Privacy Policy

1. Information we handle

When you create an account, we handle your name, email address, password hash, account status and any coverage selections you save. We do not store your password in readable form. Account changes, sign-ins and recovery requests may generate security and audit records.

If you contact us, we handle your email address, message and the business or listing information you provide. Do not send payment-card details, identification documents or other sensitive information unless we have specifically explained why it is necessary and how to provide it securely.

When you submit a dealership request, we store the request type, business website, contact name and email, your relationship to the business, request details, your explanation of authority and acknowledgment of this policy. We also record review decisions and verification evidence. A hashed request-network identifier helps limit repeated submissions. Approved removal records are retained to prevent future imports of the excluded inventory source.

For a broker or appraisal inquiry, we store your name, email, optional phone and company, preferred contact method, equipment information and location, service purpose, timing and any additional details you provide. We record your permission for contact and provider follow-up, acknowledgment of this policy, submission reference and acceptance time. Hashed network and contact identifiers help limit repeated submissions.

Our hosting and security systems may record IP addresses, browser or device information, request paths, timestamps and error information to operate and protect the service. Equipment facts and business information in the scanner come from publicly accessible dealership listings and information provided by business representatives.

2. How we use information

We use account information to provide access, maintain your preferences and coverage selections, secure your account, send necessary service messages, respond to requests and investigate technical or security problems.

We use listing and business information to organize equipment research, attribute original sources and handle corrections or removal requests. A public listing does not mean that its dealership has registered with or endorsed Search Heavy Equipment.

We use service inquiries to review your needs, maintain an internal request record, contact you and coordinate follow-up with a provider. Submitting an inquiry does not subscribe you to marketing messages.

3. Cookies and similar technologies

The customer app uses essential session and security cookies for sign-in and account protection. Some interface preferences may be stored in your browser. Blocking or clearing these can affect sign-in or reset your preferences.

We keep first-party visit records to understand site use and diagnose problems: page path, visit time, browser information, network address, referral source, language, currency and approximate location. A random identifier in a first-party cookie and browser storage groups visits across tabs and our site and app; the session expires after 30 minutes of inactivity. Cloudflare location signals or an IP address lookup through ip-api may provide approximate country, state and city; they do not establish your precise location. Search terms and form contents are not included. This browser measurement respects Global Privacy Control and Do Not Track signals. We do not use advertising pixels on the public site or send these visit records to an advertising provider.

4. Service providers and sharing

Hosting and database infrastructure processes information needed to run the service. Cloudflare provides DNS, security and inbound email forwarding. Brevo handles service email, and Google Gmail handles our support inbox. These providers may process the information needed to perform their functions, including email addresses, message content and delivery records.

With the permission given in the service request form, we share your contact details and relevant request information with an independent broker or appraisal provider for the service you requested. The provider can contact you to discuss availability, scope and fees and explains its own information practices before a separate service engagement. We do not share service requests for cross-context behavioral advertising. We may disclose information when legally required or reasonably necessary to protect users, resolve disputes or investigate misuse.

CREEM is the selected merchant of record for scanner subscriptions. When paid checkout is available, CREEM and its payment providers collect the buyer's contact, billing and payment details through their hosted checkout under their own privacy policies. Search Heavy Equipment does not collect full payment-card numbers or card security codes.

We send an internal checkout reference and account identifier to CREEM to associate a purchase with the account and coverage selected in the app. We receive checkout, customer, subscription and transaction identifiers, payment status and paid-period information to manage access, cancellation, refunds and disputes. We retain coverage and price snapshots, subscription-terms acceptance and security audit receipts for those purposes.

5. Security and retention

We use access controls, encrypted connections and password hashing to protect account information. No online service can guarantee absolute security. Keep your account password private and contact us if you suspect misuse.

We retain information for the purposes described in this policy, including account operation, support, security and legal obligations. You may request account deletion. Some records may need to be retained for security, disputes or legal requirements, and backup copies may remain until their normal rotation. We will explain any applicable limits when responding to your request.

6. Your requests and choices

You can update supported account information in My Account. Contact [email protected] to request access, correction or deletion of your personal information, or to raise a privacy concern. We may need to verify your identity or authority before acting on a request.

Dealership representatives may request corrections or removal of their business or listings. Provide the relevant business website or listing URL and your relationship to the business. An equipment listing is not a guarantee of current availability.

7. External websites and service providers

Following an original listing link takes you to an independent website with its own terms and privacy policy. We do not control that site's information practices.

Our service providers process information to support the online service under their applicable agreements and privacy policies. Contact us if you need information about a provider or how your request is handled.

8. Children and policy updates

The service is intended for adults researching equipment and is not directed to children. Contact us if you believe a child has provided personal information through the service.

We will update this policy when our practices change and identify the current version by its effective date. We will provide notice of material changes affecting how account information is handled.