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Privacy Policy

Last updated: April 27, 2026

GarageFlip collects the minimum data needed to run a safe, verified marketplace. We don't sell your data. We don't show you ads. We share data with Stripe for payments and our email provider for notifications — and that's it.

1. Who We Are

GarageFlip ("we," "us," "our") operates the peer-to-peer project car marketplace at garage-flip.com. This Privacy Policy explains what personal data we collect, how we use it, and what rights you have over it.

Questions or requests? Email us at support@garageflip.com.

2. Data We Collect

Account information

When you create an account, we collect:

  • Name and email address
  • Password (stored as a one-way hash — we never see your actual password)
  • Account creation date and last login

Verification documents

Sellers must complete identity verification. We collect:

  • Government-issued photo ID (driver's license, passport, or state ID)
  • A selfie photo matched against the ID
  • Vehicle titles submitted for listing verification

Verification documents are stored securely and are not publicly visible. They are accessible only to GarageFlip staff for fraud review and verification decisions.

Listing data

When you create a listing, we collect:

  • Vehicle details (year, make, model, VIN, mileage, condition)
  • Photos you upload
  • Asking price, description, and build-sheet information
  • Location (city and state) for the listing

Transaction data

When a transaction occurs, we collect:

  • Transaction amount and platform fee
  • Transaction status and timestamps
  • Stripe payment identifiers (we do not store raw card numbers)
  • Buyer and seller IDs associated with the transaction

Communication data

Messages sent through GarageFlip's platform messaging system are stored to enable communication between buyers and sellers and to support dispute resolution.

Usage data

We collect standard web analytics data including:

  • Pages visited and actions taken on the platform
  • Browser type, device type, and operating system
  • IP address and approximate geographic location
  • Referral source (how you found us)

3. How We Use Your Data

Purpose Data Used
Running the marketplace (listings, search, transactions) Account info, listing data, transaction data
Seller identity verification and fraud prevention Verification documents, account info
Processing payments via Stripe Connect Transaction data, account info
Platform communication (transaction updates, notifications) Email address, transaction data
Dispute resolution Messages, transaction data, listing data
Platform security and abuse prevention Usage data, account info, IP addresses
Analytics to improve the platform Aggregated, anonymized usage data

We do not use your data for targeted advertising and do not sell your data to any third party.

4. Third-Party Data Sharing

We share your data only with the following third parties, as required to operate the platform:

Stripe (payments)

All payment processing is handled by Stripe, Inc. When you transact on GarageFlip, your payment information is transmitted directly to Stripe. GarageFlip receives only transaction identifiers and status — not raw card numbers or sensitive payment credentials. Stripe's privacy policy is available at stripe.com/privacy.

Email provider (notifications)

We use a third-party transactional email service to send account and transaction notifications. Your email address and the content of platform-generated emails are processed by this provider. We do not use this provider for marketing emails beyond platform-related notifications.

Hosting and infrastructure

GarageFlip's application and database are hosted on Render (render.com) and Neon (neon.tech). These providers process data as part of hosting the platform but are not permitted to access your data for their own purposes.

Legal requirements

We may disclose your data if required by law, court order, or to respond to lawful requests by law enforcement or government authorities — including in cases of suspected fraud, identity theft, or illegal use of the platform.

We do not share your data with advertisers, data brokers, or any other third parties not listed above.

5. Cookie Usage

GarageFlip uses minimal cookies and local storage:

  • Authentication token — stored in browser local storage to keep you logged in. This is strictly necessary for the platform to function.
  • Analytics identifier — an anonymous visitor ID stored in local storage for aggregate usage analytics. This is not linked to your account or personal data unless you are logged in.

We do not use advertising cookies, tracking pixels, or third-party marketing cookies. You can clear your browser's local storage at any time to remove these identifiers.

6. Data Retention

We retain your data for the following periods:

  • Account data — retained while your account is active. Deleted within 30 days of account closure, except where required for legal compliance.
  • Transaction records — retained for 7 years for tax and legal compliance purposes, regardless of account status.
  • Verification documents — retained for 2 years after account closure to meet fraud prevention and legal obligations.
  • Messages — retained for 2 years to support dispute resolution.
  • Usage analytics — anonymized and aggregated data may be retained indefinitely.

7. Data Security

We take reasonable measures to protect your data:

  • Passwords are hashed using bcrypt — we cannot see your password
  • All data is transmitted over HTTPS
  • Database connections require SSL
  • OAuth tokens are encrypted at rest using AES-256-GCM
  • Access to verification documents is restricted to authorized GarageFlip staff

No system is perfectly secure. If you believe your account has been compromised, contact us immediately at support@garageflip.com.

8. Your Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

Access

You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you. We will provide this within 30 days of a verified request.

Correction

You can update most of your account information directly through your dashboard. For data you cannot update yourself (such as verification documents), contact support.

Deletion

You can request deletion of your account and personal data. We will delete your data within 30 days, subject to legal retention requirements (see Section 6). Some data cannot be deleted if it is required to fulfill legal obligations or to complete active transactions.

Portability

You can request an export of your account data in a machine-readable format.

Opt-out of non-essential communications

You can opt out of non-essential email notifications through your dashboard under Email Notification Preferences. You cannot opt out of transactional emails (e.g., payment confirmations) required to operate the marketplace.

To exercise any of these rights, email support@garageflip.com with the subject line "Privacy Request." We may require identity verification before processing requests.

9. Children's Privacy

GarageFlip is not directed at children under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from users under 18. If we become aware that we have collected data from a minor, we will delete it promptly. If you believe a minor has provided us data, contact us at support@garageflip.com.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and notify registered users by email for material changes. Continued use of the platform after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

11. Contact

Privacy questions, data requests, or concerns:

  • Email: support@garageflip.com
  • Platform: garage-flip.com
GarageFlip

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GarageFlip · 2026 Built for the $2K–$15K project car market