Privacy Policy

At Garden Gate Tea, we take your privacy seriously and are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website or engage with our services.

We understand that sharing personal information is a matter of trust. We want you to feel confident that your privacy is protected when interacting with us.

Information We Collect

Personal Information You Provide

When you interact with our website or services, you may choose to provide us with personal information, including:

• Name and contact information when you fill out contact forms
• Email address for newsletter subscriptions or service inquiries
• Billing and shipping information for tea collection subscriptions or event bookings
• Communication preferences and dietary requirements for event planning
• Any other information you choose to share when contacting us

Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect certain technical information, including:

• Browser type and version
• Operating system and device information
• IP address and general geographic location
• Pages visited and time spent on our website
• Referring website or search terms used to find us

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience. For detailed information about our cookie practices, please review our Cookie Policy.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for various purposes that support our relationship with you:

• Service Delivery: To process your subscription orders, coordinate workshop attendance, and arrange event tea services
• Communication: To respond to your inquiries, send service updates, and share information about our offerings that may interest you
• Website Improvement: To analyze how visitors use our website and improve our content, layout, and functionality
• Personalization: To tailor your experience based on your preferences and past interactions with our services
• Security: To protect against fraudulent activity and maintain the security of our website and services
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes

Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data based on the following legal grounds:

• Consent: When you provide explicit consent for specific processing activities, such as receiving marketing communications
• Contract Performance: When processing is necessary to fulfill our contractual obligations to you, such as delivering purchased services
• Legitimate Interests: When we have legitimate business interests that do not override your privacy rights, such as improving our services
• Legal Obligation: When processing is required to comply with legal requirements

Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

• Service Providers: With trusted third-party vendors who assist us in operating our website, processing payments, or delivering services (such as shipping carriers for tea subscriptions)
• Business Partners: With event venue partners or catering suppliers when coordinating event tea services
• Legal Requirements: When required by law or to protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of others
• Business Transfers: In connection with any merger, sale of assets, or acquisition of our business
• With Your Consent: When you have given us permission to share your information for specific purposes

All third parties we work with are required to maintain appropriate security measures and use your information only for the purposes we specify.

Data Security

We implement reasonable security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption of sensitive data during transmission and storage
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Limited access to personal information on a need-to-know basis
• Secure storage systems with regular backups

While we strive to protect your information, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but continuously work to improve our protective measures.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

Retention periods vary depending on the type of information and the purpose for which it was collected. For example, we retain transaction records for accounting purposes, while marketing preferences are kept until you withdraw consent.

Your Rights and Opt-Out Instructions

You have several rights regarding your personal information:

Right to Access

Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you

Right to Rectification

Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information

Right to Erasure

Request deletion of your personal information in certain circumstances

Right to Data Portability

Receive your personal information in a structured, commonly used format

Right to Object

Object to processing of your personal information for certain purposes

Right to Withdraw Consent

Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent

How to Exercise Your Rights

You are not required to provide any personal information when using this website. If you prefer not to share your data, you may:

• Avoid filling out contact forms, account registrations, or any data-submitting features
• Disable cookies through your browser settings (see our Cookie Policy for more details)
• Contact us directly to request the deletion of any previously shared personal data

We respect your privacy choices. If you would like us to delete your data, please reach out to us through our Contact page. We will process your request promptly.

Third-Party Websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites that are not operated by us. We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of third-party sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any site you visit.

Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us so we can delete such information.

International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. We ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable data protection laws.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new policy on this page with an updated effective date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.