Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

RoboList ("we," "us," or "our") operates a marketplace platform connecting buyers and sellers of robotics parts and services for FIRST (FTC, FRC, FLL) and VEX (VEX EDR, VEX IQ) teams. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and protect your personal information when you use our Platform. We are based in the United States and this policy is written in compliance with applicable U.S. laws.

2. Information We Collect

We collect the following types of information:

• Account information: Name, email address, password (hashed), and optional profile details
• Team information: Team name, team number, program affiliation (FTC, FRC, FLL, VEX, etc.)
• Location data: City, state, ZIP code, or approximate location for local search and shipping estimates
• Transaction history: Records of listings you create, items you purchase, and order details
• Messages: Communications between buyers and sellers through the Platform
• Device and usage data: Browser type, IP address, pages visited, and interaction patterns
• Phone number: If you opt in to SMS notifications

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Create and manage your account
• Display your seller profile and listings to other users
• Facilitate communication between buyers and sellers
• Provide location-based search and local pickup features
• Send transactional notifications (order updates, messages, listing activity)
• Send marketing communications (only with your consent, and you can opt out at any time)
• Improve the Platform, fix bugs, and develop new features
• Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and policy violations
• Comply with legal obligations

4. What We Share

We do not sell your personal information. Here is what is shared and with whom:

• Public profile information: Your display name, team info, approximate location, and seller ratings are visible to other users
• Listing information: Listings you create are publicly visible on the Platform
• Transaction counterparties: When you buy or sell, your name and contact information may be shared with the other party to complete the transaction
• Service providers: We share data with third-party services that help us operate the Platform (see Section 10)
• Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, subpoena, or court order

5. Cookies and Local Storage

We use cookies and browser local storage for the following purposes:

• Authentication tokens: To keep you signed in across sessions
• Theme preference: To remember your light/dark mode selection
• Recently viewed items: To provide a personalized browsing experience
• Session data: To maintain your cart and navigation state

We do not use third-party advertising cookies. You can clear cookies and local storage through your browser settings, but this may require you to sign in again.

6. Data Retention

We retain your account information for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account, we will remove your personal data within 30 days, except where we are required to retain it for legal, tax, or compliance purposes. Transaction records may be retained for up to 7 years for tax and legal compliance. Messages between users are retained for 1 year after the last message in a conversation, unless a user deletes their account sooner.

7. Children's Privacy (COPPA Compliance)

RoboList is intended for users aged 13 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us at privacy@robolist.com and we will promptly delete that information. Users between 13 and 17 should use the Platform with parental awareness and consent.

8. California Residents' Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) provides you with the following rights:

• Right to know: You can request a summary of the personal information we have collected about you in the past 12 months
• Right to delete: You can request that we delete the personal information we hold about you, subject to certain exceptions
• Right to opt out: We do not sell personal information, so this right does not currently apply
• Right to non-discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your CCPA rights

To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@robolist.com. We will respond to verified requests within 45 days.

9. Security Measures

We take reasonable measures to protect your personal information, including encrypted data transmission (HTTPS/TLS), hashed passwords, secure authentication tokens, and access controls on our databases. However, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your data, but we are committed to following industry best practices.

10. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services to operate the Platform:

• Supabase: Database hosting, authentication, and file storage
• Mapbox: Map display and geocoding for location-based features
• Stripe: Payment link generation (RoboList does not process payments directly; sellers may use Stripe payment links)

These services have their own privacy policies and data handling practices. We encourage you to review them. We only share the minimum data necessary for these services to function.

11. Communication Preferences

We may communicate with you through the following channels:

• Email notifications: Transaction updates, messages from other users, and listing activity. You can manage your email preferences in your account settings
• SMS notifications: If you opt in, we may send text messages for time-sensitive updates. You can opt out at any time by replying STOP or updating your notification settings
• Marketing emails: We will only send promotional emails with your consent. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in any marketing email

We comply with the CAN-SPAM Act. All marketing emails include a clear unsubscribe option and our physical mailing address.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. If we make material changes, we will notify you by email or through a notice on the Platform. Continued use of the Platform after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data rights, please contact us at privacy@robolist.com.