Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

Part Scanner (partscanner.co.uk) is a car parts price comparison service that helps UK motorists find and compare prices on vehicle parts and accessories from third-party retailers. We do not sell parts directly – we aggregate and display product information from partnered retailers so you can make informed purchasing decisions.

2. What data we collect

We collect the minimum amount of data necessary to deliver and improve our service:

• Vehicle information – Registration number (VRM), make, model and engine type you enter to search for compatible parts. When you perform a VRM lookup, we transmit your registration number to our vehicle data provider to match it to a vehicle identifier (vehicle ID / kType). This mapping allows us to display parts that are compatible with your specific vehicle. We retain a record of the registration number and its associated vehicle identifier in our database to improve service performance and reduce repeated lookups. Vehicle data is also stored locally in your browser (localStorage) for convenience.
• Usage & analytics data – Pages visited, searches performed, features used, browser type, device type, screen size, approximate location (country/region level) and session duration. This is collected through our third-party analytics provider, PostHog (see Section 5).
• Technical data – IP address, browser user-agent, and referring URL, collected automatically by our web servers and analytics tools for security and performance monitoring.

We do not collect payment information, email addresses, names, or any other personally identifiable contact details. We do not require account registration to use our service.

3. How we use your data

• Providing the service – Looking up your vehicle and displaying compatible parts with prices from multiple retailers.
• Improving user experience – Analysing usage patterns to understand which features are most valuable, identify issues, and guide product development.
• Performance & security – Monitoring service health, detecting abuse, and protecting against malicious activity.

We do not sell, rent or share your personal data with third parties for marketing purposes.

4. Local storage

We use your browser's localStorage to save your selected vehicle, garage history, and saved parts list. This data remains entirely on your device, is never uploaded to our servers, and you can clear it at any time via your browser settings or by using the in-app controls.

5. Analytics – PostHog

We use PostHog, a product analytics platform, to understand how visitors interact with Part Scanner. PostHog is hosted in the European Union (eu.i.posthog.com) and processes data in accordance with GDPR.

PostHog collects:

• Anonymised pageview and interaction events (e.g. searches, button clicks)
• Device and browser metadata (type, screen size, OS)
• Approximate geographic location derived from IP address
• Session replay data (if enabled) to diagnose usability issues

PostHog assigns a random identifier to your browser session. This is not linked to your name, email, or any personally identifiable information. You can opt out of PostHog tracking by enabling "Do Not Track" in your browser settings, or by using a standard content blocker.

6. Cookies

Part Scanner itself does not set any first-party cookies. PostHog may set a small number of cookies (or use localStorage) to maintain session continuity and distinguish returning visitors. These are analytics-only and do not track you across other websites. No advertising or marketing cookies are used on this site.

7. Affiliate partnerships & commission

Part Scanner earns commission from affiliated retailers when we refer you to their website and you go on to make a purchase. When you click an outbound link on Part Scanner, a referral identifier may be included in the URL so the retailer can attribute the visit to us.

The affiliated retailer may store this referral information in a cookie on their own website (not on Part Scanner). If you make a purchase within the window that the retailer's cookie remains active, we may receive a commission for that sale. Part Scanner does not control the duration or content of these retailer cookies – please refer to each retailer's own cookie and privacy policy for details.

This affiliate relationship does not affect the price you pay. We display listings from multiple retailers to help you find the best deal, and commission earned does not influence the order or ranking of search results.

8. Third-party links

When you click through to purchase a product, you leave Part Scanner and are directed to the retailer's website. Each retailer has its own privacy policy and data handling practices. We encourage you to review the retailer's privacy policy before providing any personal or payment information. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party retailer websites.

9. Data retention

Analytics data collected by PostHog is retained for a maximum of 12 months and is then automatically deleted. Vehicle data stored in your browser's localStorage persists until you clear it manually or clear your browser data.

10. Your rights

Under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, you have the right to:

• Request access to the data we hold about you
• Request correction or deletion of your data
• Object to or restrict processing of your data
• Withdraw consent at any time (where processing is based on consent)

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@partscanner.co.uk.

11. Children's privacy

Part Scanner is not directed at individuals under 16 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a minor, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with the "Last updated" date revised accordingly. We recommend reviewing this page periodically.

13. Contact

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please email us at privacy@partscanner.co.uk.