When you use the Sites, we may collect your (i) personal information (data that personally identifies you), or (ii) aggregate information, concerning your use of the Sites and your account activity (e.g., number and times of logins, most frequently visited pages, IP address, etc.), which does not personally identify you.

We collect the categories of personal information outlined below from the following sources:

A. Information Provided by You 

The categories of personal information we may collect from you include:

• Account Information. We collect personal information that you provide when you register for an account to use our services and/or purchase a membership or GuestPoints, which may include your name, year of birth, email, home address, proof of address, account preferences, such as preferred language, and any other information necessary to set up and verify your account such as driver’s license number, state identification card number, or passport number;
• Inquiries. We collect personal information that you provide when you contact us and inquire about our services, such as your name, email, phone number, and any other information you provide;
• Use of Services and Purchases. We collect personal information that you provide when you use the services that we offer and/or purchase a membership or GuestPoints through the Sites, such as your name, email, home address, billing address, phone number and any other information you provide. We may also collect details about the transaction, such as purchased membership or GuestPoints details, purchase price, and the date of the transaction. Further, when you make a purchase with us directly online or decide to store your payment information with us, we also need to collect credit card or other payment information. Please note that we do not collect and maintain your payment information directly, instead we utilize a third-party payment processor to collect and facilitate all online payments on our behalf. Additionally, if you choose to store your payment information on your account, such information will be stored by the payment processor and not with us directly. Please see the section on how we share information with our payment processor below for more information;
• Promotions. If you enter a contest, sweepstakes, or other promotion, we collect information about you, such as your name, username, date of birth, home address, email address, phone number, and ZIP code and any other information that needs to be provided to participate in the promotion, as described by the relevant terms in each instance;
• Marketing Communications. If you sign up, we collect your name, email, phone number and applicable interests and communication preferences in order to send you regular updates about the products and services we provide.
• Promotional Events. If you register for an event, we collect information about you, such as your name, email address, phone number, and any other information that needs to be provided to participate in the event, as described in the relevant terms in each instance. Depending on the event, if we take photos and/or videos of the event, photos and/or videos of the participants may also be collected.
• Reviews. We collect personal information that you provide when you submit a review on the Sites, this may include your name, email address, any photos you submit, and metadata associated with your review content, such as details about how, when, and by whom the content was created, as well as its formatting;
• Surveys. We collect personal information that you provide when you submit an entry to one of our surveys, this may include your name, email address, as well as travel habits, and any other information you provide; 
• Communication with Other Sites’ Users. We collect personal information that you provide when you message with other Sites’ users through the Sites, this may include your name, email address, as well as the content of the communications.

Please be aware that if you do not allow us to collect certain personal information from you, we may not be able to deliver certain services to you, and some of our services may not be able to take account of your interests and preferences. If collection of personal information is mandatory, we will make that clear at the point of collection so that you can make an informed decision whether to provide your information.

B. Automatically Collected Information

When you access or use our Sites, some information not associated with specific users, such as device type, location information, IP address, cookie identifiers, webpage traffic, and access time is automatically collected in order to ensure the Sites’ functionality. Once your user profile is created, anytime you log in, we will collect additional information and add it to your user profile, such as the membership or GuestPoints you have purchased, and any other information that may be available from time to time.

Cookies. The Sites use cookies. A cookie is a small text file that is stored on a user’s computer for record keeping purposes. Cookies can be either session cookies or persistent cookies. A session cookie expires when you close your browser and is used to make it easier for you to navigate our Sites. A persistent cookie remains on your hard drive for an extended period of time.

We use cookies to identify you when you access the Sites, to personalize your experience on the Sites, to provide ads, marketing communications and social media features, to analyze our traffic and customers’ interactions with advertising banners, and to identify repeat visitors for statistical purposes. We also share information about your use of the Sites with our social media, and advertising partners, who may combine it with other information that you have provided to them or that they have collected from your use of their services.

When you first visit our Sites, we provide you with a choice to either accept or deny certain cookies. If you choose to decline optional cookies, please note that some of the features and services of the Sites may not function as well as intended. Even if you choose to accept cookies, you are always free to change your mind and revoke that consent. Most browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies. Please note that the Sites use certain cookies that are fundamentally necessary for the Sites to work and allow you to use the functions of our services. Without this type of cookies, you cannot receive the requested services. These cookies enable services that you have specifically requested and allow you to use the Sites’ features (e.g., logging in). We need these cookies to provide you with our services and you cannot deny necessary cookies.

C. Third-Party Sources 

We may receive personal or aggregate information about you from our business partners and service providers (such as advertising partners, data analytics providers, and mailing lists providers), or other third parties to whom you have provided your information, and consented to the sale, rental or transfer thereof, and combine this information with other information we collect from you. Occasionally, we may obtain information about you from third parties such as a data aggregator or vendor who provide us with additional aggregate information about our existing customers. 

Social Media. When creating an account through third-party social media sites and/or applications, we may access some of your information from your social media account, such as name, email address, and profile picture.

Please note that this Privacy Policy does not apply to third-party social media sites, and you should always refer to the privacy policies of the relevant social media sites for information concerning their collection and processing of information.

D. Communications with HomeExchange

Customer Service. If you fill out a questionnaire or contact our Customer Service department by phone or by email, we will collect certain personal information from you, such as your name, address, email address and phone number. We may need to use your personal information to further contact you to respond to your inquiry or request.

Live Chat. If you use the live chat feature on our Sites, we will collect certain information from you such as your name, email address, and information about why you are chatting with us. We only collect this information in order to communicate with you, address why you are chatting with us, and ensure that you have a great customer experience. Some of that information that you provide to us may be considered sensitive personal information as it may reveal your gender, race, national origin, etc. Our live chat is operated by a third-party service provider, who can use such information only in compliance with this Privacy Policy to provide customer service and for no other purpose.
Texts. If you have signed up to receive text messages from us, we may collect information from you through one of our inbound text messaging programs. You agree to receive recurring automated promotional and personalized marketing text (e.g., SMS and MMS) and other messages (e.g., cart reminders) from HomeExchange to the mobile telephone number you provided when signing up or any other number that you designate. Consent to receive automated marketing text messages is not a condition of any purchase. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency will vary. Our text messaging program is operated by a third-party service provider, who can use such information only in compliance with this Privacy Policy and for no other purpose.