Privacy Policy
Your privacy and data security are our top priorities
Privacy Policy Overview
At Tigule Marketplace, we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your data across our marketplace, Cart/Buy Now checkout, Secure Links, events, shops, auctions, wallet, and other services.
Last Updated: October 2026
Data Collection
We collect information that you provide directly to us and information that we obtain automatically when you use our services.
Information You Provide:
- Account information (name, email, phone number)
- Profile information (location, business details)
- Listing information (product descriptions, images, prices)
- Shop information (shop name, description, logo, banner)
- Cart, Buy Now, and order details (items, quantities, delivery preferences)
- Looking For requests and responses
- Event details (for organizers) and ticket purchases
- Auction listings, bids, and related transaction records
- In-app messaging and conversation data
- Account verification information (ID / selfie where required)
- Push notification tokens and notification preferences (mobile app)
Information We Collect Automatically:
- Device information (IP address, browser type, app version)
- Usage data (pages/screens visited, time spent)
- Location data (if you enable location services or set a profile location)
- Cookies and similar tracking technologies (web)
- Crash and performance diagnostics to keep the app reliable
How We Use Your Information
We use your information to provide, maintain, and improve our services while ensuring a safe and secure marketplace experience.
- Provide and maintain our marketplace, shops, events, auctions, and related services
- Process Cart, Buy Now, Secure Link, Boost, ticket, and wallet/payout flows
- Facilitate communication between buyers and sellers
- Verify user identities and prevent fraud
- Send important updates, order alerts, and notifications
- Improve our services through analytics and feedback
- Ensure platform safety and security
- Comply with legal obligations
- Provide customer support
Data Protection & Security
We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.
- SSL encryption for all data transmission
- Secure servers with regular security updates
- Access controls and authentication systems
- Regular security audits and monitoring
- Employee training on data protection
- Incident response procedures
- Data backup and recovery systems
- Compliance with data protection regulations
Cart, Buy Now, Tigule Protection & Boost
When you checkout with Cart or Buy Now, pay via a Secure Transaction Link, or purchase Boost plans, we process limited extra data to run escrow, fulfilment, and analytics.
Additional Information We Process:
- Order and checkout data (cart contents, Buy Now orders, amounts, statuses).
- Identity verification documents required for escrow and payouts.
- Delivery preferences, tracking numbers, pickup contacts, and verification photos.
- Boost performance metrics (views, clicks, spend, campaign dates).
- Dispute evidence shared with our protection team.
How We Use It:
- Securely hold payments in Tigule Protection until delivery is confirmed.
- Notify buyers, sellers, and admins about order and protection milestones.
- Generate transparent Boost reports so you can see how campaigns perform.
- Investigate fraud or abuse on protected orders and Secure Links.
We never sell this data, and it is retained only for as long as it is needed to fulfill checkout, protection, promotion, legal, or dispute obligations.
Payments & Third-Party Services
We use PayChangu as our payment processor for Cart/Buy Now, Secure Links, Boost, event tickets, raffle entries, and related paid features:
- Payment details (amount, status, transaction IDs) are processed by PayChangu
- We may share necessary data (buyer/seller IDs, order amounts) with PayChangu to complete transactions
- PayChangu has its own privacy policy governing how they handle your payment data
- We do not store full card numbers or sensitive payment credentials on our servers
Tigule Protection escrow for Cart, Buy Now, and Secure Links may involve additional data sharing with PayChangu when a payment is completed.
Secure Links
Secure Transaction Links let you collect payment for deals started on WhatsApp, Facebook, or elsewhere. When you create or use a Secure Link, we store link metadata, transaction status, and related buyer/seller information to complete the transaction and resolve disputes.
Events & Tickets
When you create events, sell tickets, or purchase tickets:
- Event details (title, description, date, venue, images) are stored and may be displayed publicly
- Ticket purchase data (quantity, purchaser info, e-ticket delivery) is processed and stored
- We may share ticket data with event organizers for access control and attendance
- Raffle entry purchases store your account, package, payment status, and entry numbers
- If you win, a shortened form of your name and your winning entry number may be shown on that raffle
Looking For & Shops
Looking For requests and your Shops:
- Looking For posts (what you're looking for, location, budget) are visible to other users
- Responses and offers you send may be stored and shown to request creators
- Shop information (name, description, followers, products) is public to help buyers discover you
Messaging
In-app messages and conversation data are stored to provide the service. We may use message content (e.g., order references) to support Cart/Buy Now orders, Secure Links, Tigule Protection, and dispute resolution. Notifications about new messages may be sent via email, push, or in-app alerts.
Service Provider Data Handling
For users offering professional services on our platform, we collect and process additional information to facilitate service delivery and maintain quality standards.
Additional Data Collected from Service Providers:
- Professional qualifications, certifications, and licenses
- Business registration details and tax information
- Service area, availability, and pricing details
- Portfolio, previous work examples, and credentials
- Insurance and bonding information (where applicable)
- Customer reviews, ratings, and feedback
- Service completion records and transaction history
- Dispute history and resolution outcomes
How We Use Service Provider Data:
- Display service provider profiles to potential customers
- Verify professional credentials and qualifications
- Facilitate matching between service providers and customers
- Monitor service quality and customer satisfaction
- Handle disputes and resolve service-related issues
- Improve platform features for service providers
- Comply with professional and legal requirements
- Protect customers from unqualified or fraudulent providers
Service Provider Data Sharing:
- Profile information is visible to customers searching for services
- Reviews and ratings are publicly displayed
- Qualifications and certifications may be shown to customers
- Service provider contact details shared with confirmed customers
- Dispute information may be shared with relevant authorities
- Professional credentials may be verified with licensing bodies
While service providers' professional information is displayed publicly, personal data like home addresses, full contact details, and financial information remain private and are only shared as necessary for service delivery.
Referral, Ambassador & Wallet Data
To run Invite and Earn, Ambassador programs, and Tigule Wallet payouts safely, we process additional anti-abuse and verification data.
Data We May Collect:
- Referral and ambassador metadata (codes, inviter/invitee links, qualifying events, campaign status).
- Wallet and withdrawal ledger data (balances, requests, approvals, reversals, payout references).
- Risk and integrity signals (IP address, device fingerprint indicators, login patterns, abuse flags).
- Verification data needed for payouts (identity details, account ownership checks, fraud-review evidence).
How We Use It:
- Calculate and validate rewards and prevent fake signups, fake emails, self-referrals, and duplicate-account abuse.
- Review, approve, hold, reject, or reverse wallet and ambassador payouts where policy or fraud concerns exist.
- Protect users and the platform from fraud, financial abuse, and unauthorized payout attempts.
- Comply with legal, accounting, and audit obligations related to financial records.
We do not sell this data. Referral, wallet, and payout records are retained for as long as needed for compliance, security, dispute handling, and financial auditing.
Your Rights Regarding Your Data
You have certain rights regarding your personal information. We respect these rights and provide you with control over your data.
- Access: Request a copy of your personal data
- Correction: Update or correct inaccurate information
- Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data
- Portability: Receive your data in a structured format
- Restriction: Limit how we process your data
- Objection: Object to certain types of data processing
- Withdrawal: Withdraw consent for data processing
- Complaint: File a complaint with relevant authorities
Exercise Your Rights: To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided below.
Contact Us About Privacy
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Privacy Contact Information:
- Email: support@tigulemarketplace.com
- WhatsApp: +265992408414
- Location: Lilongwe, Malawi
Response Time:
We typically respond to privacy inquiries within 24-48 hours during business days.
Data Protection Officer:
Frank Tembo
CEO & Data Protection Officer
Tigule Marketplace
Questions About Your Privacy?
We're here to help you understand how we protect your data and respect your privacy rights.
We respond to privacy inquiries within 24-48 hours
