Privacy Policy

Last updated: January 6, 2026

1. Information We Collect

We collect information you provide directly to us, such as when you create an account, book an event, purchase marketplace items, or contact us for support. This may include:

Name and contact information
Email addresses for newsletters, marketing communications, and lead magnet delivery
Payment information (processed securely through Stripe)
Shipping addresses for marketplace purchases
Profile information and preferences
Event attendance and booking history
Marketplace purchase history
Author, organizer, or venue profile information
Product listings (books, merchandise)
Landing pages created by authors using our page builder
Email engagement data (opens, clicks, unsubscribes)
Usage analytics and website interactions (via Google Analytics)
Communications with us

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

Provide, maintain, and improve our services
Process event bookings and marketplace transactions
Facilitate payments and payouts to authors, organizers, and venues
Ship physical products purchased through the marketplace
Deliver digital products, lead magnets, and free content
Send newsletter subscriptions and email marketing campaigns (with your consent)
Send automated event reminders (7 days, 24 hours, 1 hour before events)
Send post-event follow-up emails and review requests
Send you technical notices, updates, security alerts, and support messages
Respond to your comments, questions, and provide customer service
Communicate with you about events, new products, offers, and other news
Track and analyze attendee engagement and analytics for authors
Monitor and analyze trends, usage, and activities via Google Analytics
Personalize your experience on our platform
Prevent fraud and ensure platform security

3. Information Sharing

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

With your consent
With authors when you book their events or follow them (name, email, booking details)
With sellers when you purchase marketplace items (name, shipping address)
With buyers when you sell marketplace items (seller name, profile information)
With Stripe for payment processing (we do not store full credit card information)
With Resend for email delivery services (email addresses, names, engagement data)
With Google Analytics for usage tracking and analytics (anonymized data)
To comply with legal obligations
To protect our rights and safety
With service providers who assist us in operating our platform (hosting, analytics, customer support)
In connection with a business transfer or merger

4. Data Security

We take reasonable measures to help protect your personal information from loss, theft, misuse, unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction. Our security measures include:

Encrypted connections (HTTPS/SSL) for all data transmission
Secure payment processing through PCI-compliant providers (Stripe)
Regular security audits and updates
Access controls and authentication requirements
Data encryption at rest for sensitive information

However, no security system is impenetrable, and we cannot guarantee the absolute security of our systems.

5. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to collect and use personal information about you, including:

Google Analytics: We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our site. Google Analytics uses cookies to collect information such as how often users visit our site, what pages they visit, and what other sites they used prior to coming to our site. We use this information to improve our platform. Google Analytics collects only the IP address assigned to you on the date you visit this site, rather than your name or other identifying information. Learn more about Google's Privacy Policy.
Essential Cookies: Required for authentication, security, and basic site functionality
Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and preferences
Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how you use our platform

You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings. Note that disabling cookies may affect site functionality.

6. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

Access to your personal information
Correction of inaccurate data
Deletion of your personal information
Portability of your data
Restriction of processing
Objection to processing

7. Email Marketing and Communications

We send various types of emails to our users, and you have control over what you receive:

Transactional Emails: Order confirmations, booking confirmations, password resets, and account notifications (cannot be unsubscribed as they are essential to the service)
Event Notifications: Automated reminders for events you've booked (7 days, 24 hours, and 1 hour before events)
Post-Event Follow-ups: Thank you emails and review requests sent 24 hours after events you've attended
Marketing Emails: Newsletters, promotional content, and new event announcements (can be unsubscribed at any time)
Author Updates: When you follow an author, you may receive updates about their events and books (can be unsubscribed)

Lead Magnets: When you sign up for a newsletter or download free content (lead magnets) through author landing pages, you consent to receive marketing emails from that author through our platform. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in every marketing email.

Email Service Provider: We use Resend to send our emails. Your email address and engagement data (opens, clicks) may be processed by Resend in accordance with their privacy policy.

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide our services and for legitimate business purposes, including:

Account Information: Retained while your account is active and for 3 years after account closure
Transaction Records: Retained for 7 years for tax and legal compliance
Email Marketing Data: Retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion
Analytics Data: Aggregated and anonymized data may be retained indefinitely for statistical purposes
Legal Holds: Data subject to legal proceedings is retained until the matter is resolved

You can request deletion of your personal information at any time by contacting privacy@bookgather.com. Some information may be retained in backup systems for up to 90 days.

9. Your Communication Preferences and Unsubscribe Rights

You have the right to control the emails you receive from BookGather:

Unsubscribe from Marketing: Click the "Unsubscribe" link at the bottom of any marketing email
Manage Email Preferences: Log into your account and visit Settings → Notifications to customize which emails you receive
Opt Out of Analytics: Use browser plugins like Google Analytics Opt-out to prevent analytics tracking
Delete Your Account: Contact us at privacy@bookgather.com to request account deletion

CAN-SPAM Compliance: We comply with the CAN-SPAM Act. All marketing emails include a clear unsubscribe mechanism, our physical mailing address, and accurate sender information. Unsubscribe requests are processed within 10 business days.

10. Third-Party Services

Our service may contain links to third-party websites or services and integrates with the following third-party providers:

Stripe: Payment processing - Privacy Policy
Resend: Email delivery - Privacy Policy
Google Analytics: Website analytics - Privacy Policy

We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies.

11. Children's Privacy

Our service is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at privacy@bookgather.com or through our contact page.