Your privacy, data & auction account protection.

1. Scope of This Privacy Policy

Estate Sales by Jesod, LLC (“ESBJ,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to being transparent about how information is collected and used.

This Privacy Policy applies to personal information collected when you visit or use our official online auction platform at Auctions.EstatesalesbyJesod.com (the “Platform”), register a buyer account, place bids, win items, make payments, receive pickup instructions, request pickup or select pre-approved shipping, communicate with us, use our website links, or otherwise interact with Estate Sales by Jesod.

Our Platform uses auction software, hosting, payment, communication, analytics, security, and other service providers to operate the official ESBJ auction experience, including Stripe, Inc. for secure payment processing. This Policy explains how ESBJ works with these service providers.

If you do not agree with this Privacy Policy, do not use the Platform, create an account, place bids, make purchases, or submit personal information to ESBJ.

2. Information We Collect

We collect information directly from you, automatically through the Platform, and from service providers or third parties involved in operating the auction process.

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• IP address, approximate location inferred from IP address, browser type, operating system, device type, screen size, pages viewed, links clicked, timestamps, referring pages, session data, login data, and general usage activity.
• Cookies, pixels, local storage, session identifiers, analytics identifiers, fraud-prevention signals, and similar technologies that help operate and protect the Platform.
• Technical logs related to errors, access, authentication, security, bidding activity, payment status, and Platform performance.

2.3 Information From Third Parties

• Stripe: payment authorization, payment status, card verification, fraud screening, disputes, chargebacks, and limited payment reference data.
• Auction software and hosting providers: auction platform hosting, user account activity, bidding functionality, invoices, transaction tools, and system notifications.
• Shipping providers: shipping address, tracking information, delivery status, packing details, and carrier communications when shipping is arranged.
• Email or SMS providers: delivery status, bounce notices, unsubscribe records, message logs, and transactional communication records.
• Analytics and security providers: Platform performance, traffic patterns, fraud prevention, abuse prevention, and security monitoring.
• Estate clients, consignors, property owners, representatives, or authorized third parties: information necessary to complete, verify, document, or resolve a sale, pickup, or transaction issue.

3. Sensitive, Restricted, and Unnecessary Information

ESBJ does not request sensitive personal information unless it is reasonably necessary for a transaction, legal requirement, fraud-prevention purpose, tax purpose, identity verification, payment dispute, restricted-item transfer, or other legitimate business need.

Please do not send us sensitive information that is not necessary for your account, transaction, pickup, shipping, support request, tax status, or legal compliance. This includes unnecessary copies of government IDs, medical information, financial account numbers, social security numbers, biometric data, precise geolocation, or highly personal documents.

We do not knowingly collect precise GPS location through the Platform. We may infer general location from IP address for security, analytics, fraud prevention, or Platform functionality.

4. How We Use Your Information

ESBJ uses personal information for the purposes described below:

• Create, verify, maintain, secure, and administer user accounts.
• Operate the official ESBJ Platform and provide buyer account, browsing, bidding, invoice, payment, pickup, and related auction functionality.
• Process registrations, bids, watchlists, invoices, payments, refunds, credits, disputes, and purchase records.
• Verify payment methods, prevent fraud, process card authorizations, and manage chargebacks or payment disputes.
• Coordinate winner-only pickup instructions, removal, third-party pickup authorization, select approved shipping, tracking, and delivery support where applicable.
• Send transactional messages such as password resets, registration notices, bid confirmations, outbid alerts, closing reminders, invoices, payment confirmations, winner-only pickup instructions, shipping updates where applicable, account notices, and policy updates.
• Provide customer support and respond to questions, complaints, requests, claims, disputes, or legal inquiries.
• Improve auction listings, Platform performance, security, usability, communications, and customer experience.
• Detect, investigate, prevent, and respond to fraud, unauthorized access, bid manipulation, non-payment, chargeback abuse, harassment, security incidents, and violations of our Terms.
• Comply with accounting, tax, legal, regulatory, recordkeeping, insurance, audit, and law-enforcement obligations.
• Protect the rights, safety, property, and legitimate interests of ESBJ, users, buyers, bidders, estate clients, consignors, property owners, service providers, and the public.
• Send promotional messages about upcoming auctions, estate sales, services, and featured items where permitted by law and your communication preferences.

5. Payments, Card Verification, and Stripe

ESBJ uses Stripe, Inc. and/or related Stripe services for secure payment processing. When you provide payment information, that information may be collected directly by Stripe or securely transmitted to Stripe for processing, verification, fraud screening, transaction completion, and dispute management.

ESBJ does not store full credit card or debit card numbers on its own servers. ESBJ may receive limited payment reference information, such as card brand, last four digits, transaction status, authorization status, payment date, invoice reference, and fraud or dispute indicators.

5.1 Card Verification Authorizations

When you add or update a card, Stripe may place a small temporary authorization to confirm that the card is valid. This authorization is not intended to be a completed charge and is typically released automatically by the card issuer according to the issuer’s timing.

5.2 Payment Disputes and Chargebacks

If you initiate a payment dispute, chargeback, fraud claim, or bank inquiry, ESBJ and Stripe may use and share information related to your account, bids, invoices, pickup, shipping, communications, IP address, transaction records, and proof of purchase to respond to the dispute.

6. How We Share Information

We do not sell personal information for money. We may share personal information when necessary to operate the Platform, complete transactions, protect the auction process, comply with law, or support ESBJ’s legitimate business operations.

6.1 Estate Clients, Consignors, Property Owners, and Estate Representatives

ESBJ may share limited information with estate clients, consignors, estate representatives, property owners, trustees, executors, or authorized representatives when necessary to document a sale, coordinate pickup, verify transaction status, resolve an issue, or comply with a legal or contractual obligation. We do not share full payment card numbers with estate clients, consignors, or property owners.

6.2 Business Transfers

If ESBJ is involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, sale of assets, business transfer, or similar transaction, personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to applicable law.

6.3 With Your Consent

We may share information when you direct us to do so, authorize a third party to pick up items, request shipping, ask us to communicate with a representative, or otherwise consent to the disclosure.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to operate the Platform, keep users signed in, remember preferences, support watchlists, enable bidding and checkout, prevent fraud, analyze traffic, improve performance, and understand how users interact with our pages.

7.1 Types of Cookies We May Use

• Essential cookies: Needed for login, account security, bidding, checkout, session management, and core Platform functionality.
• Preference cookies: Help remember settings, saved views, watchlists, or similar preferences.
• Analytics cookies: Help us understand traffic, page performance, user behavior, and errors.
• Security and fraud-prevention cookies: Help detect suspicious activity, payment risk, automated abuse, and unauthorized access.
• Marketing or measurement cookies: May help measure the effectiveness of promotions, auction announcements, or advertising, where used and permitted by law.

7.2 Managing Cookies

You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling certain cookies may prevent parts of the Platform from working properly, including login, bidding, watchlists, payment, checkout, and account security.

7.3 Do Not Track and Privacy Signals

Some browsers send “Do Not Track” or privacy preference signals. Because there is no single universal standard for these signals, the Platform may not respond to all such signals. Where legally required and technically feasible, ESBJ will honor applicable opt-out preference signals related to sale, sharing, or targeted advertising.

8. Marketing and Communications Choices

ESBJ may send you transactional, service-related, and promotional communications.

8.1 Transactional Communications

Transactional messages may include account notices, password resets, registration confirmations, bid confirmations, outbid alerts, watchlist reminders, closing-soon notices, invoices, payment confirmations, winner-only pickup instructions, shipping updates where applicable, policy updates, dispute notices, and customer service responses.

You may not opt out of transactional communications that are necessary to administer your account, active bids, purchases, invoices, pickup, approved shipping, disputes, security, or legal obligations.

8.2 Promotional Communications

Promotional messages may include upcoming auction notices, estate sale announcements, featured items, ESBJ service updates, and related marketing. You may opt out of promotional emails by using the unsubscribe link where available or by contacting ESBJ.

8.3 SMS/Text Messages

If you provide a mobile number or consent to text messaging, ESBJ or its providers may send text messages related to account activity, auctions, pickup, support, or promotions where permitted. Message and data rates may apply. You may opt out of promotional SMS messages by replying STOP, but you may still receive necessary transactional communications through other methods.

9. Auction Records, Pickup, Shipping, and Transaction Documentation

Online auctions require accurate transaction records. ESBJ may collect, create, store, and use records related to registration, bids, winning lots, invoices, payments, winner-only pickup instructions, approved shipping, item release, abandoned property, disputes, and customer communications.

9.1 Pickup Address Privacy

Because many pickups may occur at private homes, estates, storage locations, or other non-public sites, ESBJ may keep the exact pickup address private until after an auction closes. Exact pickup address information and detailed pickup instructions may be shared only with winning bidders, authorized pickup representatives, and service providers who need that information to complete the transaction.

These records may be used to:

• Confirm winning bidders and final sale amounts.
• Process invoices, payments, taxes, buyer’s premium, shipping, and fees.
• Coordinate pickup appointments, exact pickup address communications for winning bidders, authorized pickup representatives, and item release.
• Document whether items were picked up, shipped, abandoned, resold, donated, or disposed of.
• Respond to disputes, chargebacks, non-payment, missing item claims, or pickup issues.
• Comply with tax, accounting, auction, legal, insurance, and recordkeeping obligations.

10. Fraud Prevention, Safety, and Enforcement

ESBJ may use personal information to protect the Platform, prevent abuse, enforce our Terms, and preserve the integrity of auctions.

This may include using or sharing information to investigate:

• Suspected fraud, unauthorized account access, fake accounts, or identity misuse.
• Non-payment, chargeback abuse, payment disputes, or suspicious payment activity.
• Bid manipulation, shill bidding, bid shielding, collusion, or automated bidding abuse.
• Harassment, threats, abusive communications, unsafe pickup behavior, or property damage.
• Violations of auction terms, pickup rules, shipping rules, restricted item rules, or applicable law.
• Security incidents, system abuse, scraping, hacking attempts, or malware activity.

ESBJ may preserve records, suspend accounts, restrict bidding, cancel transactions, refuse pickup, refer matters to collections, cooperate with law enforcement, or take legal action where appropriate.

11. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary to provide services, maintain your account, operate the Platform, complete transactions, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, enforce agreements, prevent fraud, maintain business records, and protect ESBJ’s rights and interests.

Retention periods may vary based on the type of information:

• Account records: retained while your account is active and for a reasonable period afterward.
• Bid and transaction records: retained for accounting, tax, auction, legal, audit, and dispute-resolution purposes.
• Payment records: retained as needed for invoices, refunds, chargebacks, fraud prevention, and legal compliance. Full card data is handled by Stripe, not stored by ESBJ.
• Communications: retained as needed for customer service, dispute resolution, legal compliance, and business records.
• Security logs: retained for a reasonable period to protect the Platform and investigate suspicious activity.
• Marketing preferences: retained to honor opt-out requests and communication choices.

When information is no longer needed, we may delete, anonymize, aggregate, or securely archive it, subject to legal, technical, and business limitations.

12. Data Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information from unauthorized access, misuse, loss, alteration, or disclosure.

These safeguards may include SSL/TLS encryption, access controls, account authentication, payment processor security, fraud screening, system monitoring, vendor controls, administrative procedures, and recordkeeping practices.

You are responsible for keeping your account credentials confidential, using a strong password, logging out on shared devices, protecting your email account, and notifying us promptly if you believe your account has been accessed without authorization.

13. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on where you live and which privacy laws apply, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information.

To exercise a privacy right, contact us at [email protected]. Please include your full name, account email, phone number if applicable, and a clear description of your request.

ESBJ may need to verify your identity before processing a request. We may deny, limit, or retain information where permitted by law, including when information is needed for transactions, legal compliance, security, fraud prevention, tax records, accounting records, dispute resolution, chargeback defense, auction records, or enforcement of our Terms.

13.1 Authorized Agents

Where permitted by applicable law, you may authorize another person to submit a privacy request on your behalf. ESBJ may require proof of authorization and may also require you to verify your identity directly.

13.2 Non-Discrimination

ESBJ will not unlawfully discriminate against you for exercising applicable privacy rights. However, certain information may be required to provide services, process bids, complete purchases, verify payment, coordinate pickup, or comply with legal obligations.

14. State Privacy Notices

Some U.S. states provide residents with specific privacy rights. ESBJ will honor applicable rights to the extent required by law.

14.1 New Hampshire Residents

New Hampshire residents may have rights under applicable New Hampshire privacy law, subject to statutory thresholds, exemptions, verification requirements, and exceptions. These rights may include access, correction, deletion, portability, and opt-out rights for certain processing activities where the law applies.

14.2 California Residents

If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act, may provide rights to know, access, correct, delete, opt out of certain sale or sharing of personal information, limit certain uses of sensitive personal information, and avoid unlawful discrimination for exercising privacy rights.

ESBJ does not sell personal information for money. However, some analytics, advertising, measurement, or third-party technologies could be considered “sharing” or a “sale” under certain privacy laws, depending on how those laws apply. You may contact ESBJ to request available opt-out options.

14.3 Other State Residents

Residents of other U.S. states with privacy laws may have similar rights. If your state provides specific privacy rights, you may submit a request using the contact information in this Policy.

14.4 Appeals

Where required by applicable law, if ESBJ denies your privacy request, you may have the right to appeal the decision. Appeal instructions will be provided in our response when legally required.

15. Children’s Privacy

The Platform is intended for users who are at least 18 years old. ESBJ does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18 and does not knowingly allow children to register accounts, place bids, make purchases, or participate in auctions.

If we learn that we collected personal information from a child without appropriate authorization, we will take reasonable steps to delete the information, subject to legal and security requirements.

If you believe a child has provided personal information to ESBJ, contact us at [email protected].

16. Third-Party Links and Services

The Platform and ESBJ communications may contain links to third-party websites, services, social media pages, payment processors, maps, shipping providers, analytics providers, or external resources. ESBJ is not responsible for the privacy practices, security, content, accuracy, policies, or actions of third-party websites or services.

Third-party services may collect information directly from you under their own privacy policies. You should review the privacy policies of any third-party services you use.

17. International Users

ESBJ is based in the United States, and the Platform is operated primarily for users in the United States. If you access the Platform from outside the United States, you understand that your information may be collected, processed, stored, and transferred in the United States.

Data protection laws in the United States may differ from the laws in your country or region. By using the Platform or submitting information to ESBJ, you consent to the processing and transfer of information in the United States, subject to applicable law.

ESBJ may limit access, bidding, pickup arrangements, shipping, or services for users outside the United States due to legal, logistical, tax, fraud-prevention, payment-processing, or shipping limitations.

18. Changes to This Privacy Policy

ESBJ may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our Platform, services, vendors, legal requirements, technology, privacy practices, or business operations.

When updates are made, we may revise the “Last Updated” date and may provide notice by posting the updated Policy on the Platform, sending an email, displaying a notice, or using other reasonable methods.

Your continued use of the Platform after an updated Privacy Policy is posted or becomes effective means you acknowledge the updated Policy, subject to applicable law.

19. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, your personal information, your privacy rights, account data, payment privacy, cookies, communications, or a privacy request, contact Estate Sales by Jesod.