Privacy Policy

Last updated: January 15, 2025

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

Quick Overview

  • What we collect: Basic contact details, order information, and website usage data
  • Why we collect it: To process orders, provide customer support, and improve our educational resources
  • Who we share with: Only essential service providers (payment processors, email services)
  • Your rights: Access, correct, delete, or export your data at any time
  • Contact: martyn@abacuswhiskers.com for any privacy questions
    Cookie Details: See our Cookie Declaration for complete cookie information

1. Information We Collect

Information You Provide

When you purchase our teacher planners or contact us, we collect:

  • Contact details: Name, email address, billing address
  • Payment information: Processed securely by our payment providers (Stripe, PayPal, Klarna)
  • Account details: Username and password if you create an account
  • Communications: Messages you send us through contact forms or email

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we automatically collect:

  • Technical data: IP address, browser type, device information
  • Usage data: Pages visited, time spent, downloads
  • Location data: General location based on IP address (country/region only)

Cookies and Tracking

We use essential cookies for:

  • Functionality: Shopping cart, user preferences, security
  • Analytics: Understanding how visitors use our site (Google Analytics)
  • Marketing: With your consent, for targeted advertising

Cookie Categories:

  • Strictly Necessary: Essential for website operation (cannot be disabled)
  • Analytics: Anonymous usage statistics (can be disabled)
  • Marketing: Personalized content and ads (requires consent)
  • Functional: Enhanced user experience features (can be disabled)

See our Cookie Declaration for complete details about every cookie we use, including specific names, purposes, and durations.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information to:

Essential Operations

  • Process and fulfill your orders
  • Provide customer support
  • Send order confirmations and updates
  • Manage your account and preferences

Communications

  • Respond to your inquiries
  • Send important service updates
  • Share educational content and product updates (with your consent)

Business Improvement

  • Analyze website usage to improve our services
  • Develop new educational resources
  • Prevent fraud and ensure security

Legal Compliance

  • Meet our legal obligations
  • Resolve disputes
  • Enforce our terms of service

3. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR/UK GDPR)

We process your personal information based on:

  • Contract performance: To provide services you’ve purchased
  • Legitimate interests: To improve our services and prevent fraud
  • Consent: For marketing communications and non-essential cookies
  • Legal obligations: For tax, accounting, and regulatory requirements

4. Information Sharing

We only share your information with:

Service Providers

  • Payment processors: Stripe, PayPal, Klarna (for secure payment processing)
  • Email services: For sending order confirmations and newsletters
  • Cloud storage: For secure data storage and backups
  • Analytics: Google Analytics (anonymized data only)

Legal Requirements

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

We never sell your personal information to third parties.

5. Data Security

We protect your information through:

  • Encryption: SSL/TLS encryption for data transmission
  • Secure storage: Industry-standard security measures
  • Access controls: Limited access to authorized personnel only
  • Regular updates: Security software and systems are kept current

However, no internet transmission is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but take all reasonable precautions.

6. Data Retention

We keep your information only as long as necessary:

  • Order data: 7 years (for tax and legal requirements)
  • Account data: Until you request deletion or account closure
  • Marketing data: Until you unsubscribe
  • Website analytics: 26 months (Google Analytics default)

7. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you have the right to:

Access and Portability

  • Request a copy of your personal data
  • Receive your data in a portable format

Correction and Deletion

  • Correct inaccurate information
  • Request deletion of your data (subject to legal obligations)

Control and Objection

  • Withdraw consent for marketing communications
  • Manage cookie preferences via our “Manage Cookies” link
  • Object to processing based on legitimate interests
  • Restrict processing in certain circumstances

How to Exercise Your Rights

We’ll respond to requests within 30 days (1 month).

8. International Transfers

We’re based in the UK and primarily use EU/UK-based service providers. When we use services outside the EU/UK, we ensure adequate protection through:

  • Adequacy decisions: Countries with equivalent data protection
  • Standard contractual clauses: EU-approved transfer mechanisms
  • Certification schemes: Service providers with recognized certifications

9. Age Restrictions

Our services are intended for adults (18+) or educational professionals. We don’t knowingly collect information from children under 18. If you believe we’ve inadvertently collected such information, please contact us immediately.

10. Region-Specific Rights

UK/EU Residents (GDPR/UK GDPR)

  • Right to lodge complaints with supervisory authorities
  • Data Protection Officer: Martyn Chadderton
  • UK ICO contact: ico.org.uk

California Residents (CCPA)

Additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act:

  • Right to know what personal information is collected
  • Right to delete personal information
  • Right to opt-out of sale (we don’t sell data)
  • Right to non-discrimination

Other Jurisdictions

We comply with applicable local privacy laws. Contact us for specific information about your rights.

11. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party sites. We’re not responsible for their privacy practices. Please review their privacy policies before providing any information.

12. Updates to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy to reflect:

  • Changes in our practices
  • New legal requirements
  • Service improvements

We’ll notify you of material changes via:

  • Email (if you’ve provided your email address)
  • Website notice
  • Account notification

13. Contact Information

Data Controller: Martyn Chadderton (Abacus Whiskers)
Email: martyn@abacuswhiskers.com
Website: https://www.abacuswhiskers.com

For privacy-related questions, data requests, or complaints, please contact us using the details above.

14. Cookie Policy

Essential Cookies

Required for website functionality:

  • Shopping cart contents
  • User authentication
  • Security measures
  • Language preferences

Analytics Cookies

Help us understand website usage:

  • Google Analytics: Anonymized visitor statistics
  • Retention: 26 months
  • Opt-out: Available through browser settings

Marketing Cookies

Used with your consent for:

  • Targeted advertising
  • Social media integration
  • Email campaign tracking

Managing Cookies

Cookie Consent Management

Our website uses the GDPR Cookie Compliance plugin to manage your cookie preferences. You can:

  • Accept or decline non-essential cookies
  • Manage categories (Analytics, Marketing, Functional)
  • Withdraw consent at any time via our Manage Cookies tool
  • View cookie details for transparency

This privacy policy is designed to be transparent and user-friendly while ensuring full legal compliance. We’re committed to protecting your privacy and will continue to update our practices as needed.

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Privacy Overview

We use cookies to enhance your experience and provide educational resources. You can manage your preferences anytime in [setting]settings[/setting]. Click here to learn more. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.