Privacy Policy
Last updated: May 2025
1. Who we are
NicheScope ("we", "us", "our") is a SaaS tool operated at smbhelper.xyz. We provide niche research, AI-powered listing generation, and competitor analysis for Etsy and Print-on-Demand sellers. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding that data.
2. Data we collect
2.1 Account data
When you register or sign in via Google OAuth, we receive your name, email address, and profile picture from Google. We store your email and name in our database to identify your account and link your subscription status.
2.2 Usage data
We log the keywords you analyze, timestamps of requests, and the results returned. This history is visible to you on your dashboard and is used to improve our AI models and scraping quality.
2.3 Chrome Extension data
The SMB Helper Chrome Extension reads publicly visible page content on Etsy.com (listing titles, tags, search result URLs) solely to power the analysis features. This content is sent to our servers over HTTPS, processed by AI, and returned to your browser. We do not store raw page content beyond the duration of a single request. The extension never reads your Etsy account credentials, order data, payment details, or any private Etsy information.
2.4 Payment data
Payments are handled by our payment processor. We do not store your credit card numbers, bank account details, or any raw payment credentials on our servers. We receive a subscription status (Free / Premium) and a customer identifier from the payment processor.
2.5 Technical data
We collect standard server logs including IP addresses, browser type, and request timestamps for security monitoring and debugging. Logs are retained for 30 days.
3. How we use your data
- To authenticate your account and maintain your session
- To deliver niche analysis, AI listing generation, and competitor insights
- To manage your subscription and enforce Free / Premium feature limits
- To show you your analysis history in the dashboard
- To improve the accuracy of our AI models and scrapers (aggregated, anonymized)
- To detect and prevent abuse, fraud, or unauthorized access
- To send transactional emails (e.g., account confirmation, billing receipts)
We do not sell your personal data to third parties. We do not use your data for advertising or behavioral profiling.
4. Third-party services
We use the following third-party services to operate NicheScope:
| Service | Purpose | Data shared |
|---|---|---|
| Google OAuth | Sign-in authentication | Email, name, profile picture |
| Google Vertex AI | AI-powered analysis & text generation | Keywords, listing titles, tags (no PII) |
| Payment Processor | Subscription billing | Email, payment method (handled by processor) |
| VPS / Hosting | Server infrastructure | Encrypted data at rest |
5. Cookies & local storage
We use a session cookie (next-auth.session-token) to keep you signed in. This is strictly necessary for the service to function. We do not use advertising cookies or cross-site tracking cookies. The Chrome Extension uses chrome.storage.local to cache your authentication status and subscription tier locally in your browser for performance — this data never leaves your device except as part of normal API calls to our servers.
6. Data retention
- Account data — retained until you delete your account
- Analysis history — retained for 12 months, then automatically purged
- Server logs — retained for 30 days
- Payment records — retained as required by applicable tax law (typically 7 years)
7. Your rights
Depending on your jurisdiction (EU/EEA residents have rights under GDPR; California residents under CCPA), you may have the right to:
- Access the personal data we hold about you
- Correct inaccurate data
- Request deletion of your account and associated data
- Export your analysis history in JSON format
- Withdraw consent at any time (where processing is based on consent)
To exercise any of these rights, email us at privacy@smbhelper.xyz. We respond within 30 days.
8. Security
All data is transmitted over HTTPS/TLS. Passwords are never stored (we use OAuth only). Our database uses encryption at rest. Access to production systems is restricted to authorized personnel only. In the event of a data breach that affects your personal data, we will notify you within 72 hours as required by GDPR.
9. Children’s privacy
NicheScope is not directed at children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.
10. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify registered users by email and post the updated policy on this page with a revised "Last updated" date. Continued use of NicheScope after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
11. Contact
Questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy? Contact us at privacy@smbhelper.xyz.