Privacy, plainly.

Last updated October 18, 2026.

Waitlist

When you join our waitlist, we collect your email address and, if you provide it, your five-digit ZIP code, to understand where people want etc. and to email you about early access. Joining the waitlist doesn't sign you up for texts.

The text-message service

If you sign up at etc.so/start or text etc., we collect your phone number, your messages and photos, the items and preferences you describe, your ZIP code (used for approximate location), and the history of your trades. We use this to run the service: identifying items, estimating used value internally, finding fair nearby trades, and coordinating meetups.

Who sees what

When a trade is suggested, the other person sees photos and the condition details of your item, plus an approximate distance. We don't share your phone number, name, or address with other members. Meetup details go only to the two people who both agreed to a trade.

Service providers

We use providers to operate etc.: Twilio (text messaging), Vercel (hosting and photo storage), AI model providers via Vercel AI Gateway (understanding photos and messages), and You.com (searching public listings to estimate value). We don't sell your information. Mobile numbers and text-message opt-in consent are not shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes.

Message frequency varies with your activity, matches, and trades. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out or HELP for help. Email hello@etc.so for support.

Your choices

Reply STOP to stop texts. Text "remove" for any item to withdraw it. To delete your account and data, text "delete my data" and a person will process it. We keep trade history only as long as needed to run the service and handle disputes.

This is an early-access pilot. We'll keep this page current as the service changes.