1. Purpose
This Privacy Policy is designed to comply with applicable privacy legislation in Canada and to help individuals understand how their personal information is managed by Stinson Analytical Inc. (the “Company”).
2. Scope
This policy covers information collected regarding customers and visitors to our web site. This information is collected in the regular course of doing business.
3. Nature of Data Collected and Use
3.1 Customers
In the case of customers, we collect the following information during the purchase process:
- Name of individual
- Name of affiliated organization (if any)
- Billing address
- Email address
- Credit card information
- Goods or services purchased
This information is used to complete the transaction, process payment and ensure delivery.
At no point do we have knowledge or possession of the customer’s credit card number. As part of the transaction process, it is transferred to our payment processor. We are made aware of whether the card has been approved or declined.
We also maintain the following information regarding customers:
- Purchase history
- Email communications regarding transactions and customer feedback, suggestions, or questions
Customers’ purchase history is used to assess the potential attractiveness of prospective future Stinson Analytical reports to various groups of customers. It will also allow the Company to implement pricing contingent on past purchases where it considers it appropriate (e.g., “upgrade” pricing) and to provide for re-download of past purchases by the customer (or other means of electronic delivery) in the event of customer computer failure.
Email communications from customers and users of the Company’s website (the Website) containing customer feedback, suggestions and questions may be used to improve the Company’s product and services or the usefulness of the Website to customers and visitors.
Email addresses of customers may be used, subject to the consent provisions described below and in Canada’s anti-spam legislation, to make customers aware of updates, new products and other Stinson Analytical news.
3.2 Web Site Visitors
In the case of web site visitors, we collect, via our web servers (or those of our hosting companies) and the use of cookies, information regarding the pages visited, the referring website (i.e., the web site that you have come from), technology used (the type of operating system and browser) and the Internet Protocol address.
We use this information to establish such metrics as the number of visits, unique visitors and return visits, the duration of visit, etc. This in turn allows us to gauge interest in and demand for our web site content, to draw inferences about which content on our web site visitors find most useful and to otherwise analyze the use of our web site. We use information regarding the type of operating system and browser to improve the usability and design of our web site. Cookies also allow customers to sign in to their Stinson Analytical account for purposes of reviewing or modifying account details, making purchases, etc. It is not necessary to enable cookies in your browser to browse our web site. However, it is necessary to enable cookies if you wish to make a purchase.
We do not make use of so-called “third-party” cookies, i.e., cookies that are used by other parties to collect information for purposes, such as marketing or tracking your web browsing across other sites, other than those we have set out above.
4. Consent
We assume that, by virtue of either your browsing of our web site or entering into a transaction with the Company, you consent to the collection and use of personal information as set out above.
We do not use personal information for purposes other than those described above, except with your consent or as required by law.
Therefore, if we intend to use your personal information for a reason not discussed above, we will ask you for your prior consent.
Regarding the use of customers’ email addresses for purposes of promotional emails or email newsletters or other “commercial electronic messages”, we will rely either on your explicit consent or the implicit consent provisions of Canada’s anti-spam legislation. In either case, customers will be free to withdraw their consent at any time.
5. Sharing and Disclosure
We do not sell or rent your personal information to marketers or third parties.
We may share your personal information with trusted third parties who are integral to the operation of our website, delivery of customer communications and sale of products or services, including, but not limited to, payment processors and hosting providers. This may involve the storage of personal information in locations outside of our direct control, such as on servers or databases co-located with hosting providers or managed by payment processors.
We may disclose your personal information to law enforcement agencies, government officials, or other third parties as required by compliance with the law or in cases in which we believe in good faith that the disclosure is necessary to report suspected illegal activity, or to investigate violations of either our Website Terms of Service or the Stinson Analytical Reports Licence Terms and Conditions.
6. Protection of Personal Information
Personal information will be safeguarded against loss or theft, as well as unauthorized access, use or disclosure by measures such as:
- Locked filing cabinets and restricted access to office space;
- Passwords and encryption;
- Secure physical destruction (such as shredding).
7. More Information
If you have any questions or concerns regarding our privacy policy, please feel free to contact us.