Privacy Policy

Account and profile information

When an account is created or used, ShopMate may process:

• Email address and authentication status.
• A Firebase user identifier.
• An optional display name and an age bracket used for account eligibility and profile operation.
• Security information needed to authenticate the account.

Public products and stores can be browsed without creating an account.

Community contributions

Signed-in users may submit product, store, price, review, correction, note, or report information. A contribution may contain the text and other details the user chooses to provide. If a feature lets a user deliberately attach a photo to a public contribution, that chosen photo may also be uploaded.

Public contributions may remain visible after account deletion in anonymized form so the shared catalog keeps its history. Photo links associated with the deleted account are cleared, and nonpublic moderation records may be retained in pseudonymous form when needed for safety, abuse prevention, or legal compliance.

Receipt images and on-device OCR

ShopMate uses Android's system photo picker when a user chooses a receipt image. The receipt scanner processes the selected image and recognizes text on device. The raw receipt image and raw OCR output are not uploaded by the receipt-scanning workflow.

A user may review the recognized information and deliberately submit confirmed item and price data. That confirmed contribution is then handled as community content.

Camera access

Camera access is optional and is requested only when a user starts live barcode scanning. Barcode recognition runs for the selected feature. ShopMate remains usable if camera permission is denied.

Optional location

Approximate location may be requested after a user starts nearby-store discovery. Precise location is requested separately only when a user deliberately chooses to pin an unlisted store. ShopMate does not request background location.

When a location-backed search is performed, an area or coordinate query may be sent to the configured store-discovery provider, which may include Google Places or OpenStreetMap's Overpass service. These providers handle request data under their own policies.

Analytics and device identifiers

ShopMate uses Firebase Analytics for limited first-party measurement such as feature use, app activity, and reliability of user flows. Firebase may process an app-instance or installation identifier and technical device or app information.

ShopMate contains no third-party ads, does not use Android's Advertising ID or Ad Services identifiers, and disables ad-personalization signals. The Android app does not include Firebase Crashlytics.

Service providers

ShopMate relies on providers only to operate selected features, including:

• Firebase for authentication, app data, storage used by applicable contributions, and analytics.
• Google identity services when a user chooses Google sign-in.
• Google Places or OpenStreetMap Overpass for provider-backed store discovery.

JV Technologies LLC does not sell ShopMate personal information.

Security and retention

Network traffic uses encrypted HTTPS or Firebase transports, and the Android app disables cleartext network traffic. Data is retained while needed to provide the service, maintain the shared catalog, address abuse or legal obligations, and honor the deletion rules described in this policy.

No security method can guarantee absolute protection.

Children

ShopMate accounts are intended for users age 13 or older. The Android app blocks creation of an account identified as belonging to a child under 13. If you believe a child provided personal information improperly, contact us so we can review the request.

Your choices and deletion

• Decline optional camera or location permissions.
• Use public browsing without an account.
• Review receipt results before submitting confirmed information.
• Delete an account from Settings after confirmation and, when required, recent authentication.
• Request account deletion without the app from the public deletion page.

Read the complete ShopMate account-deletion instructions.