Privacy Policy

At Smart Buy Journal, your privacy is important to us. This Privacy Policy outlines the types of information we collect, how we use and protect it, and your rights concerning your personal data. By using SmartBuyJournal.com, you consent to the practices described in this policy.

1. Who We Are

SmartBuyJournal.com is a digital platform that provides independent product reviews, buyer guides, and informational content. We may also offer products for sale directly or through affiliate programs.

If you have any questions or concerns about this policy or how we handle your data, please contact us at:
📧 Email: support@smartbuyjournal.com
📍 Address: 1550 Viera Ave, Antioch, CA 94509, United States

2. Information We Collect

We collect two main categories of information:

a) Personal Information

We may collect the following personally identifiable data when you:

Contact us via email or forms
Sign up for newsletters or alerts
Make a purchase directly from our website

This may include:

Full name
Email address
Shipping and billing address
Phone number
Payment details (processed through secure third-party gateways)

b) Non-Personal Information & Usage Data

We automatically collect data about how users interact with our site using cookies, server logs, and analytics tools. This includes:

IP address
Browser type and version
Pages visited and time spent
Device type and operating system
Referring URLs and clickstream data

This data is anonymized and used to understand website traffic, performance, and user behavior.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

Process transactions and fulfill orders
Respond to inquiries and provide customer support
Improve website performance, design, and content
Send newsletters or promotional emails (only if you opt in)
Detect and prevent fraud or unauthorized access
Comply with applicable legal obligations

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data to third parties.

4. Legal Basis for Processing (Under GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), we process your personal data under the following legal bases:

Consent – when you subscribe to communications or submit contact forms
Contract – when you make purchases or request support
Legal obligation – for tax, accounting, and regulatory compliance
Legitimate interest – for analytics and service improvement

5. Sharing Your Information

We may share your information with:

Service providers who help us operate our website, process payments, or deliver products (e.g., payment processors, email service providers)
Legal authorities if required by law, court order, or to prevent fraud or harm
Affiliate networks only for tracking performance if you click an affiliate link (no personal data is shared unless you interact directly with the affiliate website)

All partners and vendors are required to protect your data in accordance with applicable privacy laws.

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

Remember user preferences
Analyze website traffic
Improve performance and functionality
Support affiliate tracking

You can control or disable cookies via your browser settings. However, disabling cookies may affect the functionality of our website.

For more detailed information, please see our Cookie Policy (if available).

7. Third-Party Links

SmartBuyJournal.com may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., Amazon, Walmart). We are not responsible for the content, privacy practices, or security of those external websites. We recommend reviewing their privacy policies before submitting any personal data.

8. Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organizational safeguards to protect your personal data. These include:

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption
Firewall and malware protection
Access controls and password policies

However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We encourage you to use strong passwords and secure networks when sharing personal information online.

9. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only as long as necessary for:

Fulfilling transactions
Providing services
Meeting legal, tax, or regulatory requirements
Resolving disputes and enforcing agreements

When data is no longer needed, it is securely deleted or anonymized.

10. Your Privacy Rights

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

a) Under GDPR (EU/EEA users)

Right to access your data
Right to rectify inaccurate information
Right to request deletion (“right to be forgotten”)
Right to restrict or object to processing
Right to data portability
Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

b) Under CCPA (California users)

Right to know what personal data we collect and why
Right to request deletion of your data
Right to opt out of the sale of your data (Note: We do not sell data)

To exercise your rights, contact us at support@smartbuyjournal.com.

11. Children’s Privacy

SmartBuyJournal.com is not intended for children under the age of 13 (or 16 where applicable). We do not knowingly collect or solicit personal information from minors. If you believe a child has submitted personal information to us, please contact us and we will take steps to delete it.

12. International Data Transfers

If you access our site from outside the United States, please note that your data may be processed and stored on servers located in the U.S. or other countries. By using our services, you consent to such transfers.

13. Updates to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. When we do, we will update the “Effective Date” at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy regularly.

Continued use of our site constitutes your agreement to the updated terms.

14. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or how your personal information is handled, please reach out to us:

Smart Buy Journal
📍 1550 Viera Ave, Antioch, CA 94509, United States
📞 +1 269-461-1177
📧 support@smartbuyjournal.com