THE SILVER TUNA MARKETPLACE™
PRIVACY POLICY
Publicly viewed for platform viewers and users
Document Version: 1.0
Last Updated: November 2024
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to The Silver Tuna Marketplace (“Platform,” “we,” “us,” “our”). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect information from visitors to our website and customers who purchase from our sellers.
This Privacy Policy applies to:
Visitors to The Silver Tuna Marketplace | thesilvertunamarketplace.com and related websites
Customers who purchase products from sellers on our Platform
Users of our marketplace directory and search features
Subscribers to our email newsletters and marketing communications
This Privacy Policy does NOT apply to:
Sellers (see Sellers Privacy Policy in seller legal documents)
Business partners and service providers (separate agreements apply)
1. INFORMATION WE COLLECT
1.1 Information You Provide Directly
When you browse our website:
No account creation required
Optional email signup for newsletters
Contact form submissions (name, email, message)
When you make a purchase from a seller:
Name and contact information (email, phone)
Shipping address
Billing address
Payment information (processed securely by service provider – we do not store full card numbers)
Order history and purchase details
When you contact us:
Name and email address
Phone number (if provided)
Message content and correspondence history
1.2 Information Collected Automatically
When you visit our website, we automatically collect:
IP address and approximate location (city/state level)
Browser type and version
Device type and operating system
Pages viewed and time spent on each page
Referring website and search terms
Date and time of visit
Cookies and similar tracking technologies
1.3 Information from Third Parties
We may receive information from:
Stripe: Payment processing confirmation and transaction status
Google Analytics: Website traffic and behavior analytics
Facebook Pixel: Advertising performance and conversion tracking
Email service providers: Email delivery status and engagement metrics
2. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION
2.1 To Provide Services
We use your information to:
Process and fulfill your orders
Communicate order status and shipping updates
Provide customer support
Respond to your inquiries and requests
Send transactional emails (order confirmations, receipts, shipping notifications)
2.2 To Improve Our Platform
We use your information to:
Analyze website traffic and user behavior
Improve website design and functionality
Optimize user experience
Identify and fix technical issues
Develop new features and services
2.3 For Marketing (With Your Consent)
We use your information to:
Send promotional emails and newsletters (only if you opt in)
Display targeted advertisements on other websites
Personalize your shopping experience
Recommend products based on your interests
Announce new sellers, products, and marketplace updates
You can opt out of marketing communications at any time.
2.4 For Legal and Security Purposes
We use your information to:
Comply with legal obligations (subpoenas, court orders, tax requirements)
Prevent fraud and unauthorized transactions
Protect our rights and property
Enforce our Terms of Use and policies
Investigate and respond to security incidents
3. HOW WE SHARE YOUR INFORMATION
3.1 With Sellers
When you make a purchase, we share your information with the seller:
Name and contact information
Shipping address
Order details and purchase history
Communication preferences
Sellers use this information to:
Fulfill your order and ship products
Provide customer service and support
Communicate about your order
Process returns and refunds
Sellers are required to:
Protect your information with appropriate security measures
Use your information only for order fulfillment and customer service
Comply with privacy laws and regulations
Not sell or share your information with third parties without consent
3.2 With Service Providers
We share information with trusted service providers who help us operate the Platform:
Payment Service Provider (Payment Processing):
Payment information for transaction processing
PCI DSS Level 1 compliant
Does not share your payment information with us
Email Service Providers (Transactional and Marketing Emails):
Email address and name
Order information for transactional emails
Email engagement data (opens, clicks)
Hosting Providers (Website Infrastructure):
Technical data for website operation
No access to personal information
Secure, encrypted storage
Analytics Providers:
Anonymized usage data
Website behavior and traffic patterns
Advertising performance metrics
All service providers:
Are contractually obligated to protect your information
May only use information for specified purposes
Must comply with privacy laws and regulations
3.3 For Legal Reasons
We may share your information when required by law:
To comply with legal obligations (subpoenas, court orders, tax audits)
To protect our rights and property
To prevent fraud or illegal activity
To protect the safety of users or the public
In connection with legal proceedings or investigations
3.4 Business Transfers
In the event of a business transfer:
Merger, acquisition, or sale of assets
Bankruptcy or reorganization
Change of ownership or control
Your information may be transferred to the new entity. You will be notified of any such transfer and your options.
3.5 With Your Consent
We may share your information with third parties when you explicitly consent:
Social media sharing (if you choose to share)
Third-party integrations (if you authorize)
Marketing partnerships (if you opt in)
3.6 Aggregated and Anonymized Data
We may share aggregated or anonymized data that cannot identify you:
Industry reports and benchmarks
Marketing materials and case studies
Research and analysis
Public presentations and publications
4. DATA SECURITY
4.1 Security Measures
We protect your information with:
SSL/TLS encryption for all data transmission (HTTPS)
Secure servers and infrastructure
Firewalls and intrusion detection systems
Regular security audits and updates
Access controls and authentication
Employee training on data security
4.2 Payment Security
Payment information is protected by:
PCI DSS compliance through Stripe
Tokenization (no storage of full card numbers)
Encryption of payment data
Fraud detection and prevention
Secure payment processing infrastructure
We do NOT store full credit card numbers on our servers.
All payment processing is handled by the Service Provider.
4.3 Data Retention
We retain your information for:
Order data: 7 years (for legal and tax purposes)
Account data: Duration of relationship + 3 years
Marketing data: Until you unsubscribe + 1 year
Analytics data: 2 years (for performance analysis)
Support tickets: 3 years (for reference and quality assurance)
After retention periods, data is securely deleted or anonymized.
4.4 Data Breaches
In the event of a data breach:
We will investigate and contain the breach immediately
Affected individuals will be notified within 72 hours (as required by law)
We will provide details on what information was compromised
We will offer guidance on protective measures
We will report to relevant authorities as required by law
5. COOKIES & TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES
5.1 What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit our website. They help us remember your preferences, analyze website usage, and deliver targeted advertising.
5.2 Types of Cookies We Use
Essential Cookies (Required):
Enable website functionality
Maintain shopping cart and checkout
Remember login sessions
Cannot be disabled
Analytics Cookies (Optional):
Track website usage and performance (Google Analytics)
Measure traffic and behavior
Improve user experience
Can be disabled in settings
Advertising Cookies (Optional):
Deliver targeted ads (Google Ads, Facebook Pixel)
Measure ad performance
Retarget website visitors
Can be disabled in settings
Preference Cookies (Optional):
Remember your settings and preferences
Personalize your experience
Can be disabled in settings
5.3 Third-Party Cookies
We use third-party cookies that may include but not limited to:
Google Analytics (website analytics)
Facebook Pixel (advertising and retargeting)
Google Ads (advertising and conversion tracking)
Stripe (payment processing)
Square (payment processing)
Third-party cookies are subject to their respective privacy policies.
5.4 Managing Cookies
You can manage cookies by:
Using our cookie consent banner (first visit)
Adjusting browser settings to block or delete cookies
Opting out of targeted advertising
Using privacy browser extensions
Note: Disabling essential cookies may affect website functionality.
5.5 Opt-Out of Targeted Advertising
To opt out of targeted advertising:
Google Ads: Visit [Google Ads Settings](https://adssettings.google.com)
Facebook Ads: Visit [Facebook Ad Preferences](https://www.facebook.com/ads/preferences)
Network Advertising Initiative: Visit [NAI Opt-Out](https://optout.networkadvertising.org)
Digital Advertising Alliance: Visit [DAA Opt-Out](https://optout.aboutads.info
5.6 Do Not Track
We respect Do Not Track (DNT) signals:
If your browser sends a DNT signal, we will not track your behavior for advertising purposes
Essential cookies and analytics may still be used
You can enable DNT in your browser settings
6. YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS
6.1 Access and Correction
You have the right to:
Access your personal information
Correct inaccurate or incomplete information
Request a copy of your data
Update your contact information and preferences
To exercise these rights: Email [email protected]
6.2 Deletion and Erasure
You have the right to:
Request deletion of your personal information
Withdraw consent for data processing
Object to certain uses of your data
Limitations:
We may retain data required for legal or contractual obligations
We may retain data necessary for fraud prevention or security
Deletion requests may take up to 30 days to process
6.3 Data Portability
You have the right to:
Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
Transfer your data to another service provider
Request export of your data
To request data export: [email protected]
6.4 Marketing Opt-Out
You have the right to:
Opt out of marketing emails at any time
Unsubscribe from promotional communications
Manage your communication preferences
To opt out:
Click “unsubscribe” in any marketing email
Email [email protected]
Update preferences in your account settings (if applicable)
Note: You cannot opt out of transactional emails (order confirmations, shipping notifications, etc.)
7. AGE RESTRICTIONS
7.1 User Responsibility
The Silver Tuna Marketplace™ does not knowingly permit minors to make purchases or create accounts.
Users are responsible for ensuring they meet all age requirements applicable to online purchasing and account creation in their region.
Parents or guardians are responsible for supervising minors who browse the site.
The Platform does not verify age unless required by law.
7.2 Account & Purchase Restrictions
Users must be 18 or older to create an account, complete purchases, or engage in Marketplace transactions.
The Platform does not knowingly collect personal information from users under 18 attempting to create accounts or place orders.
7.3 If a Minor Participates Improperly
If we discover that an account, purchase, or seller activity was initiated by someone under 18:
The account may be closed
Personal information may be deleted
Transactions may be canceled or voided as necessary
The parent or guardian may be notified (when possible)
7.4 Reporting
If you believe a minor has created an account, made a purchase, or provided personal information, contact: [email protected]
8. INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS
8.1 Data Location
Data is stored and processed in:
United States (primary location)
Cloud servers operated by trusted providers
Locations compliant with applicable privacy laws
8.2 International Transfers
If you are located outside the United States:
Your data may be transferred to and processed in the United States
We use appropriate safeguards for international transfers
We comply with GDPR, CCPA, and other applicable privacy laws
8.3 EU and UK Users
For users in the EU or UK:
We comply with GDPR requirements
We use Standard Contractual Clauses for data transfers
You have additional rights under GDPR (see Section 6)
You may lodge complaints with your local data protection authority
9. CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS (CCPA)
9.1 CCPA Rights
California residents have the right to:
Know what personal information is collected
Know whether personal information is sold or disclosed
Access personal information
Delete personal information
Opt out of the sale of personal information
Non-discrimination for exercising privacy rights
9.2 Information We Collect (CCPA Categories)
Identifiers: Name, email, phone, address, IP address
Commercial information: Purchase history, browsing behavior
Internet activity: Website interactions, cookies, analytics
Geolocation data: IP-based location (city/state level)
9.3 Sale of Personal Information
We do NOT sell personal information as defined by CCPA.
We share information with service providers for business purposes (as described in Section 3), but this does not constitute a “sale” under CCPA.
9.4 Exercising CCPA Rights
To exercise your CCPA rights:
Email: [email protected]
Subject line: “CCPA Request”
Include: Your name, email, and specific request
We will respond within 45 days
10. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY
10.1 Updates
We may update this Privacy Policy:
To reflect changes in our practices
To comply with new laws or regulations
To improve clarity and transparency
To add new features or services
10.2 Notification of Changes
When we update this policy:
We will post the updated policy on our website
We will update the “Last Updated” date at the top
We will notify you via email for material changes (if we have your email)
Continued use of our website constitutes acceptance of changes
10.3 Material Changes
For material changes affecting your rights:
We will provide 30 days’ advance notice
We will clearly explain the changes
You will have the opportunity to object or delete your account
We will obtain consent where required by law
11. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
11.1 Links to Other Websites
Our website may contain links to third-party websites:
We are not responsible for their privacy practices
We encourage you to review their privacy policies
Third-party websites are not covered by this Privacy Policy
11.2 Social Media
We may have social media pages on but not limited to:
Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok, etc.
These platforms have their own privacy policies
Information you share on social media is governed by their policies
11.3 Seller Websites
When you visit individual seller websites:
You are subject to that seller’s privacy policy
Sellers are required to protect your information
Sellers must comply with privacy laws and regulations
Contact the seller directly for privacy questions about their site
12. CONTACT US
12.1 Privacy Questions
For questions about this Privacy Policy:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 470-422-9199
12.2 Data Requests
To exercise your privacy rights:
Email: [email protected]
Subject link: “Privacy Rights Request”
Include:Your name, email, and specific request
We will respond within:
30 days for general requests
45 days for CCPA requests
30 days for GDPR requests
12.3 Complaints
If you have a complaint about our privacy practices:
Contact [email protected] first
We will investigate and respond within 30 days
If not satisfied, you may contact:
– FTC (U.S.): [ftc.gov/complaint](https://ftc.gov/complaint)
– ICO (UK): [ico.org.uk/concerns](https://ico.org.uk/concerns)
– Your local data protection authority (EU)
Questions and Support
Email Support: [email protected]
Phone: 470-422-9199 | Support Hours: Daily 9 AM – 9 PM EST
Emergency Support: 365/24/7 for critical issues | Issues not deemed critical after hours may be charged for time and service
Questions about this or any other document? Contact us – we’re here to help you succeed.
© 2025 The Silver Tuna Marketplace™ is a trademark of Branded Brain Studio. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Branded Brain Studio.
