Security
This page describes how The RetailLAB stores and protects your data. Full detail is in our Privacy Policy.
Two Separate Systems
The RetailLAB runs two databases that are not connected to one another.
The Shopify App database holds data from stores that have installed our app: product catalog, inventory levels, order history, and aggregated purchase behavior. This is your private data. It is used only to produce your own reporting, and it is never exposed to any other merchant in any form.
The Insight Tool database powers our market reporting. It holds no sales, order, customer or inventory-quantity data from any source. It is built entirely from publicly available product information.
Because the two systems are separate, the database that produces market reporting has never held sales data from anyone, and structurally cannot.
Data Protection
Data is encrypted at rest using AES-256, and in transit using TLS 1.2 or higher. Access to production systems is restricted and monitored.
Infrastructure
Our databases run on managed PostgreSQL on US-based infrastructure, fully isolated with no public-facing routes. Backups are automated daily.
The RetailLAB Shopify app has been reviewed and approved by Shopify, which includes their security and data handling requirements for public apps.
What Our Storefront Tag Collects
Merchants who install our app receive a lightweight JavaScript tag that measures product page traffic. It records a randomly generated anonymous visitor ID stored in the browser's localStorage, the Shopify product ID of the page viewed, a timestamp, device category, referrer URL and UTM parameters.
It does not record:
- Customer names, email addresses, phone numbers or mailing addresses
- IP addresses
- Precise geolocation
The anonymous visitor ID exists so repeat visits from the same browser are counted once rather than inflating traffic figures. It is not linked to any customer identity and cannot be resolved to a person.
Third Parties
We rely on a small number of infrastructure and service providers to run The RetailLAB. Each is named individually in our Privacy Policy, along with what it receives.
Where we use AI services for query processing, they receive aggregated store metrics at query time only. No customer records, no order-level detail, and nothing personally identifiable.
Development work is performed under a confidentiality agreement. Production access is restricted and logged.
Retention and Deletion
Order history is retained for 730 days. Inventory snapshots and stockout history are retained for as long as the app is installed.
When a merchant uninstalls the app, Shopify issues a redaction webhook and all store data is permanently deleted within 48 hours. Deletion can also be requested directly at any time.
Security Incidents
In the event of a confirmed security incident affecting your data, we will notify you without undue delay and in any case within 72 hours of becoming aware, including what is known about the scope and what is being done about it.
Privacy Rights
We honor access, correction and deletion requests under CCPA, CPRA and comparable US state privacy frameworks. A data processing agreement is available on request.
Reporting Issues
If you discover a security vulnerability, please report it responsibly through our contact page.