Privacy Policy – Shop Schools

Effective Date: 08/17/2025

Shop Schools (“we,” “our,” “us”) respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our services, including our website, forms, and communications.

This Privacy Policy applies to both families/guardians using Shop Schools to find schools and partner schools using Shop Schools to receive and manage leads. By using our services, whether as a parent/guardian or as a school partner, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of information:

Personal Information: Name, email, phone number, ZIP code, child’s grade level, school preferences, and related details provided through forms.
Child Information: Details about your child (grade, start date, preferences). Parents/guardians must provide this information — we do not knowingly collect data directly from children under 13.
Metadata & Technical Information: IP address, device type, browser, operating system, referral URLs, session data, interaction logs, timestamps.
Communications & Interactions: Phone calls, SMS messages, emails, chat interactions, and survey responses (which may be monitored, recorded, or transcribed).
Cookies & Tracking Data: Pixel tags, analytics tools, retargeting technologies (e.g., Meta Pixel, Google Analytics).

From Partner Schools: Contact information (name, role, email, phone), billing/payment details, account preferences, school type and offerings, lead acceptance/rejection history, system usage data, and communications with Shop Schools.

2. How We Use Information

We use the information we collect to:

Match families with schools that fit their preferences.
Share lead information with schools that accept a connection.
Provide, maintain, and improve our services.
Send automated communications (via email, SMS, phone, AI-driven chat, etc.).
Personalize marketing and advertising, including retargeting campaigns.
Conduct analytics, training, and quality assurance (including AI model training).
Produce anonymized or aggregated reports, marketing case studies, or promotional materials.
Comply with applicable laws, enforce agreements, and prevent misuse.

For partner schools, we use information to:

Deliver and manage leads.
Process payments and billing.
Provide analytics and reporting.
Market our services, including using anonymized or aggregate results for case studies.
Ensure compliance with lead usage rules (e.g., max acceptances, response deadlines).

3. SMS, Phone, and Automated Communications (A2P 10DLC Compliance)

By submitting your phone number, you expressly consent to receive automated text messages (SMS), phone calls, or voice messages from Shop Schools and participating schools. These communications may include service updates, school information, or marketing messages.

Message Frequency: Varies; typically 1–5 messages per week.
Carrier Disclaimer: Message and data rates may apply.
Opt-Out Instructions: You may opt out at any time by replying STOP to any SMS message you receive. After opting out, you may receive a confirmation message.
Help Instructions: For help, reply HELP to any SMS message or contact us at hello[at]shopschools.org.
Consent Not Required: Your consent to receive SMS is not required as a condition of using our service.

Ringless Voicemail Consent

By providing your phone number, you also consent to receive pre-recorded or automated voice messages, including ringless voicemails delivered directly to your voicemail inbox. These may be used to share school information, reminders, or marketing messages.

Ringless voicemail messages are treated as automated communications under this policy.
You may opt out of receiving ringless voicemails at any time by contacting us at hello[at]shopschools.org or replying STOP if a companion SMS is provided.
Standard carrier voicemail and messaging rates may apply.

4. Data Sharing & Disclosure

We may share your information as follows:

With Schools: We share anonymized lead details with schools for review. Once a school accepts a lead, we share the parent’s contact details.
With Service Providers: We use third-party vendors for hosting, analytics, communication tools, AI processing, and other business operations.
For Marketing: We may use anonymized or pseudonymized interactions (text transcripts, call snippets, survey data) for marketing, case studies, and promotional purposes.
For Legal Reasons: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, legal processes, or enforceable governmental requests.
In Business Transfers: If Shop Schools is merged, sold, or transferred, your information may be part of the assets transferred.
Between Families and Schools: Family-submitted information is shared with partner schools once a school accepts a lead. Schools understand that their interactions with leads may be monitored or recorded for compliance and quality assurance.
Cross-Promotion: Shop Schools may use anonymized data from both families and schools in marketing materials or case studies.

We are not responsible for how schools use the data once shared with them.

5. Recording & Consent

By using our services, whether as a parent/guardian submitting an inquiry or as a partner school receiving and managing leads, you consent to the monitoring, recording, and transcription of communications (including phone calls, SMS, emails, voicemails, and chat messages). This includes, but is not limited to, communications between:

Families and Shop Schools,
Schools and Shop Schools, and
Families and schools facilitated through Shop Schools.

Recordings and transcripts may be used for the purposes of:

Quality assurance,
Training (including AI training and automated system improvement), and
Marketing and promotional use (with personally identifiable information anonymized where feasible).

This disclosure applies in all jurisdictions, including two-party consent states.

6. Cookies & Tracking

We use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to:

Provide core functionality.
Track usage and performance.
Personalize advertising and retarget users across platforms.
Enable lookalike audience marketing.

You may disable cookies in your browser, but some features may not function properly.

7. Data Retention

We retain information for as long as necessary to provide services, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce agreements.

8. Security

We use reasonable security measures, including encryption and access controls, but no system is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee the absolute security of your information.

9. Children’s Privacy

We do not knowingly collect information directly from children under 13.
Parents or guardians must provide child-related information.
If we become aware that we collected information from a child without parental consent, we will delete it.

10. User Rights & Choices

Depending on your location, you may have rights to:

Access, correct, or delete your data.
Opt out of marketing communications.
Withdraw consent for automated communications.

To exercise these rights, contact us at hello[at]shopschools.org.

11. International Users

If you access our services outside the United States, your data may be transferred and processed in the U.S. By using our services, you consent to this transfer.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy at any time. We will post updates with a new effective date. Continued use of our services constitutes acceptance of any changes.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, contact us at:

Shop Schools – Privacy Team
hello[at]shopschools.org