate personal data
• Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data (see Account Deletion below)
• Right to Data Portability: Request your data in a portable format
• Right to Restrict Processing: Request that we limit how we use your data
• Right to Object: Object to our processing of your personal data
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent at any time where we rely on consent to process your data

To exercise any of these rights, please submit a request through our feedback form using the "Privacy Request" category.

7. Account Deletion & Data Retention

Self-Service Deletion

You can delete your account at any time through your Profile Settings page. When you delete your account:

• Your profile information is removed
• Your personal data is obfuscated
• Your collection listings are removed from public view

Data Retention

For business continuity purposes, we retain certain records in an obfuscated format after account deletion:

• Swap History: Records of completed swaps are retained in anonymized form so that your trading counterparts maintain their transaction history
• Conversations: Message history is retained in anonymized form for the same reason

Full Deletion Request

If you require complete removal of all data including anonymized records, please submit a request through our feedback form using the "Privacy Request" category. We will process your request within 30 days.

8. Age Restriction

CrateMate is intended for users who are 18 years of age or older. By creating an account, you confirm that you meet this age requirement. We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under 18 years of age. If we become aware that we have collected data from someone under 18, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.

9. International Users

CrateMate is available worldwide. By using our platform, you consent to the transfer and processing of your data in countries where our service providers operate. We ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place for international data transfers in compliance with applicable data protection laws, including GDPR for users in the European Union.

10. Disclaimer

CrateMate is a platform that facilitates connections between vinyl collectors. Please note:

• All swaps are conducted at the sole discretion of the users involved
• CrateMate does not monitor, mediate, or take responsibility for individual swaps
• Users are responsible for verifying the condition and authenticity of records before completing trades
• CrateMate is not liable for any disputes, losses, or damages arising from user-to-user transactions

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons. When we make changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Your continued use of CrateMate after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us through our feedback form and select the "Privacy Request" category.

We will respond to your inquiry as soon as possible, and no later than 30 days for GDPR-related requests.