Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy
Effective date: [22 July 2025]

1. Who We Are

The Tea Company ("we", "our", "us") operates this website and sells tea and related products. Our registered/primary business address is: Tea Company, Floor 1, Bin Ali Complex, Baramulla, Kashmir, India. You can reach us at [shopteacompany@gmail.com].

This policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and the choices you have. If anything here feels unclear, email us and we’ll walk you through it.

2. What We Collect

We collect information in three main ways:

A. Information you give us

Account details (name, email, password)
Shipping and billing addresses
Order details (what you bought, when, how much)
Messages you send us (support emails, chat, social DMs)
Marketing preferences (email/SMS opt‑ins)

B. Information collected automatically

Device and browser data (IP address, device type, operating system)
Usage data (pages viewed, time on page, clicks)
Cookies and similar technologies (see Section 6)

C. Information from third parties

Payment processors (payment status, last four digits of card—never full card numbers)
Analytics and ad platforms (Google Analytics, Meta Pixel, etc.)
Social media platforms if you interact with us there

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your data to:

Process and deliver orders and handle returns
Communicate about your purchase and provide support
Send marketing emails/SMS—only if you said yes (you can unsubscribe anytime)
Improve our site, products, and content by looking at aggregate behavior
Prevent fraud and keep our store secure
Comply with legal or tax obligations

Legal bases (for customers in the EEA/UK):

Contract: to fulfill and manage your orders
Legitimate interests: to improve services, prevent fraud, and market to existing customers
Consent: for email/SMS marketing and certain cookies
Legal obligation: to maintain records for tax and compliance

4. Sharing & Disclosure

We don’t sell your personal data. We do share limited information with:

Service providers who help us run the store (Shopify, hosting, payment gateways, email/SMS tools, couriers)
Analytics/advertising partners to understand site use and run ads (only within the permissions you’ve given)
Professional advisors (lawyers, accountants) when needed
Authorities if required by law, court order, or to protect our rights
Business transfers: if we merge, sell assets, or restructure, your data may transfer under the same terms

5. Cookies & Tracking Tech

Cookies are small files placed on your device. Some are essential for the cart and checkout to work. Others help us understand traffic or show relevant ads.

You can control cookies via your browser settings and consent banner. Rejecting non‑essential cookies won’t stop you from browsing, but might limit certain features.

Types we use:

Essential (cart, login, security)
Performance/analytics (page views, conversions)
Marketing (retargeting, ad measurement)

6. Marketing Messages

If you opt in, we’ll send:

Product updates and launches
Discounts and offers
Tea education and brewing tips

Unsubscribe links are in every email/SMS. You can also email us to be removed.

7. Data Retention

We keep data only as long as needed:

Orders and tax records: [insert statutory period in your jurisdiction—often 6–7 years]
Marketing lists: until you unsubscribe or your email hard‑bounces
Analytics data: retained in aggregate form where possible

When we no longer need your data, we delete or anonymize it.

8. Your Rights

Your rights depend on where you live. At a minimum, you can always:

Ask what personal data we hold about you
Request corrections if something’s wrong
Ask us to delete your data (unless we need it for legal reasons)
Opt out of marketing at any time

To use any of these rights, contact us at [shopteacompany@gmail.com]. We’ll verify your identity before acting on your request.

9. Transfers Outside Your Country

Our store platform and service providers may store or process data in countries other than yours. When we transfer data internationally, we use safeguards permitted by law (e.g., Standard Contractual Clauses for EU/UK data).

10. Children’s Privacy

Our site isn’t directed at children under 13 (or the minimum age in your country). We don’t knowingly collect data from children. If you believe a child gave us personal information, contact us and we’ll delete it.

11. Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your data (HTTPS, access controls, limited retention). No system is 100% secure, so please keep your account password safe and contact us if you suspect unauthorized use.

12. Do Not Track Signals

Some browsers send "Do Not Track" signals. There’s no universal standard for responding to these, so we currently don’t change our behavior based on DNT.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. If we make significant changes, we’ll post a notice on the site and update the effective date. Your continued use of the site means you accept the updated policy.