StayContext Privacy Policy
Effective date: October 14, 2026
StayContext is a Shopify app that shows short, AI-written messages to shoppers who pause on a store's cart or checkout. This policy explains what information the app collects, why, who it is shared with, and how long it is kept.
StayContext ("we", "us") is based in Ontario, Canada. You can reach us at staycontext@gmail.com.
Summary
- We do not collect shoppers' names, email addresses, postal addresses, phone numbers or payment details.
- We collect cart details (such as the cart value and item count) and a random visitor ID so we can write a relevant message and count activity for the merchant.
- Cart details, but not visitor or customer IDs, are sent to OpenAI to write each message.
- We never sell personal information or use it for advertising.
- For shopper information, the merchant whose store you visit is responsible for it, and we process it on their behalf.
Our role
For information about shoppers, the merchant who installed StayContext is the data controller (or "business") and we act as their processor (or "service provider"). We use that information only to provide the app to that merchant. For information about merchants themselves, such as their store and subscription, we are the controller.
Information we collect about shoppers
When a shopper pauses on a cart or checkout where StayContext is enabled, the app collects:
| Information | Where it comes from |
|---|---|
| A random visitor ID | Created in the shopper's browser and kept in its local storage. It is not linked to a name or email and is not shared between stores. |
| Shopify customer ID, if the shopper is signed in to the store | Provided by Shopify with the request. We do not receive the customer's name or email. |
| Cart details: cart value, currency, number of items, the name of the first product, and stock levels of items that are nearly sold out | The store's cart and Shopify inventory. |
| The line of text being replaced and the message we showed | The store page and our AI provider. |
| The time of the request, and which part of the store it came from (cart or checkout) | Our servers. |
Our hosting provider's standard request logs may also record the IP address and browser type of each request. These logs are used for security and troubleshooting and are deleted automatically after 30 days.
Browser storage
StayContext stores the random visitor ID in the shopper's browser, and temporarily stores the messages already shown and a count of requests for the current visit, so the same message is not requested twice. This storage is used only by StayContext on that store. It is not used to track shoppers across websites or for advertising.
Information we collect about merchants
- The store's myshopify.com domain.
- The StayContext plan the store is on and its status, read from Shopify's billing system.
- Daily counts of messages shown and the total value of carts reached, used for the store's dashboard and for plan limits.
- Settings the merchant enters, such as an offer or free shipping threshold to mention. These are stored in the merchant's Shopify settings and sent to us with each request.
We do not store Shopify access tokens. We request temporary access from Shopify when a merchant opens the app, and we use it only to read and create StayContext subscriptions. We do not receive or store payment card details; Shopify handles all billing.
How we use information
- To write and show a message that fits the shopper's cart.
- To show merchants how StayContext is performing on their store.
- To apply plan limits and protect the service from abuse.
- To keep the app secure, fix problems and improve how messages are written.
We do not sell or rent personal information, share it for cross-context behavioural advertising, or use it to make decisions that have legal or similarly significant effects on anyone.
Who we share information with
| Provider | What they do | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| OpenAI, L.L.C. (United States) | Writes each message | Item count, product name, stock level, any offer or free shipping amount from the merchant's settings, and the line being replaced. Never visitor IDs, customer IDs or the store's domain. |
| Google LLC, through Google Cloud and Firebase (United States) | Hosts the app and its database | All information described in this policy. |
| Shopify Inc. | Runs the store, the app connection and billing | Subscription choices and the information Shopify already holds for the store. |
Under OpenAI's API terms, data sent through its API is not used to train its models by default and may be retained by OpenAI for up to 30 days to monitor for abuse. We may also disclose information if required by law, or as part of a merger or sale of our business, in which case this policy will continue to apply to it.
Where information is stored
StayContext's servers and database are located in the United States, so information about shoppers and merchants in Canada and elsewhere is transferred there and may be accessible to authorities under United States law. Where the law requires it, we rely on the data processing terms our providers offer, including the European Commission's Standard Contractual Clauses, to protect these transfers.
How long we keep information
- Records of individual messages, including visitor and customer IDs: up to 12 months, then deleted.
- Daily totals for a store's dashboard: up to 24 months.
- When a merchant uninstalls StayContext, Shopify asks us to delete that store's data, and we delete all of it within 30 days of that request.
- When Shopify forwards a request to delete a shopper's data, we delete the records linked to that customer within 30 days.
Your rights
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct, delete or receive a copy of your personal information, to object to or restrict how it is used, and to complain to a data protection authority. As we are based in Canada, you may also contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada at priv.gc.ca.
- Shoppers: please contact the store you shopped with. Shopify passes access and deletion requests to us, and we respond on the store's behalf. You can also clear the visitor ID at any time by clearing your browser's site data for that store.
- Merchants: email us at staycontext@gmail.com.
We will not treat anyone differently for exercising their privacy rights.
Security
Information is encrypted in transit. Our database cannot be reached directly from the internet, and only our servers can read or write to it. Requests from stores are verified with Shopify's signatures before any information is accepted. No method of storage or transmission is completely secure, but we work to protect the information we hold.
Children
StayContext is a tool for businesses. It is not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect information about children.
Changes to this policy
If we change this policy, we will update the effective date above. If a change materially affects how we use information, we will notify merchants who have the app installed before it takes effect.
Contact
Questions about this policy or your information: staycontext@gmail.com