Privacy Policy – BuildAGolfSim

1. Introduction

BAGS Ventures ("we," "our," or "us"), operating Buildagolfsim.com, is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website buildagolfsim.com (the "Site"). Please read this privacy policy carefully. If you do not agree with the terms of this privacy policy, please do not access the site.

This Privacy Policy is incorporated into and subject to our Terms of Service. By using the Site, you agree to both documents.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

We may collect information you voluntarily provide when you:

Create an account (email address, name)
Save builds or configurations
Post comments or share builds in our community
Set up price alerts
Contact us with inquiries

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our Site, we automatically collect certain information through various tracking technologies:

Google Analytics 4

We use Google Analytics 4 to understand how visitors interact with our Site. This includes:

Page views and navigation patterns
Device information (browser type, operating system, screen resolution)
Geographic location (country, city)
Session duration and engagement metrics
Referral sources (how you found our Site)

Google Signals

We have enabled Google Signals, which allows Google to associate your visit data with your Google account information if you have opted into Ads Personalization. This enables:

Cross-device tracking and reporting
Demographics and interests reporting
Remarketing and advertising features

You can opt out of Google Signals by managing your Google account settings at myactivity.google.com.

User-ID Tracking

When you create an account and log in, we use Google Analytics User-ID feature to link your sessions across devices. This helps us understand your journey across different devices and provide a better experience.

User-Provided Data Collection

We may collect hashed versions of user-provided data (such as email addresses) for measurement and advertising purposes. This data is processed in a privacy-safe manner and is used to improve ad targeting and conversion measurement.

2.3 User-Generated Content

When you share builds publicly or post comments, this content is visible to other users and may be indexed by search engines. Build configurations you share may include component selections, pricing information, and any notes you add. We retain shared builds and comments until you delete them or request deletion.

3. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to collect and track information. Cookies are small data files stored on your device. We use:

Essential Cookies: Required for site functionality and authentication
Analytics Cookies: Help us understand site usage (Google Analytics)
Advertising Cookies: Used for remarketing and ad measurement (Google Ads)
Third-Party Cookies: Set by our partners for affiliate tracking and advertising

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect site functionality.

4. Affiliate Programs and Third-Party Links

4.1 Amazon Associates Program

Buildagolfsim.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. When you click on Amazon links on our Site, Amazon may collect information about your visit and purchases.

4.2 Other Affiliate Partnerships

We participate in affiliate programs with various golf simulator equipment retailers. When you click on affiliate links, we track:

The retailer name
Product information (name, ID, price)
Whether it was the best available price
A unique conversion ID for tracking purposes

This information is used to track conversions and improve our product recommendations. We may earn commissions when you make purchases through our affiliate links at no additional cost to you.

5. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services that may collect information:

Google Tag Manager: Manages our tracking scripts and tags
Google Analytics 4: Website analytics and user behavior tracking
Google Ads: Advertising and remarketing
Supabase: Authentication and database services for user accounts

Each of these services has their own privacy policies governing their data collection practices.

6. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

Provide and maintain our Site and services
Save your builds and preferences
Send price alerts you've requested
Improve our Site and user experience
Analyze usage patterns and trends
Display relevant advertisements
Measure advertising effectiveness
Prevent fraud and abuse

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services. Specifically:

Account data: Retained until you request deletion
Saved builds and configurations: Retained until you delete them or request account deletion
Analytics data: Retained for 14 months (Google Analytics default)
Price alert preferences: Retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion
Affiliate click data: Retained for 90 days for commission tracking purposes
User-generated content (shared builds, comments): Retained until you delete them or request deletion

After the applicable retention periods, data is anonymized or deleted. We may retain certain information longer if required by law or for legitimate business purposes such as resolving disputes or enforcing our agreements.

8. Data Sharing

We do not sell your personal information in the traditional sense. We may share information with:

Service Providers: Third parties that help us operate our Site
Advertising Partners: For remarketing and advertising purposes (this may constitute a "sale" under some state privacy laws)
Affiliate Partners: When you click affiliate links
Legal Requirements: When required by law or to protect our rights

9. Your Privacy Rights

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

Access the personal information we hold about you
Request correction of inaccurate data
Request deletion of your data
Opt out of marketing communications
Opt out of personalized advertising

How to Exercise Your Rights

Account Deletion: Contact us at [email protected]
Google Ads Opt-Out: Visit adssettings.google.com
Google Analytics Opt-Out: Install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on
Cookie Management: Adjust your browser settings to refuse cookies

10. Colorado Privacy Rights

If you are a Colorado resident, you have additional rights under the Colorado Privacy Act (CPA), effective July 1, 2023. These rights include:

Right to Know: Confirm whether we are processing your personal data
Right to Access: Access your personal data
Right to Correction: Correct inaccuracies in your personal data
Right to Deletion: Delete your personal data
Right to Data Portability: Obtain a portable copy of your personal data
Right to Opt Out: Opt out of targeted advertising, sale of personal data, or profiling in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects

How to Exercise Your Colorado Rights

To exercise these rights, contact us at [email protected] with the subject line "Colorado Privacy Request." We will respond to your request within 45 days. If we need additional time, we will notify you of the extension and the reason for it.

Right to Appeal: If we decline to take action on your request, you may appeal our decision by contacting us at [email protected] with the subject line "Colorado Privacy Appeal." We will respond to your appeal within 45 days. If we deny your appeal, we will provide you with information on how to contact the Colorado Attorney General to submit a complaint.

11. California Privacy Rights (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA). These rights include:

Right to Know: Know what personal information we collect, use, disclose, and sell
Right to Delete: Request deletion of your personal information
Right to Correct: Correct inaccurate personal information
Right to Opt Out: Opt out of the "sale" or "sharing" of personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising
Right to Limit: Limit the use and disclosure of sensitive personal information
Right to Non-Discrimination: Not be discriminated against for exercising your privacy rights

Sale of Personal Information

We do not sell personal information in the traditional sense. However, under the broad definition of "sale" in the CCPA/CPRA, sharing data with advertising partners for targeted advertising may constitute a "sale." You may opt out of this by contacting us or adjusting your advertising preferences through Google at adssettings.google.com.

How to Exercise Your California Rights

To exercise these rights, contact us at:

Email: [email protected] (subject line: "California Privacy Request")

We will verify your identity before processing your request and respond within 45 days.

Authorized Agents

You may designate an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf. The agent must provide proof of authorization, and we may still require you to verify your identity directly with us.

12. Do Not Track Signals

Some web browsers have a "Do Not Track" (DNT) feature that sends a signal to websites you visit indicating you do not want to be tracked. Our Site does not currently respond to DNT signals because there is no industry standard for how to respond to such signals.

However, you can opt out of tracking through the methods described in Section 9, including:

Adjusting your browser's cookie settings
Using the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on
Managing your Google ad personalization settings

13. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information, including encryption of data in transit and at rest, secure authentication practices, and regular security assessments. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Data Breach Notification: In the event of a data breach that affects your personal information, we will notify you in accordance with applicable law. For Colorado and California residents, we will provide notice within the timeframes required by state law.

14. International Data Transfers

Our Site is hosted in the United States, and our third-party service providers may process data in various locations. If you access our Site from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States or other countries where our service providers operate. By using our Site, you consent to such transfers.

15. Children's Privacy

Our Site is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe we have collected information from your child under 13, please contact us immediately at [email protected]. If we learn we have collected personal information from a child under 13, we will delete that information promptly.

16. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date. For significant changes, we may also notify you by email if you have an account with us. Your continued use of the Site after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

17. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, our privacy practices, or wish to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us at:

Email: [email protected]

Please include "Privacy Inquiry" in the subject line for general questions, or specify your state (e.g., "Colorado Privacy Request" or "California Privacy Request") when exercising state-specific rights.