Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Local Stores Online ("we," "our," or "us"). 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 visit our website localstores.online and use our services.

By using our Service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

• Account Information: When you register for an account, we collect your name, email address, and password.
• Business Information: If you claim a business, we collect business details such as descriptions, social media links, and photos you upload.
• Contact Information: When you submit reports or feedback, we collect your email address and message content.
• Communication Data: When you contact us directly, we may receive additional information about you.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Location Data: With your consent, we collect approximate location data to show you relevant local businesses.
• Usage Data: We collect information about how you interact with our Service, including pages visited, search queries, and time spent on pages.
• Device Information: We collect information about your device, browser type, and operating system.
• Cookies: We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to track activity on our Service.

2.3 Information from Third Parties

• Google OAuth: If you sign in with Google, we receive your name, email address, and profile picture from Google.
• Google Places API: We display business information from Google Places, which remains the property of Google.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, maintain, and improve our Service
• Process and manage business claims and user accounts
• Send you notifications about your account or business listings
• Respond to your comments, questions, and requests
• Monitor and analyze trends, usage, and activities
• Detect, investigate, and prevent fraudulent transactions and abuse
• Personalize your experience and show relevant local businesses
• Display advertisements (through Google AdSense)

4. Sharing Your Information

We may share your information in the following situations:

• Public Information: Business information you add (descriptions, photos, social links) is publicly visible.
• Service Providers: We share data with third-party service providers who help us operate our Service (e.g., hosting, email delivery).
• Analytics: We use privacy-focused analytics (Umami) to understand how our Service is used.
• Advertising: We use Google AdSense, which may collect data to serve personalized ads.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law or to protect our rights.

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to collect and store information. These include:

• Essential Cookies: Required for the Service to function (authentication, session management).
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our Service.
• Advertising Cookies: Used by Google AdSense to serve relevant advertisements.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our Service.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you services. We may retain certain information as necessary to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Business information you provide remains on the platform until you delete it or close your account.

7. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

8. Your Rights

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

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate personal data.
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data.
• Portability: Request transfer of your data to another service.
• Opt-out: Opt out of marketing communications at any time.

To exercise these rights, please contact us at [email protected].

9. Third-Party Services

Our Service integrates with third-party services:

• Google Places API: Business data displayed is sourced from Google. Google Privacy Policy
• Google AdSense: Used for displaying advertisements. Google Ads Policy
• Google OAuth: Used for account authentication.

10. Children's Privacy

Our Service is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

Email: [email protected]