Effective Date: July 23, 2025

At Cristam.com, we care deeply about your privacy. As a platform built for students, especially international students navigating life and opportunities abroad, we believe trust, transparency, and respect should be the foundation of everything we do. Whether you’re shopping, selling, sharing in the forum, or simply exploring resources, your personal information deserves to be treated with care.

This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, why we collect it, and how it is used across our platform, including the marketplace, vendor dashboard, forum, messaging system, and all other services hosted under Cristam.com. 

Cristam is more than just a website. We are a vibrant, digital community that empowers students by offering access to affordable products, services, peer-to-peer support, and the opportunity to become vendors and contributors in a safe and inclusive environment.

What Information We Collect and Why

When you interact with Cristam.com, whether as a shopper, vendor, or forum participant, we may collect certain personal and technical information to help us serve you better.

Information you provide:

• Account Registration:When creating an account, we ask for your name, email address, and a password.
• Vendor Profiles:If you choose to become a vendor, we also collect business-related information such as your shop name, logo, contact details, payment method preferences, and bank information for withdrawals.
• Order Details:When you place an order, we collect your billing and shipping details so your product or service can reach you smoothly.
• Messages & Forums:When you post, comment, or engage in direct chats (whether with other users, vendors, or admins), those interactions may be stored securely to support moderation and a safe environment.

Information we automatically collect:

• Device and Log Data:We may record your IP address, device type, browser version, and the date and time of your visit.
• Cookies:Cookies are small files stored on your device that help us remember your preferences, keep you logged in, and personalize your experience. You can always turn them off via your browser settings.

 How We Use Your Information

We collect your information for a few key reasons:

• To create and manage your account or vendor profile.
• To process purchases and vendor withdrawals.
• To support real-time chat and private messaging.
• To maintain a respectful, welcoming, and organized forum.
• To respond to your inquiries and provide customer support.
• To notify you about updates, promotions, or changes (you can opt out anytime).
• To ensure platform security and prevent fraud.

We use your data only as necessary to run Cristam effectively and enhance your experience.

 Messaging & Forums

Cristam includes community features like forums and direct messaging. While these tools are made for connection and support, we monitor them closely to prevent spam, abuse, or inappropriate use.

• Private messages are visible only to the sender and receiver.
• Deleted messages may still be accessible by site admins to maintain safety and compliance.
• Forum contributions are public and tied to your account unless you post anonymously (when allowed).

Purchases & Payments

Cristam uses secure third-party payment processors like PayPal, and SureCart. We do not store your credit card or bank details on our servers. While we do not store sensitive payment data such as your card number, we do retain records of your transactions, including items purchased, delivery addresses, and billing history, to help vendors fulfill orders and resolve any issues.

Every purchase supports vendors on the platform — often students or small business owners. When you place an order, your name and shipping info may be shared with the vendor strictly for fulfillment purposes.

Vendor Privacy Responsibilities

Vendors must never misuse customer information. This means:

• No saving customer data beyond order fulfillment
• No marketing without consent
• No selling or leaking customer information

We reserve the right to remove any vendor who violates this policy.

How We Protect Your Data

We take data security seriously and use best practices to keep your information safe. While no online platform is 100% risk-free, we:

• Use encryption where appropriate
• Limit access to your data to only necessary personnel
• Maintain secure hosting environments

We also recommend using a strong password and not sharing your login credentials with anyone.

How Long We Keep Your Info

• Forum posts and messages may remain unless deleted or requested for removal.
• Order and account data are stored as long as legally required or until you request deletion.
• Vendor information is retained for as long as their shop is active or needed for tax/legal reasons.

Your Rights

You have the right to:

• View, correct, or delete your personal data
• Request an export of your data
• Withdraw consent at any time
• Request account deletion (email us at info@cristam.com)

Minors

Cristam is intended for individuals 18 years of age or older. We do not knowingly collect, use, or disclose personal information from anyone under 18. If we become aware that personal data has been collected from a minor without verified parental consent, we will take immediate steps to delete such information.

Policy Updates

We may update this Privacy Policy as our services grow or laws change. If we make significant changes, we’ll notify users via email or through the site.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or data requests, feel free to reach out:

📧Email: info@cristam.com

Thank you for being a part of Cristam — a marketplace built with students in mind, by students who understand.