Privacy Policy
We respect your privacy and are committed to handling your information responsibly. This policy explains what we collect, why we collect it, and the rights you have over your data.
1. Who we are
VitiligoMart is operated by Vitiex Global FZ-LLC, a Free Zone Limited Liability Company registered in the Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ), United Arab Emirates. We are the data controller for personal information collected through this website.
Vitiex Global FZ-LLC
Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone, United Arab Emirates
RAKEZ E-Commerce Licence No. 45035975
RAKEZ Services Licence No. 47032279
Email: contact@vitiligomart.com
This policy applies to vitiligomart.com and any related digital properties we operate. It does not apply to third-party websites we link to, which have their own privacy policies.
2. Information we collect
We collect only what we need to operate the site, respond to you, and improve what we publish.
Information you provide directly
- Contact form submissions: name, email address, and the contents of your message when you contact us.
- Coaching enquiries: name, email address, and any details you share about your situation when you book a discovery call or coaching session.
- Comments: if you post a comment on a blog, your name, email address, and comment content.
- Newsletter subscriptions: email address only, when we launch newsletter functionality.
- Payment information: if you pay for a coaching session through Stripe (or our backup processor, Mamo Pay), your payment data is collected and processed by them directly. We do not see or store your card details.
Information collected automatically
- Analytics data: pages visited, time on page, referring website, approximate location (country and region only), device type, browser, and operating system. Collected via Jetpack and Google Analytics.
- Server logs: IP address, request timestamps, and basic technical metadata, retained briefly for security and abuse prevention by our hosting provider WordPress.com.
- Cookies: small files stored in your browser. See section 9 below.
What we do not collect
We do not collect any sensitive medical data. We do not ask for your diagnosis, medication history, or clinical records. The site is informational, not a clinical service.
3. How we use your information
We use the information we collect to:
- Respond to your enquiries and coaching requests.
- Send you content you have explicitly subscribed to (newsletter, course updates).
- Process payments for coaching or digital products through our payment processor.
- Understand which content is useful to readers, so we can write more of what helps.
- Detect and prevent abuse, spam, and security threats.
- Comply with our legal obligations.
We do not sell your personal information. We do not share it with advertisers. We do not use your data to train AI models.
4. Legal basis for processing
If you are in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires us to identify a legal basis for each type of processing:
- Consent: when you subscribe to a newsletter, accept non-essential cookies, or provide information voluntarily through a form.
- Contract: when you book a coaching session, processing your details is necessary to deliver the service you have requested.
- Legitimate interest: for basic analytics, security monitoring, and responding to general enquiries, where the processing is reasonable and does not override your rights.
- Legal obligation: where we are required to retain certain records (for example, financial records) under UAE or other applicable law.
5. Sharing with service providers
We use trusted third-party services to operate the site. Each one only receives the data needed to perform its function:
- WordPress.com (Automattic Inc.): hosting, content management, basic analytics, and Jetpack security features.
- Google Analytics: aggregate site usage analytics, with IP anonymisation enabled.
- Stripe (primary): payment processing for coaching and digital products. Stripe is an independent data controller for payment data.
- Mamo Pay (backup): UAE-based payment processing offered as an alternative when Stripe is not suitable for the customer. Mamo Pay is an independent data controller for payment data.
- Email service provider: for newsletter delivery, when newsletter functionality launches.
- Affiliate networks: when you click an affiliate link, the destination retailer (for example, Amazon, iHerb) tracks the referral. We do not share your personal data with these retailers; the link itself contains the referral code.
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to anyone.
6. International data transfers
VitiligoMart serves a global audience and uses service providers based in different countries, including the United States and the European Union. When your data is transferred outside your country of residence, we rely on appropriate safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses, adequacy decisions, or the service provider’s own certifications under applicable frameworks.
If you would like more information about specific transfer mechanisms, contact us at the email address in section 12.
7. Your privacy rights
Depending on where you live, you may have some or all of the following rights over your personal data:
- Right of access: request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- Right of rectification: ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
- Right to erasure: ask us to delete your personal data, subject to legal retention requirements.
- Right to restriction: ask us to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
- Right to data portability: request your data in a structured, commonly used format.
- Right to object: object to processing based on legitimate interest, including direct marketing.
- Right to withdraw consent: where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.
- Right to lodge a complaint: with your local data protection authority.
For California residents (CCPA / CPRA)
You have the right to know what personal information we collect, the right to delete it, the right to correct inaccuracies, and the right to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information. We do not sell or share your personal information for cross-context behavioural advertising.
For UAE residents (PDPL)
The UAE Personal Data Protection Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021) grants you rights to access, rectification, erasure, restriction of processing, data portability, and objection. You may also lodge a complaint with the UAE Data Office.
To exercise any of these rights, email us at contact@vitiligomart.com with the subject line “Privacy Request”. We will respond within 30 days.
8. Data retention
We keep personal data only for as long as we need it:
- Contact form messages: kept for up to 24 months, then deleted.
- Coaching enquiries and session notes: kept for up to 36 months from the last interaction, for follow-up purposes.
- Newsletter subscribers: kept until you unsubscribe.
- Comments: retained as long as the comment remains visible on the site.
- Analytics data: aggregate, non-identifying data may be kept indefinitely. Identifiable session data is retained for 14 months in Google Analytics.
- Financial records (when payments launch): retained for the period required by UAE tax law, currently 7 years.
9. Cookies and tracking
This site uses cookies for essential functions (keeping you logged in if you have an account, remembering your wishlist), for analytics, and for affiliate link attribution.
You can control non-essential cookies through your browser settings or through any cookie consent banner displayed on the site. Disabling cookies may affect some site features.
For more detail on each cookie we use, see our Cookie Policy.
10. Children’s privacy
VitiligoMart is intended for adults and for parents or guardians researching vitiligo on behalf of children in their care. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you believe a child has submitted personal information through our site, please contact us and we will delete it.
11. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The “Last updated” date at the bottom of this page reflects the most recent revision. For significant changes, we will give you reasonable notice on the homepage or by email if we have your address.
12. How to contact us
For any privacy-related question, request, or complaint, email contact@vitiligomart.com. We aim to respond within 30 days.
You may also write to us at: Vitiex Global FZ-LLC, RAKEZ Free Zone, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates.