Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Smart Announcement Bar ("we," "our," or "the App"). We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data. This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect information when you use our Shopify app.

App Provider: Smart Announcement Bar
Contact: helpannouncementbar@gmail.com
Website: https://apps.shopify.com/announcement-bar-pro

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information from Shopify

When you install our app, we automatically receive from Shopify:

• Shop Information: Your shop domain (e.g., mystore.myshopify.com), shop name, shop owner email, and shop ID
• Access Token: OAuth token to access your shop (stored securely, never exposed)
• Webhook Events: Order creation events (to attribute revenue to announcements)

2.2 Information You Provide

When using the app, you create and store:

• Announcement Messages: Text, links, and settings you configure
• Styling Preferences: Colors, fonts, animations, templates
• Targeting Rules: Audience criteria (VIP, cart abandoners, geographic, etc.)
• Schedules: Date ranges and time windows for messages
• A/B Tests: Test configurations and variant settings

2.3 Analytics Data We Collect

We collect aggregate, anonymous data about announcement bar performance:

• Impressions: How many times announcements are viewed
• Clicks: How many times links are clicked
• Dismissals: How many times visitors close the bar
• Device Type: Whether view was on mobile or desktop (aggregate counts only)
• Session IDs: Anonymous identifiers to track visitor behavior (NOT linked to personal identity)
• Cart Data: Cart value and items (only when cart integration is enabled, used solely for displaying dynamic messages)
• Revenue Attribution: Orders that occurred after clicking announcements (to measure ROI)

Important: We do NOT collect individual customer names, emails, addresses, or any personally identifiable information (PII) about your customers. All analytics are aggregated and anonymized.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use collected information exclusively to:

• Provide and operate the announcement bar functionality on your storefront
• Display dynamic messages based on visitor behavior (cart value, device, etc.)
• Generate analytics reports showing announcement performance
• Improve app features and fix bugs
• Provide customer support and troubleshooting
• Send critical service notifications (rare, transactional emails only - no marketing)

We do NOT:

• ❌ Sell your data to third parties
• ❌ Use your data for advertising
• ❌ Share customer data with anyone except as required by law
• ❌ Train AI models on your private data

4. Third-Party Services

We share data only with trusted service providers necessary to operate the app:

4.1 Shopify

We integrate directly with Shopify to access your shop and install the announcement bar script. Shopify's own privacy policy applies to their handling of data:https://www.shopify.com/legal/privacy

4.2 Vercel (Hosting)

Our app is hosted on Vercel's serverless infrastructure. They provide secure hosting but do not access your app data. Privacy policy:https://vercel.com/legal/privacy-policy

4.3 Database Provider (Vercel Postgres)

Your app data is stored in a PostgreSQL database provided by Vercel, with encryption at rest and in transit.

4.4 Anthropic Claude AI (Optional Feature)

If you use the AI message generator feature, your prompt (e.g., "generate Black Friday messages") is sent to Anthropic's Claude API to generate suggestions. No customer data or shop data is sent. Anthropic's privacy policy:https://www.anthropic.com/privacy

4.5 Redis Cache (Vercel KV)

We use Redis caching for performance optimization. Cached data includes announcement settings and analytics summaries (no sensitive data, 5-minute expiration).

5. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures:

• Encryption: All data transmitted using TLS 1.3 encryption (HTTPS)
• Database Security: PostgreSQL with encryption at rest, restricted access
• Authentication: OAuth 2.0 with Shopify (no password storage)
• Access Control: Only your shop can access your data via OAuth tokens
• Regular Updates: Security patches applied promptly
• Error Monitoring: Sentry for error tracking (no PII logged)
• Rate Limiting: Protection against abuse and DDoS attacks

6. Data Retention

We retain your data according to the following schedule:

• Active Installation: Data retained while app is installed on your shop
• After Uninstallation: All shop data deleted within 48 hours automatically
• Analytics Data: Aggregate analytics retained up to 90 days, then deleted
• Cache Data: Automatically expires after 5 minutes
• Logs: Error logs retained for 30 days for debugging, then deleted

7. Your Rights (GDPR & CCPA Compliance)

Under GDPR (Europe) and CCPA (California), you have the following rights:

7.1 Right to Access

You can request a copy of all data we store about your shop at any time. We'll provide it in a machine-readable format (JSON) within 30 days.

7.2 Right to Deletion

You can request deletion of all your shop data at any time. We'll delete it within 30 days. Simply uninstalling the app automatically triggers deletion within 48 hours.

7.3 Right to Correction

You can update or correct any inaccurate data directly in the app dashboard at any time.

7.4 Right to Data Portability

You can export your announcement messages, settings, and analytics from the app dashboard.

7.5 Right to Restrict Processing

You can pause or disable specific features (analytics, AI generation, etc.) at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at:
Email: helpannouncementbar@gmail.com
We'll respond within 30 days (usually much faster).

8. Cookies and Tracking

The announcement bar uses minimal browser storage to function:

8.1 Session Storage (localStorage)

• announcement_session_id: Anonymous session ID (random string, no PII)
• announcement_dismissed: Records if visitor closed the bar
• cart_created_[id]: Timestamp when cart was created (for timer features)
• visit_count_[shop]: Number of visits (for "returning customer" targeting)

8.2 No Third-Party Cookies

We do NOT use Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, or any third-party advertising cookies. All tracking is first-party and anonymous.

8.3 How to Clear Data

Visitors can clear all announcement bar data by:

• Clearing browser cache and cookies
• Using incognito/private browsing mode

9. Children's Privacy

Our app is designed for Shopify merchants (businesses) and is not directed to children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we discover we've inadvertently collected such data, we'll delete it immediately.

10. International Data Transfers

Your data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside your own, including the United States where our servers are located. We ensure adequate safeguards are in place to protect your data in accordance with this privacy policy and applicable laws.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy occasionally to reflect changes in our practices or for legal/regulatory reasons. When we make significant changes, we'll:

• Update the "Last Updated" date at the top
• Notify you via email (to your shop owner email)
• Display a notice in the app dashboard

Continued use of the app after changes means you accept the updated policy.

12. Contact Information

For any privacy-related questions, concerns, or data requests, please contact us:

13. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

If you're in the European Economic Area (EEA), we process your data based on:

• Contract Performance: To provide the app services you've requested
• Legitimate Interests: To improve the app and prevent fraud
• Consent: For optional features like AI generation
• Legal Obligations: To comply with laws and regulations