Privacy Policy

Last updated: March 2026

TrueCottage LLC ("TrueCottage," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and share information about you when you use our platform at truecottage.com.

1. Information We Collect

Account information: When you sign up, we collect your email address and password (stored securely via Supabase Auth). We also collect your name or display name if provided. If you complete a purchase without an existing account, we collect your name, email address, and zip code to create a TrueCottage account on your behalf. No email verification is required — your account is ready immediately. You can set a password at any time via "Forgot Password" on the login page to access your order history.

Profile information:

• Buyers: Delivery address, zip code, and delivery preferences.
• Sellers: Business name, business address, cottage food license information, and delivery radius.

Order information: When you place or fulfill an order, we collect product details, quantities, pricing, and order status. Payment processing is handled by Stripe — we do not store your full card number or payment credentials.

Location data: We use your zip code and address to display nearby products and sellers. Addresses are geocoded using Mapbox to calculate distances. We do not track your real-time location.

Product listings: Sellers provide product descriptions, pricing, ingredient lists, allergen information, and photos. This information is publicly visible on the platform.

Usage data: We collect standard web analytics data via Google Analytics, including pages visited, time on site, and general geographic region (not precise location). This data is anonymized and aggregated.

Communications: If you contact us or submit a waitlist form, we collect the information you provide.

2. How We Use Your Information

• To create and manage your account.
• To connect Buyers with nearby Sellers based on zip code proximity.
• To process and fulfill orders.
• To send transactional emails (order confirmations, status updates) via Resend to orders@truecottage.com.
• To improve the platform through aggregate usage analytics.
• To communicate with you about your account or the platform.
• To comply with legal obligations.

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We do not use your data for targeted advertising.

3. Information Sharing

We share information only as necessary to operate the platform:

• Between Buyers and Sellers: When an order is placed, the Seller receives the Buyer's name and delivery address (if delivery is selected). Buyers can see the Seller's general location (city/neighborhood) and public profile information.
• Supabase: Our database and authentication provider. Data is stored on Supabase's infrastructure. See Supabase Privacy Policy.
• Stripe: Payment processing. Stripe receives your payment information directly. See Stripe Privacy Policy.
• Cloudinary: Product images are stored and served via Cloudinary.
• Mapbox: Address geocoding. Addresses are transmitted to Mapbox to calculate coordinates.
• Resend: Transactional email delivery.
• Google Analytics: Anonymized usage analytics.
• Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or to protect the rights, safety, or property of TrueCottage, our users, or the public.

4. Seller Address Privacy

We understand that Sellers may be concerned about their home address being shared. Here's how we handle it:

• Seller addresses are not publicly displayed on the platform. Buyers see only the Seller's general area (city or neighborhood level).
• If a Buyer arranges a pickup, the Seller can share their address directly through messaging or order notes at their own discretion.
• If third-party delivery is used, the pickup address is shared with the delivery driver through the delivery provider's systems.

5. Data Retention

We retain your account information for as long as your account is active. If you close your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information within 90 days, except where retention is required for legal or accounting purposes (e.g., order records for tax purposes).

6. Security

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information, including encrypted connections (HTTPS), secure authentication via Supabase, and Row Level Security (RLS) policies that restrict data access to authorized users. However, no internet transmission is 100% secure.

7. Cookies

TrueCottage uses:

• Session cookies: To keep you logged in via Supabase Auth.
• localStorage: To store your shopping cart and authentication tokens locally in your browser.
• Google Analytics cookies: To collect anonymous usage statistics. You can opt out via the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

We do not use advertising cookies or cross-site tracking.

8. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you.
• Correct inaccurate information in your profile.
• Request deletion of your account and personal data.
• Opt out of marketing emails (transactional emails related to your orders cannot be disabled).

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at hello@truecottage.com.

9. Children's Privacy

TrueCottage is not directed to children under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If you believe a minor has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.

10. Colorado Privacy Rights

Colorado residents may have additional rights under the Colorado Privacy Act (CPA), including the right to access, correct, delete, and opt out of the sale of personal data. TrueCottage does not sell personal data. To submit a request under the CPA, contact us at hello@truecottage.com.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated policy on this page with a revised "Last updated" date. Continued use of the platform constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.