Privacy Policy

Last updated: 19 July 2026

This Privacy Policy describes how Searchary collects, uses, stores, and shares personal data when you use our website and related services. By using the Site, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Policy.

This Privacy Policy explains how Searchary (“we”, “us”, “our”) processes personal data when you use the Searchary website and related pages (the “Site”). We are the data controller for the processing described here.

Contact: contact@searchary.co.uk

1. What we collect

Searchary offers free accounts so you can save products, follow brands and categories, leave reviews, submit listings, and manage profile and security settings. You can browse much of the Site without signing in.

When you use the Site, we may process:

• Account data — If you register, we process information you provide such as your name, email address, password (stored as a hash), display name, profile details, and sign-in history.
• Listing and submission data — If you submit a product, we process the information you provide (brand details, product copy, images, URLs, categories, and messages in the review thread) so we can review and, if approved, publish your listing.
• Billing data — If you purchase a display plan, we process subscription status, plan type, billing period dates, and limited payment metadata (such as card brand and last four digits) returned by our payment provider. We do not store full card numbers on Searchary servers; card details are handled by Stripe.
• Usage and interaction data — Such as saved products, follows, reviews, product views or clicks where we record them, and preferences linked to your account.
• Technical data — Your browser and our hosting provider may automatically process information such as IP address, browser type, device type, referring URL, and approximate location derived from IP. This helps deliver pages securely and maintain the Site.
• Local storage on your device — The Site may cache session tokens, UI preferences, or similar data in your browser to keep you signed in and improve performance. Account and submission records are held on Searchary servers when you use those features.
• Anti-abuse signals — We may use technical signals (for example browser characteristics hashed on the device) to reduce review spam and fake accounts. We do not use this to track you across unrelated websites.
• Newsletter email — If you subscribe on the shop page, we process your email address and consent record for that mailing list.

2. How we use your information

We use personal data to operate Searchary and to protect our business, including to:

• Provide, maintain, and improve the Site, including accounts, listings, search, and discovery features;
• Review, approve, reject, edit, or remove product submissions and communicate with submitters;
• Process display plan subscriptions, send billing-related communications, and manage payment disputes;
• Detect, investigate, and prevent abuse, fraud, security incidents, and violations of our terms;
• Monitor, record, and analyse usage patterns, including aggregated or anonymised analytics;
• Develop new features, test changes, and measure performance of the Site;
• Enforce our Terms & Conditions, defend legal claims, and comply with applicable law;
• Contact you about your account, submissions, security alerts, or service-related matters.

Where content you submit (such as reviews, display names, or listing copy) is published on the Site, it may be visible to other visitors. Do not include personal data in public fields unless you are willing for that information to be displayed.

3. Legal bases (UK GDPR)

Where UK GDPR applies, we rely on one or more of the following:

• Legitimate interests — Operating, securing, promoting, and improving the Site; preventing fraud and misuse; understanding how the Site is used; communicating with users; and protecting our legal rights, where those interests are not overridden by your rights;
• Consent — For non-essential cookies, marketing emails, or similar technologies where UK law requires consent;
• Contract — To provide account features, process listing submissions, or manage display plan subscriptions you request;
• Legal obligation — Where we must retain or disclose information by law.

You may object to processing based on legitimate interests. We may continue processing where we have compelling grounds or where processing is needed for legal claims.

4. Third-party services

The Site uses third-party services that process data on our behalf or when you use certain features:

• Stripe — When you pay for a display plan, Stripe processes payment card details and billing information as an independent payment provider. Stripe’s use of your data is governed by Stripe’s Privacy Policy. Searchary receives limited subscription and payment metadata from Stripe (for example customer ID, subscription status, and card brand/last four digits).
• Email delivery — We use a transactional email provider to send account verification, sign-in codes, password reset links, and subscription-related messages.
• Google Fonts — Fonts are loaded from Google’s servers. Google may receive technical data such as your IP address when fonts are requested. See Google’s Privacy Policy.
• Hosting provider — Our web host and API host store Site files and application data and may log standard server access data (including IP addresses) for security and reliability.

We use service providers who process data on our behalf under contractual terms. They may use subprocessors and may process data in the UK or elsewhere, subject to appropriate safeguards. We are not required to notify you individually each time we appoint or change a subprocessor.

If we add analytics, advertising, affiliate tracking, embedded widgets, or content delivery networks, we may update this policy and, where required, provide a cookie notice and consent mechanism before or when those services are enabled.

5. Third-party logos, brand content, and external links

The Site may display logos, wordmarks, product names, images, and other brand assets belonging to third parties. This includes brands shown today and any other logos or marks we add in future, in any category we feature.

What this means for your privacy:

• No data sharing with brands because of logos. Displaying a company’s logo or product on Searchary does not mean we send your personal data to that company, and it does not create an account or relationship between you and that brand on our Site.
• Logos on our pages. Where brand logos are shown as part of the Site (for example in search results or category tiles), they are served as part of our pages like other static content. We do not use those displays to identify you personally or to profile you for those brands.
• External links. If you click a link that takes you to a retailer, brand, or affiliate partner website, you leave Searchary. That third party may collect personal data under its own privacy policy (for example cookies, account sign-up, or purchase data). We are not responsible for how those sites handle your information.
• Affiliate and tracking. If we use affiliate links or commission-based referrals, a partner may receive technical data (such as that you clicked a link, and sometimes a referral identifier) when you leave our Site. We will disclose material affiliate relationships on the Site and update this policy before using non-essential tracking that requires consent under UK law.
• Embedded third-party content. If we embed videos, maps, social feeds, or product widgets from other platforms, those providers may set cookies or collect usage data when you interact with them. We will describe such embeds here when we use them.

Copyrighted images. Images may be copyright protected. If your copyrighted image appears on this site and you would like it removed, please contact us at contact@searchary.co.uk.

Questions about intellectual property or how we use trademarks and logos are covered in our Terms & Conditions. This Privacy Policy covers personal data only.

6. Cookies

At present, the Site is designed to work without non-essential cookies set by Searchary. Your browser may still store strictly necessary session or security-related data. If we introduce analytics or marketing cookies, we will explain what they do and ask for consent where UK law requires it.

7. How long we keep data

We retain personal data for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy, including to provide the Site, resolve disputes, enforce our terms, maintain business records, and comply with legal obligations. Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and how it is used.

• Account data — While your account is active and for up to seven years after deletion or last activity, where needed to resolve disputes, enforce our terms, prevent fraud, or comply with legal obligations.
• Listing and submission data — While your submission is active, under review, or published, and for up to seven years afterwards where needed for support, billing records, moderation, or legal compliance.
• Billing records — For the duration of your subscription and as long as required for accounting, tax, and dispute resolution (typically up to seven years where applicable).
• Server logs and security records — For a limited period defined by our hosting provider or longer where needed for security investigations, fraud prevention, or legal claims.
• Backups and archives — Residual copies may persist in backups for a limited period before being overwritten or deleted in the ordinary course of our operations.

We may retain anonymised or aggregated data indefinitely. Anonymised or aggregated data is not personal data and may be used for any lawful business purpose.

8. Sharing your information

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

• Service providers who help us host, operate, email, secure, analyse, and bill the Site;
• Stripe and other payment processors when you subscribe to a display plan;
• Professional advisers, insurers, auditors, and potential acquirers in connection with a business sale, merger, or reorganisation;
• Authorities, regulators, or other parties if required by law, court order, or to protect our rights, users, or the public.

If Searchary is involved in a merger, acquisition, asset sale, or similar transaction, your personal data may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will take reasonable steps to ensure any recipient continues to protect personal data in line with this Policy.

9. International transfers

Some third-party providers (such as Google) may process data outside the UK. Where required, we rely on appropriate safeguards such as UK adequacy regulations or standard contractual clauses. Details depend on the providers we use at the time.

10. Your rights

If UK GDPR applies to our processing of your personal data, you may have the right to: access, rectify, erase, restrict, or object to certain processing, and to data portability where applicable. You may also lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

To exercise your rights, contact us at contact@searchary.co.uk. We may need to verify your identity before responding. We aim to respond within one month, but may extend that period where requests are complex or numerous, as permitted by law.

We may refuse requests that are manifestly unfounded, excessive, or repetitive, or where we are permitted or required to retain data. Where permitted by law, we may charge a reasonable fee for additional copies of information you request.

Erasure requests do not require us to delete information we must retain for legal, accounting, fraud-prevention, or enforcement purposes, nor information that has been anonymised or aggregated.

11. Children

The Site is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy at any time. The “Last updated” date will change when we do. Material changes will be posted on this page. Your continued use of the Site after an update constitutes acceptance of the revised Policy. If you do not agree, you must stop using the Site and may request account deletion.

13. Data protection compliance

Searchary processes personal data in accordance with applicable UK data protection law, including the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. We maintain appropriate technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, or misuse.