Groomably

Privacy Policy

Effective Date: March 18, 2026

1. Introduction

Welcome to Groomably ("https://groomably.com", "we", "us", "our"). We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data in accordance with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

This privacy policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding your data.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

When you create an account, claim a business listing, or contact us, we may collect:

  • Account information: email address and display name (via Firebase Authentication)
  • Business claim information: your name, email, phone number, role at the business, and any verification documents
  • Payment information: billing details processed securely by Stripe (we do not store your credit card numbers)
  • Communications: messages you send us via our contact form or email
  • Photos: images you upload to your business profile

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we automatically collect:

  • Pages viewed, time spent on site, and navigation patterns
  • General geographic location (city/state level)
  • Browser type, device type, and operating system
  • Referring websites and search terms
  • IP address (anonymised in analytics)

2.3 Information from Third Parties

Business listing information (name, address, phone, website, reviews, photos) is sourced from publicly available data including the Google Places API. This information is about businesses, not individuals.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

  • Provide and maintain the Groomably directory service
  • Process business listing claims and verify ownership
  • Process payments for featured listing subscriptions via Stripe
  • Send transactional emails (claim confirmations, payment receipts, listing updates) via Resend
  • Respond to your enquiries and support requests
  • Improve our website, content, and user experience
  • Detect and prevent fraud or abuse
  • Comply with legal obligations

We will not use your personal information for direct marketing without your consent. We do not sell your personal information.

4. Cookies and Tracking

4.1 Essential Cookies

We use essential cookies for authentication (Firebase Auth session tokens). These are required for account functionality and cannot be disabled while logged in.

4.2 Analytics Cookies

We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our website. Analytics data is anonymised and aggregated. You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

4.3 Advertising Cookies

We may display advertisements via Google AdSense. Third-party advertising networks may use cookies to serve ads based on your browsing activity. You can opt out of personalised advertising through Google's Ad Settings or aboutads.info.

4.4 Managing Cookies

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect some website functionality (e.g., you will not be able to stay logged in).

5. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services that may process your data:

Each of these services has their own privacy policies governing how they handle your data. We encourage you to review them.

6. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

  • Service providers: With the third-party services listed above, solely for the purpose of providing our service
  • Legal requirements: When required by law, regulation, or legal process
  • Business transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets (you will be notified)
  • Safety: To protect the rights, safety, or property of Groomably, our users, or the public

7. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data, including:

  • HTTPS encryption for all data in transit
  • Firebase security rules restricting database access
  • Stripe PCI-DSS compliance for payment data
  • Access controls limiting who can view personal data

No internet transmission is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your data, but we take reasonable steps to protect it.

8. Data Retention

We retain your data as follows:

  • Account data: Retained while your account is active. Deleted upon request.
  • Claim data: Retained for the duration of the business listing claim.
  • Payment records: Retained as required by Australian tax law (typically 5 years).
  • Analytics data: Anonymised and retained in aggregate form.
  • Email communications: Retained for up to 2 years for support purposes.

9. Your Rights

Under the Australian Privacy Act, you have the right to:

  • Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
  • Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
  • Deletion: Request deletion of your account and personal data
  • Complaint: Lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) if you believe we have breached the APPs

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at hello@groomably.com. We will respond within 30 days.

10. Business Listing Data

Groomably displays publicly available business information sourced from the Google Places API and other public sources. This includes business names, addresses, phone numbers, websites, reviews, and photos.

If you are a business owner and wish to update, correct, or remove your listing information, you can:

  • Claim your listing and edit your profile directly
  • Contact us at hello@groomably.com to request changes or removal

11. International Data Transfers

Some of our third-party service providers (Firebase, Stripe, Resend) may store data outside of Australia, including in the United States. These providers maintain appropriate safeguards for international data transfers.

12. Children's Privacy

Groomably is not directed at children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Material changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

14. Contact Us

If you have questions about this privacy policy, wish to exercise your rights, or want to make a complaint, contact us at:

Groomably
Email: hello@groomably.com
Australia

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).