Privacy Policy for Grove Gardening

Effective Date: April 14, 2025

1. Introduction

Welcome to Grove Gardening! This Privacy Policy explains how Grove Gardening ("we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, shares, and protects information obtained from visitors to our website (www.grovegardening.com) and users of our services (collectively, the "Services"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your data in an open and transparent manner. By using our Services, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect different types of information for various purposes to provide and improve our Services to you:

a) Information You Provide Directly:

• Contact Information: If you contact us via a form, email, or potentially through comments (if enabled), we may collect your name, email address, and any other information you choose to provide.
• (If Shop Exists/Future): Transaction Information: If you make a purchase through our upcoming Shopify store, Shopify (our e-commerce platform provider) will collect information necessary to process the transaction, such as your name, billing address, shipping address, payment information (credit card details, etc.), email address, and phone number. Grove Gardening may receive access to order details like name, shipping address, and items purchased to facilitate fulfillment (including through dropshipping partners) but typically does not directly store full payment card information.

b) Information Collected Automatically:

• Log Data & Usage Data: Like most websites, our hosting platform (Squarespace) automatically collects information that your browser sends whenever you visit our site. This may include your computer's Internet Protocol (IP) address, browser type, browser version, the pages of our Service that you visit, the time and date of your visit, the time spent on those pages, and other statistics.
• Cookies and Tracking Technologies: We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to track activity on our Service and hold certain information. Cookies are files with a small amount of data which may include an anonymous unique identifier. You can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, if you do not accept cookies, you may not be able to use some portions of our Service. Examples include cookies for basic site functionality, analytics, and potentially affiliate tracking.
• Analytics: We may use third-party Service Providers like Squarespace Analytics or Google Analytics to monitor and analyze the use of our Service. These services track website traffic and usage patterns.
• (For Calculators): Location Information (Implied): Our interactive tools (like frost date or recommendation calculators) require a zip code to function. While we don't typically store this zip code long-term with personal identifiers, the information is processed momentarily to provide the service result, potentially involving third-party APIs (like phzmapi.org for zone lookups, subject to their own privacy policies) which may receive the zip code.

3. How We Use Your Information

Grove Gardening uses the collected data for various purposes:

• To provide, operate, and maintain our website and Services.
• To improve, personalize, and expand our Services.
• To understand and analyze how you use our Services.
• To respond to your comments, questions, and requests.
• (If Shop Exists/Future): To process your transactions, fulfill orders (including coordinating with dropshipping/POD partners), and manage your purchases.
• To communicate with you, possibly including newsletters or promotional materials (only if you opt-in).
• To track the effectiveness of affiliate links.
• For compliance purposes, including enforcing our terms or protecting our rights, privacy, safety, or property, and/or that of our affiliates, you, or others.
• To comply with legal obligations.

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We respect your privacy and generally do not sell your personal information. We may share information under the following circumstances:

• Service Providers: We may share your information with third-party companies and individuals that provide services on our behalf or help us operate our Services (e.g., website hosting via Squarespace, e-commerce platform via Shopify, payment processing, order fulfillment partners for dropshipping/POD, website analytics, email delivery services). These third parties have access to your information only to perform these tasks on our behalf and are obligated not to disclose or use it for any other purpose.
• Affiliate Programs: Grove Gardening participates in affiliate marketing programs, such as the Amazon Associates Program. If you click on an affiliate link on our site and make a purchase on the third-party site (e.g., Amazon.com), we may receive a commission. These third-party sites have their own privacy policies governing how they track clicks and collect your information.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court or a government agency).
• Business Transfers: If Grove Gardening is involved in a merger, acquisition, or asset sale, your Personal Information may be transferred.

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies (like web beacons) to enhance your experience, analyze site traffic, and track affiliate link referrals. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings. For more detailed information, please refer to our separate Cookie Policy [Optional: Create and link a separate Cookie Policy if desired/needed].

6. Data Security

We use commercially reasonable measures to protect your Personal Information. Our website platform (Squarespace) and e-commerce platform (Shopify, for the future shop) implement security measures. However, remember that no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use acceptable means to protect your information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

7. Data Retention

We will retain your Personal Information only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law (such as tax, accounting, or other legal requirements).

8. Your Data Rights

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information, such as the right to access, correct, or delete your data. If you wish to exercise any applicable rights, please contact us using the information below. You can typically opt-out of marketing emails by using the "unsubscribe" link provided in those emails.

9. Children's Privacy

Our Service does not address anyone under the age of 13 ("Children"). We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and you are aware that your Child has provided us with Personal Information, please contact us. If we become aware that we have collected Personal Information from a child under age 13 without verification of parental consent, we take steps to remove that information from our servers.

10. Links to Other Sites

Our Service may contain links to other sites (like Amazon affiliate links or reference links) that are not operated by us. If you click on a third-party link, you will be directed to that third party's site. We strongly advise you to review the Privacy Policy of every site you visit. We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party sites or services.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Effective Date" at the top. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us by visiting Contact Us