Wah! SMARTDEALS: Customer Privacy Policy
Effective date: October 7, 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how WahSmartDeals LLC ("Wah!", "we", "us") collects, uses, shares, stores, and protects personal information when you use the Platform as a customer. It should be read with the Customer Terms of Service, Cookie Policy, Text Messaging Terms, Community and Review Guidelines, Points and Rewards, Disclaimer, and Account Deletion Policy.
Wah! is a technology marketplace that connects customers with independent local businesses. Wah! offers two deal types: Sponsor deals (free to you; the business pays Wah!) and Treat deals (a free community event that Wah! pays for). Older Retail deals can no longer be created; records from past Retail deals still exist. Because deal types work differently, the information shared with a business also differs. See Section 3.
You must be 18 or older to use the Platform. The app does not currently check your age; the age rule is a condition of use set out in the Terms.
1. Information we collect
| Category | Examples | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity & account | First and last name, phone number, email, street address, city, state, ZIP code, an optional profile photo, and your community. If you sign in with Google or Apple, they give us your name, email address and profile picture (the picture is copied into Wah! storage); Apple may give us a private relay email address instead of your real one. You must also verify a phone number. | You, at registration and in your profile; Google or Apple if you use them to sign in. |
| Authentication & security | One-time-code events, session data, the result of our human check (Cloudflare Turnstile, or a built-in sum check as a fallback) at sign-up and when you claim a Sponsor deal, and counters that limit how often some actions can be repeated (these are kept per account, not per IP address). Optional Face ID or fingerprint unlock: your phone's operating system unlocks a sign-in credential kept in the device keychain or keystore (this includes your phone number as the username). Your sign-in session is also copied into app preferences on the phone. Wah! never receives or stores your biometric data. | Automatically, when you sign in and use the app. |
| Acceptance & consent records | When you accept our Terms and Privacy Policy, and when you agree to share your details with a business (see Section 3), we store the version and wording shown, the time, your IP address and your device/browser string. These records are kept as proof of what you agreed to. | Automatically, when you accept or consent. |
| Community & preferences | Your community (neighbourhood) and community requests you submit (a request to change community is handled by Wah! staff), invite codes, interests you pick, notification preferences, deal waitlist entries, watchlist entries, and "remind me when it's live" requests. | You, and your activity on the Platform. |
| Sponsor claim | Your answers to a short survey, the visit date and time you choose (walk-in deals) or the appointment time the business sets (by-appointment deals), and your agreement to share your details (see Section 3). Wah!'s own survey questions (for example your interests and job interest) stay with Wah! and are not shown to the business. | You, when you claim a Sponsor deal. |
| Transaction & deal | Deal activity, coupons you take, coupon lifecycle events (taken, cancelled, expired, scanned), strikes, and redemption logs. | Your use of deals and coupons. |
| Support & messaging | Messages between you and Wah! support, and any attachments you send. You chat only with Wah! support; the Platform has no chat between you and a business. | You and Wah!, during support. |
| Payment | You pay nothing to Wah! to claim a Sponsor or Treat deal, and Wah! does not collect a payment card from members. Members do not use Stripe. For past Retail deals you paid the business directly, and Wah! holds no card data for those. | Not applicable to members. |
| Review & reward | Review submissions (star rating and comment), an optional photo (one per review), your consent for the photo to be stored and shown, the name and profile picture shown with your review, your Wah Rewards points and any gift card requests. If you use the optional step to also post a review on Google, the review text is copied to your clipboard and, if you tap Continue, Wah! records that you went (the business can see this). Published reviews are public: see Section 3. | You. |
| Messages & push | Your push-notification token, and the title and text of notices we send you. | Your device, when you allow push notifications. |
| Technical usage | Error and performance reports (errors, the page address, device type), and the request records our hosting provider keeps (IP address and device string). We use no analytics or advertising trackers; see the Cookie Policy. We may collect technical and log data even if you browse without an account. | Automatically, from your device. |
Device permissions
The mobile app may ask your permission to use your camera (to scan a coupon QR code or take a photo), your photo library (to upload a picture), and Face ID or fingerprint unlock (handled by your phone's operating system). A microphone permission applies to businesses recording a welcome video. We do not access your location or your contacts. You can change these permissions in your device settings.
Files you upload and where they are stored
Deal images and videos, review photos, profile pictures and business logos are stored so that they can be opened through a public link; anyone who has the link can open the file. Business documents, support attachments and coupon QR codes are stored privately and are opened only through signed links that last about five minutes.
2. How we use information
- Operate sign-up, sign-in, deal discovery, coupons, redemption, support, and notifications.
- Connect you with the business for a Sponsor deal you claim, including sharing the information described in Section 3.
- Enforce our rules, prevent abuse, run the human check and rate limits, and keep the Platform secure.
- Manage Wah Rewards points and gift card requests, including staff review, and reverse points for abuse, technical errors, or policy violations.
- Store and show review photos only where you have given the photo consent requested in the app.
- Keep records of what you accepted and agreed to.
- Comply with legal obligations, respond to lawful requests, and resolve disputes.
- Find and fix errors and improve Platform performance (for example through error and performance reports).
3. How we share your information, by deal type
What a business receives depends on the deal type:
| Deal type | What the business receives |
|---|---|
| Sponsor (free to you) |
When you claim a Sponsor deal, you direct us to share your full name, phone number, real email, street address (including apartment, city, state and ZIP), community, your survey answers, and the visit date and time you chose with the one business that made the offer. The business can download these details as a spreadsheet file (CSV), and Wah! staff may also email lead details to the business. The business may contact you about the offer and about its future promotions by phone, text or email. This sharing is part of getting a free Sponsor deal, because the business pays Wah! a fee for each claim. You agree to it in a separate step before the coupon is issued, and we keep a record of that agreement (the wording shown, its version, the time, and your IP address and device string). The business also sees what happens to your coupon (for example that it was scanned, cancelled or expired) and any review you write. The business uses your details as an independent party under its own privacy practices. Wah! cannot take your details back from the business once they are shared, and a copy the business has already downloaded or been sent stays with it, even if you later delete your account. You can tell the business to stop contacting you at any time: reply STOP to its text message or tell it directly, or email admin@wahsmartdeals.com and we will pass your request on to the business. Wah! does this by hand, does not run an automatic opt-out list for a business's own messages, and cannot promise that a business will stop. Businesses are expected to honor these requests. |
| Treat (free community event paid for by Wah!) | The business sees only a shortened version of your name, such as "First L.", and that your coupon was taken or scanned. It does not receive your phone number, email, or address. You pay nothing and give nothing in return. A Treat earns no Wah Rewards points. |
| Retail (past records only; no new Retail deals can be created) | So the business could validate and honor your coupon, it saw the name associated with the coupon in shortened form, such as "First L.", and otherwise only aggregate redemption counts and revenue totals. The business did not receive your phone, email, or address for Retail deals. |
Business as independent party. Once a business receives your information for a Sponsor deal, the business uses that information as an independent party under its own privacy practices and applicable law. Wah! is not responsible for a business's separate use of your information. You may ask a business to stop contacting you, and you may contact us for help.
Information that other people can see:
- Reviews are public. A review on a published deal can be read by anyone, signed in or not. It shows your name as "First L.", your profile picture, your star rating, your comment, your photo (only if you ticked the photo consent), and any public reply from the business. Public deal share pages do not show reviews, but the reviews themselves are readable by anyone who looks them up. If you write a 5-star Sponsor review with text and tick "share with my community", your name and quote are sent to members of your community.
- Public file links. Files stored behind a public link (see Section 1) can be opened by anyone who has the link.
- Sharing you start. If you tap share on a deal (for example to WhatsApp), the share text goes to the app you choose.
We also share information:
- Service providers / subprocessors: as described in Section 4.
- Corporate / legal events: audits, mergers, restructuring, financing, or asset sales, subject to confidentiality.
- Safety / legal disclosures: to comply with law, respond to lawful requests, enforce our terms, and protect users, rights, property, and platform integrity.
"Sale" and "share" under state privacy laws. We do not sell your personal information to advertisers or data brokers, and we do not use it for cross-context behavioral advertising. However, because a business pays Wah! a fee for each Sponsor claim, sharing your details with that business may be treated as a "sale" or "share" under some state privacy laws. We do it only when you choose to claim a Sponsor deal and agree in the separate step described above, to deliver the deal you requested. You can decline by not claiming a Sponsor deal. You may also exercise your choices as described in Section 14.
4. Service providers and subprocessors
We use service providers to operate, secure, and improve the Platform. They handle personal information to provide their service to us, and also under their own terms and privacy policies.
| Provider | What it does for the Platform | Information involved |
|---|---|---|
| Supabase | Hosting, database, sign-in, file storage and server functions (US East, Ohio) | Your account data and everything you submit to the Platform |
| Vercel | Website and app hosting | Page requests: IP address and device string |
| Stripe | Card on file, top-ups, lead purchases and refunds for businesses only. Members never use Stripe. | Business contact email, business name and Stripe ids; card numbers go straight to Stripe's hosted pages |
| Twilio | Login codes by text message and a few text alerts | Your phone number and the message |
| Amazon Web Services (SES) | Email delivery (us-east-2) | Your email address and the email |
| Google Firebase Cloud Messaging | Push notifications | Device token, title, text, badge |
| Sentry | Error and performance monitoring | Errors, page address, device type. About 10% of production page loads are sampled; no session replay; no user identifiers are set |
| Anthropic (Claude) | AI Assist, only when you start it (see Section 5) | The rating, deal name, business name and any text you typed. Not your name |
| Sign-in with Google; address lookup (Places); map links; Firebase scripts | Your name, email and profile picture if you sign in with Google; the characters you type in address fields; requests to load scripts | |
| Apple | Sign-in with Apple (including private relay email); map links | Name, email |
Services your device contacts directly
Some features load content from, or send a small piece of information to, a third party straight from your device. That party also sees your IP address and device details. These are:
| Service | When | What is sent |
|---|---|---|
| Cloudflare Turnstile | Human check at sign-up, in the business review step, and when you claim a Sponsor deal | The check itself |
| Google Places | As you type in the address fields at sign-up and when you edit your profile | The characters you type |
| Zippopotam.us | At sign-up | Your ZIP code, to fill in city and state |
| QRServer.com | On a deal share page | The share link, to draw the QR code |
| Google Fonts | On three static pages of our website (the Wah! Story page and two business information pages) | A request for the font file |
| Firebase scripts | When the app loads Firebase code for push notifications | The request to load the script |
| Only when you tap share | The share text | |
| Google or Apple sign-in | Only if you choose to sign in that way | See Section 1 |
Wah! is based in the United States. This list may change as our providers change; we will keep this policy reasonably current.
5. Automated processing and AI
AI Assist. Wah! offers an optional AI writing helper (AI Assist) that uses Anthropic's Claude to draft wording. It runs only when you start it. For a review draft we send the rating, the deal name, the business name and any text you have typed; we do not send your name. Businesses have a similar helper for their own listings and for replies to reviews (it can include the review text, rating and reviewer name). You can edit or ignore any draft, and you are responsible for what you submit.
What we do not do. Wah! does not use AI to moderate reviews or to detect fraud. Reviews are checked by Wah! staff, who can hide or remove a review. The support chat has a simple bad-word filter.
Fixed rules. Some account actions follow fixed rules automatically, for example a strike when a walk-in Sponsor coupon expires unredeemed. Gift card requests are decided by Wah! staff, who see a summary of your recent reviews as evidence. If you think a strike or a decision is wrong, contact support and a person will look at it.
6. Payments
You pay nothing to Wah! to claim a Sponsor or Treat deal, and Wah! does not hold, escrow, or process customer payments for vendor sales. Members never use Stripe, and the Wah! app does not load Stripe's scripts for members. Wah! does not collect a payment card from members. For past Retail deals you paid the business directly (often in cash) and Wah! did not collect your card data. Only businesses use Stripe's hosted pages, to add a card and to buy leads; card numbers go straight to Stripe and never reach Wah!.
7. Sensitive personal information
We collect a limited amount of information that may be considered "sensitive" under laws such as the CPRA, primarily your account log-in and authentication credentials, and your street address, which could indicate your general location. We do not collect your device location. We use this information only to provide and secure the Platform (for example, to authenticate you and deliver services you request) and not to infer characteristics about you. We do not collect or store biometric data; Face ID and fingerprint checks happen on your phone. Where applicable law gives you the right to limit the use of sensitive personal information, you may exercise it as described in Section 14; because we already limit our use to these permitted purposes, exercising it may not change how we handle your data.
8. Rewards program (Wah Rewards points)
We offer an optional loyalty reward for reviews. For a review of a Sponsor deal (and of past Retail deals) we credit 100 Wah Rewards points; a review of a Treat earns no points. 500 points can be exchanged for one $10 gift card. That means 100 points are worth $2 toward a gift card. Points have no cash value and do not expire. A gift card is not automatic: you request it, Wah! staff approve or decline the request, the 500 points are spent only when it is approved, and the code is sent to you by email. Staff see a summary of your recent reviews as evidence when they decide. Gift card requests may be closed at times. Points are lost if you delete your account, and a second strike removes up to 100 points. Points may also be withheld or reversed for fraud, abuse, or policy violation as described in the Terms of Service, and the program can change. More detail is in Points and Rewards.
Points are earned solely for the in-app review; posting on any external review site is voluntary and nothing is earned for it. The review screen tells you about the reward before you submit. Participation is voluntary: you are not required to leave a review or join the program to use the Platform. We provide this notice where required by financial-incentive rules such as the CPRA. We estimate the value to us of the engagement and feedback a review provides to be approximately equal to the points issued (100 points, worth $2 toward a gift card). You may withdraw from the program at any time simply by not submitting reviews.
9. Legal basis and consent
Where required by law, we rely on one or more lawful bases: contract performance, legitimate interests, legal compliance, and consent (for specific uses where applicable, such as sharing your details with a business or storing a review photo). You may withdraw consent where legally allowed. The one limit is details you have already shared with a business under a Sponsor deal: Wah! cannot take those back, but you can ask the business to stop contacting you and to delete them, and we will help you do that.
10. Data retention
We retain personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes in this policy. Retention varies by category:
| Category | Typical retention |
|---|---|
| Account & profile data | For the life of your account. After you delete your account and the 30-day grace period ends, your name becomes "Deleted User", your address is cleared, and your phone number and email are replaced by one-way codes (this is pseudonymisation, not complete erasure). See the Account Deletion Policy. |
| Transaction, coupon & ledger records | Up to seven (7) years, to meet tax, accounting, and audit obligations. |
| Sponsor lead and consent records | Kept after account deletion: the lead record and survey answers, and the records of what you accepted and agreed to (including IP address and device string). A business keeps any copy it already downloaded or was sent. |
| Platform support & messaging | Support conversations are closed when you delete your account and are retained on a long-term basis for audit, safety, and dispute resolution. |
| Security & audit logs | Retained on a long-term basis as needed for security, fraud prevention, and legal compliance. |
| Reviews & public content | While your account is active, a review stays on the published deal. After deletion your reviews are hidden and your name, comment and photos are cleared from the review; the review row is kept so the points record stays complete. |
| Points | Kept in the points record; the points themselves are forfeited on deletion. |
Records we must keep by law are retained for the required period even after you delete your account. When your account is deleted we also delete the photo files you attached to reviews, clear your device's push token, and remove your follows and contact email on community requests. Some other technical records may be kept for legal and operational reasons. If you want to know what we still hold about you, email admin@wahsmartdeals.com.
11. Security
We use administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed for the sensitivity of data processed. They include: HTTPS for data in transit; database access rules (row-level security) on every table; private storage with short-lived signed links for business documents, support attachments and coupon QR codes; a one-time code for administrator actions; rate limits on claims, coupon and report calls; and a human check at sign-up and when you claim a Sponsor deal. No system is guaranteed to be perfectly secure, and you should also protect your account and device credentials. If a data breach affecting your personal information occurs, we will notify you and the relevant authorities as required by applicable law.
12. International transfers
Wah! is based in the United States and primarily processes personal data there; our main database is hosted in the US East (Ohio) region. Our service providers may process data in the United States and in other countries where they operate, under their own terms.
13. Your rights and controls
Subject to local law, you may request access, correction, deletion, restriction, portability, or objection. Some requests may be denied where exemptions apply (for example fraud prevention, legal compliance, or active disputes). The Platform has no self-service data export tool. Requests for access, correction, deletion or a copy of your data are handled by hand: email admin@wahsmartdeals.com. You can edit your profile in the app, you can deactivate and reactivate your account yourself, and you can ask to delete your account through the in-app process described in the Account Deletion Policy. We may require identity verification before processing requests.
14. U.S. state privacy rights (California, Texas, and other states)
Depending on your state of residence, for example California under the CCPA/CPRA, Texas under the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act, and similar laws in other states, you may have the right to: confirm whether we process your personal data; access, correct, or delete it; obtain a portable copy; opt out of targeted advertising, the "sale" or "sharing" of personal data, or certain profiling; and limit the use of sensitive personal information.
We do not sell your personal information to advertisers or data brokers and do not use it for cross-context behavioral advertising; see Section 3 about Sponsor deals, where a business pays Wah! a fee for each claim. To exercise any right, or to submit a "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" request, email admin@wahsmartdeals.com; we handle these requests by hand. The simplest way to avoid sharing with a business is not to claim a Sponsor deal. Where required by law, we will treat a recognized opt-out preference signal, such as Global Privacy Control (GPC), as a valid opt-out of sale/share to the extent we engage in such activity and as we implement support for it on our website. We will respond within the timeframe required by applicable law and may verify your identity before acting. You may appeal a denial by replying to our written response, and we will provide a written explanation of our appeal decision; you will not be discriminated against for exercising these rights; and where we rely on consent you may withdraw it as easily as it was given (for details already shared with a business under a Sponsor deal, see Section 9). You may use an authorized agent where the law permits.
California "Shine the Light" (Civil Code ยง1798.83). We do not share your personal information with third parties for those third parties' own direct-marketing purposes, except that, when you claim a Sponsor deal and agree, the business that made the offer may contact you about its offers and future promotions as described in Section 3. You may contact us with any questions.
15. Children and families
The Platform is not directed to or intended for individuals under 18, and the Terms require you to be 18 or older. The Platform does not currently check your age, so we rely on you to follow this rule. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 (or the minimum age of digital consent in your jurisdiction). Where a household member under 18 uses the Platform, it must be through an adult account holder's account, as described in our Family and Age Suitability Policy. If we learn we have collected information from a child under 13, we will take reasonable steps to delete it. A parent or guardian with concerns may contact admin@wahsmartdeals.com.
16. Communications and notifications
We send messages by in-app notice, push notification (Google Firebase Cloud Messaging), email (Amazon SES), and text message (SMS).
- Push and email. You can turn off push and email in the app, all at once or by category, and set quiet hours. Some emails are sent by default and can be muted with the Email or New deals settings: a new deal in your community, a deal on your watchlist, and "remind me when it's live". Strike notices and coupon-expiring notices cannot be muted. Push notifications rely on a device token, which you can also disable in your device settings.
- Text messages from Wah!. We send your login code by text message (through Twilio Verify). Apart from the login code, the only text a member can receive from Wah! is a notice that staff have suspended the account, which is rare. You cannot turn off text messages in the app. Message and data rates may apply. See our Text Messaging Terms.
- Messages from a business. After you claim a Sponsor deal and agree, the business may contact you by phone, text or email. Those texts are sent by the business, not by Wah!. Reply STOP to the business, or email admin@wahsmartdeals.com, and we will pass your request on by hand. Wah! cannot promise to stop a business's messages.
17. Third-party links and services
The Platform may contain links or integrations to third-party services, including businesses' own sites, Google and Apple maps, Google reviews, and WhatsApp when you choose to share. Their privacy practices are governed by their own terms and policies, not this policy.
18. Jurisdiction-specific notices
Depending on your jurisdiction, additional privacy rights, disclosures, and complaint mechanisms may apply. If any part of this policy conflicts with mandatory local law, the mandatory local law controls for that scope.
19. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy and will post the revised version with an updated effective date. For material changes, we will provide reasonable notice (such as by in-app prompt, email, or notification). Continued use after the effective date constitutes acknowledgment to the extent permitted by law.
20. Contact
WahSmartDeals LLC
13235 Affirmed Avenue
Frisco, TX 75035
United States
Privacy rights requests and legal notices: admin@wahsmartdeals.com
General privacy inquiries and support: contact@wahsmartdeals.com