Privacy Policy — SHOP THIS CITY

What information Shop This City collects

“User Personal Information” refers to any data about users that could identify them individually or be linked to them. Examples include usernames, passwords, email addresses, real names, IP addresses, and photographs. We distinguish this from aggregated, non-personally identifying information used for research and service optimization purposes.

Information users provide directly to Shop This City

Registration information. Account creation requires a valid email address. We request optional demographic information and approximate location details.

Profile information. Users may voluntarily add a full name, avatar or photograph, biography, location, shopping history, favourites, and links to social media profiles. Profile information may be visible to other users of the service.

Information Shop This City automatically collects

Usage information. We automatically collect standard information including items viewed, search history, referring sites, IP addresses, session information, and request timestamps from all visitors, whether registered or not.

Cookies. We use cookies to maintain login status, remember preferences, identify devices for security, and analyze service usage patterns.

Device information. Collected device data includes IP address, browser or client application information, language preferences, operating system, application version, device type and ID, manufacturer, and model.

What information Shop This City does not collect

We do not intentionally collect “Sensitive Personal Information” including racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, genetic data, biometric identification data, health information, or sexual orientation data.

Children under 13 cannot create accounts. We will close accounts if we learn of underage users. Different countries may impose higher minimum ages for data collection consent.

How Shop This City uses your information

Creating and maintaining accounts
Identifying users on the platform
Completing user profiles for sharing with other users
Email communication, only for the reasons you’ve said that’s okay
Responding to support requests
Making personalized recommendations based on browsing behaviour and preferences
Inviting participation in promotions, surveys, beta programs, or research (with consent where required)
Understanding user behaviour to improve the website and app
Investigating security concerns, fraud, or harm to the service, users, or retail partners
Complying with legal obligations, protecting intellectual property, and enforcing terms
Reporting location traffic information to retail partners
Other purposes only after requesting permission

Our legal bases for processing information

For jurisdictions subject to international privacy laws such as the GDPR, we process User Personal Information under the following legal bases.

Contract performance. Registration information processing is required to establish the Terms of Service agreement. Username and email are processed under additional legal bases. Usage information processing supports retail partner service contracts.

Consent. We rely on user consent for:

Profile information completion
Participation in promotions, research projects, beta programs, or surveys
Location information collection
Marketing communications, where applicable

All such information is optional. Users may withdraw consent by emailing privacy@shopthis.city and requesting account deletion.

Legitimate interests. Remaining User Personal Information processing serves legitimate interests including legal compliance, security, and maintaining system integrity and resilience. Users objecting to processing or requesting consent-based data deletion should contact privacy@shopthis.city.

How we share the information we collect

With your consent. We share User Personal Information only with prior notification about what data is shared, with whom, and why. Examples include promotions involving sharing shopping habit data with relevant retail partners.

With service providers. Limited service providers processing data on our behalf have agreed to similar privacy restrictions. These providers handle analytics, search optimization, customer support, network transmission, security, location tracking, and related services. While Shop This City processes information in Canada, service providers may process data outside Canada, the United States, or the European Union.

For legal disclosure. We strive for transparency in legal compliance. Unless prevented by law, court order, or exigent circumstances, we attempt to notify users of legally compelled information disclosure. We may disclose information to law enforcement responding to subpoenas, court orders, search warrants, similar government orders, or when disclosure is believed necessary to comply with legal obligations or protect property or rights.

Change in control or sale. If we undergo a merger, sale, or acquisition of corporate entities or business units, User Personal Information may be shared. We ensure such transfers maintain confidentiality and will notify users via website, app, or email before any transfer. Receiving organizations are required to honour our privacy policy and Terms of Service commitments.

Aggregate, non-personally identifying information. We may disclose aggregated, non-personally identifying information to retail partners and third parties about collective user behaviour, responses to offerings, promotions, and advertising. Aggregate location information such as user counts entering physical stores may also be disclosed.

Shop This City does not sell User Personal Information.

How you can access and control the information we collect

Data portability. Users can access and extract their data from the service.

Data retention and deletion. We retain User Personal Information while accounts remain active or as needed to provide services. Users may cancel accounts or request data deletion by contacting us. We retain information as necessary for legal compliance, dispute resolution, and agreement enforcement, but will delete full profiles within 90 days of a request, barring legal requirements. After account deletion, all User Personal Information is erased, though de-identified aggregate data remains.

Our use of cookies and tracking

We use only necessary cookies — small text files stored on visitor computers or devices. Cookies provide security and service improvement by maintaining login status, remembering preferences, identifying devices for security, analyzing service usage, compiling statistical reports, and informing future development. By using the service, users agree to cookie placement. Disabling cookies may prevent access to certain parts of the service.

How Shop This City secures your information

We take reasonable measures to protect User Personal Information from unauthorized access, alteration, or destruction; to maintain data accuracy; and to ensure appropriate use.

Passwords are never stored by us. User authentication is handled by the third-party Google Firebase Authentication service, which validates identity via token exchange. We never simultaneously access user information and passwords. Data transmission uses SSH and HTTPS (TLS) encryption.

Following any data breach affecting User Personal Information, we act promptly to mitigate impact and notify affected users without undue delay. No transmission or electronic storage method is 100% secure, so information security cannot be guaranteed.

Shop This City and global users

We store and process collected information in Canada per this privacy policy, though service providers may store and process data outside Canada and the United States. We provide uniform high privacy protection standards to all global users regardless of origin or location, and comply with applicable data privacy laws where we operate. Specifically:

Clear, unambiguous, informed, specific, and freely given consent is obtained at collection time when consent is the processing basis
Only the minimum necessary User Personal Information is collected unless users choose to provide more
Simple methods for accessing, altering, or deleting collected User Personal Information are offered
Users receive notice, choice, accountability, security, and access regarding their information, with limited processing purposes and methods for recourse and enforcement

How we communicate with you

We use email or app notifications to communicate only if you have said that’s okay, and only for the reasons you’ve said that’s okay. Based on your email and app notification settings, we may occasionally send notifications and emails about promotions, new features, feedback requests, important policy changes, or customer support. Marketing emails follow user choices and applicable laws, and each includes an unsubscribe link. Users cannot opt out of essential communications like support team emails or system messages, but can configure profile notification settings to opt out of other communications.

Resolving complaints

Users with concerns about how we handle User Personal Information should contact privacy@shopthis.city with the subject line “Privacy Concerns”. We respond promptly.

Changes to our privacy statement

Although most changes are minor, we may modify this privacy policy periodically. Material changes receive notification via website, app, homepage notice, or email to account addresses at least 30 days before taking effect. For other changes, users are encouraged to check this page frequently.

Contacting Shop This City

Questions, comments, and requests regarding this privacy policy and our practices can be directed to privacy@shopthis.city. We have procedures to receive and respond to complaints or inquiries about personal information handling, policy compliance, and applicable privacy law compliance.