Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

Personal Information You Provide

• Account Information: Name, email address, business name, and contact details when you create an account
• Payment Information: Billing address and payment details (processed securely through Stripe - we do not store credit card numbers)
• Subscription Details: Plan type (Free, Pro, Lifetime), trial status, and billing history
• Website Content: Text, images, product information, and other content you upload to your cottage food website
• Communications: Messages you send us through support channels, feedback forms, or email
• Business Information: Details about your cottage food business, state location, and compliance requirements
• Verification Data: Security verification responses through Cloudflare Turnstile

Information We Collect Automatically

• Usage Data: How you interact with our platform, features used, and time spent
• Device Information: Browser type, operating system, IP address, and device identifiers
• Analytics Data: Website performance metrics, error logs, and usage patterns via Google Analytics and Cloudflare Analytics
• Conversion Tracking: Marketing conversion data through Meta Pixel for registration and purchase events
• Cookies and Tracking: Session cookies for functionality, analytics cookies for service improvement, and marketing cookies for conversion tracking

2. Free Plan Advertising

3. How We Use Your Information

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We may share your information only in these situations:

• Service Providers: Trusted third parties who help us operate our platform:
  • Stripe for payment processing and subscription management
  • Cloudflare for security, performance, and content delivery
  • Resend for transactional email delivery
  • Google Analytics for usage analytics
  • Meta for conversion tracking (anonymized)
• Legal Requirements: When required by law, court order, or government regulation
• Business Protection: To protect our rights, prevent fraud, or ensure platform security
• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets (with advance notice)
• Your Consent: When you explicitly agree to share information for specific purposes

Public Information

Content you publish on your cottage food website (product descriptions, business information, photos) will be publicly visible to your customers. You control what information is made public through your website settings.

5. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information:

While we implement strong security measures, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We continuously work to improve our security practices and will notify you of any significant data breaches as required by law.

6. Your Privacy Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@cottagecms.comor use the privacy controls in your account settings.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to improve your experience:

You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences. Disabling essential cookies may affect platform functionality. To opt out of marketing cookies, visit aboutads.info.

8. Data Retention

We retain your information for different periods based on its purpose:

• Account Data: Retained while your account is active and for 90 days after deletion for recovery purposes
• Free Plan Content: May be deleted after 6 months of inactivity with 30 days notice
• Pro/Lifetime Content: Retained indefinitely while account is active
• Payment Records: Kept for 7 years for tax and legal compliance purposes
• Subscription History: Retained indefinitely for trial eligibility tracking
• Analytics Data: Aggregated data retained indefinitely; personal identifiers removed after 2 years
• Support Communications: Retained for 3 years to improve customer service
• Security Logs: Retained for 1 year for security and fraud prevention

9. Children's Privacy

Cottage CMS is designed for cottage food entrepreneurs. While some states allow minors to operate cottage food businesses, our platform requires special handling for users under 18:

COPPA Compliance: For operators under 13, we comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13. All account management must be done by a parent or legal guardian.

10. International Users

Cottage CMS is based in the United States and our servers are located in the US. If you access our service from outside the US, your information will be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States.

We comply with applicable international privacy laws and provide appropriate protections for cross-border data transfers.

11. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

Categories of Information We Collect

• Identifiers (name, email, IP address)
• Commercial information (purchase history, subscription details)
• Internet activity (usage data, cookies)
• Geolocation data (state location for compliance)
• Professional information (business details)

12. European Privacy Rights (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have additional rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

• Legal Basis: We process your data based on consent, contract performance, or legitimate interests
• Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
• Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate personal data
• Restriction: Request restriction of processing in certain circumstances
• Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Automated Decision Making: Right not to be subject to solely automated decisions

For GDPR requests, contact our Data Protection Officer at dpo@cottagecms.com.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will:

• Notify you by email of significant changes
• Post the updated policy on our website with the effective date
• Continue to honor the policy that was in place when you provided your information
• Provide at least 30 days notice for material changes

14. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your information, please contact us: