Privacy Policy

We only collect what we need to run auctions and coordinate pickups:

• Mobile phone number — to send your one-time sign-in code by SMS and to verify that each account belongs to a real person. A verified phone is required to bid or sell.
• Email address— as an alternate sign-in method and to send account and auction notifications (for example, “you won,” “you were outbid,” or that an item sold).
• Display name — shown to other neighbors on your listings, bids, and messages.
• Listing details and photos — the item descriptions, condition notes, pickup area, and images you upload when you sell.
• Bids — the amount and time of each bid you place, kept as a permanent, tamper-proof record (see our Terms).
• In-app messages — the private messages you exchange with a buyer or seller to arrange a pickup.
• Pickup and reputation data — whether a pickup was completed, missed, or disputed, which builds your neighborly reputation over time.

We use this information to provide SMS one-time-code sign-in, run the auctions, coordinate in-person pickups, and keep the marketplace honest. We do not use it for advertising.

When you sign in or verify your phone, we text you a numeric code. Message frequency depends on how often you sign in. Message & data rates may apply.

Reply STOP to any message to opt out of further texts, or reply HELP for help. You can also email us at soren.k.madsen@gmail.com. Note that if you opt out of verification texts you may be unable to sign in, bid, or sell, since a verified phone is required for those actions.

We use a small number of trusted vendors to operate Merchased. They process data only on our behalf, only to provide their service:

• Supabase — database, authentication, and image storage (your account, listings, photos, bids, and messages).
• Resend — delivery of our email codes and notifications.
• Twilio — delivery of our SMS one-time codes.

We don’t sell your personal information. Your display name, listings, and bids are visible to other neighbors as part of how the marketplace works. The exact pickup location and your contact details are shared only between the buyer and seller of a given item. Beyond the service providers above, we share information only when required by law or to protect the safety and integrity of the marketplace.

We keep your information for as long as your account is active. Permanent bid records are retained as the immutable ledger that makes auctions dispute-proof. You can request access to or deletion of your personal information by emailing us; note that immutable bid records and information we’re required to keep may be retained as permitted by law.

If we make material changes, we’ll update the date at the top of this page. Continued use of Merchased after a change means you accept the updated policy.