PRIVACY POLICY

Effective Date: Jan 1, 2025

1. Introduction

Welcome to VINA Oy ("we," "us," or "our"). We operate vina.fi website and the VINA mobile app (the "Platform"), a digital platform designed to connect user's lifestyle and beauty services ("Users") with independent stores (such as salons, hair, and nail studios, fitness center) ("Lifestyle Center").

At VINA Oy, we are committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you use our Platform to connect with Lifestyle Center and access their services. Please read this Privacy Policy carefully to understand our practices regarding your information and how we will treat it.

By accessing or using our Platform, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our practices, please do not use the Platform.

2. Information We Collect

We collect several types of information from and about Users and Lifestyle Center of our Platform, including:

(a) Information You Provide to Us Directly:
  • User Account Information: When Users create an account on our Platform, we collect information such as:
    • First and Last Name
    • Email Address
    • Password (encrypted)
    • Phone Number (optional)
    • Profile Picture (optional)
    • Location (e.g., city, state, zip code)
    • Beauty Preferences (e.g., preferred services, styles - optional)
  • Lifestyle Center Account Information: When Lifestyle Center create an account on our Platform, we collect information such as:
    • Business Name
    • Business Address (Physical Address, City, State, Zip Code)
    • Contact Person Name
    • Contact Email Address
    • Contact Phone Number
    • Business Description
    • Services Offered
    • Pricing Information
    • Business Hours
    • Staff Information (e.g., staff names, specialties - optional)
    • Images of the Lifestyle Center (optional)
    • License/Permit Information (if applicable and required for verification)
    • Payment Information (for Platform fees or transaction processing, if applicable)
  • Booking and Appointment Information:
    • Service Type Requested/Offered
    • Date and Time of Appointment
    • Special Requests or Instructions related to the appointment
    • Appointment Status (e.g., pending, confirmed, completed, cancelled)
  • Communication Data:
    • Messages exchanged between Users and Lifestyle Center through the Platform.
    • Communications with our customer support team.
  • Payment Information:
    • If payments are processed through our Platform, we collect payment information such as credit card details, bank account information, or other payment method details. (Specify which payment processors you use and link to their privacy policies if applicable). We may use third-party payment processors (Stripe, Inc.) and do not directly store full credit card numbers on our servers for transactions processed through the Platform.
  • Reviews and Ratings:
    • Information Users and Lifestyle Center provide when submitting reviews and ratings of each other on the Platform.
  • Optional Profile Information:
    • Users and Lifestyle Center may choose to provide additional information in their profiles on the Platform, such as interests, photos, or other details.
(b) Information Collected Automatically:
  • Device and Usage Information:
    • Log Data: Information about your use of the Platform, including:
      • IP address
      • Browser type
      • Operating system
      • Referring/exit pages
      • Date and time stamps
      • Pages visited
      • Features used
    • Cookies and Similar Technologies: We use cookies, web beacons, and similar tracking technologies to collect information about your browsing activities on our Platform. This may include:
      • Session cookies (temporary cookies that expire when you close your browser)
      • Persistent cookies (cookies that remain on your device for a longer period)
      • [Specify the types of cookies and similar technologies you use and their purposes. Consider linking to a separate Cookie Policy if you use many.]
    • Device Information: Information about the device you use to access the Platform, including:
      • Device model
      • Device ID
      • Operating system version
      • Mobile network information
(c) Information from Third-Party Sources:
  • Social Media Integration (if applicable): If you choose to connect to our Platform through a social media account (e.g., Facebook, Google), we may collect information from that social media platform, such as your name, email address, profile picture, and friends list (depending on your privacy settings on that platform).
  • Third-Party Service Providers: We may receive information about you from third-party service providers who assist us with payment processing, analytics, marketing, and customer support.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for various purposes, including:

(a) Providing and Improving the Platform:
  • To create and manage your account on the Platform.
  • To connect Users with Lifestyle Center through the Platform based on location, services, and preferences.
  • To facilitate bookings and appointments through the Platform.
  • To process payments (if applicable) made through the Platform.
  • To provide customer support and respond to your inquiries related to the Platform.
  • To personalize your experience on the Platform.
  • To monitor and analyze Platform usage and trends.
  • To improve the functionality and design of the Platform.
  • To develop new features and services.
(b) Communication and Marketing:
  • To send you administrative emails and notifications related to your account, bookings, or Platform updates.
  • To send you promotional emails and marketing communications about our services, special offers, and relevant beauty industry news (only if you have opted-in to receive such communications, where required by law). You will have the opportunity to opt-out of receiving marketing communications at any time.
  • To communicate with you through in-Platform messaging for booking-related purposes and service inquiries.
(c) Safety, Security, and Legal Compliance:
  • To verify your identity and prevent fraud and unauthorized access.
  • To enforce our Terms of Service and other Platform policies.
  • To protect the security and integrity of our Platform.
  • To comply with applicable laws, regulations, legal processes, and governmental requests.
  • To resolve disputes and troubleshoot problems.
(d) Research and Analytics:
  • To conduct research and analysis to understand user and Beauty Store behavior and improve our services.
  • To generate anonymized and aggregated data for internal business purposes and to share with third parties for statistical analysis and industry insights (ensuring that this data does not identify individual Users or Lifestyle Center).

4. Sharing of Your Information

We may share your information with the following categories of recipients:

(a) Lifestyle Center:
  • We share User profile information (as you choose to make public in your profile on the Platform), booking requests, and communication data with Lifestyle Center you interact with through the Platform to facilitate appointments and service delivery by the Lifestyle Center.
  • Lifestyle Center will have access to User information solely as necessary to provide the services booked through the Platform. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of Beauty Stores, and we encourage Users to review the privacy policies of the specific Lifestyle Center they choose to engage with directly. Your interactions with Lifestyle Center outside of the Platform are not governed by this Privacy Policy.
(b) Users:
  • We share Lifestyle Center profile information (as they choose to make public in their profile on the Platform), service details, pricing, availability, and communication data with Users through the Platform to facilitate bookings and service selection.
  • Users will have access to Lifestyle Center information on the Platform necessary to choose and book services.
  • User reviews and ratings of Lifestyle Center may be made publicly visible on the Platform. Lifestyle Center responses to reviews may also be made publicly visible on the Platform.
(c) Service Providers:
  • We engage third-party service providers to perform functions and provide services to us, such as:
    • Payment processing
    • Hosting and data storage
    • Analytics and performance monitoring
    • Marketing and advertising
    • Customer support
    • Email and communication services
    • Security services
  • We may share your information with these service providers to the extent necessary for them to perform their services for us. We require these service providers to protect your personal information in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable laws.
(d) Legal and Regulatory Authorities:
  • We may disclose your information to legal and regulatory authorities if required by law or legal process, or if we believe in good faith that such disclosure is necessary to:
    • Comply with a legal obligation
    • Protect our rights or property, or the safety of our Users, Lifestyle Center, or others.
    • Investigate fraud or other wrongdoing.
    • Respond to a government request.
(e) Business Transfers:
  • In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, sale of assets, bankruptcy, or other corporate transaction, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity or third party as part of the transferred assets. We will provide notice to you in such circumstances and, if legally required, seek your consent.
(f) With Your Consent:
  • We may share your information with other parties with your explicit consent.

5. Data Security

We take reasonable and appropriate measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:

  • Encryption: We use encryption technology to protect sensitive information during transmission.
  • Secure Storage: We store your information on secure servers in controlled facilities.
  • Access Controls: We implement access controls to limit access to personal information to authorized personnel only.
  • Regular Security Assessments: We conduct regular security assessments and vulnerability scans to identify and address potential security risks.

However, no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. Therefore, while we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. You are also responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for restricting access to your devices.

6. Data Retention

We will retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, including:

  • As long as your account is active.
  • To provide you with the Platform and services you request.
  • To comply with our legal obligations.
  • To resolve disputes and enforce our agreements.
  • For our legitimate business purposes.

When we no longer need your personal information, we will securely delete or anonymize it in accordance with our data retention policies and applicable laws. You can request to close your account and have your information deleted (subject to certain legal and operational requirements, as described in Section 7 "Your Data Rights").

7. Your Data Rights

You have certain rights regarding your personal information, depending on your jurisdiction and applicable laws. These rights may include:

  • Access: You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you and to receive a copy of that information.
  • Correction: You have the right to request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal information we hold about you.
  • Deletion (Erasure): You have the right to request that we delete your personal information under certain circumstances (e.g., if the information is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, if you withdraw your consent, or if you object to processing and there are no overriding legitimate grounds for processing).
  • Restriction of Processing: You have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your personal information under certain circumstances (e.g., if you contest the accuracy of the information, or if the processing is unlawful).
  • Objection to Processing: You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information for certain purposes, such as direct marketing.
  • Data Portability: You have the right to receive your personal information in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format and to transmit that information to another controller, where technically feasible and applicable.
  • Withdraw Consent: If we are processing your personal information based on your consent, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. Withdrawal of consent will not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal.
  • Right to Lodge a Complaint: You have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority in your jurisdiction if you believe that our processing of your personal information infringes applicable data protection laws.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the contact information provided in Section 12 "Contact Us." We will respond to your request in accordance with applicable law. We may require you to verify your identity before we can process your request.

8. Children's Privacy

Our Platform is not intended for children under the age of [Specify Age, e.g., under 13] and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under this age. If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child has provided us with personal information without your consent, please contact us using the contact information provided in Section 12 "Contact Us," and we will take steps to delete such information and terminate the child's account.

9. Third-Party Links and Services

Our Platform may contain links to third-party websites or services that are not owned or controlled by us. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third-party websites or services. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of those third parties before providing them with your personal information. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of any third-party websites or services.

10. International Data Transfers

[If you transfer personal information across borders, especially outside of the user's country/region, you need to disclose this.]

For example, if your servers are located in a different country than some of your users:

"Your personal information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence, including [List Countries - e.g., the United States, countries within the European Economic Area]. These countries may have data protection laws that are different from the laws of your country. By using our Platform and providing us with your personal information, you consent to the transfer, processing, and storage of your information in these countries."

[If you rely on specific transfer mechanisms (e.g., Standard Contractual Clauses, Privacy Shield - if still applicable/relevant in your jurisdiction), you should mention them here.]

11. Updates to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our information practices or applicable laws. We will post any changes on this page and update the "Effective Date" at the top of this Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any updates.

[Consider adding a more proactive notification method for significant changes, such as sending an email notification to registered Users and Lifestyle Center or displaying a prominent notice on the Platform.]

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at:

VINA Oy
Verkkotie 11 B 27 00980 HELSINKI
info@vina.fi

We will endeavor to respond to your inquiries as promptly as possible.