Privacy Policy

Last Updated: February 2, 2026

1. Introduction

BizMark ("we," "us," or "our") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our platform ("Platform" or "Service").

By using BizMark, you consent to the data practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with this Privacy Policy, please do not use the Platform.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

Account Information:
When you create an account through our OAuth authentication system, we collect:
- Name
- Email address
- Login method (Google, GitHub, etc.)
- OAuth identifier (openId)

Business Listings:
When you create a business listing, we collect:
- Business name (optional for anonymous listings)
- Industry category
- Location
- Revenue and profit ranges
- Years in business
- Business description
- Asking price
- Contact information (optional)
- Business photos (optional)
- Number of employees
- Business type (brick-and-mortar, online, hybrid)

Communications:
When you use our messaging or inquiry features, we collect:
- Message content
- Inquiry details
- Offer amounts
- Timestamps

Payment Information:
When you subscribe to Premium or purchase verification services, payment information is collected and processed by Stripe. We do not store your credit card numbers or payment details. We receive only:
- Stripe customer ID
- Stripe subscription ID
- Payment status
- Subscription dates

Verification Documents:
When you request verification badges, we collect:
- Supporting documents (tax returns, financial statements, business licenses)
- Document metadata

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

Usage Data:
We automatically collect information about your interaction with the Platform:
- Pages viewed
- Listings viewed
- Search queries
- Click patterns
- Time spent on pages
- Referral sources

Device and Browser Information:
- IP address
- Browser type and version
- Operating system
- Device identifiers
- Screen resolution
- Language preferences

Cookies and Similar Technologies:
We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to:
- Maintain your login session
- Remember your preferences
- Analyze platform usage
- Improve user experience

See our Cookie Policy for detailed information about our use of cookies.

2.3 Information from Third Parties

OAuth Providers:
We receive basic profile information from OAuth providers (Google, GitHub, etc.) when you authenticate, including name, email, and profile picture.

Stripe:
We receive payment confirmation and subscription status information from Stripe when you make purchases.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

3.1 Platform Operations

- Creating and managing your account
- Facilitating business listings and transactions
- Processing payments and subscriptions
- Providing customer support
- Communicating with you about your account
- Sending transactional emails (inquiry notifications, message alerts)

3.2 Platform Improvement

- Analyzing usage patterns to improve features
- Conducting research and analytics
- Testing new features
- Identifying and fixing bugs
- Optimizing platform performance

3.3 Safety and Security

- Detecting and preventing fraud
- Enforcing our Terms of Service
- Protecting against security threats
- Verifying user identity
- Investigating suspicious activity

3.4 Marketing and Communications

- Sending promotional emails about new features (with your consent)
- Providing personalized recommendations
- Conducting surveys and research
- Sending administrative notifications

You may opt out of marketing communications at any time through your account settings or by following unsubscribe links in emails.

3.5 Legal Compliance

- Complying with legal obligations
- Responding to legal requests
- Protecting our rights and property
- Enforcing our policies

4. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We share your information only in the following circumstances:

4.1 With Other Users

Public Listings:
Business listings you create are visible to all Platform users. Anonymous listings hide your identity, but business details are public.

Messages and Inquiries:
When you send messages or inquiries, your name and content are shared with the recipient.

Profile Information:
Your name may be visible to other users in contexts where you interact (messages, inquiries).

4.2 Service Providers

We share information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf:

Stripe (Payment Processing):
- Payment information
- Subscription status
- Customer identifiers

Cloud Storage (AWS S3):
- Business photos
- Verification documents

Email Service:
- Email address
- Name
- Notification content

Analytics Providers:
- Usage data
- Device information
- Aggregated statistics

These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.

4.3 Business Transfers

If BizMark is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity. We will notify you of any such change and provide options regarding your information.

4.4 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law or in response to:
- Court orders or subpoenas
- Government investigations
- Legal processes
- Requests from law enforcement

We will notify you of such requests unless prohibited by law.

4.5 Protection of Rights

We may disclose information to:
- Protect our rights and property
- Enforce our Terms of Service
- Investigate fraud or security issues
- Protect the safety of users or the public

5. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as necessary to provide our services and fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy.

Account Data:
Retained while your account is active and for a reasonable period after account closure to comply with legal obligations and resolve disputes.

Business Listings:
Retained while active and for archival purposes after deletion. Deleted listings are removed from public view immediately but may be retained in backups.

Messages and Inquiries:
Retained indefinitely to maintain conversation history and for dispute resolution.

Payment Records:
Retained for 7 years to comply with tax and accounting regulations.

Analytics Data:
Aggregated analytics data may be retained indefinitely for research and improvement purposes.

You may request deletion of your data at any time, subject to legal retention requirements.

6. Your Privacy Rights

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

6.1 Access and Portability

You have the right to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you
- Request a copy of your data in a portable format
- Review your account information through your account settings

6.2 Correction

You have the right to:
- Correct inaccurate or incomplete information
- Update your profile and listing information
- Request correction of data we cannot update directly

6.3 Deletion

You have the right to:
- Request deletion of your account and personal information
- Delete individual listings or content
- Request erasure of data no longer necessary for our purposes

Note: We may retain certain information as required by law or for legitimate business purposes (fraud prevention, dispute resolution, legal compliance).

6.4 Objection and Restriction

You have the right to:
- Object to processing of your information for marketing purposes
- Restrict processing in certain circumstances
- Opt out of promotional communications

6.5 Withdraw Consent

Where processing is based on consent, you have the right to withdraw consent at any time. This does not affect the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.

6.6 Lodge a Complaint

You have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection authority in your jurisdiction if you believe we have violated your privacy rights.

6.7 Exercising Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [contact email - to be added]. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

7. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.

Security Measures:
- Encryption of data in transit (HTTPS/TLS)
- Secure authentication (OAuth 2.0)
- HTTP-only secure cookies
- Regular security audits
- Access controls and authentication
- Secure cloud infrastructure

Limitations:
No method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account credentials.

8. International Data Transfers

BizMark is based in the United States. If you access the Platform from outside the United States, your information will be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States.

By using the Platform, you consent to the transfer of your information to the United States, which may have different data protection laws than your country of residence.

For users in the European Economic Area (EEA), we rely on appropriate safeguards for international data transfers, including Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission.

9. Children's Privacy

The Platform is not intended for children under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we discover that we have collected information from a child under 18, we will delete it immediately.

If you believe we have collected information from a child under 18, please contact us immediately.

10. Third-Party Links

The Platform may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

11. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

11.1 Right to Know

You have the right to request disclosure of:
- Categories of personal information collected
- Sources of personal information
- Purposes for collecting personal information
- Categories of third parties with whom we share information
- Specific pieces of personal information we hold about you

11.2 Right to Delete

You have the right to request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions.

11.3 Right to Opt-Out

We do not sell personal information. If our practices change, we will update this Privacy Policy and provide an opt-out mechanism.

11.4 Right to Non-Discrimination

We will not discriminate against you for exercising your CCPA rights.

11.5 Authorized Agent

You may designate an authorized agent to make requests on your behalf. We may require proof of authorization.

11.6 Exercising CCPA Rights

To exercise your CCPA rights, contact us at [contact email - to be added]. We will verify your identity before processing your request.

12. European Privacy Rights (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

12.1 Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal information based on:
- Contractual Necessity: To provide our services and fulfill our Terms of Service
- Legitimate Interests: To improve our Platform, prevent fraud, and ensure security
- Consent: For marketing communications and optional features
- Legal Obligations: To comply with applicable laws

12.2 Data Controller

BizMark is the data controller for personal information collected through the Platform.

12.3 GDPR Rights

You have the rights described in Section 6 (Your Privacy Rights), including:
- Right of access
- Right to rectification
- Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten")
- Right to restrict processing
- Right to data portability
- Right to object
- Right to withdraw consent
- Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

12.4 Data Protection Officer

For GDPR-related inquiries, contact our Data Protection Officer at [DPO email - to be added].

13. Cookie Policy Summary

We use the following types of cookies:

Essential Cookies:
Required for Platform functionality, including:
- Session authentication
- Security features
- Load balancing

Analytics Cookies:
Used to understand how users interact with the Platform:
- Page views
- Usage patterns
- Performance metrics

Preference Cookies:
Remember your settings and preferences:
- Language preferences
- Display settings

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling essential cookies may affect Platform functionality.

For detailed information, see our separate Cookie Policy.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of material changes by:
- Posting the updated Privacy Policy on the Platform
- Updating the "Last Updated" date
- Sending email notification for significant changes

Your continued use of the Platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

15. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Email: [Your contact email - to be added]
Address: [Your business address - to be added]
Data Protection Officer: [DPO email - to be added]

We will respond to your inquiry within 30 days.

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By using BizMark, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and consent to our collection, use, and disclosure of your information as described herein.