Privacy Policy
This policy explains what personal data AffordableThing.com collects, why we collect it, how it is used, who it is shared with, and what rights you have over it.
Who We Are
AffordableThing.com is an independent product review and buying guide website focused on AliExpress products and budget shopping. The site is operated by the AffordableThing.com team.
For the purposes of data protection law, AffordableThing.com acts as the data controller in respect of personal data collected through this website. This means we determine the purposes and means of processing your personal data.
Our contact details for all privacy matters are:
AffordableThing.com
Email: hello@affordablething.com
Website: https://affordablething.com
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact us using the details above before raising a complaint with a supervisory authority.
What Personal Data We Collect
We collect personal data in two ways: data you actively provide to us, and data collected automatically when you use the site.
Data You Provide
When you use the contact form on AffordableThing.com, we collect:
- Name — so we can address you personally in our reply
- Email address — to respond to your message
- Country — optional, to give you country-relevant product advice
- Message content — the subject and body of your message
- Article URL — if you’re reporting a correction, the URL of the relevant article
- Enquiry type — the category of your message (e.g. correction, suggestion, question)
We do not collect payment information, government ID, or sensitive personal data through this website.
Data Collected Automatically
When you visit AffordableThing.com, certain data is collected automatically through cookies and similar technologies. This includes:
- IP address — used by our hosting provider for security and to serve the site
- Browser type and version — collected by analytics tools to understand how visitors use the site
- Pages visited and time on page — to understand which content is most useful
- Referring URL — the site or search engine that brought you here
- Device type — desktop, mobile, or tablet, to improve site performance on each
- General location data — country and region level only, derived from IP address
- Affiliate click data — when you click an AliExpress affiliate link, a tracking cookie is set to attribute any subsequent purchase. See Section 5 for full cookie details.
Data We Do Not Collect
- We do not collect biometric data, health data, or financial account information
- We do not require account registration — there is no user login on this site
- We do not intentionally collect data from children under 16 (see Section 11)
- We do not receive data about your purchases on AliExpress beyond aggregate affiliate commission reporting
How We Use Your Data
We use the personal data we collect only for the purposes described below. We do not use your data for automated decision-making or profiling in ways that produce legal or similarly significant effects on you.
| Purpose | Data Used | Legal Basis (GDPR) |
|---|---|---|
| Responding to contact form enquiries | Name, email, message content, country, enquiry type | Legitimate interests (responding to user requests) |
| Improving site content and user experience | Anonymised analytics data (pages visited, device type, referrer) | Legitimate interests (improving the service) |
| Affiliate commission tracking (AliExpress) | Affiliate click cookie (no name/email collected) | Consent (via cookie banner) or legitimate interests |
| Displaying advertising (Google AdSense) | Cookies, IP address, browsing behaviour on this site | Consent (via cookie banner) |
| Security and fraud prevention | IP address, server logs | Legitimate interests (protecting the site and users) |
| Complying with legal obligations | Any data required by applicable law | Legal obligation |
We do not sell your personal data to third parties. We do not use your personal data for direct marketing or email newsletters unless you have explicitly opted in to such communications (we currently offer no such service).
Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)
If you are in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or another jurisdiction where the GDPR or equivalent law applies, we are required to have a lawful basis for processing your personal data. We rely on the following bases:
Legitimate Interests
We process certain data where we have a legitimate interest that is not overridden by your rights. This includes responding to contact form messages (you expect a reply when you send a message), improving site content based on anonymised analytics, and maintaining server security logs. In each case, we have assessed that our interest is proportionate and that you would reasonably expect this processing.
Consent
Where we use cookies for advertising (Google AdSense) or affiliate tracking beyond what is strictly necessary for the site to function, we rely on your consent. You can withdraw consent at any time by adjusting your cookie preferences. See Section 5 for details.
Legal Obligation
In limited circumstances, we may be required to process personal data to comply with a legal obligation — for example, in response to a valid court order or regulatory request.
Cookies and Tracking Technologies
AffordableThing.com uses cookies — small text files stored in your browser — and similar technologies. This section explains exactly what we use and why.
When you first visit this site, a cookie consent banner will appear. You can accept all cookies, reject non-essential cookies, or manage your preferences in detail. You can change your preferences at any time by clicking the “Cookie Settings” link in our footer.
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are required for the site to function. They do not collect personal data for marketing purposes and cannot be switched off. They include session management and security cookies set by our hosting provider.
Analytics Cookies
We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our site — which pages are most popular, how long people spend reading articles, and where traffic comes from. Google Analytics uses cookies to collect anonymised behavioural data. We have configured Google Analytics to anonymise IP addresses and to not share data with other Google services for advertising purposes. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking across all websites using the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
Advertising Cookies (Google AdSense)
Google AdSense uses cookies to display relevant advertisements on this site. These cookies may collect information about your browsing behaviour across different websites. Google uses this information to show you ads that may be relevant to your interests. You can manage your Google ad personalisation settings at myadcenter.google.com. AdSense cookies are only set with your consent.
Affiliate Tracking Cookies (AliExpress)
When you click an affiliate link to AliExpress on this site, the AliExpress affiliate programme sets a tracking cookie in your browser. This cookie records that you arrived at AliExpress via our affiliate link, enabling us to receive a commission if you make a purchase. This cookie does not share your name, email address, or any personal information with us — we receive only aggregate commission data (e.g. a transaction occurred, the commission amount). The AliExpress affiliate cookie operates under AliExpress’s own privacy policy, which you can review at aliexpress.com/p/privacy.html.
Whether affiliate cookies require consent depends on your jurisdiction. In the EU and UK, we treat them as non-essential and request consent via the cookie banner. In other regions, we apply a similar standard as best practice.
Cookie Summary Table
| Cookie / Provider | Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hosting (session) | Necessary | Site security and session management | Session |
| Google Analytics (_ga) | Analytics | Anonymised usage statistics | 2 years |
| Google Analytics (_gid) | Analytics | Distinguishing unique visitors | 24 hours |
| Google AdSense (various) | Advertising | Personalised ad delivery | Up to 13 months |
| AliExpress affiliate | Affiliate | Commission attribution for purchases | 30 days |
| Cookie consent (own) | Necessary | Remembering your cookie preferences | 12 months |
Managing Cookies
Beyond the consent banner, you can manage or delete cookies at any time through your browser settings. The following links provide instructions for the most commonly used browsers:
- Google Chrome — Settings → Privacy and Security → Cookies
- Mozilla Firefox — Preferences → Privacy and Security
- Apple Safari — Preferences → Privacy
- Microsoft Edge — Settings → Cookies and Site Permissions
Note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of some features on this site and other websites you visit.
Who We Share Your Data With
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data. We share data only in the limited circumstances described below.
Service Providers
We use the following third-party services that may process personal data on our behalf:
| Provider | Purpose | Data Shared | Privacy Policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hosting provider | Website infrastructure | Server logs, IP addresses | See your host’s policy |
| Google Analytics | Site usage analytics | Anonymised browsing data | policies.google.com/privacy |
| Google AdSense | Display advertising | Cookies, browsing behaviour | policies.google.com/privacy |
| AliExpress Affiliate Programme | Affiliate commission tracking | Click events, affiliate cookie | aliexpress.com/p/privacy.html |
| Fluent Forms (WP plugin) | Contact form processing | Form submission data (stored in our WordPress database) | fluentforms.com |
Legal Disclosure
We may disclose your personal data if required to do so by law, in response to a valid court order, subpoena, or government request, or where we believe disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of AffordableThing.com, our users, or the public.
Business Transfers
In the event that AffordableThing.com is acquired, merged with another organisation, or its assets are transferred, personal data held by us may be included in the transferred assets. We would notify you of any such change via a prominent notice on this website.
We do not sell personal data to third parties, data brokers, or advertising networks. We do not share your contact form data with any third party other than those named above and only to the extent necessary for them to provide their service to us.
International Data Transfers
Some of the third-party services we use may transfer or store your data outside the country where you are located. In particular:
- Google (Analytics and AdSense) — Google LLC is based in the United States. For users in the EEA and UK, Google relies on Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) and, where applicable, the UK International Data Transfer Agreement (IDTA) to legitimise transfers. See Google’s privacy frameworks page for full details.
- AliExpress / Alibaba Group — The AliExpress affiliate programme is operated by Alibaba Group, headquartered in China. Data shared through the affiliate programme may be processed in China or other jurisdictions. We share only click-event data and no personal identifiers are transmitted to AliExpress from our side.
- Our hosting provider — Data may be stored in servers located in the United States, European Union, or other regions depending on your hosting configuration.
Where data is transferred outside the EEA or UK, we take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place in accordance with GDPR Article 46 or UK GDPR equivalent provisions. If you have questions about the specific transfer mechanisms in place, please contact us.
How Long We Keep Your Data
We retain personal data only for as long as is necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, or as required by law.
| Data Type | Retention Period | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Contact form submissions | 12 months from date of receipt | To allow us to refer back to prior correspondence if you contact us again |
| Server access logs (IP, timestamps) | 30–90 days | Security monitoring and troubleshooting; determined by hosting provider settings |
| Google Analytics data | 26 months (configurable) | Standard retention set in our Google Analytics account; anonymised |
| Cookie consent records | 12 months | To demonstrate consent was obtained in compliance with GDPR |
| Affiliate commission records | 7 years | Financial record-keeping obligations; no personal identifiers retained |
When data is no longer needed, we delete it securely or anonymise it so it can no longer be associated with you. You can request earlier deletion of your contact form data — see Section 9 for how to exercise this right.
Your Rights
Depending on where you are located, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal data. We outline the rights available under GDPR (EEA/UK), CCPA (California), and the Australian Privacy Act below.
How to Exercise Your Rights
To exercise any of the rights above, please contact us at hello@affordablething.com with the subject line “Privacy Rights Request.” We will respond within 30 days for GDPR requests and within 45 days for CCPA requests. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request.
We will not charge a fee for reasonable requests and will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights.
Supervisory Authorities
If you believe we have not addressed your request satisfactorily, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection authority in your country:
- EEA: Your national data protection authority — find yours at edpb.europa.eu
- United Kingdom: Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) — ico.org.uk
- Australia: Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) — oaic.gov.au
- Canada: Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada — priv.gc.ca
Jurisdiction-Specific Notices
In addition to the general rights described in Section 9, residents of certain jurisdictions have specific additional rights and disclosures required by local law.
Children’s Privacy
AffordableThing.com is not directed at children under the age of 16, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 16.
If you are a parent or guardian and believe that a child under 16 has provided personal data to us through the contact form or otherwise, please contact us at hello@affordablething.com and we will take prompt steps to delete that data.
We do not target our advertising or affiliate content toward children, and we do not use children’s data in connection with the AliExpress affiliate programme or Google AdSense.
Security
We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from unauthorised access, loss, destruction, alteration, or disclosure. These measures include:
- HTTPS encryption for all data transmitted between your browser and this website
- Limited access to contact form data — only the site administrator can view submissions in the WordPress backend
- Regular software updates, including WordPress core, plugins, and themes
- Secure password policies and two-factor authentication for administrative accounts
No method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. While we use reasonable measures to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security and we do not make any warranty to that effect.
In the event of a personal data breach that is likely to result in a high risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify you without undue delay, in accordance with GDPR Article 34 and applicable local law. We will also notify the relevant supervisory authority within 72 hours of becoming aware of a breach, as required by GDPR Article 33.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our data practices, applicable law, or the services we use. When we make changes, we will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page.
For material changes — such as adding a new data processing purpose, a new third-party processor, or changes that affect your rights — we will take reasonable steps to bring the changes to your attention. This may include a prominent notice on the site homepage or, where we hold your email address, an email notification.
Your continued use of AffordableThing.com after any changes to this Privacy Policy constitutes your acknowledgment of the updated policy. We encourage you to review this page periodically.
Previous versions of this Privacy Policy are available on request by emailing hello@affordablething.com.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, want to exercise your data rights, or have a concern about how we handle personal data, please get in touch:
AffordableThing.com
Email: hello@affordablething.com
Subject line: “Privacy Policy Enquiry” or “Privacy Rights Request”
We aim to respond to all privacy enquiries within 14 days and to all formal data rights requests within the statutory deadlines applicable in your jurisdiction (30 days for GDPR / UK GDPR; 45 days for CCPA).
If we are unable to resolve your concern, you have the right to contact the relevant supervisory authority in your country. Contact details for supervisory authorities are listed in Section 9.
You may also use our general contact form to get in touch, selecting “Something Else” as the enquiry type and noting your privacy query in the message.