1. Introduction
Welcome to HagiShop — Ethiopia's e-commerce marketplace connecting buyers and sellers of local products. We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy.
This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and what rights you have. By using the HagiShop app, you agree to the terms of this policy.
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Information You Provide
- Full name and email address (registration)
- Phone number and delivery address (checkout)
- Profile photo (optional)
- Product listings, images, and descriptions (sellers)
- Payment reference numbers and proof screenshots
- Messages sent through in-app chat
- Product reviews and ratings
2.2 Information Collected Automatically
- Device type, operating system, and app version
- IP address and approximate location (city level)
- Pages and products viewed within the app
- Search queries entered in the app
- Order history and cart activity
- Crash reports and performance data
2.3 Information from Third Parties
- Google Sign-In: your name, email, and profile photo if you log in with Google
- Firebase: authentication tokens and push notification tokens
- Google AdMob: advertising identifiers (Ad ID) for serving relevant ads
3. How We Use Your Information
- Create and manage your account
- Process orders and coordinate delivery
- Send order confirmations and status updates via push notifications
- Enable communication between buyers and sellers via in-app chat
- Verify payment proofs submitted by users
- Display relevant product recommendations
- Improve app performance and fix bugs
- Detect and prevent fraud or misuse of the platform
- Show advertisements through Google AdMob
- Comply with applicable laws and regulations
4. How We Share Your Information
We do not sell your personal information. We share data only in the following circumstances:
4.1 With Sellers
When you place an order, the seller receives your name, phone number, delivery address, and order details necessary to fulfil your purchase.
4.2 With Service Providers
- Google Firebase — authentication, database, file storage, and push notifications
- Google AdMob — in-app advertising
- Google ML Kit — on-device image labelling (no data leaves your device)
4.3 Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or to protect the rights and safety of HagiShop, its users, or the public.
4.4 Business Transfers
If HagiShop is involved in a merger or acquisition, your information may be transferred. We will notify you before your data is transferred and becomes subject to a different policy.
5. Data Storage & Security
Your data is stored securely on Google Firebase servers. We implement industry-standard security measures including:
- Encrypted connections (HTTPS/TLS) for all data transmission
- Firebase Security Rules to restrict unauthorized database access
- Compressed and securely stored payment proof images
- Admin-only access controls for sensitive operations
While we take all reasonable precautions, no system is 100% secure. We encourage you to use a strong password and keep your login credentials private.
6. Data Retention
- Account data: retained until you delete your account
- Order history: retained for 3 years for legal and dispute purposes
- Payment proof images: retained for 1 year after order completion
- Chat messages: retained until either party deletes the conversation
- Crash and analytics data: retained for 90 days
7. Your Rights
- Access — request a copy of the data we hold about you
- Correction — ask us to correct inaccurate information
- Deletion — request deletion of your account and associated data
- Opt-out of ads — disable personalized ads in device Settings > Google > Ads
- Data portability — request your data in a portable format
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at the email address listed in Section 11.
8. Children's Privacy
HagiShop is not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with their data, please contact us and we will delete it immediately.
9. Advertising (Google AdMob)
HagiShop uses Google AdMob to display advertisements. AdMob may collect and use your Advertising ID to show you personalized ads. This data is governed by Google's Privacy Policy.
To opt out of personalized advertising: Settings > Google > Ads > Delete advertising ID
10. Third-Party Links
The app may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties and encourage you to review their privacy policies.
11. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy, please contact us:
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the effective date at the top and notify users via in-app notification. Continued use of HagiShop after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.