Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

Guza ("we", "us", "our") operates the Guza platform — a WhatsApp-first commerce service for Ugandan merchants. This policy explains what data we collect, why, and how we protect it.

2. Data We Collect

Merchants: Name, email address, WhatsApp number, store name, password (hashed — never stored in plain text), and any content you upload (product images, descriptions).

Store visitors / customers: When a customer joins a waitlist, we collect their name and phone number on behalf of the merchant. We do not track visitors with cookies or analytics scripts by default.

3. How We Use Your Data

To create and manage your store account
To authenticate you when you log in
To deliver the Service (store pages, order routing to WhatsApp)
To send service-related notifications (account, billing)

We do not sell your data. We do not use your data for advertising.

4. Data Sharing

We share data only with the third-party services required to run the platform (hosting, database). We do not share merchant or customer data with any other third parties unless required by law.

5. Data Retention

Your data is retained as long as your account is active. When you delete your account, your store data is permanently removed within 30 days. Waitlist entries are controlled by the merchant and can be deleted from the dashboard at any time.

6. Security

Passwords are hashed with bcrypt before storage. Sessions use secure, HTTP-only cookies. Data is stored on encrypted infrastructure. We apply rate limiting to all sensitive endpoints.

7. Your Rights

You have the right to access, correct, or delete your personal data at any time. Email us at hello@guza.ug and we will respond within 5 business days.

8. Cookies

We use a single session cookie to keep you logged in. We do not use tracking or advertising cookies.

9. Changes

We may update this policy. Material changes will be communicated by email. Continued use after the effective date constitutes acceptance.

Contact

Privacy questions: hello@guza.ug