TariffBase Privacy Policy

Effective date: 08.02.2026

This Privacy Policy explains how Zhu Consulting ("we", "us", "our") collects, uses, shares, and protects personal data when you use TariffBase (the "Service"), including our website, newsletter/daily summaries, and API.

We aim to collect minimal personal data and use it only for clear purposes.

1. Who is responsible for your data (Controller)

Service / Website name: TariffBase ("TariffBase")

Data Controller / Operator (legal provider): Zhu Consulting

Business address: Route de Saint-Cergue 24bis #1145, Nyon, VD 1260, Switzerland

Email: contact@tariffbase.com

This Policy is intended to support compliance with Swiss data protection law (including the Swiss FADP, where applicable) and, where applicable, the EU GDPR.

2. What personal data we collect
A) Account and subscription data
  • Email address (required to create an account)
  • Name (optional, if you provide it)
  • Account identifiers and basic settings/preferences (e.g., language, saved items)
  • Subscription status and plan information (e.g., trial status, active plan)
B) Payment and billing data

Payments are processed by third-party payment providers (e.g., Stripe or similar). We typically receive limited billing information such as:

  • Payment status, invoices/receipts, and transaction identifiers
  • Billing country and VAT/tax status (if applicable)

We do not store full payment card details on our servers.

C) Usage and technical data

When you use the Service, we may collect:

  • Log data (e.g., IP address, timestamps, pages viewed, error logs)
  • Device/browser information (e.g., browser type, operating system)
  • Cookies and similar technologies (see Section 6)
D) Inputs you provide to the tools

Depending on the feature, you may submit:

  • Product descriptions and keywords (e.g., for HS Code Finder)
  • Product codes and origin/destination selections (for tariff search)
  • Support requests or messages you send us

Please avoid submitting confidential information you do not want processed through the Service.

E) Newsletter / daily summaries and communications

If you subscribe to our newsletter or receive daily summaries:

  • Email address
  • Subscription preferences (opt-in/opt-out)
  • Email engagement metrics (e.g., opens/clicks), where supported by the email provider and permitted by law
3. How we use your data (purposes)

We use personal data to:

1. Provide the Service

  • Create and manage accounts
  • Deliver tariff search results, schedule browsing, HS Code Finder outputs, and related features
  • Provide customer support

2. Operate subscriptions and billing

  • Process payments, manage trials/subscriptions, and issue invoices/receipts
  • Prevent fraud and manage disputes

3. Maintain security, reliability, and performance

  • Monitor uptime, debug errors, prevent abuse, and secure accounts

4. Communicate with you

  • Service messages (e.g., security, billing, changes to the Service)
  • Newsletters/daily summaries and product updates (where permitted/opted in)

5. Comply with legal obligations

  • Accounting/tax compliance and responding to lawful requests
  • Enforcing our Terms of Use
4. AI / model-training statement

We do not use customer inputs (e.g., product descriptions) to train public AI models.

We may process your inputs to generate outputs within the Service (e.g., HS code suggestions) and to operate and secure the Service.

5. Legal bases (GDPR, where applicable)

Where the GDPR applies, we process personal data under one or more of these legal bases:

  • Contract (to provide the Service and manage subscriptions)
  • Legitimate interests (security, fraud prevention, essential service analytics, and service improvement)
  • Consent (where required, e.g., certain cookies/analytics and marketing emails in some contexts)
  • Legal obligation (tax/accounting and compliance requirements)
6. Cookies and Google Analytics
A) Cookies

We use cookies and similar technologies for:

  • Essential functions (e.g., login sessions, security, preferences)
  • Performance and reliability (e.g., error tracking)

Some cookies are necessary for the Service to function properly.

B) Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics to understand how users interact with the Service (e.g., pages visited, session duration, general usage patterns) and to improve performance and user experience.

Google Analytics may use cookies and similar technologies and may process information such as:

  • device/browser information
  • pages visited and interactions
  • approximate location derived from IP address (depending on configuration)

Consent: Where required by applicable law, we will ask for your consent before enabling analytics cookies/Google Analytics. You can withdraw consent at any time via our cookie settings (if available) and/or your browser settings.

International processing: Google and its affiliates/service providers may process analytics data in countries outside Switzerland/the EEA (depending on your configuration and Google's infrastructure). Where required, we use appropriate safeguards for such transfers.

Cookie control: You can manage cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect Service functionality.

7. How we share your data

We do not sell your personal data.

We may share data with:

  • Service providers that help us operate the Service (hosting, payment processing, email delivery, analytics such as Google Analytics, monitoring/security tools). These providers process data on our behalf under appropriate contractual protections.
  • Legal/compliance recipients if required by law or necessary to protect rights, safety, and security.
  • Business transfers (e.g., sale or restructuring), subject to appropriate safeguards.
8. International data transfers

Your data may be processed in Switzerland and may be processed in other countries depending on our service providers (e.g., EU/UK/US).

Where required, we use appropriate safeguards (such as contractual protections) to help ensure adequate protection for transferred data.

9. Data retention

We retain personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes described above, including legal/accounting requirements.

Typical retention approach:

  • Account data: retained while your account is active; deleted or anonymized after account deletion, subject to legal retention needs
  • Billing records: retained as required by applicable accounting/tax laws
  • Logs/security records: retained for a limited period for security and troubleshooting
  • Newsletter subscriptions: retained until you unsubscribe (we may keep a minimal suppression record to honor opt-outs)

You may request deletion (see Section 11), subject to legal obligations.

10. Security

We use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect personal data, including:

  • encryption in transit (TLS)
  • access controls and least-privilege access
  • backups and monitoring
  • secure account handling

No online service can guarantee 100% security, but we work to protect your information.

11. Your rights

Depending on your location and applicable law (Swiss FADP / GDPR), you may have rights such as:

  • access to your personal data
  • correction of inaccurate data
  • deletion of personal data (subject to legal retention requirements)
  • objection to certain processing
  • restriction of processing
  • data portability (where applicable under GDPR)
  • withdrawal of consent (where processing is based on consent, e.g., analytics cookies or marketing in certain cases)

To exercise rights, contact: contact@tariffbase.com

We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling requests.

If the GDPR applies, you may also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority.

12. Marketing emails and opt-out

If you receive newsletters or updates, you can opt out at any time using the unsubscribe link in emails. You may still receive non-marketing service messages (e.g., billing and security notices).

13. Children

The Service is not intended for children under 16, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children.

14. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated version on our website and revise the "Effective date." If changes are material, we may provide additional notice.

15. Contact

For privacy questions or requests, contact:

Zhu Consulting

Business address: Route de Saint-Cergue 24bis #1145, Nyon, VD 1260, Switzerland

Email: contact@tariffbase.com