Your information, explained plainly

1. Information you provide

When you use a buyer, seller, or professional inquiry form, we may collect your name, email address, phone number, postal code, organization or estate name, audience and inquiry type, interests, collection type, approximate volume, timeline, preferred reply method, message, the page where you submitted it, the referring page, UTM campaign parameters, and your separate email or SMS consent choices.

Do not submit passwords, full payment-card numbers, government identification numbers, medical records, or other highly sensitive information through a website inquiry form.

2. Information generated by site use

Our hosting and security providers may process routine technical information needed to deliver and protect the site, such as IP address, browser and device details, request time, and security events. The form stores a sanitized referring-page origin and path plus any UTM source, medium, campaign, term, and content values so we can understand which page or campaign produced an inquiry. Query strings, fragments, and credentials are removed from the stored referrer.

For abuse control, the form creates a one-way client key from network and browser information using a private server secret. The raw network address is not stored in the lead record, rate-limit buckets are used only to restrict repeated submissions, and expired buckets are routinely removed. We do not expose a public endpoint for reading submitted leads.

3. Why we use information

• Respond to bidder, lot, payment, pickup, shipping, consignment, or professional questions.
• Evaluate whether property may fit an auction engagement.
• Maintain a record of the inquiry, response, consent, and source page.
• Route the inquiry to authorized business systems and team members after launch configuration.
• Protect the website, prevent spam, troubleshoot, and comply with legal obligations.
• Send optional auction or consignment updates only when the relevant consent was selected, subject to unsubscribe or opt-out rights.

4. Email and SMS choices

Email marketing and SMS consent boxes are optional and are not conditions of purchase. If you opt into SMS, message frequency varies; message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out and HELP for help. You may unsubscribe from marketing email using the message link or contact us directly. Service responses to a request may still be sent as reasonably necessary to handle that request.

5. Storage and CRM routing

Inquiry records are designed to be stored in a private Cloudflare D1 database associated with this site. When configured, the site may also forward a copy to a private GoHighLevel webhook for contact and inquiry management. Storage happens first; forwarding is best-effort so a temporary CRM issue does not silently lose the website submission.

6. When information is shared

We may provide information to service providers that host, secure, route, or support the website and business communications; to carriers or fulfillment providers when needed for an approved shipment; to professional advisors; or when required to comply with law, protect rights, prevent harm, or complete a business transaction. We do not use inquiry records as a data-broker product.

7. Retention and security

We keep inquiry information for as long as reasonably needed to respond, manage the business relationship, maintain records, resolve disputes, and meet legal obligations, then delete or de-identify it when appropriate. No online system can promise absolute security, but access is intended to be limited to authorized business and service-provider functions.

8. External services

HiBid, Trustpilot, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, email providers, carriers, and other external services have their own privacy notices. Information you submit directly to those services is governed by their policies, not this one.

9. Your requests

You may ask to access, correct, or delete information you submitted, or withdraw optional communication consent, by emailing help@biddingisopen.com. We may need to verify identity and may retain information when permitted or required for transaction, fraud-prevention, recordkeeping, or legal purposes.

10. Children

This site and its auction services are intended for adults and are not directed to children. Do not submit a minor’s personal information through the inquiry forms.

11. Changes and contact

We may update this policy as the site, tools, or legal requirements change. The updated date appears above. Questions may be sent to help@biddingisopen.com or mailed to Retro Industries Inc. d/b/a Bidding Is Open, 217 Capitol Ct, Ocoee, FL 34761.