Privacy Policy (Abacus Whiskers)

This privacy policy explains how Martyn Chadderton, trading as Abacus Whiskers (“we”, “us”, “our”) collects, uses, and protects your personal information when you use our website and services.

Who we are (data controller)

Data controller: Martyn Chadderton (Abacus Whiskers)
Email: martyn@abacuswhiskers.com

Postal address (service address): 45 Middle Hillgate, Stockport, SK1 3DG, United Kingdom
Website: https://www.abacuswhiskers.com

Quick overview

• What we collect: basic contact details, order/account details, and (if you allow it) website usage data.
• Why we collect it: to process orders, provide support, keep the site secure, and improve our resources.
• Who we share with: only service providers we need to run the store (payments, email delivery, hosting/security, and analytics/marketing tools only if you consent).
• Your rights: access, correct, delete, restrict/object, and export your data (subject to legal requirements).
• Cookies: see our Cookie Declaration for the full cookie list, purposes, and durations, and use our “Manage Cookies” link to change your choices any time.

1) Information we collect

A) Information you provide

When you buy our digital resources, create an account, or contact us, we may collect:

• Contact details: name, email address, billing address
• Order details: what you bought, timestamps, price, tax/VAT information, receipts
• Account details: username and password (passwords are stored securely as a one-way hash by the platform)
• Communications: messages you send via forms, email, or support requests
• Payments: payment details are processed securely by our payment providers (for example Stripe, PayPal, and Klarna where offered at checkout). We do not receive or store your full card details.

B) Information collected automatically

When you visit the website, we may collect:

• Technical data: IP address, browser type, device information, approximate location (country/region)
• Usage data: pages visited, actions taken, and time spent (especially if you accept analytics cookies)
• Security logs: to help protect the site from abuse and fraud

C) Cookies and similar technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies (including storage/access technologies like pixels and tags) for:

• Strictly necessary (always on): security, fraud prevention, checkout/cart functionality, and essential site features
• Analytics (only with your consent): understanding how the site is used (eg Google Analytics) so we can improve content and performance
• Marketing (only with your consent, if used): advertising/remarketing and measuring campaign effectiveness
• Functional (optional): enhanced features and preferences

You can change your choices at any time via Manage Cookies and view details in our Cookie Declaration. Non-essential cookies require consent; strictly necessary cookies do not.

2) How we use your information

Essential operations (to deliver what you requested)

• Process and fulfil orders (including providing download access)
• Send order confirmations, receipts, and service messages
• Provide customer support and handle refunds/issues
• Create and manage your account

Security and site improvement

• Prevent fraud and misuse
• Maintain website security and reliability
• Improve our products and website based on feedback and (where consented) analytics

Marketing (only if you opt in)

• Send newsletters or product updates
• Use marketing/remarketing tools (only if you consent and where enabled)

Legal compliance

• Keep records required for tax/accounting
• Respond to lawful requests and enforce our terms where necessary

3) Legal basis for processing (UK GDPR)

We process personal data under one or more of these lawful bases:

• Contract: to take payment, deliver your purchase, and provide account/download access
• Legal obligation: to keep tax/accounting records and meet legal requirements
• Legitimate interests: to run and secure our business (fraud prevention, support, basic service improvement)
• Consent: for non-essential cookies/analytics/marketing and for marketing emails where required

4) Who we share information with

We only share personal information with providers needed to run the store and website, for example:

• Payment processors (eg Stripe, PayPal, Klarna where offered)
• Email services (to send order emails and respond to support requests, and marketing emails if you opt in)
• Hosting/security providers (to host the website and protect it from attacks and abuse)
• Analytics providers (eg Google Analytics) only if you consent to analytics cookies
• Marketing/advertising partners (only if you consent and where enabled)

We may also disclose information if required by law, court order, or to protect rights and safety.

We do not sell your personal information for money.
If you consent to marketing cookies and we use advertising/remarketing tools, some jurisdictions (including California) may treat that as “sharing” for targeted advertising. You can opt out at any time (see the US section below).

5) Data security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your information, including:

• Encrypted connections (SSL/TLS)
• Access controls and least-privilege access
• Regular updates and monitoring

No online service can be guaranteed 100% secure, but we take sensible precautions appropriate to a small ecommerce business.

6) Data retention

We keep personal information only as long as needed for the purpose it was collected:

• Order/tax records: typically 7 years
• Account data: until you delete your account or ask us to delete it (unless we must keep certain records)
• Support communications: as long as needed to resolve the issue, then retained for a reasonable period
• Analytics/marketing data: retained according to our tool settings and your cookie choices (see Cookie Declaration)

7) Your privacy rights (UK/EEA)

Depending on your location (and in the UK under UK GDPR), you can:

• Request access to your personal data
• Ask us to correct inaccurate data
• Request deletion (where we’re not legally required to keep it)
• Object to or restrict certain processing
• Request a portable copy of your data (where applicable)
• Withdraw consent at any time (eg marketing or non-essential cookies)

How to exercise your rights: email martyn@abacuswhiskers.com

Timescales: we aim to respond within one month.

Complaints (UK): you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

8) International transfers

We are based in the UK. Some service providers may process personal information outside the UK. Where this involves a restricted transfer, we use appropriate safeguards such as:

• UK adequacy regulations (where applicable), and/or
• the ICO’s International Data Transfer Agreement (IDTA) and/or UK Addendum, and associated risk assessment where required

9) If you choose not to provide information

If you don’t provide the information needed for checkout (eg name, email, billing details), we won’t be able to process your order or provide purchase/download access.

10) Children

Our resources are intended for adults (teachers/parents). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

11) Third-party links

Our website may contain links to third-party sites. We are not responsible for their privacy practices. Please review their privacy policies.

12) Updates to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the “Last updated” date and may provide a website notice.

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US State Privacy Notice (including California)

This section applies to individuals who live in certain US states with comprehensive privacy laws (including California, and states such as Colorado, Connecticut, Texas, Oregon, Virginia, and others). These laws mostly provide similar rights and require extra disclosures.

A) What we collect (US categories)

Depending on how you use the site, we may collect the following categories of personal information:

• Identifiers: name, email address, account username, IP address
• Commercial information: purchases, order history, receipts
• Internet/network activity: browsing activity on our site (particularly if you accept analytics/marketing cookies)
• Approximate location: country/region inferred from IP address
• Customer support information: messages you send us and related records

We do not intentionally collect “sensitive” information (eg government ID numbers). Payment card details are handled by payment providers.

B) Sources

We collect personal information:

• Directly from you (checkout, account creation, contact forms, emails)
• Automatically from your device/browser (cookies, logs, similar technologies)
• From service providers involved in payments, email delivery, hosting/security, and (if consented) analytics/marketing

C) Purposes

We use personal information to:

• Provide and support the services you request (orders, downloads, accounts, support)
• Secure and maintain the website and prevent fraud
• Improve the website and resources (including via analytics if you consent)
• Send marketing (only if you opt in)
• Meet legal/tax obligations

D) Disclosures (who we share with)

We disclose personal information to service providers and partners for the purposes above, such as:

• Payment processors
• Email delivery/support tools
• Hosting and security providers
• Analytics providers (only if you consent)
• Advertising/remarketing partners (only if you consent and where enabled)

E) “Sell” / “Share” / targeted advertising (important for California)

We do not sell personal information for money.

If we use advertising/remarketing tools and you consent to marketing cookies, some US laws (including California) may treat that as “sharing” for cross-context behavioural advertising / targeted advertising.

How to opt out (California + other US states):

• Use Manage Cookies and switch off Marketing (and/or Analytics) cookies.
• Or email martyn@abacuswhiskers.com with the subject line “US Privacy Opt-Out” and tell us what you want to opt out of (sale/share/targeted advertising).

F) Your US privacy rights (plain English)

Depending on your state, you may have the right to:

• Know/access: request what personal information we have about you
• Delete: ask us to delete personal information (with certain legal exceptions)
• Correct: ask us to correct inaccurate personal information
• Opt out of targeted advertising and certain data sharing
• Opt out of “sale” or “sharing” (as those laws define them)
• Portability: receive your data in a usable format
• Non-discrimination: you will not be treated unfairly for exercising privacy rights

Some states also provide:

• Appeal: if we refuse a request, you can ask us to review that decision

G) How we verify requests

To protect your privacy, we may need to verify your identity (for example, by confirming access to the email address on your account or order). We will only request information that is reasonably necessary for verification.

H) Authorised agents (California and some states)

If you want to use an authorised agent to make a request for you, we may ask for proof that you gave them permission, and we may still need to verify your identity directly.

I) Response times (US)

California: we aim to respond within 45 days, and may extend where permitted (up to 90 days in total).

Other states have similar timeframes; we will respond within the timeframe required by the law that applies to you.

J) Opt-out preference signals (eg Global Privacy Control)

Some browsers and extensions can send an opt-out preference signal (often called Global Privacy Control). Where required by applicable US law and where our systems support it, we will treat such a signal as a request to opt out of applicable sale/share/targeted advertising for that browser or device.

K) California “Shine the Light”

If California’s “Shine the Light” law applies to you and we have shared personal information with third parties for their direct marketing purposes, you may request certain information about those disclosures. In practice, we do not share personal information with third parties for their own direct marketing without your consent.

Contact us

For privacy questions or requests: martyn@abacuswhiskers.com

Postal address (service address): 45 Middle Hillgate, Stockport, SK1 3DG, United Kingdom