Privacy Policy

1. About This Policy

Whitewater Vehicle Exports ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you use our website, services, or interact with us in connection with our vehicle export business.

We operate from two main locations:

• Australia: Whitewater Vehicle Exports, 55 Pyrmont Bridge Road, Pyrmont, NSW 2009, Australia
• UAE: Whitewater Vehicle Exports FZE, Al Hamra Industrial Zone, P/O Box 330502, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information You Provide

We collect information you voluntarily provide when you:

• Contact us via phone, email, or chat
• Communicate with us via WhatsApp
• Request vehicle quotes or information
• Submit inquiry forms on our website
• Create an account or register for services
• Make purchases or place orders
• Subscribe to newsletters or communications
• Interact with our social media accounts

This may include:

• Name, email address, phone number
• Your WhatsApp phone number and message content
• Business information and company details
• Shipping and billing addresses
• Payment information and financial details
• Vehicle preferences and requirements
• Communication preferences

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we automatically collect:

• IP address and location information
• Browser type and version
• Device information and screen resolution
• Pages visited and time spent on our site
• Referral sources and search terms
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies

2.3 Third-Party Information

We may receive information about you from third-party services we use, subject to your consent preferences:

• PostHog (Analytics): Website usage data, page views, user interactions, and technical information when analytics cookies are enabled
• Tawk.to (Chat Support): Chat conversations, contact information you provide during chat, and usage patterns when communication cookies are enabled
• Social media platforms
• Payment processors
• Shipping and logistics partners
• Vehicle inspection services

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information to:

• Process vehicle inquiries and provide quotes
• Facilitate vehicle purchases and exports
• Communicate about orders, shipments, and services
• Provide customer support and respond to inquiries
• Send important updates about your transactions
• Manage and respond to your WhatsApp messages
• Improve our website and services
• Send marketing communications (with your consent)
• Comply with legal obligations
• Prevent fraud and ensure security
• Analyze website usage and performance

4. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

We process your personal information based on:

• Contract: To fulfill our services and vehicle export agreements
• Legitimate Interest: To improve our services and prevent fraud
• Consent: For marketing communications and optional services
• Legal Obligation: To comply with applicable laws and regulations

5. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

5.1 Service Providers

• Shipping and logistics companies
• Payment processors
• Vehicle inspection services
• IT and website hosting providers
• Customer support tools
• Marketing and analytics services
• WhatsApp Business Platform (provided by Meta Platforms, Inc.) and/or official WhatsApp Business Solution Providers (BSPs) to facilitate our WhatsApp communications. Your WhatsApp messages and associated data are processed through their platforms in accordance with their respective privacy policies and WhatsApp's Business Messaging Policy.

5.2 Legal Requirements

We may disclose information when required by law, to protect our rights, prevent fraud, or ensure safety.

5.3 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the new entity.

6. International Data Transfers

Given our operations in Australia and the UAE, and our global client base, your personal information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information during international transfers.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, analyze website usage, and provide personalized content. We provide granular control over different types of cookies:

7.1 Essential Cookies

These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be disabled. They include session management, security features, and basic website functionality. This also includes storing your cookie consent preferences; without this, we would have to ask for your permission on every page visit.

7.2 Analytics Cookies (PostHog)

We use PostHog to collect anonymous analytics data including page views, user interactions, and website performance. This helps us understand how visitors use our site and improve our services. PostHog may store data in cookies and local storage with keys beginning with "ph_".

7.3 Communication Cookies (Tawk.to)

Our live chat support is powered by Tawk.to, which may store cookies and local storage data to maintain chat sessions, preferences, and history. These include cookies like "twk_uuid_", "twk_idm_key", "TawkConnectionTime" and local storage keys beginning with "twk_".

7.4 Managing Your Cookie Preferences

You can manage your cookie preferences in multiple ways:

• Cookie Banner: When you first visit our site, you can accept all, reject all optional cookies, or customize preferences
• Footer Link: Click "Manage Cookie Preferences" in our website footer to access cookie settings at any time
• Browser Settings: Clear your browser cookies to reset preferences and see the cookie banner again

Available options include:

• Accept all cookies
• Reject all optional cookies (keeping only essential ones)
• Customize your preferences for analytics and communication cookies separately

When you withdraw consent, we automatically delete all associated cookies and local storage data from the respective services.

8. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. However, no internet transmission is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce agreements. Vehicle transaction records may be retained for extended periods as required by law.

10. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have the right to:

• Access: Request copies of your personal information
• Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete information
• Erasure: Request deletion of your personal information
• Portability: Receive your data in a structured format
• Restriction: Limit how we process your information
• Object: Opt-out of certain processing activities
• Withdraw Consent: Revoke previously given consent

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information provided below.

10.1 Cookie Consent Management

You have specific rights regarding cookie consent:

• Granular Control: Choose which types of cookies to allow (analytics vs communication) independently
• Withdraw Consent: Revoke cookie consent at any time, which automatically deletes associated data
• Data Deletion: When you withdraw consent, we immediately remove all cookies and local storage data from the respective services
• Easy Access: Use the "Manage Cookie Preferences" link in our website footer to modify your settings at any time, or clear browser cookies to reset preferences

11. Marketing Communications

We may send you marketing communications about our services, new vehicle arrivals, and industry updates. You can opt-out at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in our emails or contacting us directly.

12. WhatsApp Messaging and Opt-In

We use the WhatsApp Business Platform to communicate with our customers. This allows us to send you important updates, transactional notifications, and, with your explicit consent, marketing communications directly to your WhatsApp number.

• Transactional Messages: We may send you essential messages related to your inquiries, quotes, orders, shipments, and customer support via WhatsApp. These messages are critical for our service delivery.
• Marketing Communications via WhatsApp: We will only send you promotional or marketing messages via WhatsApp if you have given us clear, explicit, and verifiable consent (opt-in) to do so. This consent may be collected through our website forms, during direct conversations, or via other methods that clearly indicate your agreement to receive such messages.
• Opt-Out: You have the right to withdraw your consent and opt-out of receiving marketing messages via WhatsApp at any time. You can do this by replying "STOP" to any WhatsApp message you receive from us, by contacting us directly at [email protected] or +61 403 064 854, or by managing your preferences in your account settings (if applicable). Please note that opting out of marketing messages will not affect your receipt of essential transactional messages related to your ongoing services or inquiries.
• Data Handling: When you communicate with us via WhatsApp, your messages, phone number, and interaction data are processed through Meta's WhatsApp Business Platform. Meta and its affiliated companies process this data in accordance with their respective privacy policies.

13. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

14. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to children under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us immediately.

15. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or applicable laws. We will notify you of significant changes by posting the updated policy on our website with a new "Last Updated" date.

16. Contact Information

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us: