Privacy Policy¶

Last updated: [DATE]

1. Introduction¶

Research Relay LLC ("Research Relay," "we," "us," or "our") respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you visit our website at research-relay.com (the "Site"), create an account, or place an order.

This policy applies to all visitors, users, and customers of the Site. By using the Site, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

Research Relay LLC is a California limited liability company. As a California business, we comply with the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), and this policy describes your rights under those laws.

2. Information We Collect¶

2.1 Information You Provide Directly¶

We collect information that you voluntarily provide to us, including:

Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, and account credentials when you create an account
Order Information: Billing address, shipping address, order details, and product selections when you place an order
Payment Information: Payment method details necessary to process your transaction (see Section 2.4 for details on payment data handling)
Communication Information: Any information you provide when you contact us, submit inquiries, or respond to surveys
RUO Acknowledgment Records: Records of your acceptance of our Research Use Only disclosure and Terms of Service

2.2 Information Collected Automatically¶

When you visit the Site, we automatically collect certain information, including:

Device Information: Browser type, operating system, device type, and screen resolution
Usage Information: Pages visited, time spent on pages, click patterns, and referring URLs
Log Data: IP address, access times, and server log information
Location Information: General geographic location based on your IP address (city/region level, not precise location)

2.3 Information from Cookies and Similar Technologies¶

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to collect information about your browsing activity. See Section 7 for details on our cookie practices.

2.4 Payment Information¶

Cryptocurrency Payments (BTC/Lightning): We collect transaction identifiers and wallet addresses necessary to process and verify payments. We do not store private keys or full wallet details.
ACH Payments: ACH payment details are collected and processed by our third-party payment processor. We may retain limited transaction records (last four digits of account number, transaction amount, date) for order fulfillment and accounting purposes.

We do not store full bank account numbers, routing numbers, or other sensitive financial data on our servers. Payment processing is handled by PCI-compliant third-party processors.

3. How We Use Your Information¶

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

Order Fulfillment: Processing and shipping your orders, sending order confirmations, and providing tracking information
Account Management: Creating and maintaining your account, authenticating your identity, and managing your preferences
Customer Support: Responding to your inquiries, resolving issues, and providing technical assistance
Legal Compliance: Maintaining records required by law, including RUO acknowledgment records, tax records, and transaction records
Site Improvement: Analyzing usage patterns to improve the Site's functionality, performance, and user experience
Security: Detecting and preventing fraud, abuse, and unauthorized access
Communications: Sending transactional emails (order confirmations, shipping updates) and, with your consent, promotional communications about products relevant to your research interests

We do not use your information to:

Make automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects on you
Sell your personal information (see Section 6 for CCPA details)
Profile you for advertising purposes unrelated to our products

We share your personal information only in the following circumstances:

4.1 Service Providers¶

We share information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, including:

Payment Processors: To process BTC, Lightning, and ACH payments
Shipping Carriers: Name, address, and phone number necessary to deliver your order
Email Service Providers: To send transactional and, where consented, marketing emails
Analytics Providers: Aggregated and anonymized usage data to help us understand Site traffic and behavior
Cloud Hosting Providers: To host and maintain the Site and our databases

4.2 Legal Requirements¶

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid legal process, including:

Court orders, subpoenas, or search warrants
Requests from law enforcement or regulatory agencies
Legal proceedings in which the information is relevant

4.3 Business Transfers¶

If Research Relay is involved in a merger, acquisition, asset sale, or bankruptcy, your personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change in ownership or control of your personal information.

We may share your information in other circumstances with your explicit consent.

4.5 Aggregated or De-Identified Data¶

We may share aggregated or de-identified data that cannot reasonably be used to identify you for any purpose, including research, analytics, and business purposes.

5. Data Retention¶

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Specific retention periods include:

Account Information: Retained for as long as your account is active, and for a reasonable period after account closure for legal and business purposes
Order and Transaction Records: Retained for a minimum of seven (7) years for tax, accounting, and legal compliance purposes
RUO Acknowledgment Records: Retained for the duration of your account and for seven (7) years after your last order, as these records may be necessary for legal compliance
Communication Records: Retained for three (3) years after the last communication
Analytics Data: Aggregated analytics data is retained indefinitely; individual-level analytics data is retained for twenty-four (24) months

When personal information is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymize it in accordance with our data retention procedures.

6. Your Privacy Rights (CCPA/CPRA)¶

If you are a California resident, you have the following rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA):

6.1 Right to Know¶

You have the right to request that we disclose:

The categories of personal information we have collected about you
The categories of sources from which personal information is collected
The business or commercial purpose for collecting or selling personal information
The categories of third parties with whom we share personal information
The specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you

6.2 Right to Delete¶

You have the right to request that we delete the personal information we have collected from you, subject to certain exceptions permitted by law (e.g., completing a transaction, complying with legal obligations, maintaining security).

6.3 Right to Correct¶

You have the right to request that we correct inaccurate personal information that we maintain about you.

We do not sell your personal information. We do not share your personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising purposes. If our practices change in the future, we will update this policy and provide a "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" link on the Site.

6.5 Right to Limit Use of Sensitive Personal Information¶

To the extent we collect sensitive personal information (such as account login credentials), we use it only for purposes authorized by the CCPA/CPRA, such as providing the services you request.

6.6 Right to Non-Discrimination¶

We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your privacy rights. We will not deny you goods or services, charge you different prices, or provide a different level of quality because you exercise your CCPA rights.

6.7 How to Exercise Your Rights¶

To exercise any of the rights described above, you may:

Email us at: [privacy@research-relay.com]
Submit a request through the Site at: [research-relay.com/privacy-request]

We will verify your identity before processing any request by matching information you provide with information we have on file. We will respond to verifiable requests within forty-five (45) days of receipt, as required by the CCPA. If additional time is needed, we will notify you of the extension and the reason for it.

You may designate an authorized agent to submit requests on your behalf. We may require the agent to provide proof of authorization and may still require you to directly verify your identity.

6.8 California Shine the Light¶

Under California Civil Code Section 1798.83, California residents may request information regarding the disclosure of personal information to third parties for direct marketing purposes. We do not disclose personal information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies¶

7.1 Types of Cookies We Use¶

Essential Cookies: Required for the Site to function properly, including session management, shopping cart functionality, and security features. These cannot be disabled.
Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with the Site by collecting anonymous usage information. These are used only with your consent.
Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings to provide a better experience.

7.2 Managing Cookies¶

You can manage your cookie preferences through:

Your browser settings (most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies)
Our cookie consent banner when you first visit the Site

Please note that disabling essential cookies may impair the functionality of the Site.

7.3 Do Not Track Signals¶

Some browsers transmit "Do Not Track" (DNT) signals. We currently honor DNT signals by disabling non-essential tracking when a DNT signal is detected.

8. Security Measures¶

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical security measures to protect your personal information, including:

Encryption of data in transit using TLS/SSL
Encryption of sensitive data at rest
Access controls limiting employee access to personal information on a need-to-know basis
Regular security assessments and monitoring
Secure password hashing for account credentials

While we take reasonable steps to protect your information, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee the absolute security of your personal information.

9. Children's Privacy¶

The Site is not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 18, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.

If you believe that a child under 18 has provided personal information to us, please contact us at [privacy@research-relay.com] so we can take appropriate action.

10. Third-Party Links¶

The Site may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit.

11. International Users¶

The Site is operated from the United States and is intended for users in the United States. If you access the Site from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States, where data protection laws may differ from those of your jurisdiction.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy¶

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be effective upon posting to the Site with an updated "Last updated" date. For material changes, we will notify registered users via email at least thirty (30) days before the changes take effect.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about our practices.

13. Contact Us¶

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your privacy rights, contact us at:

Research Relay LLC Email: [privacy@research-relay.com]

For privacy-related requests, please include "Privacy Request" in the subject line of your email to help us route your inquiry appropriately.

By using research-relay.com, you acknowledge that you have read and understand this Privacy Policy.