Privacy Policy

Last Updated: November 5, 2025

This Privacy Policy describes how Auction Marketplace ("we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, and shares your personal information when you use our website and services. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to the terms outlined in this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect

We collect various types of information to provide and improve our services to you. This information includes:

1.1 Information You Provide to Us

• Account Information: When you register for an account, we collect your name, email address, phone number, username, and password.
• Profile Information: You may provide additional information such as billing address, shipping address, payment methods, and profile pictures.
• Bidding and Transaction Information: Details about your bids, purchases, sales, and transaction history on our platform.
• Identity Verification: For sellers and high-value transactions, we may collect government-issued identification, tax identification numbers, and other verification documents.
• Communications: When you contact us, we collect the content of your messages, inquiries, and support tickets.

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers, and mobile network information.
• Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, links clicked, search queries, and other actions taken on our platform.
• Cookies and Similar Technologies: We use cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies to collect information about your browsing behavior. See our Cookie Policy for more details.
• Location Information: General geographic location based on your IP address or more precise location if you grant permission on your device.

1.3 Information from Third Parties

• Social Media: If you log in through social media platforms, we receive basic profile information.
• Payment Processors: Information necessary to process transactions through our third-party payment providers.
• Identity Verification Services: Data from services that verify your identity and prevent fraud.
• Marketing Partners: Information from advertising and analytics partners to better understand our users.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for various purposes, including:

2.1 Providing and Improving Services

• Creating and managing your account
• Processing bids, purchases, and sales
• Facilitating communication between buyers and sellers
• Providing customer support and responding to inquiries
• Personalizing your experience and recommendations
• Improving our platform, features, and user interface

2.2 Security and Fraud Prevention

• Verifying user identity and preventing unauthorized access
• Detecting, investigating, and preventing fraudulent activities
• Monitoring compliance with our Terms of Service
• Protecting the rights, property, and safety of our users and platform

2.3 Communication and Marketing

• Sending transactional emails about your account and activities
• Providing notifications about auctions, bids, and sales
• Sending promotional emails about new features and special offers (with your consent)
• Conducting surveys and gathering feedback

2.4 Legal and Compliance

• Complying with legal obligations and regulatory requirements
• Responding to legal requests and court orders
• Enforcing our agreements and policies
• Maintaining records for tax and accounting purposes

3. How We Share Your Information

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

3.1 With Other Users

When you participate in auctions, certain information becomes visible to other users, including your username, bid history (for transparency), and seller ratings. We do not share your contact information or payment details with other users unless necessary for transaction completion.

3.2 Service Providers

We work with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, such as:

• Payment processing and financial services
• Shipping and logistics companies
• Identity verification and fraud prevention services
• Cloud hosting and data storage providers
• Email delivery and communication platforms
• Analytics and marketing service providers

3.3 Business Transfers

If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you via email and/or prominent notice on our website of any change in ownership or use of your personal information.

3.4 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law or if we believe in good faith that such disclosure is necessary to:

• Comply with legal obligations, court orders, or government requests
• Protect and defend our rights or property
• Prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing
• Protect the safety of users or the public

3.5 With Your Consent

We may share your information with third parties when you explicitly consent to such sharing.

4. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. When determining retention periods, we consider:

• The nature and sensitivity of the information
• The purposes for which we collected the information
• Legal, regulatory, tax, accounting, or reporting requirements
• Whether we can achieve those purposes through other means

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

5. Your Rights and Choices

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

5.1 Access and Portability

You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you and receive a copy of that information in a portable format.

5.2 Correction and Update

You can update your account information at any time by logging into your account settings. You may also request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information.

5.3 Deletion

You may request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions (e.g., legal requirements, ongoing transactions, fraud prevention).

5.4 Opt-Out of Marketing

You can opt out of receiving promotional emails by clicking the "unsubscribe" link in any marketing email or adjusting your communication preferences in your account settings.

5.5 Cookie Preferences

You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings or our cookie consent tool. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect platform functionality.

5.6 Do Not Sell My Personal Information

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. If our practices change, we will update this policy and provide you with the right to opt out.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@auctionhouse.com or visit our Data Rights Center.

6. Security

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

• Encryption of data in transit and at rest
• Regular security audits and penetration testing
• Access controls and authentication requirements
• Employee training on data protection and privacy
• Incident response and data breach procedures

However, 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.

7. International Data Transfers

Our services are operated globally, and your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have different data protection laws. When we transfer your information internationally, we implement appropriate safeguards, such as:

• Standard contractual clauses approved by relevant authorities
• Adequacy decisions by regulatory bodies
• Privacy Shield certification (where applicable)

8. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at privacy@auctionhouse.com, and we will take steps to delete such information.

9. Third-Party Links and Services

Our platform may contain links to third-party websites, applications, or services that are not operated by us. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third-party sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you visit or use.

10. 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. When we make material changes, we will:

• Post the updated policy on this page with a new "Last Updated" date
• Notify you via email or through a prominent notice on our platform
• Obtain your consent where required by applicable law

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

11. Contact Us

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

• Email: privacy@auctionhouse.com
• Mail: Auction Marketplace Privacy Team, 123 Auction Street, Suite 456, New York, NY 10001, USA
• Phone: +1 (234) 567-8900
• Data Protection Officer: dpo@auctionhouse.com

For users in the European Union, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

12. Region-Specific Provisions

12.1 California Residents (CCPA/CPRA)

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

• Right to know what personal information we collect, use, and share
• Right to delete personal information
• Right to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information
• Right to correct inaccurate personal information
• Right to limit the use of sensitive personal information
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights

To exercise these rights, visit our CCPA Request Form or email privacy@auctionhouse.com.

12.2 European Union and UK Residents (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area or United Kingdom, we process your personal information based on the following legal bases:

• Contractual Necessity: To perform our contract with you (providing auction services)
• Legitimate Interests: For fraud prevention, security, and platform improvement
• Consent: For marketing communications and certain data processing activities
• Legal Obligations: To comply with applicable laws and regulations

You have the right to withdraw consent, object to processing, and lodge a complaint with your supervisory authority.

12.3 Other Jurisdictions

We comply with applicable data protection laws in all jurisdictions where we operate. If you have specific questions about your regional privacy rights, please contact us at privacy@auctionhouse.com.