Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Quote Trades (ABN 54 906 005 064) ("QuoteTrades", "we", "us", or "our") is committed to protecting the privacy of individuals who use our platform. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our website, mobile application, and services (collectively, the "Platform").

We comply with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and, where applicable, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for users in the European Union.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

• Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, password, and profile photo.
• Business Information (Tradies): Business name, ABN, trade licences, insurance certificates, police check results, and service areas.
• Job Information: Job descriptions, photos, location, budget, and timeline.
• Payment Information: Credit card details, bank account information (processed securely by our payment provider, Stripe).
• Communications: Messages exchanged through the Platform, support requests, and feedback.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Device Information: Device type, operating system, browser type, and unique device identifiers.
• Usage Data: Pages visited, features used, time spent on the Platform, and interaction patterns.
• Location Data: Approximate location from IP address; precise location only with your consent (for features like job matching and fleet tracking).
• Cookies and Similar Technologies: See our Cookie Policy for details.
• Quote opens: When you open a quote on QuoteTrades or from its link, we let the business that sent it know it was opened. We keep a random id in your browser so reloading the page doesn't count twice.

2.3 Information from Third Parties

• Verification Services: Licence and insurance verification from state and territory regulators.
• Payment Providers: Transaction status and fraud prevention data from Stripe.
• Business Registry: ABN status and entity name from the Australian Business Register.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information to:

• Provide, maintain, and improve the Platform
• Match customers with suitable tradies based on location, trade, and availability
• Verify tradie licences, insurance, and credentials
• Process payments and prevent fraud
• Send service-related communications (job updates, quotes, invoices)
• Send marketing communications (with your consent)
• Respond to support requests and resolve disputes
• Analyse usage patterns to improve our services
• Comply with legal obligations

4. How We Share Your Information

4.1 With Other Users

When a customer posts a job, relevant details are visible to tradies. When a tradie submits a quote, their profile information (business name, ratings, verification status) is visible to the customer. Direct messages are only visible to the participants.

4.2 With Service Providers

We share information with third-party service providers who assist us in operating the Platform:

• Payment Processing: Stripe (payment processing, payouts)
• Cloud Hosting: Microsoft Azure (data storage, computing)
• Email Delivery: our mail provider, for transactional email such as quote notifications and password resets
• SMS Services: Twilio (SMS notifications, verification)
• Diagnostics: Azure Application Insights (error and performance monitoring)
• Maps: Google Maps (location services)

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or government request, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.

4.4 Business Transfers

If QuoteTrades is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any change in ownership.

5. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services. After account deletion, we may retain certain information for up to 7 years for legal, tax, and audit purposes. Anonymised data may be retained indefinitely for analytics.

6. Automated Decisions and AI

Some parts of QuoteTrades use your information automatically, without a person reviewing each case. None of them decide whether you can use the platform, and none of them set a price you have to accept. Here is all of it:

• Matching jobs to tradespeople. When a customer posts a job we use its trade, its location and a tradesperson's service area and recorded trades to decide who is told about it. This affects which work you are shown.
• Ranking and scoring leads. We score how well a job suits a tradesperson using their trade, location, recent activity and past results, and order their leads by that score. It changes the order you see, not whether you may quote.
• Ordering the tradie directory. Search results are ordered using distance, rating, verification status and availability.
• Drafting text. Where offered, we can draft a quote description, a job summary or a reply to a review. Every draft is shown to you to edit, accept or discard, and nothing is sent on your behalf without you doing that.
• Price guidance. We show ranges based on similar jobs. They are information for you, never a price set for you.

You can ask us what information was used in any of the above as it relates to you, ask for a human to look at an outcome, or ask us to correct the information behind it. Contact details are in section 12.

7. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your information, including:

• Encryption of data in transit (TLS) and at rest
• Secure password hashing
• Regular security audits and penetration testing
• Access controls and employee training
• PCI DSS compliance for payment data (via Stripe)

However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. Your Rights and Choices

Under Australian privacy law and GDPR (where applicable), you have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal retention requirements)
• Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
• Objection: Object to processing for direct marketing purposes
• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for processing based on consent

To exercise these rights, contact us at privacy@quotetrades.com. We will respond within 30 days.

9. Children's Privacy

The Platform is not intended for individuals under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have collected information from a child, we will delete it promptly.

10. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than Australia, including the United States (where some of our service providers are located). We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including standard contractual clauses approved by regulators.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting a notice on the Platform or sending you an email. Your continued use of the Platform after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

12. Contact Us

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

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).