Effective Date: February 1, 2026 | Last Updated: March 14, 2026 | Version: 2026-03-14
1. Introduction
Market Scout ("we," "us," "our") operates the Market Scout platform, including our website, mobile application, and all related services (collectively, the "Platform"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, store, and protect your personal information when you use our Platform.
By creating an account, accessing, or using the Platform, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our practices, please do not use the Platform.
This Privacy Policy applies to all users of the Platform, including but not limited to vendors, market organizers, scouts, and general visitors.
2. Information We Collect
We collect information in several ways: directly from you, automatically through your use of the Platform, and from third-party sources.
2.1 Information You Provide Directly
Account Registration & Profile Information
Full name and display name
Email address
Password (stored in hashed form; we never store plaintext passwords)
Home zip code and state
Profile photo (if uploaded)
Vendor Profile Information
Business name and description
Product categories and types (e.g., crafts, food, produce)
Typical booth size requirements
Maximum travel distance/radius willingness
Product price point range (e.g., budget, mid-range, premium)
Years of vending experience
Reviews and Market Feedback
Star ratings for markets you have attended
Written review text and commentary
Market attendance confirmation (whether you attended a specific market)
Return intent (whether you would return to a market)
Estimated revenue range earned at a market (provided in predefined brackets, e.g., under $200, $200-$500, $500-$1,000, $1,000+)
Any additional comments or notes submitted with reviews
Scout Reports
Market condition reports and observations
Photos of market venues or conditions (if submitted)
Structured data fields within scout report forms
Free-text observations and notes
Season Planning Data
Markets added to your seasonal schedule/planner
Planned attendance dates and market selections
Favorites and Saved Markets
Markets you have favorited or bookmarked
Purchase and Transaction Data
State access unlocks and purchases
Purchase dates, amounts, and transaction identifiers
Payment method type (we do not store full credit card numbers; payment processing is handled by our third-party payment processor)
Communications
Messages sent through the Platform (if applicable)
Support requests and correspondence with our team
Feedback and feature suggestions
2.2 Information Collected Automatically
When you use the Platform, we automatically collect certain information about your device and usage patterns.
Usage and Behavioral Data
Search queries and filter selections (e.g., state dropdown selections, market type filters, schedule filters, sort preferences)
Pages and market detail pages viewed, including time spent on each page (dwell time)
Click patterns and navigation paths through the Platform
Features used and frequency of use
Favorite and season planner add/remove actions and timestamps
Interactions with locked/unlocked state content
Device and Technical Information
IP address
Browser type and version
Operating system and device type
Screen resolution and viewport size
Unique device identifiers
Referring URLs and exit pages
Location Information
Approximate location derived from your IP address
Zip code and state provided in your profile
Home state selection and state-level filtering preferences
Cookies and Similar Technologies
Session cookies to maintain your login state
Preference cookies to remember your settings
Analytics cookies and similar tracking technologies to understand Platform usage
See Section 8 (Cookies and Tracking Technologies) for more details.
2.3 Information from Third-Party Sources
Market data from publicly available sources, including market organizer websites, social media pages, and public event listings
Google Places data, including market locations, ratings, and business information
Social media presence data for markets (used to calculate Marketing Presence Scores)
Authentication data if you sign in using a third-party service (e.g., Google OAuth)
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
3.1 Platform Operations and Services
To create and manage your account
To provide personalized market recommendations and search results based on your profile, preferences, and location
To display market information, scores, and analytics
To process purchases such as state access unlocks
To operate the season planner and favorites features
To manage the scout ranking and gamification system
3.2 Data Intelligence and Analytics
To calculate and refine Marketing Presence Scores (MPS) for markets
To generate aggregated, anonymized market intelligence and analytics
To crowdsource market quality data including vendor counts, foot traffic estimates, and capacity observations from user-submitted reviews
To identify trends in market attendance, vendor demand, and seasonal patterns
To improve the accuracy and completeness of our market database
To build aggregated vendor demand signals by region and market type (derived from search and filter behavior data)
3.3 Platform Improvement
To analyze usage patterns and improve Platform features, design, and performance
To identify and fix technical issues, bugs, and errors
To conduct A/B testing and feature experiments
To understand which features are most valuable to users
3.4 Communications
To send you service-related notifications (e.g., account verification, purchase confirmations, security alerts)
To send you marketing communications about new features, markets, or promotions (with your consent, where required by law)
To respond to your support requests and inquiries
3.5 Safety and Legal
To detect, prevent, and address fraud, abuse, and security issues
To enforce our Terms of Service and other policies
To comply with legal obligations and respond to lawful requests from public authorities
4. Data Aggregation and Anonymization
We may aggregate and/or anonymize your information so that it can no longer reasonably be used to identify you. We may use aggregated and anonymized data for any lawful purpose, including but not limited to:
Producing market intelligence reports and analytics
Generating industry trend data and insights
Creating benchmarking data for market organizers
Improving our scoring algorithms and recommendation engine
Research and statistical analysis
Aggregated and anonymized data is not subject to the restrictions of this Privacy Policy, as it does not constitute personal information. We may sell, license, sublicense, or otherwise commercially distribute aggregated and anonymized datasets to third parties, including but not limited to market organizers, event sponsors, industry researchers, commercial partners, and data analytics companies. However, we commit to robust anonymization techniques that prevent re-identification.
5. How We Share Your Information
We do not sell your personal information in individually identifiable form. However, as described in Section 4, we may sell, license, or otherwise commercially share aggregated and anonymized data that cannot reasonably be used to identify you. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:
5.1 With Other Users
Your display name, profile photo, and scout rank may be visible to other users
Reviews and ratings you submit are visible to other users, attributed to your display name
Scout reports you submit may be visible to other users in anonymized or attributed form
Note: Your revenue estimates, vendor profile details (product type, booth size, price point), and behavioral data are NEVER shared with other individual users in identifiable form.
5.2 With Service Providers
We share information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, including:
Cloud hosting and database services (Supabase)
Payment processing services
Email delivery services
Analytics services
Map and geolocation services (Leaflet, Google Places API)
These service providers are contractually obligated to use your information only to provide services to us and in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
5.3 For Legal Reasons
We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to:
Comply with a legal obligation, court order, or legal process
Protect and defend our rights or property
Prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with the Platform
Protect the personal safety of users of the Platform or the public
5.4 Business Transfers
In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, bankruptcy, or sale of all or a portion of our assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you via email and/or a prominent notice on the Platform of any change in ownership or uses of your personal information.
5.5 With Your Consent
We may share your information in other ways if you give us explicit consent to do so.
5.6 Commercial Data Partnerships
We may sell, license, or share aggregated and anonymized datasets with third parties for commercial purposes. These datasets are derived from collective user activity and cannot be used to identify individual users. Recipients may include but are not limited to:
Market organizers seeking to understand vendor demand and attendance trends
Event sponsors and advertisers evaluating market reach and demographics
Industry researchers and academic institutions studying market economics
Business intelligence companies and data analytics platforms
Government agencies or economic development organizations analyzing local commerce
To be clear: individually identifiable personal information is never sold or licensed. Only aggregated, anonymized data that cannot reasonably identify any individual user is subject to commercial data partnerships.
6. Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you services. Specific retention periods include:
Account and profile data: Retained for the life of your account plus 30 days after account deletion
Reviews and ratings: Retained indefinitely, even after account deletion, but anonymized (disassociated from your identity) upon account deletion
Behavioral/usage event data: Retained for 24 months from collection, then aggregated and anonymized
Purchase and transaction records: Retained for 7 years to comply with tax and financial reporting obligations
Scout reports: Retained indefinitely for platform data quality; anonymized upon account deletion
Communications and support tickets: Retained for 3 years from resolution
After the applicable retention period, personal information is either deleted or anonymized. Aggregated and anonymized data may be retained indefinitely.
7. Data Security
We implement commercially reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information, including:
Encryption of data in transit using TLS/SSL
Encryption of sensitive data at rest
Hashed and salted password storage (we never store plaintext passwords)
Role-based access controls and principle of least privilege
Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
Database access restricted to authenticated and authorized services only
Row-level security policies on database tables where applicable
While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.
8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to collect and store information when you use the Platform.
8.1 Types of Cookies We Use
Essential Cookies: Required for the Platform to function (e.g., authentication, session management). These cannot be disabled.
Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings (e.g., default state selection, map view preferences).
Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how users interact with the Platform, which features are most used, and where users encounter issues.
8.2 Managing Cookies
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may limit your ability to use some features of the Platform. Essential cookies cannot be disabled while using the Platform.
9. Your Rights and Choices
Depending on your location, you may have some or all of the following rights regarding your personal information:
9.1 Access and Portability
Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
Request that we export your data in a machine-readable format
9.2 Correction
Update or correct inaccurate personal information through your account settings
Request that we correct information you cannot update directly
9.3 Deletion
Request deletion of your account and associated personal information
Note: Some information may be retained as described in Section 6 (Data Retention), including anonymized reviews and legally required records
9.4 Opt-Out Rights
Opt out of marketing communications at any time by using the unsubscribe link in emails or updating your notification preferences
Opt out of non-essential cookies through your browser settings
Opt out of behavioral event logging by contacting us (note: this may limit certain personalized features)
9.5 Data Minimization
Certain profile fields are optional; you may choose not to provide vendor-specific information such as revenue ranges, product categories, or booth size preferences.
9.6 Exercising Your Rights
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at support@marketscoutapp.pro. We will respond to your request within 30 days (or as required by applicable law). We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.
10. State-Specific Privacy Rights
10.1 Massachusetts
Massachusetts residents have rights under Massachusetts data privacy regulations, including the right to know what personal information is collected and the right to request deletion. We comply with Massachusetts Standards for the Protection of Personal Information (201 CMR 17.00).
10.2 Connecticut (CTDPA)
Connecticut residents have rights under the Connecticut Data Privacy Act (CTDPA), effective July 1, 2023, including the right to access, correct, delete, and obtain a copy of personal data, and the right to opt out of the processing of personal data for targeted advertising, the sale of personal data, and profiling.
10.3 New York (SHIELD Act)
We comply with the New York SHIELD Act requirements for data security, including implementing reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect private information of New York residents.
10.4 Other New England States
We monitor and comply with evolving privacy legislation in all states where we operate, including Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and Rhode Island. We will update this Privacy Policy as new laws take effect.
10.5 California (CCPA/CPRA)
Although our primary market is New England and New York, if California residents use our Platform, they have rights under the CCPA/CPRA, including the right to know, delete, correct, and opt out of the sale/sharing of personal information. We do not sell personal information as defined under the CCPA.
11. Children's Privacy
The Platform is not intended for use by individuals under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 16, we will take steps to delete such information promptly. If you believe a child under 16 has provided us with personal information, please contact us at support@marketscoutapp.pro.
12. Third-Party Links and Services
The Platform may contain links to third-party websites, including market organizer websites, social media pages, and event listings. This Privacy Policy does not apply to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third parties, and we encourage you to read the privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit.
13. International Data Transfers
The Platform is hosted in the United States. If you access the Platform from outside the United States, your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States. By using the Platform, you consent to the transfer of your information to the United States, where data protection laws may differ from those in your jurisdiction.
14. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated Privacy Policy on the Platform and updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this document. For significant changes, we may also notify you by email or through a prominent notice on the Platform. Your continued use of the Platform after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.
15. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:
Market Scout
16a Gail Ave, South Hamilton, MA 01982
Email: support@marketscoutapp.pro
Phone: 978-325-0098
For privacy-specific requests (access, deletion, correction), please email support@marketscoutapp.pro with the subject line "Privacy Request" and include your account email address for verification purposes.