Privacy Policy
I. Introduction
When you use NeedThings, you trust us with your personal data. We’re committed to keeping that trust. That starts with helping you understand our privacy practices.
This notice describes the personal data (“data”) we collect, how it’s used and shared, and your choices regarding this data.
II. Overview
A. Scope
This notice applies to users of NeedThings’s platform.
This notice describes how NeedThings and its affiliates collect and use data. This notice applies to all NeedThings users, unless they use a service covered by a separate privacy notice. This notice specifically applies to:
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Users: those who utilize features, functions, and contribute content, via their NeedThings account or connect their account through NeedThings platform.
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Owners / Service providers: those who provide services through NeedThings and utilize e-commerce functionalities.
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Guest users: those without a NeedThings account who receive services ordered through NeedThings account owners, including those who receive services arranged by NeedThings or NeedThings customers (collectively, “Customers”); or by friends, family, or other individuals account owners; and gift card recipients.
This notice also governs NeedThings’s other collections of data in connection with its services. For example, we may collect contact information of owners or employees of merchants or service providers on the NeedThings platform; contact information of those who manage and use accounts owned by Customers; or data of those who start but do not complete their application and/or payment to be a service provider.
All those subject to this notice are referred to as “users” in this notice.
Our privacy practices are subject to applicable laws in the places in which we operate. This means that we engage in the practices described in this notice in a particular country or region only if permitted under the laws of those places. Please see Privacy Policies for information regarding NeedThings’s privacy practices as relates to U.S. state privacy laws, including the California Consumer Privacy Act.
III. Data collections and uses
A. The data we collect
NeedThings collects data:
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provided by users to NeedThings
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created during use of our services
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from other sources
Please see here for a summary of the data we collect and how we use it.
NeedThings collects the following data from these sources:
1. Data provided by users. This includes:
Account information: We collect data when users create or update their NeedThings accounts, or place orders via guest checkout features. This includes first and last name, email, phone number, login name and password, address, profile picture, payment or banking information (including related payment verification information), and user settings.
Demographic data: We collect demographic data such as birth date/age, gender or occupation when necessary to enable certain features, or provide access to age-restricted products or services. We also collect or infer (using first name) gender information to enable female or non-binary users to designate their preference for providing or receiving services to/from female or non-binary users, as well as for marketing and advertising. We also collect demographic data, such as age group and household composition, through user surveys.
User content: We collect data (including chat logs and call recordings) when users contact NeedThings customer support, provide ratings or feedback for users, merchants, use features that enable users to upload content or submit recordings (including in-app audio recordings), or otherwise contact NeedThings.
2. Data created during use of our services. This includes:
Location data (service provider): We collect precise and approximate location data of the service provider.
Transaction information: We collect transaction information related to the use of our services, including the type of services requested or provided; order details (such as date and time, requested appointment, service and items ordered); and payment transaction information (such as a merchant's name and location, amount charged, and payment method). We also associate a user’s name with that of anyone who uses their promotion code.
This also includes information provided by users when placing their order, such as their preferences information.
Usage data: We collect data about how users interact with our services. This includes access dates and times, app features or pages viewed, browser type, clicked links and app crashes and other system activity.
Device data: We collect data about the devices used to access our services, including the hardware models, device IP address or other unique device identifiers, operating systems and versions, software, preferred languages, advertising identifiers, device motion data, and mobile network data.
Communications data: We collect data regarding communications between users that are enabled through NeedThings’s apps. This includes communication type (phone, text or in-app message), date/time, and content (including recordings of phone calls solely when users are notified of the recording in advance).
3. Data from other sources. These include:
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users participating in our referral programs. For example, when a user refers another person, we receive the referred person’s data from that user.
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NeedThings account owners who request services for or on behalf of other users (such as friends or family members), or who enable other users to request or receive services through their business accounts (such as Customers).
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users or others providing information in connection with claims or disputes.
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NeedThings business partners through which users create or access their NeedThings account, such as payment providers, social media services, or apps or websites that use NeedThings’s APIs or whose APIs NeedThings uses.
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NeedThings business partners in connection with debit or credit cards issued by a financial institution in partnership with NeedThings to the extent disclosed in the terms and conditions for the card.
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service providers who help us verify users’ identity, background information, and eligibility to work, detect fraud, and screen users in connection with sanctions, anti-money laundering, or know-your-customer requirements.
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publicly available sources.
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marketing partners and service providers, including banks in connection with cash back programs, and data resellers.
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law enforcement officials, public health officials, and other government authorities.
B. How we use data
NeedThings uses data to enable reliable and convenient transportation, delivery, and other products and services. We also use data:
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to enhance the safety and security of our users and services
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for customer support
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for research and development
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to enable communications between users
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for marketing and advertising
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facilitate of e-commerce transactions
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to send non-marketing communications to users
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in connection with legal proceedings
Please see here for a summary of the data we collect and how we use it.
NeedThings uses the data we collect:
1. To provide our services. NeedThings uses data to provide, personalize, maintain, and improve our services.
This includes using data to:
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create/update accounts.
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enabling features that involve data sharing.
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matching service providers to users requesting services, including based on personal data such as location and proximity to other users, and user settings / preferences (such as preferred service), and non-personal data.
In some countries, matches are also determined using cancellation rates, ratings and user behavior information.
Please see here for more information.
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enabling features that involve account linking, such as linking with third party reward programs.
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calculating prices.
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process payments and enable payment and e-money products.
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personalize users’ accounts. For example, we may present order recipients with personalized recommendations based on their prior orders.
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provide users with updates, generate receipts, and inform them of changes to our terms, services, or policies.
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perform necessary operations to maintain our services, including to troubleshoot software bugs and operational problems.
NeedThings performs the above activities on the grounds that they are necessary to fulfill the terms of our agreements with users, are compatible with such uses, or are necessary for purposes of NeedThings’s and its users’ legitimate interests.
2. Safety, fraud protection and security. We use data to help maintain the safety, security, and integrity of our services and users. This includes:
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verifying users' accounts, identity or compliance.
In the United States, we may perform user and order recipient identity verification using names, date of birth, emails, telephone numbers, and payment information to help deter use of our services by fraudulent accounts.
We may process and compare user profile pictures, government-issued identification photos and numbers, or other user-submitted photographs to perform this verification, including in some regions through use of facial recognition technology. We also use such technology to prevent fraudulent use of identification photos, or to prevent users from creating multiple accounts.
We may also use facial recognition technology to prevent fraudulent use of NeedThings accounts by those other than the account owner.
We may use selfies to verify that users are wearing helmets or other safety gear through the use of object verification technology.
Please see here for more information regarding account and identity verification.
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using account, device, location, usage, transaction, wireless carrier, and other data, including communications between users and metadata, to prevent, detect, and combat fraud, including by guest users.
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using reported incidents, user ratings, and other feedback to encourage appropriate use of NeedThings’s platform and compliance with our terms and as grounds for deactivating users with low ratings and/or complaints.
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using location, phone number, username, details and other relevant information to provide live support.
NeedThings performs the above activities on the grounds that they are necessary to fulfill the terms of our agreements with users, and/or for purposes of the legitimate safety and security interests of NeedThings, our users and members of the general public.
3. Customer support. We use the information we collect (which may include call recordings, chat logs, and in-app audio recordings) to provide customer support, including to investigate and address user concerns and to monitor and improve our customer support responses and processes.
NeedThings performs the above activities on the grounds that they are necessary to fulfill the terms of our agreements with users or for purposes of NeedThings’s legitimate interests in monitoring and improving its customer support services.
4. Research and development. We use data for analysis, machine learning, product development, research, and testing. This helps us make our services more convenient and easy-to-use, enhance the safety and security of our services, and develop new services and features.
NeedThings performs the above activities on the grounds that they are necessary for purposes of NeedThings’s legitimate interests in improving and developing new services and features.
5. Enabling communications between users and service providers. For example, a service provider may message or call a user to confirm appointment, a user may call a service provider to retrieve a lost item, or a service provider may contact an order recipient with information about their order.
NeedThings performs the above activities on the grounds that they are necessary to fulfill the terms of our agreements with users.
6. Marketing and Advertising. NeedThings uses data (other than guest users’ data) to market its services, and those of NeedThings partners.
We specifically use account, approximate location, device and usage data, preferred language, and order history to provide ads and marketing communications that are personalized based on users’ observed or inferred location, interests and characteristics (which may include inferred gender*).
This includes using this data to:
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send emails, text messages, push notifications, and in-app messages or other communications marketing or advertising NeedThings products, services, features, offers, promotions, sweepstakes, news and events. For example, we may send push notifications suggesting a user’s favorite destinations or merchants, or in-app messages offering discounts or promo for products or merchants similar to those a user has previously ordered.
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display personalized advertising on third party apps or websites.
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display third party advertising in NeedThings’s apps or in connection with our services. For example, we display ads for merchants that are available on NeedThings’s apps. These ads (which are identified as “Sponsored Listings” in NeedThings’s apps) include recommendations that are personalized based on users’ location and order histories.
We also display ads for third party products that are not available on NeedThings’s apps. These ads may contain links to third party apps or websites. Users should refer to such third parties’ privacy notices for information on their collection and use of data when visiting such apps or websites.
We also provide ads that are personalized based on data about users’ current service request, including time of request and services requested.
We also measure the effectiveness of NeedThings’s ads, and of third-party ads displayed in NeedThings’s apps or in connection with our services.
NeedThings performs the above activities on the grounds that they are necessary for purposes of NeedThings’s legitimate interests in informing users about NeedThings services and features or those offered by NeedThings partners.
7. Non-marketing communications. NeedThings may use data to send surveys and other communications that are not for the purpose of marketing the services or products of NeedThings or its partners.
NeedThings performs the above activities on the grounds that they are necessary to fulfill the terms of our agreements with users, or for purposes of NeedThings’s and its users’ legitimate interests in informing users about events that may have an impact on their use of NeedThings’s services.
8. Legal proceedings and requirements. We use data to investigate or address claims or disputes relating to use of NeedThings’s services, to satisfy requirements under applicable laws, regulations, operating licenses or agreements, insurance policies, or pursuant to legal process or governmental request, including from law enforcement.
NeedThings performs the above activities on the grounds that they are necessary for purposes of NeedThings’s legitimate interests in investigating and responding to claims and disputes relating to use of NeedThings’s services and features, and/or necessary for compliance with applicable legal requirements.
C. Cookies and third-party technologies
NeedThings and its partners use cookies and other identification technologies on our apps, websites, emails, and online ads for purposes described in this notice, and NeedThings’s Cookie Notice.
Cookies are small text files that are stored on browsers or devices by websites, apps, online media, and ads. NeedThings uses cookies and similar technologies for purposes such as:
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authenticating users
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remembering user preferences and settings
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determining the popularity of content
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delivering and measuring the effectiveness of advertising campaigns
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analyzing site traffic and trends, and generally understanding the online behaviors and interests of people who interact with our services
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We may also allow others to provide audience measurement and analytics services for us, to serve ads on our behalf across the internet or for other companies’ products and services on our apps, and to track and report on the performance of those ads. These entities may use cookies, web beacons, SDKs, and other technologies to identify the devices used by visitors to our websites, as well as when they visit other online sites and services.
Please see our Cookie Notice for more information regarding the use of cookies and other technologies described in this section.
D. Data sharing and disclosure
Some of NeedThings’s services and features require that we share data with other users, or at users’ request or with their consent. We may also share such data with our affiliates, subsidiaries, and partners, for legal reasons or in connection with claims or disputes.
NeedThings may share data:
1. With other users
This includes sharing:
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users’ first name, rating, and service requests with service providers.
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order recipients’ first name and order details, including items ordered, preferences and special instructions, with other recipients in a group order.
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for service providers, we may share data with the users, order recipients and merchants, including name and photo; contact information; and service provider profile, including comments and other feedback submitted by past users.
We also provide users and order recipients with receipts containing information such as a breakdown of amounts charged, and service provider name and location. We also include other information on those receipts if required by law.
With an account owner when used by another person, such as when a user uses their employer’s NeedThings for Business profile, a user or order recipients uses an account linked to their Family profile, a service provider uses an account owned by or associated with an NeedThings partner.
In addition, if a user creates an account using an email address affiliated with an NeedThings for Business account owner (i.e., their employer), we may use, and share their profile data (such as name and email address) with such account owner, to help that user expense trips or orders to that NeedThings for Business account.
2. At users’ request or with users’ consent
This includes sharing data with:
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Other people at a user’s request.
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NeedThings business partners. For example, if a user requests a service through a partnership or promotional offering made by a third party, NeedThings may share certain data with those third parties. This may include, for example, other services, platforms, apps, or websites that integrate with our APIs; those with an API or service with which we integrate; or merchants or other NeedThings business partners and their users in connection with promotions, contests, or specialized services.
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Emergency services. We offer features that enable users to share their data with police, fire, and ambulance services in the event of an emergency or after certain incidents.
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Insurance companies. If a user has reported or submits a claim to an insurance company relating to NeedThings’s services, NeedThings will share certain data with that insurance company for the purpose of adjusting or handling the user’s insurance claim.
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Merchants. If an order recipient adds a merchant loyalty membership number to their user account, NeedThings will share their loyalty membership and order details with such merchant when they place an order. Order recipients may also opt-in to share their contact and order details with a specific merchant to receive marketing communications from such merchant.
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General public. Questions or comments from users submitted through public forums such as NeedThings blogs and NeedThings social media pages may be viewable by the public, including any data included in the questions or comments submitted by a user.
3. With NeedThings subsidiaries and affiliates
We share data with our subsidiaries and affiliates to help us provide our services or conduct data processing on our behalf. For example, NeedThings processes and stores such data in the United States on behalf of its international subsidiaries and affiliates.
4. With NeedThings service providers and business partners
These include the third parties, or categories of third parties, listed below. Where a third party is identified, please see their linked privacy notices for information regarding their collection and use of personal data.
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payment processors and facilitators, including PayPal.
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background check, identity verification and risk solutions providers.
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cloud storage providers.
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customer support platform and service providers.
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Google, in connection with the use of Google Maps in NeedThings’s apps.
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social media companies, including Facebook and TikTok, in connection with NeedThings’s use of their tools in NeedThings’s apps and websites.
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marketing partners and marketing platform providers, including social media advertising services, advertising networks, third-party data providers, and other service providers to reach or better understand our users and measure advertising effectiveness.
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This includes advertising intermediaries, such as The Trade Desk, Google, and others, that enable NeedThings to display and/or measure the effectiveness of personalized ads for third party products that are displayed in NeedThings’s apps. We share data -- including advertising or device identifier, hashed email address, approximate location, current trip or order information, and ad interaction data -- with these intermediaries to enable their services and for such other purposes as are disclosed in their privacy notices. Users may opt out from ad personalization in the NeedThings app here and in the NeedThings Eats app here. For more information regarding these intermediaries’ privacy practices, including how to submit requests to them relating to their handling of personal data, please see their privacy notices linked above.
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research partners, including those performing surveys or research projects in partnership with NeedThings or on NeedThings’s behalf.
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service providers that assist NeedThings to enhance the safety and security of NeedThings apps and services.
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service providers that provide us with artificial intelligence and machine learning tools and services.
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accountants, consultants, lawyers, and other professional service providers.
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insurance and financing partners.
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insurance companies, in connection with insurance claims made or reported by a user relating to NeedThings’s services, and for the purpose of adjusting or handling the insurance claim.
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airports.
5. For legal reasons or in the event of a dispute
NeedThings may share users’ data if we believe it’s required by applicable law, regulation, operating license or agreement, legal process or governmental request, insurance policy, or where the disclosure is otherwise appropriate due to safety or similar concerns.
This includes sharing data with law enforcement officials, public health officials, other government authorities, airports (if required by the airport authorities as a condition of operating on airport property), insurance companies, or other third parties as necessary to enforce our Terms of Service, user agreements, or other policies; to protect NeedThings’s rights or property or the rights, safety, or property of others; or in the event of a claim or dispute relating to the use of our services. In the event of a dispute relating to use of another person’s credit card, we may be required by law to share a user’s data, including trip or order information, with the owner of that credit card.
For more information, please see NeedThings’s Guidelines for Law Enforcement Authorities - United States, Guidelines for Law Enforcement Authorities - Outside the US, and Guidelines for Third Party Data Requests and Service of Legal Documents.
This also includes sharing data with others in connection with, or during negotiations of, any merger, sale of company assets, consolidation or restructuring, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of our business by or into another company.
6. With consent
NeedThings may share a user’s data other than as described in this notice if we notify the user and they consent to the sharing.
E. Your Rights as a User
Under applicable US laws, you have the following rights:
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Right to be informed;
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Right of access;
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Right to rectification;
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Right to erasure;
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Right to restrict processing;
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Right to data portability; and
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Right to object.
F. How to Access, Modify, Delete, or Challenge the Data Collected
If you would like to know if we have collected your personal data, how we have used your personal data, if we have disclosed your personal data and to whom we disclosed your personal data, if you would like your data to be deleted or modified in any way, or if you would like to exercise any of your other rights, please contact our privacy officer, Oanh Nguyen at: oanh.nguyen@needthings.com.
G. Do Not Track Notice
Do Not Track (“DNT”) is a privacy preference that you can set in certain web browsers. We do not track the users of our Site over time and across third-party websites and therefore do not respond to browser-initiated DNT signals.
H. How to Opt-Out of Data Collection, Use or Disclosure
In addition to the method(s) described in the How to Access, Modify, Delete, or Challenge the Data Collected section, you can opt-out of the use of your personal data for marketing emails by clicking “unsubscribe” on the bottom of any marketing email or updating your email preferences under “Your Account.”
I. Data retention and deletion
NeedThings retains user data for as long as necessary for the purposes described above. Users may request account deletion through the NeedThings apps and websites.
NeedThings retains user data for as long as necessary for the purposes described above, which varies depending on data type, the category of user to whom the data relates, the purposes for which we collected the data, and whether the data must be retained after an account deletion request for the purposes described below.
For example, we retain data:
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for the life of users’ accounts if such data is necessary to provide our services. E.g., account data.
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for 7 years if necessary to comply with tax requirements. E.g., services rendered.
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for defined periods as necessary for purposes of safety or fraud prevention. E.g., we retain incomplete service provider applications for 1 year, and rejected service provider applications for 7 years.
Users may request deletion of their account through the Privacy menus in the NeedThings app, or through NeedThings’s website (users and order recipients here; service providers here; guest checkout users here).
Following an account deletion request, we delete the user’s account and data, except as necessary for purposes of safety, security, fraud prevention or compliance with legal requirements, or because of issues relating to the user’s account (such as an outstanding credit or an unresolved claim or dispute). For service providers, this generally means that we retain certain of their data for as long as necessary for actual or potential tax, litigation, or insurance claims. For user and order recipients, we generally delete data within 90 days of an account deletion request, except where retention is necessary for the above reasons.
IV. Choice and transparency
NeedThings enables users to access and/or control data that NeedThings collects, including through:
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privacy settings
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device permissions
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in-app ratings pages
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marketing and advertising choices
NeedThings also enables users to request access to or copies of their data, make changes or updates to their accounts, request deletion of their accounts, or request that NeedThings restrict its processing of user data.
1. Privacy settings
Users and order recipients can set or update their preferences regarding location data collection and sharing, emergency data sharing, and notifications in NeedThings’s Privacy Center, which is accessible via the Privacy menu in the NeedThings apps.
Location data collection (users and order recipients)
Users and order recipients can enable/disable NeedThings’s collection of their mobile device location data through their device settings, which can be accessed via Location Sharing menu in the Privacy Center in the NeedThings apps.
Share Live Location (users and order recipients)
Users and order recipients can enable/disable NeedThings’s sharing of their mobile device real-time location data with service providers (as applicable) through their device settings, which can be accessed via the Location Sharing menu in the Privacy Center in the NeedThings apps.
Gender identity
Users can update their gender information through the Gender Identity menu, which can be accessed in the Ads and Data menu in the Privacy Center.
Emergency Data Sharing
Users may enable NeedThings’s sharing of their mobile device real-time location data with emergency police, fire, and ambulance services. This includes sharing approximate location at the time the emergency call was placed.
Users may enable/disable this feature via the Account > Settings > Privacy > Location Sharing menu, or the Safety Center.
Notifications: discounts and news
Users may enable NeedThings to send push notifications about discounts and news from NeedThings. Users may control whether they receive push notifications here.
Third-party app access
Users may authorize third-party applications to access their NeedThings account data to enable additional features. Users can review / withdraw access by third-party applications here or via NeedThings’s Privacy Center.
2. Device permissions
Most mobile device platforms (iOS, Android, etc.) have defined certain types of device data that apps cannot access without the device owner’s permission, and these platforms have different methods for how that permission can be obtained. Users should check the available settings on their devices or check with their provider.
3. In-app ratings pages
After every service, users are able to rate the service provider on a scale from 1 to 5. An average of those ratings is associated with a user’s account and is displayed to other users for whom they provide or receive services.
Users can see their average rating in the main menu of the NeedThings app, and also access a breakdown of their average rating in NeedThings’s Privacy Center.
Service providers can see their average rating after tapping their profile photo in the NeedThings Service provider app. Click here for more information.
4. Marketing and advertising choices
NeedThings provides users with the following choices regarding how their data is used for purposes of marketing and advertising:
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Personalized marketing communications from NeedThings: Users may choose here whether NeedThings may use their data to send personalized communications (such as, emails, push notifications, and in-app messages) about NeedThings products and services. Users may also choose here whether to receive any marketing emails or push notifications from NeedThings.
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Data Sharing and Tracking: Users may choose here whether NeedThings may share their data with third parties or collect data regarding their visits and actions on third-party apps or websites, for purposes of personalized ads.
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Personalized Ads: Users may choose whether NeedThings uses their NeedThings order or search history to personalize the ads they see on NeedThings.
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Cookies and related technologies: Users may choose whether NeedThings uses their cookies to personalize the ads they see on NeedThings.
5. User data requests
NeedThings provides users with a variety of ways to learn about, control, and submit questions and comments about NeedThings’s handling of their data.
Data access and portability: Depending on where they are located, users may have the right to “access” their data (meaning, to be informed of the data that NeedThings has collected about them), and to “portability” of their data (meaning, to receive a copy of such data). Regardless of their location, NeedThings provides several options for viewing and obtaining copies of the data NeedThings has collected about them.
Users can access data including their profile data and order history through the NeedThings apps or via NeedThings’s website.
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Changing or updating data: Users can edit the name, phone number, email address, payment method, and profile picture through the Settings menu in NeedThings’s apps.
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Deleting data: Users may request deletion of their account through NeedThings’s Privacy Center.
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Objections, restrictions, and complaints: Users may request that we stop using all or some of their data, or that we limit our use of their data. This includes objecting to our use of data that is based on NeedThings’s legitimate interests. NeedThings may continue to process data after such objection or request to the extent required or permitted by law.
If you have any complaints about how we process your personal data, please contact us through the contact methods listed in the Contact Information section so that we can, where possible, resolve the issue. If you feel we have not addressed your concern in a satisfactory manner, you may contact a relevant regulatory authority.
V. Legal information
A. Legal Framework for Data Transfers
NeedThings operates, and processes user data, globally. We comply with applicable legal frameworks relating to the transfer of data.
NeedThings operates, and processes user data, globally. This may result in processing of your personal data in countries, including the United States, whose data protection laws may differ from those where you live.
This includes processing of your data on NeedThings’s servers in the United States, and transferring or enabling access to your data globally, in order to:
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provide you services wherever you request them.
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provide you access to your information, such as order history, wherever you request it.
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provide access to and responses from NeedThings’s customer service agents.
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respond to requests for information by governments or law enforcement, as necessary.
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NeedThings is committed to protecting our users’ personal data regardless of where they are located or where, or by who, their personal data is processed. This includes implementing global measures to protect users’ data, including:
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mandating company-wide training regarding privacy and data security.
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implementing internal policies and procedures to limit access to, and use of, users’ data.
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limiting government and law enforcement access to user data, except where required by law, there are imminent threats to safety, or users’ have consented to the access.
C. Updates to this Privacy Notice
We may occasionally update this notice.
We may occasionally update this notice. If we make significant changes, we will notify users in advance of the changes through the NeedThings apps or through other means, such as email. We encourage users to periodically review this notice for the latest information on our privacy practices.
Use of our services after an update constitutes consent to the updated notice to the extent permitted by law.