Legal

Privacy Policy & SMS Terms

Last updated: June 2026. We keep this plain English because store owners are busy people.

1. Who we are

The Southern Guild ("we," "us," "our") is a loyalty and growth platform for independent convenience stores, headquartered in Savannah, Georgia. We provide QR-based loyalty programs, SMS marketing, reputation management, and monthly in-person store audits to independent retailers.

Questions about this policy: billupsjohnsoniv@outlook.com

2. Information we collect

From store members (loyalty customers): When a customer enrolls in a store's loyalty program by scanning a QR code, we collect their first name, mobile phone number, and date of birth (used only to send a birthday reward). No email address, payment information, or government ID is required.

From store owners: When a store owner contacts us or signs up for service, we collect their name, store name, phone number, email address, and business address.

Automatically: We may collect standard web analytics data (page views, device type, referring URL) through our website. We do not use third-party advertising trackers.

3. How we use your information

We use the information we collect to:

  • Operate and deliver loyalty program features (points, rewards, birthday messages)
  • Send SMS marketing messages on behalf of enrolled stores — only to customers who have opted in
  • Generate and respond to online reviews for enrolled stores
  • Provide store owners with their owner dashboard and monthly performance reports
  • Communicate with store owners about their account and our services
  • Improve our platform and services

We do not use customer data for advertising, profiling, or any purpose unrelated to operating the store's loyalty program.

4. SMS marketing & TCPA compliance

The Southern Guild operates SMS marketing programs on behalf of enrolled independent stores. By scanning a store's QR code and submitting your name, phone number, and date of birth, you consent to receive recurring automated text messages from that store via The Southern Guild platform.

Message types include: loyalty reward updates, promotional offers, birthday messages, event alerts, and win-back messages. Message frequency varies by store — typically 2–6 messages per month.

Message and data rates may apply. Consent is not a condition of purchase. You can opt out at any time (see Section 5).

Our SMS programs comply with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and all applicable CTIA guidelines.

5. How to opt out of SMS messages

To stop receiving text messages from a store's loyalty program, reply STOP to any message at any time. You will receive one final confirmation text and will not receive further messages. To re-enroll, scan the store's QR code again.

For help, reply HELP to any message or contact us at billupsjohnsoniv@outlook.com.

Opting out of SMS does not delete your loyalty account or forfeit earned points unless you request account deletion.

6. Information sharing

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party. Full stop.

We share information only in these limited circumstances:

  • With your store: The store whose loyalty program you joined can see your name, enrollment date, and visit history within their owner dashboard. They cannot see your full phone number.
  • With service providers: We use third-party platforms (SMS delivery, cloud hosting, analytics) to operate our service. These providers are contractually prohibited from using your data for any other purpose.
  • If required by law: We may disclose information if required by a court order, subpoena, or applicable law.

7. Cookies & analytics

Our website uses minimal cookies for basic functionality (remembering your preferences). We may use a simple analytics tool to understand how visitors use our site — this data is aggregated and not tied to individual identities. We do not use Facebook Pixel, Google Ads tracking, or other advertising cookies.

8. Data retention

We retain loyalty member data (name, phone, visit history) for as long as the member is enrolled in an active store program, plus 12 months after enrollment ends. Store owner account data is retained for the duration of the service relationship plus 3 years for business record purposes.

To request deletion of your data, email us at billupsjohnsoniv@outlook.com with your name and phone number. We will process deletion requests within 30 days.

9. Security

We use industry-standard security measures including encrypted data transmission (HTTPS), access controls, and secure cloud infrastructure. No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, but we take reasonable precautions to protect your information and will notify affected users in the event of a data breach as required by law.

10. Children's privacy

Our services are not directed to individuals under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected such information, we will delete it promptly. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at billupsjohnsoniv@outlook.com.

11. Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct, or delete your personal information, or to object to certain uses of it. To exercise any of these rights, contact us at billupsjohnsoniv@outlook.com. We will respond within 30 days.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. When we do, we'll update the "Last updated" date at the top. Material changes will be communicated to store owners by email. Continued use of our services after a policy update constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.

13. Contact us

The Southern Guild
Savannah, GA
billupsjohnsoniv@outlook.com