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Introduction
The following is The Only Earth privacy policy. At The Only Earth, we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you interact with our physical store location, website, online store, mobile applications, and other services (collectively, “Services”) in High Point, North Carolina.
Our website is TheOnlyEarth.com
Information We Collect
Information You Provide to Us
We may collect the following types of personal information:
- Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number, and mailing/shipping address
- Account Information: Username, password, and account preferences
- Payment Information: Credit card details, billing address, and payment method information
- Order Information: Purchase history, product preferences, and order details
- Demographic Information: Age, gender, and health interests (voluntarily provided)
- Health-Related Information: Dietary preferences, allergies, and health concerns (voluntarily provided for product recommendations)
- Customer Service Information: Information you provide in customer service interactions, reviews, and surveys
- Loyalty Program Information: Phone number and purchase history for our rewards program
- Any other information you choose to provide
Information Collected Automatically
When you use our online Services, we may automatically collect:
- Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, and device identifiers
- Usage Data: Pages visited, products viewed, search queries, time spent on site, clickstream data, and referring/exit pages
- Location Data: General location information based on IP address (with your consent for precise location)
- Cookies and Tracking Technologies: Information collected through cookies, web beacons, pixels, and similar technologies (see Cookies section below)
- Shopping Cart Information: Items added to cart, abandoned cart data
Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience:
- Essential Cookies: Necessary for website functionality, shopping cart, and checkout process
- Performance Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our site to improve performance
- Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings
- Marketing Cookies: Track your activity to deliver personalized ads (with your consent)
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality, including the ability to complete purchases.
How We Use Your Information
We use your information for purposes including:
- Processing, fulfilling, and shipping your orders
- Managing your online account and loyalty rewards program
- Providing customer support via email, phone, or chat
- Sending order confirmations, shipping notifications, and account updates
- Personalizing your shopping experience and product recommendations
- Sending marketing communications, promotions, and newsletters (with your consent)
- Improving our products, Services, and website functionality
- Conducting market research, surveys, and analytics
- Detecting, preventing, and protecting against fraud, unauthorized transactions, and security threats
- Complying with legal obligations and regulatory requirements
- Processing returns, exchanges, and refunds
Information Sharing and Disclosure
We may share your information with:
Service Providers
Third-party companies that perform services on our behalf, including:
- Payment processors (credit card processing and fraud detection)
- Shipping carriers and fulfillment services
- Email marketing platforms
- Website hosting and cloud storage providers
- Customer service platforms
- Analytics providers
Business Partners
With your explicit consent, we may share information with business partners for joint promotions or offerings.
Legal and Regulatory Authorities
When required by law, court order, subpoena, or to:
- Comply with legal processes
- Protect our rights, property, or safety
- Investigate fraud or security issues
- Enforce our terms and conditions
Business Transfers
In the event of a merger, acquisition, sale of assets, or bankruptcy, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity.
We do not sell your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes.
Payment Processing
Your payment information is processed securely by our third-party payment processor. We do not store complete credit card numbers on our servers. All payment transactions are encrypted using industry-standard SSL/TLS technology.
Our payment processor complies with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) requirements.
Your Rights and Choices
Under North Carolina law and our commitment to transparency, you have the right to:
- Access your personal information and obtain a copy of data we hold about you
- Correct inaccurate or incomplete information
- Delete your information in certain circumstances (subject to legal retention requirements)
- Opt-out of marketing communications at any time by:
- Clicking “unsubscribe” in our emails
- Contacting us directly using the information in the Contact Us section
- Adjusting your account preferences
- Opt-out of targeted advertising by adjusting your cookie preferences
- Request information about how we use and share your data
Note: Even if you opt-out of marketing communications, we will still send you transactional emails related to your orders, account, and customer service inquiries.
To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information in the Contact Us section below.
Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information, in compliance with North Carolina’s Identity Theft Protection Act. This includes:
- Maintaining reasonable security procedures and practices appropriate to the nature of the information
- Using encryption (SSL/TLS) for data transmission during checkout and account access
- Restricting access to personal information to authorized employees only
- Regularly reviewing and updating our security practices
- Secure storage and disposal of physical and electronic records
However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Data Breach Notification
In the event of a security breach affecting your personal information, we will notify you in accordance with North Carolina’s Identity Theft Protection Act (N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 75-60 et seq.).
This notification will be made without unreasonable delay, consistent with:
- The legitimate needs of law enforcement
- Any measures necessary to determine the scope of the breach
- Measures to restore the reasonable integrity of the data system
Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to:
- Fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy
- Comply with legal, accounting, and regulatory requirements
- Resolve disputes and enforce our agreements
Account Information: Retained while your account is active and for a reasonable period after closure
Order Information: Retained for tax, accounting, and legal compliance purposes (typically 7 years)
Marketing Data: Retained until you opt-out or request deletion
Children’s Privacy
Our Services are not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn we have collected such information, we will delete it promptly.
If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately.
Third-Party Links and Services
Our Services may contain links to third-party websites, social media platforms, or services (e.g., product manufacturers, review sites). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties.We encourage you to read their privacy policies before providing any personal information.
Email Marketing
If you provide your email address, you may receive:
- Order confirmations and shipping updates (transactional)
- Marketing emails about promotions, new products, and health tips (promotional – with consent)
You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time by clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of any promotional email.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, Services, or legal requirements.
We will notify you of any material changes by:
- Posting a prominent notice on our website
- Updating the “Last Updated” date at the top of this policy
- Sending you an email notification (for significant changes)
Your continued use of our Services after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.
Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, our privacy practices, or wish to exercise your rights, please contact us at:
The Only Earth
121 East Lexington Avenue
High Point, NC 27262
Email: info@theonlyearth.com
Phone: (336) 886-4315
Hours: Monday–Friday 9 AM – 7 PM; Saturday 9:30 AM – 5 PM; Closed Sunday
Additional Information for North Carolina Residents
Social Security Number Protection
In accordance with North Carolina’s Social Security Number Protection Act (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75-62), we do not:
- Intentionally communicate or otherwise make available to the general public an individual’s Social Security number
- Require individuals to transmit their Social Security number over the Internet, unless the connection is secure or the number is encrypted
- Require individuals to use their Social Security number to access our website, unless a password or unique personal identification number is also required
Disposal of Records
When disposing of records containing personal information (both physical and electronic), we will take reasonable measures to protect against unauthorized access to or use of the information, in compliance with North Carolina’s Identity Theft Protection Act.
This includes shredding physical documents and securely wiping electronic data.
International Users
Our Services are intended for users located in the United States, primarily in North Carolina. If you access our Services from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States where our servers are located and our business operates.
By using our Services, you consent to this transfer.
By using The Only Earth’s Services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.