Last updated: May 18, 2025
👋 Introduction
Welcome to SellZan. We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application and related services.
By using SellZan, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of our app.
📋 Information We Collect
We collect information you provide directly to us, including:
- Account information: name, email address, phone number, profile photo
- Identity verification (KYC): government-issued ID documents and selfie photos for seller verification
- Student verification: student email address for student plan eligibility
- Payment information: mobile money or card details processed through our payment provider (Paystack); we do not store raw card data
- Product listings: photos, descriptions, pricing, and inventory data you upload
- Communications: messages sent through our in-app chat system
- Address information: delivery addresses you save
We also collect certain information automatically:
- Device identifiers and FCM tokens for push notifications
- Log data including IP address, app version, and crash reports
- Usage data such as screens visited and features used
🎯 How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Create and manage your account
- Process transactions and manage escrow payments
- Facilitate communication between buyers and sellers
- Verify seller identity through KYC to build trust and safety
- Verify student status for student plan eligibility
- Send push notifications for orders, messages, and account activity
- Detect and prevent fraud and abuse
- Improve our platform and develop new features
- Comply with legal obligations
- Respond to your support requests
🤝 Sharing Your Information
We do not sell your personal information. We share information only in the following circumstances:
- Between users: Seller profile information (name, store name, rating) is visible to buyers. Order details are shared between buyer and seller for fulfillment.
- Payment processors: We use Paystack to process payments. Your payment data is subject to Paystack's privacy policy.
- Cloud infrastructure: Our backend runs on Render and uses NeonDB (PostgreSQL). Data is stored securely in their infrastructure.
- Firebase (Google): We use Firebase Cloud Messaging for push notifications.
- Resend: We use Resend to send transactional emails (OTP codes, account alerts).
- Sentry: We use Sentry for crash reporting and error monitoring.
- Legal requirements: We may disclose your information if required by law or to protect the rights and safety of SellZan and its users.
📸 Camera, Photos, and Microphone
SellZan requests access to the following device permissions:
- Camera: To capture product photos for listings and selfies for KYC identity verification.
- Photo Library: To select existing photos from your device for product listings and profile pictures.
- Microphone: For live stream broadcasts (sellers only). This feature is opt-in.
We do not access your camera, photos, or microphone without your explicit permission and only when you are actively using the relevant feature.
🔔 Push Notifications
We send push notifications to keep you informed about order updates, new messages, flash sales, and other account activity. You can disable notifications at any time through your device's system settings. Disabling notifications will not affect your ability to use the app.
🔒 Data Security
We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information, including:
- HTTPS encryption for all data in transit
- Hashed and salted password storage (we never store plain-text passwords)
- JWT-based authentication with refresh token rotation
- Escrow payment system to protect both buyers and sellers
No method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. We strive to protect your information but cannot guarantee absolute security.
⏱️ Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with services. If you delete your account, we will delete your personal data within 30 days, except where we are required to retain it for legal, compliance, or fraud-prevention purposes.
Transaction records may be retained for up to 7 years as required by financial regulations.
👤 Your Rights
Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:
- Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
- Correction: Request correction of inaccurate data
- Deletion: Request deletion of your account and personal data
- Portability: Request your data in a portable format
- Objection: Object to certain processing of your data
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at support@sellzan.com or visit our Account Deletion page.
👶 Children's Privacy
SellZan is not intended for users under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we become aware that a child under 18 has provided us with personal information, we will delete it immediately.
🌍 International Transfers
SellZan operates primarily in Ghana and across Africa. Your data may be processed on servers located outside your country. By using SellZan, you consent to the transfer of your information to our service providers in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
📝 Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by posting a notice in the app or sending an email. Your continued use of SellZan after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
📬 Contact Us
If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, please contact us: