Privacy Policy — Apricotter Shop Watch
Last Updated: August 18, 2026 Effective Date: August 18, 2026
DRAFT. Structure adapted from the Apricotter author-platform Privacy Policy dated May 25, 2026. Sections 2, 4, 5 and 8 are new and specific to Shop Watch. Not legal advice; a lawyer should review before publication.
This document must be published at a publicly accessible URL before the Places API may be used in production — see Section 4.1.
Governing law: Florida. Confirmed 2026-08-18, and it differs from the author-platform pair, which still says Wyoming.
1. Introduction
Apricotter ("we," "us," "our") operates Apricotter Shop Watch, a service that shows local business owners what Google publishes about their business alongside the nearest businesses in their category.
This Privacy Policy explains what we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and your rights. By using the Service you agree to it.
The short version: we do not have access to your Google account, we never ask for your password, and almost everything the Service shows you is information Google already publishes to the public.
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Enrolment Information
Your business name, the business address and phone number, your name, your mobile number for the weekly text, and your email address.
2.2 Your Google Place ID
A place_id is Google's own permanent public identifier for a business location. We store yours, and those of the businesses shown beside you, so we can look up current public information each week. A place ID is not personal data and grants no access to any account.
2.3 Billing Information
Payment is processed by Stripe. We receive your name, email and billing address. We do not store card numbers or payment credentials.
2.4 What We Do Not Collect
We do not collect, request, or receive:
- your Google account password, or any password;
- access to, or the ability to modify, your Google Business Profile;
- OAuth tokens or credentials for any Google service;
- anything at all from inside your Google account.
The Service reads what Google shows the public. Nothing more.
2.5 Website and Usage Data
When you visit our website or open your page we collect usage data — pages viewed, time, browser and device type, IP address, referral source.
3. How We Use Your Information
- To identify which Google Business Profile is yours and which businesses are nearest you
- To look up current public information weekly and display it on your page
- To send you one weekly text message so you remember to look
- To process billing and send receipts
- To respond to support requests
- To detect and prevent fraud or abuse
- To comply with legal obligations
We do not sell your personal data. We do not share it with advertisers or data brokers.
4. Google Maps Platform
4.1 Incorporation of Google's Privacy Policy
The Service uses the Google Maps Platform, including the Places API, and may display a Google Map. Your use of the Service is therefore also subject to:
- Google Privacy Policy — https://policies.google.com/privacy
- Google Terms of Service — https://policies.google.com/terms
- Google Maps/Google Earth Additional Terms of Service — https://www.google.com/help/terms_maps/
These are incorporated into this Policy by reference.
4.2 What This Means in Practice
When your page loads, requests are made to Google to retrieve current public information about your business and the businesses shown beside it. Google receives those requests and may collect information about them under its own Privacy Policy. We do not control what Google collects.
4.3 What We Retain From Google
This is deliberately narrow, and is set by Google's terms rather than by us:
| Google-sourced data | What we do with it |
|---|---|
| Place IDs | Stored indefinitely. Permitted by Google and exempt from its caching restrictions. |
| Latitude / longitude | Cached no longer than 30 consecutive calendar days, then deleted. |
| Rating, review count, name, address, hours, category, review text | Not stored. Retrieved live each time it is displayed and never persisted. |
4.4 Written Commentary
The Service may store short written commentary describing what the information showed on a particular date, together with that date. This commentary is our own dated opinion. It is retained for the life of your subscription and deleted with the rest of your account data.
4.5 How That Commentary Is Generated
The commentary is generated using the Google Gemini API on a paid billing account. Under Google's Paid Services terms and the Google Data Processing Addendum, Google acts as a data processor on Apricotter's behalf. Google does not use the inputs or outputs to train or improve its models. Inputs and responses are logged transiently solely for abuse detection and safety compliance, then deleted, and are not reviewed by human reviewers under the paid tier.
The only information sent to Gemini is public business information as Google published it. No account data, no billing information, and nothing you have given us privately is sent.
5. Third-Party Services
| Third Party | Purpose | Data Shared |
|---|---|---|
| Google Maps Platform (Places API) | Retrieving public business information; map display | Place IDs, location coordinates |
| Stripe | Payment processing | Name, email, billing address |
| Google (Gemini API — Paid Tier) | Generating written commentary | Public business information as retrieved |
| RudderStack | Website analytics | Usage data, IP address |
No SMS provider. The weekly text comes directly from the Apricotter representative who enrolled you, from their own phone. Your mobile number is not uploaded to a messaging platform, not used for bulk sending, and not shared with any third party.
6. Marketing Communications
The weekly text message is a transactional message forming part of the Service, not marketing. It is sent personally by your representative, so you can stop it by replying to them, telling them, or cancelling.
Any marketing email we send identifies Apricotter as sender, carries an honest subject line, includes our physical address (P.O. Box 4821, Tampa, FL 33601), and includes a one-click unsubscribe. We comply with the CAN-SPAM Act (15 U.S.C. § 7701 et seq.) and process opt-outs within 10 business days.
7. Cookies and Tracking
We use RudderStack for website analytics, which may set analytics and session cookies. We do not use third-party advertising pixels or retargeting cookies.
Note that a Google Map embedded in a page may set cookies under Google's own Privacy Policy. That is Google's collection, not ours.
You may disable cookies in your browser; some features may stop working.
8. Data Retention
| Data Type | Retention |
|---|---|
| Account and enrolment data | Duration of subscription; deleted within 30 days of cancellation, or immediately on verified request |
| Place IDs | Indefinitely, per Google's terms; deleted with your account |
| Latitude / longitude from Google | Maximum 30 consecutive calendar days |
| All other Google-sourced content | Not retained at any point |
| Dated written commentary | Duration of subscription; deleted with your account |
| Billing records | Retained as required by tax and accounting law |
9. Your Rights
Depending on your state, you may have the right to know what personal information we hold, request a copy, request correction, request deletion, and not be discriminated against for exercising those rights.
To exercise any of these, email support@apricotter.com from your account email. We respond within 45 days.
9.1 Business Contact Information
Much of what we hold — business name, business address, business phone — is published by you or by Google as public business information and may not be personal information under your state's law. We will treat a request as covering everything we hold rather than arguing the boundary.
10. Security
Data is encrypted in transit. Payment credentials never touch our systems. Access to customer data is limited to personnel who need it to operate the Service.
11. Children's Privacy
The Service is for businesses and is not directed to anyone under 18. We do not knowingly collect information from children.
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Policy. Material changes will be notified by email or on your page at least 14 days before taking effect. The "Last Updated" date above always reflects the current version.
13. Governing Law
This Policy is governed by the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.
14. Contact
Apricotter P.O. Box 4821, Tampa, FL 33601 support@apricotter.com