Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to VendingCore ("Platform", "we", "us", or "our"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our Platform.

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

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

We collect information that you voluntarily provide when using our Platform:

Account Registration

• Personal Information: Name, email address, phone number
• Business Information: Company name, business type, industry
• Profile Information: Company description, logo, website URL
• Verification Documents: Business registration, licenses (for suppliers)

Product Listings (Suppliers Only)

• Product names, descriptions, and specifications
• Product images and videos
• Product categories and tags
• Pricing information (optional)

Inquiry Information

• Inquiry messages and content
• Contact preferences
• Product interests

Communications

• Messages sent through our Platform
• Customer support correspondence
• Feedback and survey responses

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

When you access our Platform, we automatically collect certain information:

Device and Usage Information

• IP address and location data
• Browser type and version
• Device type and operating system
• Pages visited and time spent
• Referring website
• Click patterns and navigation paths

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

• Session cookies for authentication
• Preference cookies for settings
• Analytics cookies for usage statistics

2.3 Information We Do NOT Collect

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

3.1 Platform Operations

• Account Management: Create and maintain your account
• Profile Display: Show supplier profiles and product listings to buyers
• Inquiry Facilitation: Forward inquiries from buyers to suppliers
• Communication: Enable messaging between users

3.2 Platform Improvement

• Analyze usage patterns to improve user experience
• Develop new features and services
• Conduct research and analytics
• Monitor and improve Platform performance

3.3 Customer Support

• Respond to your inquiries and requests
• Provide technical support
• Resolve disputes and issues
• Send service-related notifications

3.4 Marketing and Communications

• Send newsletters and updates (with your consent)
• Promote relevant products and suppliers
• Conduct surveys and gather feedback
• Send promotional offers (you can opt-out anytime)

3.5 Security and Compliance

• Detect and prevent fraud and abuse
• Enforce our Terms of Service
• Comply with legal obligations
• Protect user safety and Platform security

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

4.1 With Other Users

When you use our Platform:

• Supplier Profiles: Your company profile and product listings are publicly visible to all users
• Inquiry System: When buyers submit inquiries, their contact information is shared with the supplier
• Direct Communication: Users may exchange contact information for direct communication

4.2 Service Providers

We may share information with third-party service providers who assist us in operating the Platform:

• Hosting Providers: For data storage and Platform hosting
• Email Services: For sending notifications and communications
• Analytics Providers: For usage analysis and statistics
• Customer Support Tools: For providing user support

These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for specified purposes.

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law or in response to:

• Legal processes (subpoenas, court orders)
• Government or regulatory requests
• Protection of our rights and property
• Investigation of fraud or security issues
• Emergency situations involving safety

4.4 Business Transfers

If VendingCore is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change.

4.5 What We Do NOT Share

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information:

5.1 Security Measures

• Encryption: SSL/TLS encryption for data transmission
• Access Controls: Restricted access to personal information
• Secure Storage: Protected servers and databases
• Regular Audits: Security assessments and vulnerability testing
• Employee Training: Staff trained on data protection practices

5.2 Your Responsibility

You can help protect your information by:

• Using a strong, unique password
• Not sharing your account credentials
• Logging out after using shared devices
• Reporting suspicious activity immediately
• Keeping your contact information current

5.3 Data Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach that affects your personal information, we will notify you and relevant authorities as required by law, typically within 72 hours of discovery.

Important: While we implement strong security measures, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your information.

6. Your Privacy Rights

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

6.1 Access and Portability

• Right to Access: Request a copy of your personal information
• Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format

6.2 Correction and Deletion

• Right to Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete information
• Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal information
• Right to Restriction: Limit how we process your information

6.3 Objection and Withdrawal

• Right to Object: Object to processing of your information
• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for marketing communications
• Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from promotional emails

6.4 How to Exercise Your Rights

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

Note: Some rights may be limited by legal requirements or legitimate business needs. We may need to verify your identity before processing requests.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience on our Platform.

7.1 What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help us recognize you and remember your preferences.

7.2 Types of Cookies We Use

Essential Cookies (Required)

• Authentication: Keep you logged in
• Security: Protect against fraud and abuse
• Functionality: Enable basic Platform features

Preference Cookies (Optional)

• Language Settings: Remember your language preference
• Display Settings: Save your viewing preferences
• Search Filters: Remember your search criteria

Analytics Cookies (Optional)

• Usage Statistics: Understand how users interact with the Platform
• Performance Monitoring: Identify and fix technical issues
• Feature Testing: Test new features and improvements

Marketing Cookies (Optional)

• Personalization: Show relevant content and recommendations
• Advertising: Display targeted advertisements (if applicable)

7.3 Managing Cookies

You can control cookies through:

• Browser Settings: Most browsers allow you to refuse or delete cookies
• Cookie Preferences: Use our cookie consent tool (if available)
• Opt-Out Tools: Use industry opt-out mechanisms

Note: Disabling essential cookies may affect Platform functionality. Disabling other cookies will not impact core features.

8. Third-Party Links and Services

8.1 External Websites

Our Platform may contain links to third-party websites, including:

• Supplier company websites
• Social media platforms
• Industry resources and publications
• Partner services

Important: We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any information.

8.2 Third-Party Services

We use third-party services for:

• Analytics: Google Analytics (anonymized data)
• Email: Email service providers for notifications
• Hosting: Cloud hosting services

These services have their own privacy policies and may collect information independently.

8.3 Social Media Integration

If you connect your social media accounts or share content from our Platform, those platforms may collect information according to their own privacy policies.

9. Children's Privacy

VendingCore is a business-to-business platform intended for use by adults and businesses only. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18 years of age.

If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child, please contact us immediately at [email protected], and we will take steps to delete such information.

10. International Data Transfers

VendingCore operates globally, and your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own, including the United States.

We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for international transfers, including:

• Standard contractual clauses
• Adequacy decisions by relevant authorities
• Other legally approved transfer mechanisms

By using our Platform, you consent to the transfer of your information to countries that may have different data protection laws than your country of residence.

11. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to:

• Provide our services to you
• Comply with legal obligations
• Resolve disputes
• Enforce our agreements

Retention Periods

• Active Accounts: Information retained while account is active
• Inactive Accounts: Deleted after 12 months of inactivity (unless required by law)
• Communications: Retained for 3 years for support purposes
• Analytics Data: Anonymized and retained for statistical purposes

After the retention period, we will securely delete or anonymize your information.

12. 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.

How We Notify You

When we make material changes to this policy, we will notify you by:

• Posting the updated policy on this page
• Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top
• Sending an email notification to your registered email address
• Displaying a prominent notice on the Platform

Your Continued Use

Your continued use of the Platform after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the changes, please stop using the Platform and contact us to close your account.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

13. Contact Us

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

Data Protection Officer

For users in the European Union or other regions with data protection regulations, you may contact our Data Protection Officer at: [email protected]

Supervisory Authority

If you are located in the European Economic Area, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority.