Privacy Policy for OceanQuestOC.com
1. Introduction
At Ocean Quest OC (“we”, “our”, or “us”), we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. We recognize the importance of safeguarding the personal data of our users and are dedicated to processing it in a fair, transparent, and lawful manner. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and protect personal information in connection with your use of our website, oceanquestoc.com. We prioritize your right to privacy and data protection by implementing strict practices in accordance with global data protection laws including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).
2. Scope of this Policy and Role as Data Controller
This Privacy Policy applies to all users of oceanquestoc.com and covers all personal data collected through our site and associated services. Ocean Quest OC is the data controller for the purposes of the GDPR and determines the means and purposes of processing your personal data. Our practices apply whether you are a visitor, customer, or registered user, and include interactions such as browsing the website, making purchases, or submitting inquiries via forms.
3. Categories of Data We Process
We collect and process various categories of personal data to provide and improve our services, enable communication, and ensure regulatory compliance. These include:
a) Usage Data
This includes information about how you interact with our website, such as your IP address, browser type, pages visited, time and date of visit, and referral URLs. It may also include session identifiers and other analytical data.
b) Account Data
Collected when you register or create an account, this includes your full name, billing and shipping address, email address, phone number, and other contact details.
c) Profile Data
Includes your preferences, product interests, order history, interaction style, and behavioral patterns relative to oceanquestoc.com.
d) Communication Data
Records of communications between you and us, including support inquiries, emails sent to [email protected], chat logs (if applicable), and form submissions.
e) Technical Data
We collect device-specific information such as your operating system, screen resolution, language settings, browser version, and system configurations.
f) Transaction Data
Information related to purchases and financial interactions on our website, including payment method, transaction ID, delivery address, order value, and currency used.
g) Preference Data
This includes your choices regarding marketing communications, product categories of interest, notification preferences, and cookie consent decisions.
4. Legal Bases for Processing Personal Data
We rely on the following lawful bases under the GDPR for processing personal data:
– Contractual Necessity: When processing is required to fulfill a contract with you (e.g., product purchase, service delivery).
– Legitimate Interests: For purposes such as website analytics, fraud prevention, and business improvement, provided these do not override your rights and freedoms.
– Consent: Where you have explicitly given us consent—for example, to receive newsletters or accept non-essential cookies.
– Legal Obligation: When processing is required to comply with legal responsibilities, such as record-keeping for tax or audit obligations.
5. Your Data Protection Rights
Under the GDPR and CCPA (where applicable), you hold certain rights regarding your personal data. These include:
– Right of Access: You may request a copy of personal data we hold about you.
– Right to Rectification: You may request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
– Right to Erasure: You can ask us to delete your data under certain conditions (“right to be forgotten”).
– Right to Restriction: You have the right to restrict processing under specific circumstances.
– Right to Data Portability: You may request that we provide your personal data in a structured, machine-readable format or transmit it to another controller.
– Right to Object: You may object to processing based on legitimate interests, and opt out of direct marketing at any time.
– Right to Withdraw Consent: If you’ve given consent, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the legality of prior processing.
Requests can be made by contacting us at [email protected].
6. Security Measures
We maintain administrative, technical, and organizational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, modification, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:
– Encryption of sensitive data during transmission and storage
– Role-based access control and account authentication
– Regular cybersecurity assessments and intrusion detection systems
– Secure data backups and disaster recovery protocols
– Staff training on data protection policies and privacy awareness
7. International Data Transfers
Your personal data may be stored and processed in countries outside of your jurisdiction, including the United States. In such cases, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, including the use of Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission and compliance with local data protection regulations to ensure adequate levels of protection.
8. Data Retention
We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including:
– Usage Data: Retained up to 12 months for analytics
– Account and Profile Data: Retained as long as the account is active
– Communication Data: Retained up to 3 years for service quality monitoring
– Transaction Data: Retained for up to 7 years for tax and legal compliance
– Preference Data: Retained until you modify or withdraw your consents
Once the applicable retention period expires, we securely delete or anonymize your data.
9. Cookie Policy
Oceanquestoc.com uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance website functionality and user experience. Our cookies fall into the following categories:
– Essential Cookies: Required for website functionality and security (e.g., session login, cart functionality)
– Functional Cookies: Enable personalized settings and user preferences
– Analytics Cookies: Collect aggregate site usage data to improve content and features (e.g., Google Analytics)
– Performance Cookies: Monitor site performance and detect issues for optimization
10. Cookie Management and Compliance
Upon your first visit to oceanquestoc.com, you will be presented with a cookie banner requesting consent for the use of non-essential cookies. You may accept or reject cookies via this banner or manage your preferences at any time using the cookie settings tool provided on our site.
Under the GDPR and CCPA, you have the right to:
– Be informed about cookies in use and their purposes
– Consent or refuse non-essential cookies prior to placement
– Withdraw cookie consent at any time
Your browser settings may also be adjusted to decline cookies; however, blocking certain types may affect site performance or functionality.
11. Children’s Data Protection
Oceanquestoc.com is not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13 years of age without verifiable parental consent. If we become aware that we have collected personal data from a child without consent, we will take immediate steps to delete such data. Parents or guardians who believe their child may have shared personal data with us are encouraged to contact us at [email protected].
12. Updates to this Policy
We may revise this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements or operational practices. Updated policies will be posted on oceanquestoc.com, and where appropriate, users will be notified of significant changes through prominent updates on our website or relevant electronic communications.
You are encouraged to review this Privacy Policy periodically to remain informed about how we protect your data.
13. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy, your personal data, or our data protection practices, please contact us at:
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://oceanquestoc.com
We are committed to complying with applicable data protection laws and to ensuring your privacy is respected and upheld at all times.