Privacy policy

Mercado Maekawa (メルカド　マエカワ) — 123 1F. Phone +81 70-9430-5330, email mercadomaekawa@gmail.com.

We are the ones who store and use the information described here, in accordance with Japan's personal data protection law (個人情報保護法).

Only what is needed to sell and deliver:

• Account: name, email, phone number and password (stored encrypted — no one here can read it).
• Delivery: postal code, address and the phone number the carrier uses to contact you about the delivery.
• Orders: what you bought, when, the amount and the payment method you chose.
• Loyalty card: balance and history, if you take part in the program.
• Browsing: what is in your cart, so you don't lose your purchase when you come back, and site usage data — pages visited, clicks and scrolling (see “Analytics and session recording”).

We do not store credit card numbers. With cash on delivery (代引き), the card is processed by the carrier, at your door.

• To prepare, invoice and deliver your order.
• To keep you updated: confirmation, preparation, shipping and tracking number.
• To assist you by email, phone or WhatsApp when you contact us.
• To issue the tax documents required by law.
• To count your points, when you use the loyalty card.
• To send news and offers — and this is the one you can turn off whenever you want (see below).

We never sell your data. We share the minimum, and only with those who make the delivery happen:

• Carrier (ヤマト運輸 / Yamato Transport and similar): name, address and phone number — without them the package can't arrive.
• Email service and website hosting: they store messages and system data on the store's behalf.
• Google and Microsoft: they receive the site usage data described in “Analytics and session recording” — not your account details or what you bought.
• Accountants and public authorities: when required by law.

There are two kinds, and they are different: order emails (confirmation, preparation, shipping) are part of the purchase and keep coming; offer and news emails you can turn off at any time.

Every offer email has an unsubscribe link in the footer, as required by Japan's commercial email law (特定電子メール法). One click and it stops — no need to ask or explain.

None of our cookies are used to sell advertising. We use:

• Session: keeps you signed in while you browse.
• Cart: saves what you picked, so it isn't lost when you close the tab.
• Analytics: Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity cookies, which measure how the site is used (see the next section).

You can delete them in your browser at any time — you'll just need to sign in again and redo your cart.

To understand where the site gets stuck and what needs improving, we use two tools. They have nothing to do with advertising:

• Google Analytics: counts how many people visit, which pages they open and how many complete a purchase. These are aggregate numbers — they can't identify you.
• Microsoft Clarity: records on-screen browsing — pointer movement, clicks and scrolling. This shows us, for example, a button that doesn't work or a form where people give up.

What the recording does NOT capture: passwords and payment details are hidden automatically. And, as mentioned above, credit card numbers never pass through this site.

If you don't want to be measured: any tracker blocker stops both tools, and the site keeps working the same — nothing here depends on them. Google also offers a browser opt-out add-on.

Order data is kept for the period required by Japanese tax law. Your account data is kept while your account exists — ask us to delete it and we will, except for what must be kept by law.

You can view, correct or delete your data, and ask us to stop using it for offers. Much of this is in your account, under My account; for anything else, just write to mercadomaekawa@gmail.com.

We reply within 7 days — if we need more time, we'll let you know beforehand.

The entire site uses an encrypted connection (HTTPS), passwords are stored irreversibly, and access to the internal system is restricted to store staff, each with their own login. No system is perfect — if anything happens to your data, we'll let you know.

If anything changes, we publish the new version right here, with the date. We also notify you of significant changes by email.

This version is from September 4, 2026. The most recent change was the addition of the analytics and session recording tools described above.