Privacy Policy for Sports Gear Finder

Last Updated: April 5, 2025

Welcome to Sports Gear Finder (“we,” “us,” or “our”). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal data is handled in a safe and responsible manner. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal data when you use our website, in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Dutch data protection laws, including the Dutch Personal Data Protection Act (Wet bescherming persoonsgegevens) as applicable under GDPR.

By using our website, you agree to the collection and use of your personal data as described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with this policy, please do not use our website.

1. Who We Are

Sports Gear Finder is a platform that helps users find the best sports gear and equipment tailored to their needs. We provide personalized recommendations for sports equipment (e.g., shoes, shirts, shorts, accessories) based on the sport you play, your position, experience level, gender, and other preferences. We also offer sports news updates, a wishlist feature, and a newsletter subscription service. Our website uses affiliate marketing to provide links to recommended products and displays advertisements to support our operations.

Contact Information:
Sports Gear Finder
[Your Address in the Netherlands]
Email: [Your Contact Email]
Phone: [Your Contact Phone Number]

2. What Personal Data We Collect and Why

We collect personal data to provide our services, improve your experience, and fulfill our legal obligations. Below is an overview of the data we collect, the purposes for which we collect it, and the legal basis under GDPR for processing it.

2.1 Data You Provide to Us

We collect the following personal data when you interact with our website:

  • Subscription Data: When you subscribe to our newsletter, we collect:
    • Your email address (required).
    • Your name (optional, if provided).
    • Any additional information you provide in the subscription form (e.g., preferences for specific sports).
    • Purpose: To send you newsletters, updates, and promotional offers related to sports gear and news.
    • Legal Basis: Consent (GDPR Art. 6(1)(a)) – you explicitly consent to receiving our newsletter when you subscribe.
  • Gear Recommendation Data: When you use our gear recommendation feature, we collect:
    • Sport you play (e.g., football, basketball, baseball).
    • Your position (e.g., forward, goalkeeper).
    • Experience level (e.g., beginner, professional).
    • Gender (e.g., male, female, other).
    • Gear preferences (e.g., shoe fit, material, size, price range).
    • Purpose: To provide personalized recommendations for sports gear and equipment tailored to your needs.
    • Legal Basis: Consent (GDPR Art. 6(1)(a)) – you provide this data voluntarily to receive recommendations.
  • Wishlist Data: When you add items to your wishlist:
    • The gear items you select.
    • Purpose: To save your preferences for future reference and improve your user experience.
    • Legal Basis: Legitimate interest (GDPR Art. 6(1)(f)) – to enhance your experience on our website.
2.2 Data Collected Automatically

We use cookies and similar technologies to collect data automatically when you visit our website:

  • Usage Data:
    • IP address.
    • Browser type and version.
    • Operating system.
    • Pages visited and time spent on each page.
    • Referring website (if applicable).
    • Purpose: To analyze website usage, improve our services, and display relevant advertisements.
    • Legal Basis: Legitimate interest (GDPR Art. 6(1)(f)) – to understand how our website is used and improve its functionality. For non-essential cookies (e.g., advertising cookies), we rely on your consent (GDPR Art. 6(1)(a)).
  • Advertising and Affiliate Data:
    • Data about your interactions with ads and affiliate links (e.g., clicks on affiliate links to purchase recommended gear).
    • Purpose: To serve targeted advertisements and earn affiliate commissions when you purchase products through our links.
    • Legal Basis: Consent (GDPR Art. 6(1)(a)) – you consent to advertising cookies and affiliate tracking via our cookie banner.
2.3 Data from Third Parties
  • Newsletter Plugin: We use the Newsletter plugin by Stefano Lissa & The Newsletter Team to manage our newsletter subscriptions. The plugin processes your email address and other subscription data on our behalf.
  • Affiliate Partners: When you click on affiliate links, our partners (e.g., Amazon, sports retailers) may collect data about your purchase to attribute commissions to us.
  • Advertising Partners: We work with advertising networks (e.g., Google AdSense) to display ads. These partners may use cookies to track your browsing behavior and serve personalized ads.

3. How We Use Your Personal Data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

  • To Provide Our Services:
    • To generate personalized gear recommendations based on your sport, position, and preferences.
    • To save items to your wishlist for future reference.
    • To send you newsletters and updates if you’ve subscribed.
  • To Improve Our Website:
    • To analyze usage data and improve our website’s functionality and user experience.
    • To understand which sports and gear types are most popular among our users.
  • For Marketing and Advertising:
    • To display advertisements on our website, which may be personalized based on your browsing behavior (with your consent).
    • To provide affiliate links to recommended products, earning a commission if you make a purchase.
  • To Comply with Legal Obligations:
    • To maintain records of your consent for data processing (e.g., newsletter subscription, cookie consent).
    • To respond to data subject requests (e.g., access, deletion) as required by GDPR.

4. How We Store and Protect Your Data

We take the security of your personal data seriously and implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect it.

  • Storage Location: Your data is stored on secure servers located within the European Economic Area (EEA). If we transfer data outside the EEA (e.g., to third-party service providers), we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission.
  • Retention Period:
    • Subscription Data: We retain your email address and subscription data until you unsubscribe from our newsletter. Upon unsubscribing, your data is deleted within 30 days.
    • Gear Recommendation Data: We retain this data for as long as you actively use our website. If you do not interact with our website for 2 years, we will delete your data.
    • Wishlist Data: We retain wishlist data until you remove the items or your account becomes inactive for 2 years.
    • Usage Data: We retain usage data for up to 26 months, in line with common analytics practices, unless you withdraw your consent for cookies.
  • Security Measures: We use encryption (e.g., SSL/TLS for data transmission), access controls, and regular security audits to protect your data from unauthorized access, loss, or misuse.

5. Sharing Your Personal Data

We may share your personal data with the following third parties:

  • Service Providers:
    • Newsletter Plugin: The Newsletter plugin processes your subscription data to manage our newsletter service. The plugin complies with GDPR and processes data on our behalf.
    • Hosting Providers: Our website is hosted on servers that store your data securely within the EEA.
    • Analytics Providers: We use tools like Google Analytics to analyze website usage. Google Analytics may process your data outside the EEA, but we ensure compliance through SCCs and anonymization of IP addresses.
  • Advertising and Affiliate Partners:
    • Advertising Networks: We share usage data with advertising partners (e.g., Google AdSense) to display personalized ads, but only with your consent.
    • Affiliate Partners: When you click on affiliate links, our partners may collect data about your purchase to attribute commissions to us. This is disclosed in our cookie banner.
  • Legal Authorities: We may share your data if required by law or to protect our rights, such as in response to a court order or request from the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens).

6. Your Rights Under GDPR

As a user in the Netherlands, you have the following rights regarding your personal data under GDPR:

  • Right to Access (Art. 15): You can request access to the personal data we hold about you.
  • Right to Rectification (Art. 16): You can request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
  • Right to Erasure (Art. 17): You can request deletion of your data (e.g., if you unsubscribe from our newsletter or no longer wish to use our services).
  • Right to Restriction of Processing (Art. 18): You can request that we limit the processing of your data under certain conditions.
  • Right to Data Portability (Art. 20): You can request a copy of your data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.
  • Right to Object (Art. 21): You can object to the processing of your data for direct marketing or based on legitimate interests (e.g., analytics).
  • Right to Withdraw Consent (Art. 7(3)): You can withdraw your consent at any time (e.g., unsubscribe from our newsletter or disable cookies).
  • Right to Lodge a Complaint (Art. 77): You can file a complaint with the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens) if you believe we have violated your data protection rights. Contact details:

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [Your Contact Email]. We will respond to your request within one month, as required by GDPR.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience on our website. Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help us understand how you use our website.

  • Essential Cookies: Necessary for the website to function (e.g., to save your wishlist items in local storage).
    • Legal Basis: Legitimate interest (GDPR Art. 6(1)(f)) – essential for website functionality.
  • Analytics Cookies: Used to collect usage data (e.g., pages visited, time spent) to improve our website.
    • Legal Basis: Consent (GDPR Art. 6(1)(a)) – obtained via our cookie banner.
  • Advertising Cookies: Used by our advertising partners to display personalized ads and track affiliate link clicks.
    • Legal Basis: Consent (GDPR Art. 6(1)(a)) – obtained via our cookie banner.

When you first visit our website, we display a cookie banner asking for your consent to use non-essential cookies. You can manage your cookie preferences at any time by clicking the “Cookie Settings” link in our footer.

8. Affiliate Marketing and Advertisements

We use affiliate marketing to provide links to recommended sports gear. When you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission from the retailer. This does not affect the price you pay.

We also display advertisements on our website through third-party ad networks (e.g., Google AdSense). These ads may be personalized based on your browsing behavior, but only if you consent to advertising cookies. You can opt out of personalized ads by adjusting your cookie settings or using tools like the Your Online Choices website.

9. Newsletter Subscriptions

When you subscribe to our newsletter, we collect your email address and, if provided, your name and other preferences. We use this data to send you newsletters, sports news updates, and promotional offers related to sports gear. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the “Unsubscribe” link in any newsletter email or by contacting us at [Your Contact Email]. Upon unsubscribing, your data will be deleted within 30 days.

10. Children’s Privacy

Our website is not intended for children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 16. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal data, please contact us at [Your Contact Email], and we will delete the data.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of significant changes by posting a notice on our website or sending you an email (if you are a newsletter subscriber). The updated policy will be effective as of the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact us at:

Sports Gear Finder
[Your Address in the Netherlands]
Email: [Your Contact Email]
Phone: [Your Contact Phone Number]