Introduction

Welcome to Antique-Search.net (“we,” “us,” or “our”). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website at www.antique-search.net (the “Site”).

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. By accessing or using the Site, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by all the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not access the Site.

This Privacy Policy applies to all information collected through our Site, as well as any related services, sales, marketing, or events (collectively, the “Services”).

Information We Collect

We collect information in the following ways:

A. Information You Provide Voluntarily

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you:

• Contact us through our contact form or email
• Submit a listing to be added to our directory
• Request a correction to an existing listing
• Subscribe to any newsletter or updates (if offered)

The personal information you provide may include your name, email address, business name, business address, and any message content you choose to send.

B. Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our Site, we automatically collect certain information about your device and your interaction with the Site. This information includes:

We do not knowingly collect sensitive personal information such as social security numbers, financial account numbers, health information, or biometric data.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following legitimate purposes:

• Operate and maintain the Site — to provide, operate, and maintain our antique shop directory and all associated features
• Respond to inquiries — to answer your questions, process listing submissions, and respond to correction requests
• Improve the Site — to understand how visitors use the Site, identify technical issues, and improve functionality and user experience
• Analytics — to compile aggregated statistics about Site usage and performance
• Security — to detect, prevent, and address technical issues, fraud, and abuse
• Legal compliance — to comply with applicable laws and regulations
• Communications — to send you updates or information you have requested (only where you have provided consent)

We will only use your personal information for the purposes for which we collected it, unless we reasonably consider that we need to use it for another reason that is compatible with the original purpose.

Cookies & Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience on the Site. Cookies are small data files placed on your device when you visit a website.

Types of cookies we use:

Managing Cookies: You can control and/or delete cookies as you wish. You can delete all cookies that are already on your computer, and you can set most browsers to prevent them from being placed. However, if you do this, you may have to manually adjust some preferences every time you visit the Site. Most browsers allow you to:

• See what cookies are stored and delete them individually
• Block third-party cookies
• Block all cookies from specific sites
• Block all cookies from being set
• Delete all cookies when you close your browser

Please note that restricting cookies may impact the functionality of the Site.

Third-Party Services

We use third-party services to help us operate and improve the Site. These services may collect information about you as described in their own privacy policies. We use the following third-party services:

Google Analytics: We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors interact with the Site. Google Analytics collects information such as how often users visit the Site, what pages they visit, and what other sites they used prior to coming to the Site. Google Analytics collects only the IP address assigned to you on the date you visit the Site, rather than your name or other identifying information. We do not combine the information collected through Google Analytics with personally identifiable information. You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

Information Sharing & Disclosure

We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:

• Service Providers: We may share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating the Site (such as hosting providers), subject to confidentiality obligations. These providers are only permitted to use your information to provide services to us and are prohibited from using it for other purposes.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (such as a court or government agency).
• Business Protection: We may disclose information where we believe disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of Antique-Search.net, our users, or others.
• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of all or substantially all of our assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will provide notice before your personal information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.
• With Your Consent: We may share your information for any other purpose with your explicit consent.

We do not participate in data broker networks or share your information with marketing companies, data aggregators, or list brokers.

Data Security

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

• SSL/TLS encryption for all data transmitted between your browser and our servers (HTTPS)
• Regular security updates and patches to our website software
• Access controls limiting who within our organization can access personal information
• Regular backups and security monitoring

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. In the event of a data breach that affects your personal information, we will notify you as required by applicable law.

Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information. We respect and will honor these rights to the extent required by applicable law.

California Residents (CCPA): If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including the right to know what personal information is collected about you, the right to request deletion of your personal information, and the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information. As noted above, we do not sell personal information. To exercise your CCPA rights, please contact us using the information in Section 11.

Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, and Other US State Privacy Laws: Residents of states with applicable privacy laws may also have rights similar to those described above. We will honor requests from residents of all states to the extent required by applicable law.

EU/UK Residents (GDPR): If you are located in the European Union or United Kingdom, you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or UK GDPR, including those listed above. Our lawful bases for processing your personal information are: (a) your consent, (b) performance of a contract, (c) compliance with a legal obligation, and (d) our legitimate interests in operating and improving the Site. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at the address provided in Section 11. We will respond to all legitimate requests within 30 days.

Children’s Privacy

The Site is not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and you believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately using the information in Section 11.

If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without verification of parental consent, we will take steps to remove that information from our servers.

We also encourage parents and guardians to monitor their children’s Internet usage and help enforce this Privacy Policy by instructing their children never to provide personal information on the Site without their permission.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify you of any material changes by:

• Posting the new Privacy Policy on this page with an updated “Last Updated” date
• If the changes are significant, we may provide a more prominent notice on the Site’s homepage

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information. Your continued use of the Site after any changes to this Privacy Policy constitutes your acceptance of such changes.

The date at the top of this Privacy Policy indicates when it was last revised.