1. Who we are
LANCE (also known as Link Yiwu) is the trading brand of Yiwu Lance Import & Export Limited, based in Yiwu, Zhejiang, China. We operate the Buyer Portal at app.linkyiwu.com and the connected LinkYiwu app services described here. We are responsible for deciding how personal information is used for these services.
For privacy questions or requests, email info@linkyiwu.com. This policy covers our handling of account, sourcing and service information; third-party websites, sign-in providers and app stores have their own privacy policies.
2. Information we process
- Account and business details: your name, email address, password in hashed form when you use password sign-in, company details, account role and membership status. Business contacts and delivery details may be provided by you, your company or the LANCE team while arranging services.
- Sign-in information: the provider identifier, name, email address and profile-photo reference made available when you choose a supported social sign-in option. See section 4.
- Sourcing and transaction records: product photos and links, supplier or booth details, notes, collection sheets, inquiries, quotations, orders, shipment details, inspection documents and related communications that you submit or that are prepared for your company.
- Files and optional recognition inputs: photos, documents, text or audio you choose to upload or submit for product recognition, supplier extraction or transcription. Information kept only on your device is not automatically an upload; use of a server-based feature sends the selected material for processing.
- Technical and support information: IP addresses, browser or device information, session and access-token records, request timestamps, error logs and messages you send us. These support access, troubleshooting and protection against misuse.
- Subscription information, where applicable: entitlement, transaction or renewal information needed to recognise an app-store purchase. App-store payment details are handled by the relevant store.
Please provide only information needed for your request. If you upload another person's contact details or documents, you must have a lawful reason to share them with us.
3. How we use information
We use information to create and authenticate accounts; give authorised members access to company records; respond to inquiries; organise sourcing, quotations, orders, inspections and shipping; manage memberships; provide support; and maintain the security and reliability of the services.
When you choose an AI-assisted recognition or transcription feature, the selected input is sent to the configured processing service to produce the requested result. Review the result before relying on it for an order or supplier decision.
Where applicable data-protection law requires a legal basis, we rely on performing a contract or taking requested steps before a contract, our legitimate interests in operating and protecting a business service, compliance with legal obligations, or consent where it is required. Our legitimate interests include preventing fraud, resolving support issues and maintaining business records. You can withdraw consent where processing relies on it, without affecting earlier lawful processing.
Account identifiers and information needed to fulfil a request are necessary for the corresponding service. If you do not provide them, some features or services may be unavailable. We use recognition tools to assist people, rather than to make solely automated decisions with legal or similarly significant effects about you.
4. Google, Facebook and Apple sign-in
Social sign-in is optional. When you select Google or Facebook, we request basic profile and email permissions to identify you, create or connect your Portal account, and sign you in. The information can include your provider-specific user ID, name, email and profile-photo reference. Apple sign-in, where offered in the app, can provide a user identifier, name and email or relay email; an authorisation token may be retained to manage or revoke that connection.
We do not receive your Google, Facebook or Apple password. Our Facebook login integration does not request access to your posts, friends list or private messages. We use information received through these sign-in integrations for account access and related support, not to publish to your social account.
You can manage app access with the provider. Removing access there does not by itself erase records already held by LANCE. To request deletion of your Portal account or social-login data, follow our Data Deletion instructions.
5. Who receives information and where it is processed
Information is available to authorised LANCE staff and, according to the company's access permissions, other authorised members of your business account. Personal drafts and shared business records may have different visibility.
We share relevant information with service providers that support hosting, storage, email, authentication, technical support and requested recognition or transcription. We also share details needed for a service with the relevant suppliers, inspection providers, freight forwarders or other fulfilment partners. For example, a shipping partner needs delivery and consignee details; it does not need your Portal password.
We may disclose information when required by law, to respond to valid legal requests, or to protect people, accounts and legal rights. If the business is reorganised or transferred, relevant records may be transferred with appropriate confidentiality protections and any notices required by law.
Our team operates in China. Hosting, sign-in and other service providers may process information in other countries, whose laws can differ from those where you live. Where applicable law requires a transfer safeguard, an appropriate lawful transfer mechanism is required. Contact us for information about the providers, processing locations and safeguards relevant to your data.
6. Cookies and security
The Portal and the LANCE website (linkyiwu.com) use cookies or similar storage for sessions, sign-in, request security, remembering login choices and preferences such as language or display theme. These are necessary and always on. Social sign-in providers may use their own cookies when you visit their authentication pages. Blocking necessary cookies may prevent login or other features from working.
On the website, a banner asks you to choose a data access level before anything optional is used:
- Silver: necessary cookies only. Nothing is loaded from Google or Microsoft.
- Gold: adds Google Analytics, which tells us which pages are visited and how they perform, and Microsoft Clarity, which records how visitors scroll, click and move through pages (as heatmaps and session replays, with text you type masked).
- Platinum: also adds Google Ads, which measures our campaigns and can show you more relevant ads on this and other sites.
Google and Microsoft tags load only after you allow them; we pass your choice to Google through Google Consent Mode and tell Microsoft Clarity that you consented. If your browser sends a Global Privacy Control signal, advertising stays off. Your choice is stored in a cookie named lk_consent on linkyiwu.com, so it applies to the website and the Portal. It lasts for the period you pick (1, 6 or 12 months), after which we ask again. The Portal itself uses no analytics or advertising cookies. You can view, download or change your choice at any time with the Cookie settings link in the page footer. With analytics allowed, the website also keeps a cookie named lk_first for 90 days with the page you first arrived on, the site that sent you there and the date, so that a request you send us records how you found us; it is removed when analytics consent is taken back. If you take consent back, Google's and Clarity's cookies are removed.
We use measures such as HTTPS, hashed passwords and access controls to protect information. No storage or transmission method is completely secure. Keep your credentials confidential and contact us promptly if you suspect unauthorised access.
7. How long we keep information
We retain information according to its purpose: account information while needed to provide access; sourcing and service records while needed to manage the relationship or transaction; and relevant records for accounting, legal obligations, disputes and security. Retention depends on the record type, the status of an order or dispute, and applicable requirements.
Closing an account does not automatically erase all company orders, quotations or financial documents. The app's account-deletion action disables the login and removes access to personal collection records, but records retained in archives, linked business documents or backups may require further review. A deletion request can cover those remaining records as well. We remove or de-identify information that is no longer needed and explain any necessary retention when responding to a request.
8. Your choices and privacy rights
Depending on applicable law, you may request access to, correction of, deletion of, or a portable copy of your personal information; restrict certain processing; or withdraw consent. You may also object to processing based on legitimate interests and to direct marketing. These rights can be subject to legal exceptions.
Email info@linkyiwu.com from your registered address, identify the account and describe your request. We may ask for proportionate verification to protect your account. Do not send passwords or sign-in codes. We respond within the time required by applicable law and explain any permitted extension or refusal. You may also complain to the data-protection authority competent for your location.
Want to remove your information?
See Data Deletion for email instructions, the app's account-deletion option and information about retained records.
9. Children and policy updates
The Portal is a business service intended for adults and is not directed to children. If you believe a child has provided personal information, contact us so we can investigate and address it.
We may update this policy as our services or legal requirements change. The date above identifies the latest version. Where required, we will provide additional notice or obtain consent for a material change.