Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how the Aswaqak Customer mobile application collects, uses, stores, and shares information when you use the app. The app helps customers browse stores, view products and offers, manage baskets, contact stores, and send recommendations or messages to the Aswaqak team.

Information We Collect

Depending on how you use the app, we may collect the following information:

• Account information: email address, password credentials handled by the backend authentication system, user ID, authentication token, and account role.
• Guest session information: a temporary guest token when you choose to continue as a guest.
• Store and product activity: stores viewed, products viewed, products added to baskets, basket contents, and order-related actions such as opening a WhatsApp order message.
• Uploaded content: product names, product type, price, additional product information, and product images uploaded by authorized store owners through the app.
• Messages and recommendations: free-text messages or recommendations you submit through the Contact Us section.
• Analytics information: app open events, session start and duration, screen views, login success or failure events, store searches, store views, product views, basket actions, platform, app version, session ID, and an anonymous analytics ID stored on your device.
• Notification information: a Firebase Cloud Messaging device token, notification device ID, platform, and notification preference so we can send app notifications when you enable them.
• Device and local storage information: authentication tokens and basic session data stored securely on the device, plus app preferences and offline analytics queue data stored locally when needed.

Information We Do Not Collect

The current app does not request access to your contacts, SMS, call logs, precise device location, microphone, health data, or payment card details. The Android app currently declares internet access so it can communicate with the Aswaqak backend.

How We Use Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Create, authenticate, and maintain user or guest sessions.
• Show stores, ads, products, product images, baskets, and store contact information.
• Let customers build baskets and open external WhatsApp, phone, email, or map links when they choose to contact a store or Aswaqak.
• Let authorized store owners create, edit, and delete product listings and product images.
• Receive and respond to recommendations or messages sent through the Contact Us section.
• Send push notifications about important app updates, general Aswaqak notices, and limited promotional or store/ad notifications according to the app's notification schedule and your device permission.
• Measure app usage, reliability, and feature performance through first-party analytics.
• Protect the service from abuse, troubleshoot errors, enforce rate limits, and keep the app secure.

Analytics

The app uses a first-party analytics system operated by Aswaqak. Analytics events may include app opens, screen views, sessions, searches, store views, product views, basket actions, login success or failure, platform, app version, session ID, and an anonymous analytics ID. This information is used to understand app performance, improve features, detect issues, and protect the service. It is not used for third-party advertising personalization.

Push Notifications

If you enable notifications, the app uses Firebase Cloud Messaging to receive push notifications on your device. We store a notification token, notification device ID, platform, and whether notifications are enabled. We use this information to send general app notices and occasional promotional or store/ad notifications. You can turn notifications off from the app settings or your device settings. Disabling notifications does not delete your account or prevent you from using the main app features.

Uploaded Product Content

Authorized store owners may upload product text and product images. Product listings and product images may be visible to other app users when they browse stores and products. Store owners are responsible for ensuring that uploaded content is accurate, lawful, and appropriate.

Sharing and Third Parties

We do not sell your personal information. We may share or disclose information only in the following situations:

• External apps you choose to open: when you tap WhatsApp, phone, email, or map links, the destination app or service may receive the information needed to complete that action, such as a phone number, message text, email address, or map link.
• Service providers and hosting: app data is processed by systems used to host and operate the Aswaqak backend, database, uploaded files, and related infrastructure.
• Firebase Cloud Messaging: notification tokens are processed through Firebase Cloud Messaging so push notifications can be delivered to your device.
• Legal and safety reasons: we may disclose information if required by law, to protect users, to prevent fraud or abuse, or to protect the rights and security of Aswaqak and its users.

The app does not include third-party advertising SDKs. Ads shown inside the app are loaded from the Aswaqak backend.

Data Storage and Security

The app communicates with the backend over HTTPS. Authentication tokens and user session details are stored using secure device storage where supported. We use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect personal information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, or alteration.

Data Retention

We keep information for as long as needed to provide the app, maintain accounts, operate store and product listings, handle recommendations, perform analytics, protect the service, and comply with legal obligations. Some records may be retained for security, fraud prevention, backup, audit, or legal reasons after an account deletion request, where permitted by applicable law.

Account and Data Deletion

If you created an account in the app, you may request deletion of your account and associated account data. You can delete your account from inside the app, or outside the app through the Aswaqak account deletion page.

After verifying the request, we will delete or de-identify account data associated with the account unless retention is required for legitimate reasons such as security, fraud prevention, dispute resolution, backup recovery, or legal compliance.

Your Choices

• You can choose to continue as a guest instead of creating an account where the app offers guest access.
• You can enable or disable push notifications from the app settings or your device notification settings.
• You can choose not to upload product images or submit recommendations.
• You can clear app data from your device settings, which may remove locally stored tokens, preferences, and analytics identifiers from that device.
• You can request account deletion as described above.

Children

The app is not designed for children and is not intended to knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided personal information through the app, please contact us so we can review and delete it where appropriate.

International Processing

Your information may be processed and stored on servers used to operate the Aswaqak service. Data protection laws may vary by country, but we handle the information according to this Privacy Policy and applicable legal requirements.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make changes, we will update the "Last updated" date above. Significant changes may also be communicated in the app or through the store listing where appropriate.

Contact Us

For privacy questions, account deletion requests, or data requests, contact Aswaqak through the Contact Us section in the app or through the developer contact method listed on the app's Google Play Store listing.