Privacy Policy

Last updated: April 26, 2026

HeyBuddy Outdoors ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains what information we collect when you use our website, join our waitlist, or subscribe to our gear rental service — and how we use, store, and protect it.

1. Information We Collect

When you join the waitlist:

Name, email address, zip code
Kids' ages and activity preferences
HeyBuddy Compass quiz responses (used to generate your family's adventure profile)

When you create an account and subscribe:

Account information: name, email address, password (stored encrypted)
Child profile information: child's name, age, size, and activity interests — used to match gear kits appropriately
Billing information: collected and processed securely by Shopify (our subscription checkout platform). We do not store your payment card details on our servers.
Shipping address for gear delivery and return
Gear rental history: which kits you've rented, swap history, and return records
Damage and condition records: inspection notes and photos taken when gear is returned, used for damage assessment per our Terms of Service

Automatically collected:

Basic site analytics: pages visited, time on site, referring URL. We do not use third-party advertising trackers.
Device and browser type for technical compatibility purposes

2. How We Use Your Information

To fulfill your gear rental subscription — select, pack, ship, and manage gear kits
To process billing and manage your account
To match gear to your child's current age, size, and interests
To assess gear condition on return and apply damage fees where applicable
To send you launch updates, service notifications, renewal reminders, and swap window alerts
To improve our service, inventory, and gear selection based on member preferences

We do not sell your data. We do not use your information for advertising or share it with third-party marketers.

3. Children's Privacy

Our service is designed for parents and guardians of children ages 5–10. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children. All accounts, purchases, and communications are managed by the parent or guardian. Child profile information (name, age, size, interests) is provided by you and used solely to match appropriate gear for your child.

If you believe we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child without appropriate parental consent, please contact us immediately at mike@heybuddyoutdoors.com and we will delete that information promptly.

4. Information Sharing

We share your information only as necessary to operate the service:

Shopify — subscription checkout and payment processing for our gear rental plans. Shopify's privacy policy governs how they handle your payment data.
Shipping carriers — your name and address are shared with our shipping partners to deliver and return gear.
Email service provider — we use a third-party email platform to send transactional and service emails. They receive your email address for delivery purposes only.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any other third parties.

5. Email Communications

By joining our waitlist or creating an account, you agree to receive service-related emails — including launch notifications, renewal reminders, swap window alerts, and gear updates. You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time by clicking "Unsubscribe" in any email. Transactional emails (billing receipts, shipping confirmations, account notices) are part of the service and cannot be opted out of while your account is active.

6. Data Security

We use industry-standard security practices to protect your data, including encrypted storage of passwords and secure HTTPS connections. Payment information is handled entirely by Shopify and never stored on our servers. No data transmission over the internet can be guaranteed to be 100% secure — if you have concerns about a specific interaction, contact us.

7. Data Retention

Waitlist members: We retain your information until you unsubscribe or request deletion.
Active subscribers: Account and rental data is retained while your subscription is active and for a reasonable period after cancellation for legal and dispute purposes.
Gear return and damage records: Retained for the duration your account exists and for a minimum of one year after cancellation, consistent with our dispute resolution obligations.

8. Your Rights & Data Deletion

You have the right to access, correct, or delete your personal information at any time. To make a request, email us at mike@heybuddyoutdoors.com with the subject line "Privacy Request" and describe what you'd like. We will respond within 30 days. Note that deletion of your account will also end your subscription and trigger gear return obligations per our Terms of Service.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. We will notify active subscribers of material changes by email. The current version will always be posted here with the date last updated.

10. Contact

Questions about this policy? Reach us at mike@heybuddyoutdoors.com.