This policy explains what information Circuit Fixers ("we", "us", "our") collects through this website, its tools and its repair network, how we use it, and the choices you have. It applies to circuit-fixers.com.
Information We Collect
Information you give us
- Repair requests. When you submit a repair request or ask about a part, we collect your name, email address, and (if provided) phone number, your country and city or area, along with the device brand/model and a description of the problem.
- Accounts. Creating an account requires a username and password (stored as a one-way hash, never in plain text). A profile can optionally include contact details, but these are never required to register.
- Technician applications. Technicians who apply to join the repair network give us their name or business name, country and area, the devices they repair, their experience, an email address and optionally a phone number and website, so we can review the application and pass them repair requests.
- Device and board photos. As part of diagnosing and documenting a repair, technicians using Circuit Fixers (including the St Lucia repair workshop where it was built) photograph devices and circuit boards. These images are stored on our servers and may show serial numbers or other identifying marks on the device itself. Photos of circuit boards may be shown publicly on the site with their parts marked.
Information collected automatically
- Usage data. We log page views, searches (e.g. the parts catalog search box), and interactions with site features (such as adding a part to your cart, or using a tool on the technician dashboard) to an internal log and to Google Analytics 4. This is described further under "Analytics" below.
- Cookies. A session cookie keeps you logged in while using the site. If you log in, it lasts up to 30 days and is renewed each time you use the site, so you don't have to log in on every visit; logging out removes it. If you don't log in, it's deleted when you close your browser. If Google Analytics is active, it sets its own cookies (named
_ga) to recognize repeat visits from the same browser. See "Cookies" below.
- Shopping cart. The parts catalog's cart is stored only in your browser's local storage - part numbers, descriptions, prices, and quantities you've added. It is never sent to our servers unless you choose to submit it as a repair request.
How We Use Your Information
- To respond to repair requests and part inquiries, and to provide quotes and carry out repairs.
- To keep internal records of jobs, devices, and inventory.
- To identify and document components during a repair - see "AI-Assisted Photo Analysis" below.
- To understand how the site is used (which pages, searches, and features are popular) so we can improve it.
- To detect and prevent spam or abuse of our forms.
AI-Assisted Photo Analysis
To help identify components and speed up documentation, photos of circuit boards taken during a repair may be sent to a third-party AI vision service (currently Anthropic's Claude or Google's Gemini, depending on configuration) for automated component identification and description. Only the image and cropped regions of it are sent - not your name, email, or other contact details.
Analytics
We use Google Analytics 4 to understand site usage - which pages are visited, what's searched for, and how features like the cart and dashboard tools are used. This data is tied to a pseudonymous identifier for your browser (not your name or account), generated by Google Analytics. If you're signed in to an account, we also send Google Analytics a coded identifier for that account and its role (e.g. technician), so visits from the same account on different devices are counted together and staff activity can be told apart from public visits. The code can't be turned back into your username, email or other details by Google. We also keep a similar internal log on our own servers for the same purpose. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking using Google's browser opt-out tool, or by using your browser's cookie/tracking-prevention settings.
Cookies
We use a small number of cookies and similar browser storage:
| Name | Purpose | Type | Kept for |
|---|
Session cookie (PHPSESSID) | Keeps you logged in and protects forms | Essential | Until you close your browser, or up to 30 days if you log in |
cf_consent | Remembers your cookie choice | Essential | 180 days |
| Cart (browser local storage) | The parts in your cart | Essential | Until you clear it |
Cloudflare (__cf_bm, cf_clearance) | Security: telling people from bots | Essential | Up to 30 minutes / up to a year |
_ga, _ga_* | Google Analytics: how the site is used | Analytics | Up to 2 years |
Essential cookies are needed for the site to work and are always on. If you visit from the European Union / EEA, the United Kingdom or Switzerland, Google Analytics cookies are only set if you choose "Accept" in the cookie banner, and you can change your choice at any time with the "Cookie settings" link at the bottom of every page. Elsewhere, you can opt out using the options under "Analytics" above.
Who We Share Information With
We don't sell your personal information. We share it only with:
- A repair technician in our network - when you request a repair, the technicians in our network in your country can see the device, the problem and your city or area, but not your name or contact details. Only the technician who accepts your request receives your name, email and phone number, so they can contact you about the repair. Technicians are independent businesses who join the network themselves; we don't check them, so share only what's needed for the repair. If nobody takes your request within 30 days, it's no longer shown to technicians.
- Google - for site analytics (Google Analytics 4), as described above.
- Anthropic and/or Google - for AI-assisted photo analysis, as described above.
- Mouser Electronics - when looking up part information; only part numbers are involved, never your personal details.
- Our hosting/infrastructure providers (including Cloudflare) - who can see traffic to the site as a normal part of delivering it to you.
- Law enforcement or other parties, if we're legally required to.
Because some of these providers operate internationally, your information may be processed or stored outside of St. Lucia.
Data Retention
We keep repair request and job records for as long as reasonably needed for warranty coverage, our own business records, and any legal obligations. Device/board photos are kept as part of the job record. If you'd like something deleted sooner, contact us and we'll do our best to accommodate it, subject to any records we're required to keep.
Your Choices
- You can ask us what information we hold about you, request corrections, or request deletion, by contacting us using the details below.
- You can clear your cart at any time by clearing your browser's local storage for this site, or using the "Clear" option in the cart.
- You can decline non-essential cookies or use a browser extension/setting to block analytics scripts; this doesn't affect your ability to browse the site or request repairs.
Data Security
We take reasonable steps to protect your information - passwords are stored as one-way hashes, not plain text, and the site is served over HTTPS. No method of storage or transmission is 100% secure, so we can't guarantee absolute security.
Children's Privacy
This site is not directed at children, and we don't knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we'll remove it.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision. Continued use of the site after a change means you accept the updated policy.
Contact Us
Questions about this policy, or requests regarding your information, can be sent to:
[email protected]
Gros Islet, St. Lucia