1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy describes how Sphinx & Emeralds (“we,” “us,” “our”) collects, uses, discloses, stores, and protects personal information when you access our website or purchase products.

By using our website, you consent to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Policy.

This Policy is intended to comply with applicable Canadian privacy legislation, including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable provincial privacy laws.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect the following categories of information:

A. Information You Provide Directly

  • Full name

  • Billing and shipping address

  • Email address

  • Phone number

  • Order details

  • Communications with us

  • Custom design specifications

B. Transaction Information

  • Payment confirmation

  • Transaction identifiers

  • Partial payment details

Full credit card information is not stored by Sphinx & Emeralds.

C. Automatically Collected Information

  • IP address

  • Device type

  • Browser type

  • Operating system

  • Referral source

  • Pages visited

  • Session data

  • Cookies and tracking identifiers

3. Platform & Payment Processing

Our website is hosted on Shopify Inc.

Payments are processed through Stripe or other secure third-party payment processors integrated into Shopify.

Payment information is encrypted and processed directly by these providers. We do not store complete credit card data.

You acknowledge that third-party processors operate under their own privacy policies and security standards.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use personal information to:

  • Process and fulfill orders

  • Communicate regarding purchases

  • Provide customer support

  • Manage custom design requests

  • Detect and prevent fraud

  • Verify transactions

  • Comply with legal obligations

  • Improve website performance

  • Conduct analytics

  • Send marketing communications (if consent is provided)

We do not sell personal information.

5. Fraud Prevention & Risk Management

We reserve the right to:

  • Verify billing and shipping information

  • Screen transactions for fraud risk

  • Retain transaction data for dispute resolution

  • Provide documentation to payment processors in the event of chargebacks

Fraudulent activity may be reported to authorities.

6. Data Retention

We retain personal information only as long as necessary for:

  • Order fulfillment

  • Warranty support

  • Accounting and tax compliance

  • Fraud prevention

  • Dispute resolution

Retention periods may extend beyond transaction completion where legally required.

7. Disclosure of Information

We may disclose personal information to:

  • Payment processors

  • Shipping carriers

  • Customs authorities

  • Website hosting providers

  • Analytics providers

  • Legal authorities where required

Information is disclosed only as necessary to perform business functions or comply with law.

8. International Data Transfers

Certain service providers (including Shopify and Stripe) may process data outside Canada.

By using this website, you acknowledge that personal information may be transferred to jurisdictions with different privacy laws.

9. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

  • Enable website functionality

  • Analyze traffic

  • Prevent fraud

  • Improve performance

  • Support marketing efforts

You may disable cookies through your browser settings, though certain website features may not function properly.

10. Data Security

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect personal information.

However:

  • No system is entirely secure

  • Internet transmission carries inherent risk

  • We cannot guarantee absolute security

By using our website, you acknowledge these inherent risks.

11. Your Rights

Subject to applicable law, you may:

  • Request access to your personal information

  • Request correction of inaccurate data

  • Request deletion where legally permissible

Requests may be submitted to: support@sphinxandemeralds.com

We may require identity verification prior to processing requests.

12. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Sphinx & Emeralds shall not be liable for:

  • Unauthorized access beyond our reasonable control

  • Data breaches caused by third-party service providers

  • Security incidents arising from user negligence

13. Updates

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time. The updated version will be posted on this website.

Continued use of the website constitutes acceptance of changes.