Privacy Policy

BuyLotz LLC ("BuyLotz," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our platform at buylotz.com and any associated services (collectively, the "Platform").

By using the Platform, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not access or use the Platform.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Account Information

When you register for an account, we collect your name, email address, company name, phone number, and role (buyer or seller). If you are a seller, we may also collect your business address and tax identification information.

1.2 Transaction Data

We collect information related to your transactions on the Platform, including bids placed, auctions won, payment amounts, shipping details, order history, and dispute records. Payment card details are processed and stored by our payment processor, Stripe, and are not stored on BuyLotz servers.

1.3 Usage Data

We automatically collect information about how you interact with the Platform, including pages visited, features used, search queries, lots viewed, time spent on pages, referring URLs, and device/browser information (browser type, operating system, screen resolution, and device identifiers).

1.4 Cookies & Tracking Technologies

We use cookies, local storage, and similar technologies to maintain your session, remember your preferences, and collect usage analytics. See Section 6 for more details on our cookie practices.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Account Management: To create and manage your account, authenticate your identity, and provide customer support.
• Transaction Processing: To facilitate auctions, process bids, manage orders, handle payments, and coordinate shipping and logistics.
• Communications: To send you transaction confirmations, outbid notifications, auction results, payment receipts, shipping updates, and important service announcements.
• Platform Improvement: To analyze usage patterns, identify technical issues, improve our features and user experience, and develop new services.
• Security & Fraud Prevention: To detect and prevent fraudulent activity, shill bidding, bid manipulation, and other prohibited conduct.
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes.

3. Information Sharing

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

• With Sellers (for Buyers): When you win an auction, your name, company name, and shipping address are shared with the seller to fulfill your order. Your email may be shared for shipment coordination.
• With Buyers (for Sellers): When your lot is sold, the buyer's shipping details are provided to you for order fulfillment.
• Payment Processors: We share transaction data with Stripe to process payments securely. Stripe's use of your data is governed by their own privacy policy.
• Service Providers: We may share information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, such as hosting, analytics, email delivery, and customer support tools. These providers are contractually obligated to use your data only for the purposes we specify.
• Legal Obligations: We may disclose your information when required by law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request, or when we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.

4. Data Security

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

• Encryption in Transit: All data transmitted between your browser and our servers is encrypted using TLS (Transport Layer Security).
• Encryption at Rest: Sensitive data stored in our databases is encrypted at rest.
• Password Security: Passwords are hashed using bcrypt with a high cost factor and are never stored in plaintext.
• Access Controls: Access to user data is restricted to authorized personnel on a need-to-know basis.
• Regular Audits: We conduct regular security reviews and vulnerability assessments.

While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

5. Your Rights

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

• Access: You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction: You may request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Deletion: You may request that we delete your personal information, subject to certain exceptions (such as data we are required to retain for legal or compliance purposes).
• Data Portability: You may request a machine-readable copy of your data for transfer to another service.
• Opt-Out: You may opt out of non-essential marketing communications at any time by using the unsubscribe link in our emails or contacting us directly.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@buylotz.com. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

6. Cookies

6.1 Essential Cookies

These cookies are necessary for the Platform to function properly. They include authentication tokens, session identifiers, and security-related cookies. You cannot opt out of essential cookies without disabling core Platform functionality.

6.2 Analytics Cookies

We use analytics cookies to understand how users interact with the Platform. This helps us improve our services, identify popular features, and diagnose technical issues. Analytics data is aggregated and does not identify individual users.

Most web browsers allow you to manage cookie preferences through their settings. Please note that disabling cookies may limit your ability to use certain features of the Platform.

7. Third-Party Services

Our Platform integrates with the following third-party services, each of which has its own privacy policy:

• Stripe: Payment processing. Stripe collects and processes payment card information in accordance with PCI DSS standards. See Stripe's Privacy Policy.
• Analytics Providers: We may use third-party analytics services to help understand Platform usage. These services may collect information about your use of the Platform through cookies and similar technologies.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party services. We encourage you to review their respective privacy policies.

8. Children's Privacy

The BuyLotz platform is a B2B marketplace intended for use by business professionals who are at least 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18 years of age. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a person under 18, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.

If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a minor, please contact us immediately at privacy@buylotz.com.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make material changes, we will:

• Update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page.
• Notify registered users via email at least 14 days before the changes take effect.
• Post a prominent notice on the Platform.

Your continued use of the Platform after the effective date of any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

10. Contact Information

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