Effective Date: This Privacy Policy describes how DirectBoatShipping.com (“we”, “us”, “our”, or the “Site”) collects, uses, discloses, and protects personal information when you visit or interact with our website and services. By using the Site, you consent to the practices described in this Policy. This Policy applies to all users, visitors, customers, and other individuals who interact with our Site.
1. Information We Collect
We collect information that identifies, relates to, describes, or is capable of being associated with you (“Personal Information”) and non-identifying information (“Non-Personal Information”). We collect information directly from you, automatically through your use of the Site, and from third-party sources.
1.1 Information You Provide Directly
- Account and Registration Data: Name, email address, username, password, company name, billing and shipping information when you register an account or place an order.
- Transaction Data: Payment details and billing address provided to process purchases, bookings, or bookings-related services (note: payment card details may be processed by third-party payment processors; see the Third-Party Services section).
- Communications: Information you provide when you contact us, submit inquiries, request quotes, respond to surveys, or otherwise communicate with us, including any content you include in those communications.
- User Content: Comments, reviews, photos, or other content you post, submit, or upload to the Site or through our services.
1.2 Information Collected Automatically
- Device and Usage Information: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device identifiers, mobile network information, time zone, and other technical details.
- Site Activity and Analytics: Pages visited, links clicked, search queries, referral URLs, interaction data, session duration, and other usage statistics collected via cookies, web beacons, analytics tools, and server logs.
- Location Information: Approximate location inferred from IP address or precise location if you enable location services on your device and grant permission.
1.3 Information from Third Parties
- Service Providers: We may receive information from payment processors, shipping partners, analytics providers, customer relationship management platforms, and other vendors.
- Public Sources: Information available from public records, social platforms, or other publicly accessible sources.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
- Provide and Manage Services: To register accounts, process transactions, fulfill orders, schedule shipments, and provide customer support.
- Communication: To send confirmations, updates, notices, security alerts, and other administrative messages related to your account and transactions.
- Personalization: To customize your experience, present content and offers tailored to your preferences, and improve the relevance of our services.
- Analytics and Improvement: To analyze usage patterns, monitor performance, detect and prevent fraud, conduct research, and improve the Site and our offerings.
- Marketing: With your consent where required by law, to send promotional communications, newsletters, and special offers. You may opt out of marketing communications as described in the User Rights section.
- Compliance and Safety: To comply with legal obligations, enforce our terms and policies, respond to lawful requests from public authorities, and protect the rights, property, or safety of the Site, users, and others.
3. Legal Bases for Processing (Where Applicable)
For users located in jurisdictions that require a legal basis for personal data processing, we rely on the following bases, as applicable:
- Performance of a Contract: Processing necessary to provide goods or services you request and to fulfill our contractual obligations.
- Legitimate Interests: Processing necessary for legitimate business purposes, such as fraud prevention, network and information security, and improving services, provided these interests do not override your rights and freedoms.
- Consent: Where we request consent (for example, for certain types of marketing communications or non-essential cookies), we will process data only after obtaining your consent.
- Legal Compliance: Where necessary to comply with legal obligations or protect vital interests.
4. Cookies and Similar Technologies
We and our partners use cookies, web beacons, pixels, local storage, and similar technologies to collect information about your interactions with the Site. These technologies enable essential site functionality, remember your preferences, analyze usage, and deliver personalized advertising.
4.1 Types of Cookies
- Essential Cookies: Necessary to enable core features such as account login, shopping cart functionality, and security. These cookies cannot be disabled if you wish to use the Site fully.
- Performance and Analytics Cookies: Collect information about how visitors use the Site to help us monitor and improve performance.
- Functionality Cookies: Remember choices you make to provide enhanced, more personal features.
- Advertising and Targeting Cookies: Used by advertising partners to deliver relevant ads and to measure ad effectiveness.
4.2 Managing Cookies
You can control cookies through your browser settings and other tools provided by your device. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality and performance of the Site. For advertising cookies and tracking technologies operated by third parties, you may also be able to opt out via industry opt-out tools and privacy controls offered by those third parties.
5. Third-Party Links and Services
The Site may contain links to third-party websites, services, and platforms (including social networks, payment processors, shipping partners, and analytics providers). We do not control the privacy practices of third parties and are not responsible for their content, policies, or practices. When you follow links to third-party sites, you should read their privacy policies and make independent decisions about whether to share personal information with them.
6. Affiliate Links and Sponsored Content
We may participate in affiliate marketing programs and publish affiliate links to partners and service providers. When you click an affiliate link and make a purchase or complete an action, we may receive a commission or other compensation. Affiliate links may track clicks and conversions using cookies or similar technologies. We may also publish sponsored content or promotions that are clearly identified as such. Our editorial content and recommendations are guided by providing useful information to users, but we may receive compensation for referrals.
7. Sharing and Disclosure of Information
We may share personal information in the following circumstances:
- Service Providers: With vendors and contractors who perform services on our behalf, such as payment processors, shipping partners, hosting providers, analytics platforms, and marketing providers.
- Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, sale of assets, reorganization, financing, or in the event of bankruptcy where personal information may be transferred as part of the transaction.
- Legal Requirements: When required by law, subpoena, or legal process, to respond to government or regulatory requests, or to protect the safety of users, rights, property, or the Site.
- Consent: With your consent or at your direction.
We do not sell personal information for monetary consideration. To the extent that applicable law refers to “selling” or “sharing” personal information, we will comply with the applicable legal obligations and any available consumer rights to opt out.
8. Data Security
We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures include encryption, access controls, secure servers, and routine security testing. However, no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
9. Data Retention
We retain personal information for as long as necessary to provide the services, fulfill the purposes outlined in this Policy, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Retention periods vary depending on the type of information and the applicable legal requirements. When personal information is no longer necessary, we will securely delete, destroy, or anonymize it in accordance with our policies and applicable law.
10. International Transfers
The Site is hosted and operated in certain jurisdictions. Your personal information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in countries other than your country of residence, including countries that may have different data protection laws. Where transfers occur, we will take steps to ensure that your information receives an adequate level of protection, such as implementing appropriate safeguards, contracts, and security measures permitted under applicable law.
11. Children’s Privacy
The Site and services are not intended for children under the age of 16 (or a higher age if required by local law). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the applicable age. If we learn that we have collected personal information of a child in violation of this Policy, we will take steps to delete such information as soon as reasonably possible.
12. Your Rights and Choices
Subject to applicable law, you may have rights regarding your personal information. The availability of these rights varies by jurisdiction. Examples of rights that may be available to you include:
12.1 Access and Portability
Right to access: You may request access to the personal information we hold about you and obtain a copy of that information in a commonly used, machine-readable format.
12.2 Correction and Rectification
Right to correct: You may request that we update or correct inaccurate or incomplete personal information we maintain about you.
12.3 Deletion
Right to delete: You may request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions where we must retain information to comply with legal obligations, complete transactions, or for other legitimate business purposes.
12.4 Restriction and Objection
Right to restrict or object: You may request restrictions on our processing or object to certain processing activities, including profiling or processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
12.5 Opting Out of Marketing
You may opt out of promotional communications at any time by using the unsubscribe mechanism in those communications or via the account and preference settings available in the Site. Opting out of marketing will not affect transactional or service-related communications necessary for your use of the Site.
12.6 Withdrawing Consent
If our processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw consent at any time. Withdrawal will not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal.
12.7 Lodging a Complaint
If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you may have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority in the jurisdiction where you reside or work.
12.8 How to Exercise Your Rights
Where available, you may exercise certain rights through your account settings, privacy controls, or opt-out mechanisms provided within the Site or communications. For requests that require verification, we may need to confirm your identity before fulfilling your request. We will respond to verified requests in accordance with applicable law.
13. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or services. When we make material changes, we will post the revised Policy on the Site with an updated effective date. Your continued use of the Site after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy.
14. Additional Disclosures for Certain Jurisdictions
Certain jurisdictions provide additional privacy rights and protections (for example, the right to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information, or specific disclosures related to automated decision-making). If you are a resident of such a jurisdiction, the rights and disclosures provided here are intended to be consistent with those laws. To the extent required, we will honor requests and provide additional information in accordance with applicable local law.
15. Third-Party Processors and Subprocessors
We engage third-party processors to perform various functions on our behalf, such as hosting, analytics, payment processing, email delivery, and marketing. These processors may have access to personal information only as necessary to perform their services and are subject to contractual obligations to protect the information.
16. Important Notes
- No Guarantee of Security: Although we implement reasonable safeguards, the transmission of information over the Internet is not completely secure.
- Accuracy of Information: Please keep your account and contact information accurate and up to date through the account settings or the mechanisms provided in our Services.
- Third-Party Policies: The Site may integrate third-party content and services; their policies and practices are beyond our control.
By using DirectBoatShipping.com, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and agree to the collection, use, and disclosure of your information as described herein.