Cotopaxn Privacy Policy

At Cotopaxn, we are committed to protecting your privacy and safeguarding the personal information you share with us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and disclose your information when you use our website (the “Site”), purchase our products, or participate in our outdoor experiences. By accessing or using our services, you consent to the practices described in this policy.

1. Information We Collect

We collect information to provide, improve, and personalize our services, process your orders, and communicate with you. The information we collect falls into two categories: Personal Information (information that identifies you individually) and Non-Personal Information (information that does not identify you).

1.1 Personal Information

We may collect Personal Information when you interact with our Site or services, including but not limited to:

Contact details: Name, email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses.
Payment information: Credit card numbers, billing addresses, and other payment-related details (collected and processed by secure third-party payment providers; we do not store full credit card information).
Account information: Username, password (encrypted), and preferences if you create an account on our Site.
Experience-related information: Details about your participation in our guided outdoor experiences (e.g., emergency contact information, health considerations, and travel preferences).
Communication data: Information from your emails, messages, or calls to our customer service team (e.g., [email protected]).

1.2 Non-Personal Information

We may collect Non-Personal Information to analyze trends, optimize our Site, and understand user behavior. This includes:

Technical data: IP address, browser type, device model, operating system, and pages visited on our Site.
Usage data: Time spent on the Site, products viewed, and links clicked.
Aggregated data: Anonymous data combined with other users’ information (e.g., “50% of users viewed hiking gear”), which cannot be used to identify you.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your information for specific, legitimate purposes that align with our mission to provide innovative outdoor products and experiences while supporting sustainable poverty relief. These purposes include:

2.1 Order Processing and Fulfillment

Process and ship your orders (using your shipping address and contact details).
Process payments and issue refunds (via third-party payment providers).
Send order confirmations, shipping updates, and delivery notifications to your email or phone.

2.2 Customer Service and Communication

Respond to your inquiries, requests, or complaints (e.g., questions about returns, product details, or experiences).
Provide updates about your account, orders, or upcoming experiences.
Share information about our impact (e.g., how your purchase supports poverty relief) if you opt to receive such communications.

2.3 Site and Service Improvement

Analyze usage data to optimize the Site’s design, functionality, and user experience (e.g., improving navigation or product recommendations).
Test new features, products, or experiences to better meet user needs.

2.4 Marketing and Personalization (With Your Consent)

Send promotional communications (e.g., newsletters, discount offers, or updates about new products/experiences) if you have opted in to receive them.
Personalize content and recommendations based on your browsing and purchase history (e.g., showing hiking gear if you previously viewed outdoor apparel).
You may unsubscribe from promotional emails at any time by clicking the “unsubscribe” link in the email or contacting us at [email protected].

2.5 Compliance and Safety

Comply with applicable laws, regulations, or legal requests (e.g., tax requirements, customs documentation for international orders).
Protect the security of our Site, users, and business (e.g., detecting and preventing fraud, unauthorized access, or misuse of information).
Ensure the safety of participants in our outdoor experiences (e.g., using emergency contact information in case of an incident).

3. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your Personal Information to third parties for their own marketing purposes. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

3.1 Trusted Third-Party Service Providers

We work with third-party providers to help us deliver our services. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only to perform the services we request:

Payment processors: To securely process your payments (e.g., Stripe, PayPal). These providers do not share your full payment details with us.
Shipping and logistics partners: To deliver your orders (e.g., DHL, FedEx). We share your shipping address and contact details to ensure timely delivery.
Customer service tools: To manage and respond to your inquiries (e.g., email management platforms).
Analytics providers: To analyze Site usage and improve our services (e.g., Google Analytics, which uses Non-Personal Information unless you have enabled personalization).

3.2 For Legal or Safety Reasons

We may disclose your information if required by law (e.g., a court order, subpoena, or government request) or to protect our rights, property, or the safety of our users, employees, or the public.
For our outdoor experiences, we may share necessary information (e.g., health considerations, emergency contacts) with guides or local partners to ensure participant safety.

3.3 Business Transfers (If Applicable)

If Cotopaxn is acquired, merged, or sells all or part of its assets, your information may be transferred to the new owner as part of the business transaction. We will notify you of any such transfer and ensure the new owner adheres to this Privacy Policy.

4. How We Protect Your Information

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

Encryption: Using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology to encrypt data transmitted between your device and our Site (indicated by the “https://” prefix and padlock icon in your browser).
Secure storage: Storing Personal Information in encrypted databases with restricted access (e.g., passwords are hashed and not stored in plain text).
Access controls: Limiting access to your information to authorized Cotopaxn employees, contractors, or service providers who need it to perform their roles.
Regular security reviews: Conducting periodic assessments of our systems and processes to identify and address potential vulnerabilities.

While we take reasonable steps to protect your information, no security measure is 100% foolproof. We cannot guarantee absolute security, but we continuously work to improve our safeguards.

5. Your Rights Regarding Your Information

You have certain rights regarding your Personal Information, subject to applicable laws. To exercise these rights, please contact us at [email protected] with your name, email address, and details of your request:

5.1 Access and Correction

You may request access to the Personal Information we hold about you and ask for corrections if the information is inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated.

5.2 Deletion

You may request that we delete your Personal Information, provided we are not required by law to retain it (e.g., tax records, order history for legal compliance). We will inform you if we cannot delete certain information and explain why.

5.3 Data Portability

You may request a copy of your Personal Information in a structured, machine-readable format (e.g., a CSV file) to transfer to another service provider, where technically feasible.

5.4 Opt-Out of Marketing

You may opt out of receiving promotional communications at any time (see Section 2.4 for details). Opting out will not affect non-promotional communications (e.g., order updates, customer service responses).

5.5 Withdraw Consent

If you have given consent for a specific use of your information (e.g., marketing), you may withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawing consent will not affect the lawfulness of our use of your information before the withdrawal.

6. Cookies and Similar Technologies

We use cookies (small text files stored on your device) and similar technologies (e.g., web beacons) to enhance your experience on our Site. Cookies help us:

Remember your preferences (e.g., language, currency) for future visits.
Track your browsing activity to improve the Site and personalize content.
Measure the effectiveness of our marketing efforts.

6.1 Types of Cookies We Use

Necessary Cookies: Essential for the Site to function (e.g., enabling checkout, maintaining session information). These cannot be disabled.
Analytics Cookies: Used to analyze how users interact with the Site (e.g., which pages are visited most often).
Marketing Cookies: Used to deliver personalized promotional content (only if you have opted in to marketing).

6.2 Managing Cookies

You can control or delete cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies, but disabling necessary cookies may affect the functionality of the Site (e.g., preventing you from completing a purchase). For more information on managing cookies, refer to your browser’s help documentation.

7. Children’s Privacy

Our services are not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect Personal Information from children under 13. If we learn that we have collected information from a child under 13, we will delete it immediately. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with information, please contact us at [email protected].

8. International Data Transfers

Cotopaxn operates globally, and your information may be transferred to, stored, or processed in countries outside your home country (including the United States). These countries may have different data protection laws than your country. We ensure that all international transfers comply with applicable laws by:

Using standard contractual clauses (approved by data protection authorities) with our third-party service providers.
Transferring data to countries recognized as having adequate data protection standards.
Taking additional safeguards to protect your information as required by law.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. Any updates will be posted on this page with a revised “Last Updated” date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of our services after the updated policy is posted constitutes your acceptance of the changes.

Last Updated: [Insert Date, e.g., August 29, 2025]

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please contact us at:

Email: [email protected]

We will respond to your inquiry within a reasonable timeframe (typically 5-7 business days).