Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Plantmatch ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring transparency about how we collect, use, and share your personal information. This Privacy Policy applies to our website, mobile application, and related services (collectively, the "Service").

US-Based Service: Plantmatch operates in the United States and complies with applicable US federal and state privacy laws, including the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and other state privacy regulations.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

• Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, password
• Profile Information: Plant preferences, experience level, growing conditions
• Purchase Information: Billing address, shipping address, payment method details
• Communication: Messages, reviews, support inquiries, community posts
• Plant Collection: Your saved plants, wishlist, purchase history

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers
• Usage Data: Pages visited, features used, time spent, click patterns
• Location Data: General location (city/state) for nursery recommendations
• Cookies and Tracking: See our Cookie Policy for detailed information

2.3 Information from Third Parties

• Payment Processors: Transaction verification and fraud prevention data
• Analytics Providers: Aggregated usage statistics and performance data
• Nursery Partners: Order status and fulfillment information

3. How We Use Your Information

3.1 Service Provision

• Create and manage your account
• Process orders and facilitate purchases
• Provide AI-driven plant recommendations
• Connect you with local nurseries
• Manage your plant collection and wishlist

3.2 Communication

• Send order confirmations and shipping updates
• Provide customer support and respond to inquiries
• Send plant care tips and recommendations (with consent)
• Notify you of important account or service changes

3.3 Improvement and Analytics

• Analyze usage patterns to improve our Service
• Develop and enhance AI recommendation algorithms
• Conduct research and analytics
• Test new features and functionality

3.4 Legal and Safety

• Comply with legal obligations and law enforcement requests
• Prevent fraud and ensure platform security
• Protect our rights and the rights of other users
• Investigate and address violations of our Terms of Service

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

4.1 With Your Consent

We share information when you explicitly consent, such as when you choose to post in community features or connect with specific nurseries.

4.2 Service Providers

We share information with trusted third-party service providers who help us operate our Service:

• Payment Processors: Stripe
• Cloud Hosting: Vercel
• Email Services:
• Analytics: Google Analytics (for usage analysis)

4.3 Nursery Partners

When you make a purchase, we share necessary information with the selling nursery:

• Contact information for order fulfillment
• Shipping address and delivery preferences
• Order details and special instructions
• Communication history related to the order

4.4 Legal Requirements

We may disclose information when required by law or to:

• Comply with subpoenas, court orders, or legal process
• Respond to government requests or law enforcement
• Protect our rights, property, or safety
• Prevent fraud or illegal activities

4.5 Business Transfers

If we are 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.

5. Your Privacy Rights

5.1 Account Management

You can access and update your account information at any time through your account settings.

5.2 Communication Preferences

• Unsubscribe from marketing emails using the link in any email
• Manage notification preferences in your account settings
• Contact us to update communication preferences

5.3 How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise your privacy rights, contact us at:

• Email: plantmatch@plantmatch.app

6. Data Security

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

• Encryption: Data encrypted in transit and at rest
• Access Controls: Limited access on a need-to-know basis
• Regular Security Audits: Ongoing security assessments and updates
• Secure Payment Processing: PCI DSS compliant payment handling
• Incident Response: Procedures for addressing security incidents

However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your information.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide our services and fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy:

• Account Data: Retained while your account is active and for 3 years after closure
• Transaction Records: Retained for 7 years for tax and legal compliance
• Marketing Data: Retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion
• Support Communications: Retained for 2 years for quality assurance
• Analytics Data: Aggregated data may be retained indefinitely

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience and analyze usage patterns:

• Essential Cookies: Required for basic site functionality
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how you use our Service
• Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings
• Marketing Cookies: Used for targeted advertising (with consent)

You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings or our cookie preference center. For detailed information, see our Cookie Policy.

9. Children's Privacy

Our Service is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete such information promptly.

If you believe that we might have any information from or about a child under 13, please contact us at plantmatch@plantmatch.app

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons. We will notify you of material changes by:

• Posting the updated Privacy Policy on our website
• Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy
• Sending email notifications for significant changes
• Displaying prominent notices on our platform

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

11. Contact Information

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