Privacy Policy

Welcome to ShoesTruth ("we," "our," or "us"). This Privacy Policy describes how ShoesTruth collects, uses, discloses, and safeguards your information when you visit our website at www.shoestruth.com (the "Site"). Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. If you do not agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not access the Site.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect information about you in a variety of ways. The information we may collect on the Site includes:

1.1 Personal Data You Provide Voluntarily

When you contact us, subscribe to a newsletter, or interact with certain features of the Site, you may voluntarily provide us with personally identifiable information, such as:

• Your name
• Email address
• Any message or inquiry you submit through our contact form

You are under no obligation to provide this information, but it may be necessary to use certain features of the Site.

1.2 Derivative Data

Our servers automatically collect information when you access the Site, such as your IP address, browser type, operating system, access times, and the pages you have viewed directly before and after accessing the Site. This data is used in aggregate form to analyze trends and improve the Site.

1.3 Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We may use cookies, web beacons, tracking pixels, and other tracking technologies on the Site to help customize the Site and improve your experience. For more information on how we use cookies, please refer to our Cookie Policy.

2. How We Use Your Information

Having accurate information about you permits us to provide you with a smooth, efficient, and customized experience. Specifically, we may use information collected about you via the Site to:

• Respond to your inquiries and provide customer support.
• Send you administrative information such as updates to our policies.
• Monitor and analyze usage and trends to improve your experience with the Site.
• Display advertisements to you through third-party advertising networks (such as Google AdSense and Amazon Associates).
• Prevent fraudulent activity and enhance the security of the Site.
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our agreements.

3. Disclosure of Your Information

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to others. We may share information we have collected about you in certain situations:

3.1 Third-Party Service Providers

We may share your information with third-party vendors, service providers, and contractors who perform services for us, including but not limited to analytics providers (such as Google Analytics) and advertising partners (such as Amazon Associates and Google AdSense). These third parties are contractually obligated to protect your information.

3.2 Affiliate Links

ShoesTruth participates in affiliate programs. When you click on affiliate links and make a purchase, our affiliate partners may collect data about your visit and purchase in accordance with their own privacy policies. We recommend reviewing the privacy policy of any third-party site you visit.

3.3 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 government agency).

4. Cookies and Web Beacons

We use cookies to store information about your preferences and to record user-specific information on your visits. You can choose to disable cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling cookies may affect the functionality of the Site.

Third-party advertisers and ad networks may also use cookies and web beacons to track your activity on our Site and other sites to serve targeted advertisements. You may opt out of targeted advertising through the settings provided by those third parties (e.g., Google Ads Settings, Network Advertising Initiative).

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. When we no longer need your personal information, we will securely delete or anonymize it.

6. Security of Your Information

We use administrative, technical, and physical security measures to protect your personal information. While we have taken reasonable steps to secure the information you provide to us, please be aware that no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Your Rights Under GDPR and CCPA

Depending on your location, you may have specific rights regarding your personal data:

7.1 For Residents of the European Economic Area (GDPR)

• Right to Access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification: You can request correction of inaccurate personal data.
• Right to Erasure: You can request deletion of your personal data under certain conditions.
• Right to Restrict Processing: You can request that we restrict the processing of your data.
• Right to Data Portability: You can request transfer of your data to another organization.
• Right to Object: You can object to our processing of your personal data.

7.2 For Residents of California (CCPA)

• Right to Know: You can request disclosure of the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected.
• Right to Delete: You can request deletion of personal information we have collected from you.
• Right to Opt-Out: You can opt out of the sale of your personal information. (Note: We do not sell personal information.)
• Right to Non-Discrimination: You will not be discriminated against for exercising your privacy rights.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us.

8. Children's Privacy

ShoesTruth does not knowingly collect or solicit personal information from anyone under the age of 16. If you are under 16, please do not attempt to register or send any personal information about yourself to us. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 16, we will delete that information promptly. If you believe we might have any information from a child under 16, please contact us.

9. Third-Party Websites

The Site may contain links to third-party websites and applications of interest, including advertisements and affiliate links, that are not affiliated with us. Once you have used these links to leave the Site, any information you provide to these third parties is not covered by this Privacy Policy. We are not responsible for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party sites.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, operational, or regulatory reasons. We will notify you of any material changes by updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. Your continued use of the Site after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, please contact us. We are committed to resolving any privacy-related issues promptly and transparently.