Privacy Policy

Last updated: February 19, 2026

1. Introduction

SayonaraSale ("we", "us", or "our") is committed to protecting the privacy of its users. This Privacy Policy explains what personal data we collect, how we use it, with whom we share it, and your rights in relation to it. This policy applies to all users of the SayonaraSale website and platform ("the Platform").

By using SayonaraSale, you consent to the collection and use of your personal data as described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with this policy, please do not use the Platform.

2. Data Controller

SayonaraSale operates as the data controller for personal data collected through the Platform. If you have any questions about how we handle your data, please contact us using the details provided in Section 11.

3. Data We Collect

3.1 Information You Provide

We collect the following personal data that you provide directly when using the Platform:

  • Full name and email address, collected at registration.
  • Password (stored as a secure cryptographic hash — we never store your password in plain text).
  • Profile avatar image, if you choose to upload one.
  • WhatsApp phone number, if you choose to provide one on your listings.
  • Listing content including titles, descriptions, photographs, prices, and Japanese address information (postal code, ward, subarea, and chome number).

3.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you use the Platform, we may automatically collect:

  • IP address and approximate geographic location.
  • Browser type, operating system, and device type.
  • Pages visited, time spent on the Platform, and navigation patterns.
  • Listing view counts associated with your activity.

3.3 Analytics and Behavior Data

We use Microsoft Clarity, a behavioral analytics tool provided by Microsoft Corporation, to record anonymized user sessions, generate heatmaps, and identify usability issues. Microsoft Clarity may collect mouse movements, clicks, and scrolling behavior. Sensitive fields such as passwords are automatically masked and never recorded. For more information on how Microsoft Clarity handles data, please visit Microsoft's privacy documentation.

4. How We Use Your Data

We use the personal data we collect for the following purposes:

  • To create and manage your user account.
  • To enable you to create, edit, and manage listings on the Platform.
  • To display your contact information (WhatsApp number) to authenticated users who wish to contact you about your listings.
  • To send you transactional notifications, such as listing expiry warnings, via email where you have opted in.
  • To improve the Platform through analytics and user behavior analysis.
  • To detect, prevent, and respond to fraud, abuse, and security incidents.
  • To comply with our legal obligations under applicable Japanese and international law.

5. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

For users who are residents of the European Economic Area (EEA) or United Kingdom, we process your personal data on the following legal bases under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

  • Contract performance: Processing necessary to provide the Platform services you have requested, including account management and listing publication.
  • Legitimate interests: Processing necessary for our legitimate interests in improving the Platform, preventing fraud, and ensuring Platform security, where these interests are not overridden by your fundamental rights.
  • Consent: Processing based on your explicit consent, such as the use of analytics cookies and behavioral tracking tools. You may withdraw consent at any time.
  • Legal obligation: Processing necessary to comply with applicable law.

6. Data Sharing

6.1 With Other Users

Certain information you provide is visible to other users of the Platform. Specifically, your display name, avatar, member since date, and active listings are visible on your public profile. Your WhatsApp number is visible only to authenticated and logged-in users on listing pages where you have chosen to provide it.

6.2 With Third-Party Service Providers

We share personal data with the following categories of trusted third-party service providers who process data on our behalf:

  • Uploadthing: For the storage and delivery of listing photographs and profile images.
  • Resend or equivalent email provider: For the delivery of transactional email notifications.
  • Microsoft Clarity: For behavioral analytics and session recording as described in Section 3.3.
  • Hetzner Online GmbH: As our cloud infrastructure provider, whose servers host the Platform and its database.

All third-party providers are contractually required to handle your data securely and only for the purposes we specify.

6.3 Legal Disclosure

We may disclose your personal data to law enforcement, government authorities, or other third parties where required to do so by law, court order, or where we believe in good faith that such disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of SayonaraSale, its users, or the public.

6.4 No Sale of Data

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data to third parties for marketing purposes under any circumstances.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as your account remains active or as necessary to provide the Platform services. Specifically:

  • Account data (name, email, hashed password) is retained for the lifetime of your account.
  • Listing data is automatically and permanently deleted 30 days after creation, in accordance with our listing TTL policy.
  • Analytics data collected by Microsoft Clarity is retained in accordance with Microsoft's data retention policies.

Upon account deletion, we will delete or anonymize your personal data within 30 days, except where retention is required by applicable law.

8. International Data Transfers

SayonaraSale is hosted on servers located within the European Union (Hetzner, Germany). However, some of our third-party service providers (including Microsoft Clarity and Uploadthing) may process data in countries outside Japan and the EEA. Where data is transferred internationally, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission, to protect your data in accordance with applicable privacy laws.

9. Your Rights

Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

  • Right of access: You may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
  • Right to rectification: You may request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
  • Right to erasure: You may request that we delete your personal data, subject to certain legal exceptions.
  • Right to restrict processing: You may request that we limit how we use your personal data in certain circumstances.
  • Right to data portability: You may request that we provide your personal data in a structured, machine-readable format.
  • Right to object: You may object to our processing of your personal data where we rely on legitimate interests as the legal basis.
  • Right to withdraw consent: Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing prior to withdrawal.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details in Section 11. We will respond to your request within 30 days. If you are an EEA resident and believe we have not adequately addressed your concerns, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

10. Security

We implement industry-standard technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include encrypted data transmission via HTTPS, bcrypt hashing of passwords, restricted access to personal data on a need-to-know basis, and regular security reviews of our infrastructure.

However, no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security and encourage you to use a strong, unique password for your SayonaraSale account.

11. Cookies

SayonaraSale uses the following types of cookies and similar tracking technologies:

  • Authentication cookies: Strictly necessary cookies used to maintain your logged-in session. These cannot be disabled without affecting Platform functionality.
  • Analytics cookies: Used by Microsoft Clarity to collect behavioral data as described in Section 3.3. You may opt out of analytics cookies via your browser settings or by contacting us.

We do not use advertising or third-party marketing cookies.

12. Children's Privacy

SayonaraSale is not directed at children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us immediately and we will take steps to delete such information.

13. Changes to This Privacy 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 changes, we will update the effective date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of the Platform following any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

14. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at: [email protected]

For users in Japan, you may also contact the Personal Information Protection Commission (PPC) if you have concerns about how we handle your personal data under Japan's Act on Protection of Personal Information (APPI).