Privacy Policy
Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
Welcome to Stone Buy and Sell ("we," "our," or "us"). We operate the website stonebuyandsell.com (the "Platform"), a business-to-business (B2B) online directory and marketplace that connects stone industry professionals, including quarries, manufacturers, suppliers, fabricators, and buyers worldwide.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our Platform, create an account, list products or services, or otherwise interact with our services. Please read this policy carefully. By accessing or using our Platform, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by this Privacy Policy.
Important Note: Stone Buy and Sell is a directory and lead generation platform that facilitates connections between stone industry businesses. We do not directly sell stone products, process transactions between buyers and sellers, or take possession of any goods. All commercial transactions occur directly between users of our Platform.
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Information You Provide Directly
We collect information that you voluntarily provide when you register, create a profile, list products, submit inquiries, or communicate through our Platform:
- Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, password, and account preferences
- Business Profile Information: Company name, business type, physical address, website URL, year established, number of employees, and business description
- Product and Service Listings: Product names, descriptions, specifications, pricing information, images, availability status, and related details
- Trade Lead Information: Buying or selling requests, quantity requirements, delivery preferences, and specific product specifications
- Communication Data: Messages sent through our inquiry system, responses to inquiries, and customer support communications
- Verification Documents: Business licenses, certifications, or other documents you may provide for verification purposes
- Payment Information: If you subscribe to premium features, we collect billing information; however, payment processing is handled by secure third-party payment processors
2.2 Information Collected Automatically
When you access our Platform, we automatically collect certain information about your device and usage:
- Device Information: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device type, screen resolution, and unique device identifiers
- Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, click patterns, search queries, referring websites, and navigation paths
- Location Information: Approximate geographic location based on IP address
- Log Data: Access times, error logs, and server response information
2.3 Information from Third Parties
We may receive information about you from third-party sources:
- Business Partners: Companies that refer users to our Platform
- Public Sources: Publicly available business information to verify or supplement your profile
- Analytics Providers: Aggregated analytics data about Platform usage
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
3.1 Platform Operation and Service Delivery
- Creating and managing your account
- Publishing your business profile and product listings in our directory
- Facilitating connections and communications between buyers and sellers
- Processing and responding to inquiries and trade leads
- Providing customer support and responding to your requests
- Processing subscriptions and premium feature access
3.2 Platform Improvement and Personalization
- Analyzing usage patterns to improve Platform features and user experience
- Personalizing content, recommendations, and search results
- Developing new features and services
- Conducting research and analytics to understand user needs
3.3 Communications
- Sending account-related notifications (registration confirmation, password resets, security alerts)
- Notifying you about inquiries, messages, and trade lead matches
- Sending newsletters and marketing communications (with your consent)
- Providing industry updates and relevant opportunities
3.4 Safety, Security, and Legal Compliance
- Detecting, preventing, and addressing fraud, abuse, or security issues
- Enforcing our Terms of Service and other policies
- Complying with legal obligations and responding to lawful requests
- Protecting the rights, property, and safety of Stone Buy and Sell, our users, and the public
4. Information Sharing and Disclosure
We do not sell your personal information to third parties.
4.1 Public Directory Information
When you create a business profile or product listing on our Platform, the following information is publicly visible to all users and may be indexed by search engines:
- Company name, description, and business type
- Business address, website, and contact information you choose to display
- Product listings, images, and specifications
- Trade leads and requests for quotation
Please carefully consider what information you include in your public profile and listings.
4.2 With Other Platform Users
When you or another user initiates contact through our inquiry system:
- Your business contact information is shared with the recipient
- Message content is shared between the communicating parties
- This sharing is necessary to facilitate business connections
4.3 Service Providers
We share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist in operating our Platform:
- Hosting Providers: For secure data storage and Platform operation
- Email Services: For sending notifications and communications
- Analytics Services: Google Analytics for understanding Platform usage
- Payment Processors: For secure payment processing (premium features)
- Security Services: Cloudflare for security and performance optimization
These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the services they provide to us.
4.4 Legal Requirements and Protection
We may disclose your information when we believe it is necessary to:
- Comply with applicable laws, regulations, or legal processes
- Respond to lawful requests from public authorities
- Enforce our Terms of Service or other agreements
- Protect the rights, property, or safety of Stone Buy and Sell, our users, or others
- Detect, prevent, or address fraud, security, or technical issues
4.5 Business Transfers
If Stone Buy and Sell is involved in a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change and any choices you may have regarding your information.
5. Your Rights and Controls
5.1 General Rights (All Users)
You have the following rights regarding your information:
- Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
- Correction: Update or correct inaccurate information through your account settings or by contacting us
- Deletion: Request deletion of your account and associated personal information
- Data Portability: Request a copy of your data in a structured, machine-readable format
- Opt-Out of Marketing: Unsubscribe from marketing emails using the link in each email or through account settings
5.2 GDPR Rights (European Economic Area Users)
If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have additional rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):
- Right to Restrict Processing: Request that we limit how we use your data
- Right to Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
- Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent at any time where we rely on consent
- Right to Lodge a Complaint: File a complaint with your local data protection authority
Legal Basis for Processing: We process your data based on: (a) your consent; (b) contractual necessity to provide our services; (c) legal obligations; and (d) legitimate business interests.
5.3 CCPA Rights (California Residents)
If you are a California resident, you have rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):
- Right to Know: What personal information we collect, use, and disclose
- Right to Delete: Request deletion of your personal information
- Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights
- Right to Opt-Out: We do not sell personal information, so this right does not apply
5.4 How to Exercise Your Rights
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at:
- Email: [email protected]
- Subject Line: "Privacy Rights Request"
We will respond to your request within 30 days (or as required by applicable law). We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.
5.5 Account Deletion
You may request deletion of your account at any time by:
- Logging into your account and using the account deletion feature, or
- Emailing [email protected] with your account email and deletion request
Upon deletion, we will remove your profile and listings from public view. Some information may be retained for legal compliance, fraud prevention, or legitimate business purposes as described in this policy.
6. Data Security and Retention
6.1 Security Measures
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your information:
- Encryption: SSL/TLS encryption for data in transit; encryption at rest for sensitive data
- Access Controls: Role-based access restrictions to personal information
- Secure Infrastructure: Hosted on secure servers with firewall protection
- Regular Backups: Automated backups to prevent data loss
- Security Monitoring: Continuous monitoring for suspicious activities
- Employee Training: Staff training on data protection practices
While we strive to protect your information, no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.
6.2 Data Retention
We retain your information for as long as necessary to provide our services and fulfill the purposes described in this policy:
- Active Accounts: Information is retained while your account is active
- Deleted Accounts: Most data is deleted within 30 days; some data may be retained up to 12 months for legal compliance and fraud prevention
- Legal Holds: Information subject to legal proceedings may be retained longer
- Aggregated Data: Anonymized, aggregated data may be retained indefinitely for analytics
8. International Data Transfers
Stone Buy and Sell is operated from the United States. If you access our Platform from outside the United States, your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States or other countries where our service providers operate.
By using our Platform, you consent to the transfer of your information to countries outside your country of residence, which may have different data protection rules.
For users in the EEA, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for international transfers, including Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission.
9. Children's Privacy
Stone Buy and Sell is a B2B platform designed exclusively for business professionals. Our services are not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18.
If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a person under 18, please contact us immediately at [email protected], and we will take steps to delete such information.
9.5 WhatsApp Business Messaging
Stone Buy and Sell uses Meta's WhatsApp Business Platform to provide convenient messaging features for inventory management and buyer-seller communications.
Information Collected via WhatsApp
- Phone Number: Your WhatsApp phone number when you message us or opt-in to WhatsApp communications
- Message Content: Text messages, images, and other media you send via WhatsApp
- Profile Information: Your WhatsApp display name and profile photo (if visible)
How We Use WhatsApp
- Allow sellers to post inventory listings by sending photos and descriptions
- Send notifications about inquiries on your inventory
- Facilitate buyer-seller communications
- Send alerts for saved search matches (if opted-in)
Data Sharing with Meta
When you use our WhatsApp features, certain data is processed by Meta Platforms, Inc. in accordance with WhatsApp's Privacy Policy. This includes message delivery data and read receipts.
Opting Out
You can stop receiving WhatsApp messages at any time by:
- Sending "STOP" to our WhatsApp number
- Updating your notification preferences in your dashboard
- Contacting us at [email protected]
10. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors.
When we make material changes:
- We will update the "Effective Date" at the top of this policy
- We will notify registered users via email
- We may display a prominent notice on our Platform
We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of the Platform after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
11. Contact Information
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:
For privacy-specific inquiries, please include "Privacy" in your email subject line to ensure prompt handling.