Privacy Policy

Effective Date: March 2025

At MelanMark, we respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website, use our marketplace, or interact with our services.

Where Black Brands Shine... For Everyone!

1. Who We Are

MelanMark is an online marketplace where customers can discover and shop from Black-owned brands across the United States. Our platform also allows vendors to create shops and sell their products. This policy applies to both customers and vendors using our platform.

2. Information We Collect

A. Information You Provide to Us

  • Account Information: When you register as a customer or vendor, we collect your name, email address, username, and password.
  • Vendor Information: For vendors, we may collect business name, address, phone number, EIN (if applicable), product details, and payout information (e.g., PayPal, Stripe).
  • Order Information: When you make a purchase, we collect billing and shipping addresses, phone number, and order history.
  • Payment Information: Payments are securely processed by third-party payment gateways. We do not store full credit card information.
  • Communications: If you contact us directly, we may receive information like your name, email, phone number, and the content of your message.

B. Information We Automatically Collect

  • Usage Data: We collect information about your interactions with the site, such as pages viewed, time spent, and referring URLs.
  • Device Information: Includes IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, and device identifiers.
  • Cookies & Tracking Technologies: We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance user experience and collect analytics data.
3. How We Use Your Information

We may use your information to:

  • Operate and improve the MelanMark platform
  • Process and fulfill orders
  • Facilitate vendor onboarding and payouts
  • Send administrative information, such as confirmations, invoices, and updates
  • Respond to inquiries and customer service requests
  • Personalize your experience and recommend products
  • Monitor for fraud, abuse, or unauthorized access
  • Comply with legal obligations
4. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your data with:

  • Vendors: When you make a purchase, relevant details (name, shipping address) are shared with the vendor to fulfill your order.
  • Service Providers: We use trusted third parties for hosting, payment processing, email communications, analytics, and marketing.
  • Legal Requirements: We may disclose data if required by law or in response to valid legal processes.
  • Business Transfers: In case of a merger or acquisition, your information may be part of the transferred assets.
5. Your Privacy Rights

A. Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have the right to:

  • Access your personal data
  • Correct or delete your data
  • Object to or restrict data processing
  • Withdraw consent at any time
  • Receive a copy of your data in a portable format

To exercise your rights, message us on our Contact Us page with “Technical Support” in the subject line.

Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

We process your personal data based on:

  • Your consent
  • The performance of a contract (e.g., fulfilling an order)
  • Compliance with legal obligations
  • Legitimate interests (e.g., improving services, preventing fraud)

B. Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have the right to:

  • Know what personal information we collect and how we use it
  • Request access to or deletion of your data
  • Opt out of the sale of your personal information (we do not sell your data)
  • Not be discriminated against for exercising your rights

To submit a CCPA request, message us on our Contact Us page with “CCPA Request” in the subject line.

6. Data Retention

We retain your data for as long as necessary to fulfill your orders, provide services, comply with legal requirements, or resolve disputes.

7. Security

We use administrative, technical, and physical security measures to protect your data. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure.

8. Children’s Privacy

Our site is not intended for individuals under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children.

9. Cookies & Tracking

We use cookies to:

  • Remember login details
  • Understand user behavior
  • Improve functionality and analytics

You can manage cookies through your browser settings or opt-out tools.

10. Third-Party Links

We may link to external sites. We are not responsible for their content or privacy practices.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. We encourage you to review this page regularly. If major changes occur, we’ll notify you via email or site announcement.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns, message us on our Contact Us page.