PRIVACY POLICY

At Aetheria Candle Co., sustainability and trust go hand-in-hand – we craft our candles and our privacy practices with care for you and the planet.

Welcome to Aetheria Candle Co.’s Privacy Policy! We believe in doing right by our customers and the environment. That means being transparent about how we collect, use, and share your personal information. In this policy, written in a conversational yet professional tone, we’ll explain what information we gather about you, how we use it to serve you (while upholding ethical and sustainable practices), and how we keep it safe. Your trust matters to us, so if you have any questions, you can always reach out at luna@aetheriacandle.com.


Personal Information We Collect

When you visit our site or make a purchase, we collect personal information to better serve you. This includes:

  Device Information: Details about your device and how you interact with our site. For example, we automatically receive your IP address, web browser type, time zone, and information about cookies installed on your device. We also track what pages or products you view and how you navigate the site. We gather this data using cookies, log files, web beacons, tags, or pixels​ . Why? This helps us load the site properly for you, understand usage patterns, and improve your experience (think of it as us being environmentally mindful in the digital space – optimizing to reduce waste and inefficiency online too!).

  Order Information: Information you provide when making a purchase or attempting to make a purchase. This includes your name, billing and shipping address, payment details (like credit card info), email address, and phone number. Why? We need this info to process your order – to arrange shipping, send you order confirmations and receipts, and contact you if needed. It also helps us screen orders for fraud, and, if you’ve agreed, to send you updates or offers related to our products.

When we say “Personal Information” in this policy, we’re referring to both Device and Order Information, as well as any other info that can identify you. Rest assured, we handle all this information ethically – we collect just what we need to serve you and improve our services, and nothing more.


How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for various legitimate and responsible purposes, including:

  To Fulfill Orders & Provide Services: First and foremost, we use your Order Information to process and deliver your purchases. This means taking payment, getting your candles shipped to the right address, and sending you emails or texts to confirm your order and shipping details. We want you to get your hand-crafted, sustainable candles without a hitch!

  To Communicate with You: We may use your contact information to get in touch about your order (e.g. if we have questions or updates). With your permission, we’ll also send you news about new products or special offers. We promise to keep our messages thoughtful – no spam, just the good stuff that we believe matches your interest and our eco-friendly values.

  To Prevent Fraud and Ensure Security: It’s important to us to protect both you and our business from fraud. For example, we might use certain Device Information (like your IP address) to screen for unusual or suspicious activity​. This is part of keeping our online store a safe place to shop.

  To Improve and Personalize Your Experience: Device Information (like browsing behavior) helps us understand how customers use our site​. We use this to make our website better and tailor our product recommendations or content. It’s similar to how we refine our candle-making processes to be more sustainable – continuously improving based on feedback and data.

  For Marketing (with Your Consent): If you’ve subscribed or otherwise agreed to receive marketing, we’ll use your info to share updates on new candle collections, exclusive deals, or tips on reusing our eco-friendly packaging. We respect your preferences – you control how (and if) you hear from us in this way. If you change your mind, just let us know and we’ll adjust your subscription settings (no hard feelings, and no hard sells).


How We Share Your Information

We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties – period. We only share your information in a few specific situations, all aimed at running our business ethically and effectively (much like sourcing sustainable materials for our candles):

  Service Providers: We share your information with trusted third-party companies that help us run our online store and fulfill your orders​. For example, our store is powered by WIX and Shopify, so your personal information is processed through WIX and Shopify’s systems. You can read more about how Shopify handles your data here: ​goodordering.com. We also use Google Analytics to understand how folks use our website – basically to see what’s working and what could be improved in your shopping experience. Google Analytics may use cookies to collect Device Information and usage data. You can read about how Google uses this information here: ​goodordering.com. (We provide more on opting out of Google Analytics in the Behavioral Advertising section below.) Other examples of service providers include payment processors (to securely handle your payments) and shipping partners (to deliver your orders). These companies only get the info necessary for their part, and they’re contractually obligated to safeguard your data and use it only for the services they provide.

  SMS/Marketing Platforms: If you opt-in to our text message updates or promotions (more on this in Text Marketing and Notifications below), we may share your phone number and necessary info with the platform that sends out our text messages on our behalf. Don’t worry – we only work with reputable providers who uphold privacy and security standards similar to ours. They can’t use your data for anything except sending Aetheria Candle Co. communications, per our instructions.

  Legal Requirements and Protecting Rights: We may disclose your information if required by law or if necessary to respond to valid legal requests (like a subpoena or court order)​ goodordering.com. We might also share details if we believe it’s needed to protect our rights, protect your rights or safety, or to investigate/prevent fraud or security issues. For instance, if someone attempted a cyber-attack (the digital equivalent of an unethical practice), we might need to share data with investigators to address it.

Aside from these scenarios, we don’t share your info with anyone else. No third-party junk mail, no selling your data for profit. Our ethos of transparency and ethical business practice guides us here: we treat your personal data with the same care and integrity as we do the environment.


Behavioral Advertising and Cookies

Like many companies, we sometimes use your personal information to provide you with targeted advertisements or marketing communications that we believe might interest you. This is often called “online behavioral advertising.” For example, if you’ve browsed our site and added a candle to your cart but didn’t check out, you might see an ad later reminding you about that candle. We use tools (like cookies and pixels) to make this happen in collaboration with advertising partners. We do this to keep you informed about our products in a relevant way, not to intrude, and certainly not to mislead – we only want to share things we think you’ll care about.

For more information on how targeted ads work (it’s quite interesting, actually!), you can check out the Network Advertising Initiative’s educational page​ goodordering.com . It explains the ins-and-outs of interest-based advertising in plain language.

Your choices: We respect your right to privacy, so if you prefer not to receive targeted ads, you have options to opt out. Many advertising networks and services participate in industry opt-out programs. Here are a few useful links to opt out of targeted advertising from some major platforms:

  Facebook – You can adjust your ad preferences on Facebook to opt out of certain targeted ads​ goodordering.com

  Google – Google provides an Ad Settings page where you can control the ads you see (and opt out of personalized ads)​ goodordering.com
   
  Bing – If you use Microsoft services, you can opt out of personalized ads through Bing’s ad settings​ goodordering.com

Additionally, you can opt out of some of these services by visiting the Digital Advertising Alliance’s opt-out portal here: ​ goodordering.com This site lets you opt out from many participating ad networks all at once.

Keep in mind, opting out of targeted ads doesn’t mean you’ll see fewer ads – it just means the ads you do see may be less relevant to your interests. But that trade-off is completely up to you! We want you to feel comfortable and in control of your data and how it’s used.

As for cookies (the not-so-tasty kind that live in your browser), you can usually disable them through your browser settings if you prefer. However, our site may not remember your preferences or work as smoothly without them. Like a candle without a flame, some features just won’t shine as bright without cookies enabled. We have a separate Cookies section (or notice) for more details on what cookies we use, which you can review for specifics.


Text Marketing and Notifications

If you opt-in to our text message (SMS) marketing program, we want you to know exactly how your information is being used and protected. Text messaging can be a great way for us to keep you updated about your orders or share exclusive offers, and we’re committed to doing it in a privacy-respectful way:

  What We Collect for Texting: When you provide your phone number and consent to receive text updates, we’ll collect your number (and of course, the content of any texts we send or receive to/from you). We might also note your communication preferences (e.g. if you only want order updates vs. promotional texts).

  How We Use Text Information: We’ll use your phone number to send you the messages you’ve signed up for. This could be order status alerts (“Your candle is on its way!”), back-in-stock notifications, or promotional offers and news about Aetheria Candle Co. All text messages will be thoughtful and infrequent – we know your phone is personal space, and we respect that. You will not be spammed; we aim to send content that’s genuinely valuable, like a heads-up on a sale for our eco-friendly candle line, or a tip on how to reuse our candle jars (sustainability for the win!).

  Consent and Opting Out: We only send texts if you’ve opted in. If you’ve changed your mind, you can opt out at any time. Each marketing text will include an easy way to unsubscribe (often by replying “STOP”). You can also contact us directly to be removed from text notifications. Once you opt out, we’ll stop sending you messages – no questions asked. If you opt out of marketing texts, we may still send critical texts about your orders if you’ve requested them (for example, a delivery notification), but otherwise you won’t hear from us on SMS.

  Protection of Your Data: Your phone number and any personal data associated with our text program are kept secure. We treat this information like we do the rest of your personal info – with high security and strict confidentiality. We use reputable texting platforms to manage our SMS program, and they are contractually required to safeguard your data. We do not sell your phone number or SMS consent info to anyone. Also, we abide by relevant laws (like the Telephone Consumer Protection Act in the U.S.) which are designed to protect you from unwanted messages. In short, we only want to text with you if you’re truly interested, and we’ll guard that contact info carefully.

If you have any questions about our text messaging practices or want to clarify what you’ve signed up for, feel free to email us at luna@aetheriacandle.com. We’re here to help and ensure you’re comfortable with how we communicate.


Do Not Track Signals

Do Not Track (DNT) is a feature in some web browsers that sends a signal to websites indicating you prefer not to be tracked. Currently, there isn’t a consistent industry standard for how to respond to these signals. As such, we want to be upfront that we do not alter our site’s data collection and usage practices when we detect a Do Not Track signal from your browser​. In other words, our site will operate in the standard way even if DNT is enabled.

However, remember you can always opt out of certain tracking (like the Google Analytics opt-out mentioned earlier, or by blocking cookies). We support your right to privacy and encourage you to use the tools at your disposal. We hope that the measures described in this policy give you confidence that even if DNT isn’t honored in a technical sense, we are treating your data with respect and care at all times.


Your Rights and Choices

Your personal information is yours, and you have certain rights over it. Aetheria Candle Co. is committed to respecting those rights and empowering you to exercise them. Here’s an overview, especially relevant for European residents:

  Access & Correction: You have the right to access the personal information we hold about you and to request corrections or updates if any of it is   inaccurate or outdated​. For example, if you want to see what order information we have on file or need to correct your shipping address, just let us know.

  Deletion (Right to be Forgotten): You can also ask us to delete your personal information​. Keep in mind there may be legal reasons we might retain certain data (like purchase records for tax purposes), but if you request deletion, we will comply to the fullest extent required by law and will let you know if we need to keep anything and why. If you close your account or just decide you no longer want us to have your info, we understand and will honor that.

  Withdrawal of Consent: If you have given consent for us to use your info in a certain way (for example, for marketing emails or texts), you can withdraw that consent at any time. Just unsubscribe from the service or contact us, and we’ll make sure to stop that use of your info. (This is similar to the opt-out we described in the Text Marketing section – your choices are paramount.)

  European Residents – Additional Notes: If you are in the EU or UK, we want you to know that we process your information to fulfill contracts we might have with you (e.g. sending you the goods you purchased), or to pursue legitimate business interests (like improving our services or preventing fraud), in accordance with Article 6(1)(b) and (f) of the GDPR​. Also, please note that your information will likely be transferred outside of Europe, including to Canada or the United States, because our website platform and databases may be hosted in those countries​. We use WIX and Shopify as our store platform (which has servers in the US/Canada) and other providers based in the US, so that’s why. We only work with service providers that have appropriate safeguards in place (for example, Shopify is certified under EU-US data frameworks) to protect your data when it moves internationally. If you have questions about how we handle cross-border data or want to ensure your rights are fully respected, feel free to reach out.

  California Residents: (If applicable) California law (CCPA/CPRA) may provide additional rights such as knowing what categories of data we collect and the right to opt-out of “sale” of personal info (though we do not sell personal info, as stated). While this policy is focused on general and EU privacy rights, California residents can also contact us to exercise their rights under state law, and we will honor those rights as required.

To exercise any of your rights, please contact us at luna@aetheriacandle.com  We may need to verify your identity (to make sure we’re dealing with the right person’s data) by asking for some additional information, but we’ll make the process as smooth as possible. We care about your privacy and will never discriminate against you for exercising these rights.


Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy (unless a longer retention period is required by law). For example, when you place an order, we will keep your Order Information on file so we have records of your transaction​. This helps in handling returns, refunds, accounting, and for warranty or tax purposes. Typically, we hold onto order data unless and until you ask us to delete it​.

If you request deletion or closure of your account, we will securely remove or anonymize the information we no longer need. However, we might retain some details if necessary to comply with legal obligations (like maintaining records of sales), resolve disputes, or enforce our agreements. We also keep Device Information (like analytics data) for a shorter period, as needed to improve our website and then typically aggregate or anonymize it.

Rest assured, whether we store your data for a short time or a bit longer, we continue to protect it with appropriate security measures. And we never keep data just for the sake of it – if we don’t need it, we’ll purge it.


Changes to This Privacy Policy

Just as our candle designs or packaging might evolve to be even more sustainable, this Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons​. If we make significant changes, we’ll do our best to let you know (for example, by posting a notice on our site or sending an email). That way, you’re always up-to-date on how your information is handled.

When we update the policy, the “Last updated” date (usually found at the top of the policy page) will change. Changes take effect as soon as they are posted unless stated otherwise. Your continued use of our site or services after an update means you accept the new policy, but we only use your information in accordance with the version of the policy in effect at the time we collected that information. We wouldn’t ever retroactively apply changes to data we collected in the past without your consent.


Contact Us

Your feedback and questions about privacy are important to us. If you have any questions, concerns, or simply want more details about our privacy practices, please don’t hesitate to contact us:

Email: luna@aetheriacandle.com

We will gladly take the time to explain or address any issues. Trust is the foundation of our relationship with you, and that includes being responsive and accountable. Whether you’re curious about how we implement our ethical practices in data handling or you want to exercise one of your rights, we’re here to listen and help.

Thank you for reading our Privacy Policy. We appreciate that you trust Aetheria Candle Co. with your personal information and we take that trust seriously. Just as we’re committed to sustainability in our products, we’re committed to transparency in our privacy practices. Enjoy our candles with peace of mind knowing that your data is in good hands!