Privacy Policy

The Privacy Policy page for WhatIsBlackfriday explains what information this website collects, how that information is used, and what choices readers have about it. A site built around Black Friday deal coverage, Cyber Monday sales guides, and product buying advice handles reader data with care, and this page explains that care in plain terms.

The short version is as follows: we collect the information needed to run the site, improve the experience, and support the commercial relationships that keep the site running. We do not sell reader data, and we do not collect more than the site needs to function.

The rest of this page covers what we collect, how we collect it, how cookies and affiliate tracking work, how advertising uses data, how long we keep information, and what rights readers have over their data. It is the reference point for every data practice on this site.

Why This Policy Exists

A privacy policy exists because readers deserve to know what happens to their information. A deals site asks readers to trust it with their attention, their browsing habits, and occasionally their purchase behavior, and that trust should be met with a clear explanation of how the data is handled.

This policy is also a commitment. It says, in writing, that WhatIsBlackfriday collects only what it needs, uses that data only for stated purposes, and gives readers a way to ask questions or make requests about their own information.

The policy applies to every visitor, whether they arrive through a search result, a social post, a newsletter, or a direct visit. It covers the whole site, including our Black Friday deal roundups, Cyber Monday sales guides, Amazon Prime Day coverage, and year-round buying guides.

What Information We Collect

We collect two broad types of information: information readers provide directly, and information collected automatically as users use the site. The first type includes anything a reader types into a form, such as a name, an email address, or a message sent through our contact page.

The second type includes technical data like IP address, browser type, device type, pages visited, and time spent on the site. This data is collected through cookies, analytics tools, and similar technologies, and it is used to understand how the site is used rather than to identify individual readers.

We also collect information related to affiliate links. When a reader clicks a tracked link to a retailer, the retailer places a cookie that records the referral. That cookie connects a purchase back to this site, and we explain it in more detail in the affiliate tracking section below.

Information Readers Provide Directly

The most common direct information is a contact form submission. When a reader sends a question, a correction, or a tip, we collect the name and email address provided in the form, along with the message itself. This information is used to respond and to follow up if needed.

Newsletter signups collect an email address, and sometimes a first name if the reader chooses to provide one. That information is used to send the newsletter and to manage the subscription, including unsubscribes and preference changes.

We do not ask for sensitive information like social security numbers, financial account details, or health data. If a reader volunteers sensitive information in a contact form, we handle it with care, but we do not request it and we do not build our forms around collecting it.

Information Collected Automatically

As readers browse the site, technical data is collected automatically. This includes IP address, browser type, operating system, device type, referring page, and the pages visited during the session. This data helps the site understand traffic patterns and improve performance.

We also collect data on how readers interact with the site, such as which deal pages get the most visits, which buying guides are read longest, and which links get clicked most often. That information shapes editorial decisions about what to cover and how to structure future pages.

This automatic collection is standard across most websites, and it is not unique to WhatIsBlackfriday. What is unique is how we use it: to improve the site and support its commercial model, not to build detailed profiles of individual readers.

How We Use Cookies

Cookies are small files placed in a browser by a website. They serve several purposes on this site, including remembering preferences, measuring traffic, and supporting affiliate tracking. Some cookies are essential for the site to function, and others are optional and used for analytics or advertising.

Essential cookies handle things like session management and security. Analytics cookies measure how the site is used, such as which pages get visited and how long readers stay. Advertising cookies, when present, support the ad relationships described in our Advertising and Sponsored Content Policy.

Readers can control cookies through their browser settings. Blocking or deleting cookies may affect some site functions, but the core experience of reading a deal guide or a buying guide does not depend on them. We would rather lose a tracking cookie than have a reader feel tracked.

How Analytics Work

We use analytics tools to understand how the site is used. These tools collect data like page views, session duration, bounce rate, and traffic sources. The data is aggregated, meaning it describes patterns across readers rather than the behavior of any single person.

Analytics inform editorial decisions. If a category like gaming monitors gets heavy traffic during a sale event, that tells the editorial team where to focus coverage. If a buying guide has a high bounce rate, that signals a problem with the page that needs attention.

Analytics data is not used to identify individual readers. We do not match analytics data to names, email addresses, or purchase records. The purpose is to understand the audience in aggregate, and that purpose does not require knowing who any individual reader is.

How Affiliate Tracking Works

Affiliate tracking is a core part of how this site earns money, and it is explained in full on our Affiliate Disclosure page. When a reader clicks a tracked link to a retailer, the retailer places a cookie that records the referral. If the reader makes a purchase within a set window, the cookie connects the order back to this site.

The cookie does not tell us who the reader is, what payment method was used, or anything else personal. Retailers report orders to publishers in aggregate: a product was purchased, and a commission was earned. The reader’s identity stays with the retailer, under that retailer’s own privacy policy.

Readers who prefer not to be tracked can search for the product directly on the retailer’s site instead of clicking through. The price is the same either way, and the site keeps operating either way. We would rather lose a commission than have a reader feel steered.

How Advertising Uses Data

Advertising on this site is governed by our Advertising and Sponsored Content Policy, and this section explains the data side of that relationship. When ads are present, advertising cookies may be used to measure impressions, control frequency, and in some cases support interest-based targeting.

Interest-based targeting means an ad is shown based on the reader’s browsing behavior across sites, not just on this one. This is a common practice, and it is handled by advertising networks rather than by WhatIsBlackfriday directly. We do not build reader profiles ourselves.

Readers can opt out of interest-based advertising through industry opt-out tools and through their browser settings. We support those choices, and we do not run ads in a way that requires readers to give up control over their own data.

We share information only when necessary to run the site and support its commercial model. That includes sharing data with service providers who host the site, process forms, or deliver newsletters. These providers handle data under their own privacy policies and only for the purpose we hire them for.

We also share data with affiliate networks and retailers when a tracked link results in a commission. That sharing is limited to the referral data needed to process the commission, and it does not include personal details about the reader beyond what the retailer already has.

We do not sell reader data to third parties. We do not share reader data with advertisers for their own marketing purposes beyond what is needed to deliver an ad. If that ever changes, this policy will be updated to describe it in the same plain terms used here.

How Long We Keep Information

We keep information only as long as needed for the purpose it was collected. Contact form submissions are kept while the conversation is active and for a reasonable period afterward in case a follow-up is needed. Newsletter data is kept while the subscription is active.

Analytics data is kept according to the retention settings of the analytics tool, which is typically a set number of months. Affiliate tracking cookies have their own lifespan, set by the retailer or network, and they expire on their own.

When data is no longer needed, it is deleted or anonymized. We do not keep reader information indefinitely just because we can, and we do not build archives of personal data that serve no active purpose.

What Rights Readers Have

Readers have rights over their own data, and those rights vary by location. In many places, readers can request a copy of the data held about them, ask for corrections, or ask for deletion. These requests are handled through the contact page.

Readers can also unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time using the link in any email. That choice is honored immediately, and the email address is removed from the mailing list rather than kept in a dormant state.

For readers in regions with specific data protection laws, such as the European Union or California, additional rights may apply. Those rights are described in the relevant sections of this policy, and requests made under them are handled according to the law that applies.

How We Handle Requests

Data requests are handled through the contact page. A reader sends a message describing the request, and the editorial or support team responds with the next steps. Most requests are answered within a reasonable business timeframe, and complex requests may take longer.

We verify the identity of the person making the request before releasing or deleting data. This is a standard protection against someone else making a request on a reader’s behalf. Verification is simple and does not require more information than the request itself.

If a request cannot be fulfilled, for example, because the data is held by a third party like a retailer, we explain why and point the reader toward the party that holds the data. We do not leave a reader guessing about where their information lives.

How We Protect Children

This site is not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect information from children under the age of 13. If a child’s information is submitted through a form, we delete it when we become aware of it.

Parents or guardians who believe a child’s information has been collected can contact us through the contact page, and we will handle the request promptly. The same standard applies to any data collected from a minor, regardless of how it was submitted.

We also do not run advertising targeted at children. The ad relationships described in our Advertising and Sponsored Content Policy are built around an adult shopping audience, and we do not accept placements that target minors.

How We Secure Information

We use standard security measures to protect the information we hold. That includes encryption for data in transit, secure hosting, and access controls that limit who on the team can see reader data. These measures are reviewed regularly as part of normal site maintenance.

No system is perfect, and we do not claim otherwise. If a security incident affects reader data, we will notify affected readers as required by law and describe what happened in plain terms rather than burying the notice in legal language.

We also limit the data we hold in the first place. The less sensitive information a site collects, the less there is to protect. That principle shapes our forms, our analytics setup, and our affiliate tracking arrangements.

How We Handle International Readers

Readers access this site from around the world, and data practices may differ by location. For readers in the European Union, the United Kingdom, and other regions with specific data protection laws, additional rights and protections apply as described in this policy.

Data may be processed in countries other than the reader’s own, including the United States, where much of the internet infrastructure is based. When that happens, the transfer is handled under the legal frameworks that apply, and the reader’s rights are respected regardless of where the data is processed.

If a reader has a question about how their data is handled in their specific country, the contact page is the place to ask. We answer questions about international data practices directly, because a policy that only covers one country is not much of a policy.

How We Handle Changes to This Policy

Privacy practices change as the site changes. When a new tool is added, a new partnership is formed, or a data practice is updated, this policy is reviewed and revised to match. Material changes are noted on this page so readers can see what shifted.

We do not change this policy silently. A policy that moves without notice is not a policy; it is a moving target, and we do not operate that way. When a change affects how reader data is handled, the change is described in plain terms rather than buried in legal language.

If a change requires reader consent under a specific law, that consent is requested before the change takes effect. We do not assume consent where the law requires asking for it, and we do not treat silence as agreement.

What This Policy Does Not Cover

This policy governs WhatIsBlackfriday’s own data practices. It does not cover the privacy practices of retailers, advertisers, or affiliate networks, which have their own policies and handle reader data under their own terms.

When a reader clicks through to a retailer, that retailer’s privacy policy takes over. We point readers toward those policies rather than trying to speak for them, because the data relationship at that point is between the reader and the retailer.

If a question falls outside this policy, the contact page is the place to ask. We answer questions about data practices, reader rights, and the boundaries of this policy directly, because a policy you cannot question is not much of a policy.

Thank you for reading this far. A shopper who understands how their data is handled is in a stronger position than one who does not, and that strength is the whole reason this page exists.