Privacy Policy – Walmarteo

At Walmarteo, we respect your privacy and are committed to protecting the personal information you share with us when browsing our online department store, purchasing merchandise (from apparel to home goods, beauty products to everyday essentials), or interacting with our customer service team. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it to enhance your shopping experience, the steps we take to keep it secure, and your rights regarding your data. By using our website (Walmarteo.com), placing an order, or engaging with our services, you agree to the practices outlined in this policy.

1. Information We Collect

We only gather personal information that is necessary to provide you with a seamless, personalized, and secure shopping experience. This information falls into two categories: Personal Information (data that identifies you) and Non-Personal Information (anonymous data that cannot be linked to your identity).

1.1 Personal Information

We collect this information when you voluntarily share it with us, typically during account creation, checkout, or when seeking support. Examples include:

  • Contact & Delivery Details: Full name, email address (used for order updates, service communications, and reaching us at [email protected]), phone number (optional—for delivery alerts, e.g., notifying you when your home goods order arrives), and shipping/billing addresses (to ensure your purchases are delivered accurately). We may also store address preferences (e.g., “work address for weekday deliveries”) to speed up future orders.
  • Account & Preference Data: If you create a user account, we save your username, encrypted password, and shopping preferences tailored to our diverse categories:
  • Apparel-specific details: Saved sizes (e.g., “women’s 8, men’s 32 waist”), fit preferences (e.g., “slim fit jeans, oversized sweaters”), and style interests (e.g., “minimalist dresses, casual loungewear”).
  • Home & Beauty preferences: Favorite product types (e.g., “organic skincare, space-saving storage”), color palettes (e.g., “neutral home decor, bold lipsticks”), and sensitivity notes (e.g., “fragrance-free beauty products, non-toxic cleaning supplies”).
  • Wishlist items (e.g., “winter coat, kitchen mixer”) and purchase history (to track past orders and recommend relevant products).
  • Payment Information: Credit/debit card numbers, PayPal account details, or other payment methods. Critical Note: We never store full payment data. All transactions are processed by PCI DSS-compliant third-party providers (e.g., Stripe, PayPal) that use advanced encryption—your financial information is never accessible to our internal team.
  • Communication Data: Logs of interactions with our customer service team (e.g., emails about a damaged sweater return, live chat questions about a moisturizer’s ingredients) to ensure consistent, personalized support.
  • Demographic Information: Optional data you may provide, such as age range or household size (e.g., “family of 4” to recommend bulk-sized everyday essentials), which helps us tailor our product offerings to diverse customer needs.

1.2 Non-Personal Information

This data is collected automatically when you use our website and helps us improve our platform and product selection. It cannot be traced back to you:

  • Technical Data: IP address, browser type (e.g., Chrome, Safari), operating system (e.g., iOS, Windows), device type (e.g., smartphone, laptop), and navigation patterns (e.g., time spent on the “beauty” category page, clicks on a sweater’s size chart, searches for “non-stick pans”).
  • Cookies & Tracking Tools: We use cookies (small text files stored on your device) to enhance your experience:
  • Session cookies: Keep you logged in during your shopping session, so you don’t lose items in your cart (e.g., a set of towels you added mid-browse).
  • Preference cookies: Save your language settings or saved sizes, so you don’t have to re-enter them on future visits.
  • Analytics cookies: Track how users interact with our website (e.g., how many customers filter home goods by “eco-friendly”) to optimize layout, search functionality, and product recommendations.

You can disable cookies in your browser settings, but this may limit features like saved carts or personalized product suggestions.

  • Aggregated Data: Anonymous, grouped insights (e.g., “60% of users who buy winter boots also purchase wool socks,” “most beauty customers prefer cruelty-free products”) used to refine our inventory (e.g., expanding eco-friendly home goods) or create helpful content (e.g., “A Guide to Building a Minimalist Wardrobe”).

2. How We Use Your Personal Information

We use your personal information only for legitimate purposes that align with your shopping needs—never for unrelated or unauthorized activities. Key uses include:

  • Fulfilling Your Orders: To process purchases, arrange delivery (e.g., using your address to send a birthday gift set), send order confirmations and tracking links (critical for time-sensitive items like holiday decor), and handle returns/exchanges (e.g., verifying your order number to refund a wrong-sized shirt).
  • Personalizing Your Shopping Experience: To recommend products that match your preferences (e.g., “You bought organic shampoo—try this matching conditioner,” “Based on your saved size, here are our women’s 8 dresses”) and customize our website to your needs (e.g., showing “pet-friendly home goods” if you previously purchased a pet bed).
  • Providing Customer Support: To answer your questions (e.g., using your purchase history to resolve a issue with a defective mug) or assist with requests (e.g., updating your shipping address for an upcoming order). This includes using your communication logs to ensure consistent support (e.g., referencing a past chat about skincare sensitivity).
  • Sending Relevant Updates (With Your Consent): To share news about new products (e.g., “New spring apparel collection”), exclusive offers (e.g., “20% off home essentials”), or helpful tips (e.g., “How to care for wool sweaters”)—only if you opt in (e.g., checking a box at checkout to receive marketing emails). You can unsubscribe anytime via the “unsubscribe” link in emails or by contacting [email protected].
  • Improving Our Business: To analyze user behavior (using non-personal or aggregated data) and enhance our offerings—for example, adding more plus-size apparel if many customers search for it, or simplifying the checkout process if users report confusion.
  • Ensuring Security & Compliance: To detect and prevent fraud (e.g., flagging unusual payment activity for a high-value order), protect our website from cyber threats, and meet legal requirements (e.g., processing tax documents or responding to valid government requests).

3. How We Protect Your Information

We take the security of your personal data as seriously as we take the quality of our merchandise. We use industry-leading measures to prevent unauthorized access, loss, or misuse:

  • Encrypted Storage: All personal information (e.g., your address, saved sizes) is stored on secure, encrypted servers. Only authorized Walmarteo team members (who complete annual data security training) can access this data—and only to fulfill your orders or provide support.
  • Limited Data Retention: We keep your personal information only as long as needed. For example:
  • Purchase history and account data: Kept for 2 years after your last activity (to handle warranty claims, e.g., a broken blender) or as required by law.
  • Saved preferences (e.g., sizes, style interests): Kept as long as your account is active (you can delete them anytime in your account settings).

After this period, we securely delete or anonymize your data so it can no longer be linked to you.

  • Payment Security: As noted, we never store full payment details. Our payment partners (Stripe, PayPal) are PCI DSS Level 1 compliant—the highest security standard for financial transactions—ensuring your credit card information is protected with end-to-end encryption.
  • Proactive Security Measures: We regularly update our website’s software to patch vulnerabilities, use firewalls to block unauthorized access, and conduct quarterly security audits (by third-party experts) to identify and address potential risks.

4. Who We Share Your Information With

We never sell your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes. We only share data with trusted partners who help us deliver our services—and these partners are legally required to protect your privacy:

  • Payment Processors: Stripe, PayPal, or other providers—they receive only the information needed to process your payment (e.g., order total, billing address).
  • Shipping Carriers: USPS, UPS, or FedEx—they receive your shipping address and phone number (if provided) to deliver your order. For international shipments, we share basic product details (e.g., “home goods”) to assist with customs clearance.
  • Customer Service Tools: Platforms like Zendesk—used to manage your support requests (e.g., a question about a lipstick’s ingredients). They only access your name, email, and order number—never your payment data.
  • Analytics Partners: Google Analytics—used to track website traffic (e.g., how many users visit the “everyday essentials” page). They use non-personal data only—your identity is never shared.
  • Legal Authorities: We may disclose data if required by law (e.g., to comply with a court order) or to protect our rights (e.g., investigating fraudulent activity related to your account).

5. Your Rights Regarding Your Information

You have full control over your personal data, and we make it easy to exercise these rights. To act on any of the following, contact us at [email protected]:

  • Access Your Data: Request a copy of all personal information we hold about you (e.g., your order history, saved sizes, communication logs). We will provide this within 30 days of your request.
  • Correct Inaccuracies: Update outdated or incorrect information (e.g., a new shipping address, revised size preference) or fix errors (e.g., a misspelled name in your account).
  • Delete Your Data: Ask to remove your personal information (e.g., close your account, delete saved addresses). We will fulfill this request unless we are legally required to keep certain data (e.g., tax records for past orders).
  • Opt Out of Marketing: Unsubscribe from promotional emails or text messages—this will not affect essential communications (e.g., order confirmations, delivery alerts).
  • Withdraw Consent: If you previously agreed to share data (e.g., for personalized recommendations), you can revoke that consent anytime. We will stop using your data for that purpose immediately.
  • Data Portability: Request a copy of your data in a machine-readable format (e.g., a CSV file of your order history) to transfer to another retailer if you choose.

6. Children’s Privacy

Our website and products are intended for adults (18+). We never knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn we have collected data from a child under 13, we will delete it immediately. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has shared information with us, please contact [email protected].

7. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our data practices (e.g., adding new features like a “personal shopper” tool) or legal requirements. When we make changes:

  • We will post the updated policy on Walmarteo.com with a new “Last Updated” date at the top.
  • We will email registered users if the changes are significant (e.g., new ways we collect or use your saved preferences).

We recommend reviewing this policy every few months—especially before making a purchase—to stay informed about how we protect your privacy.

8. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, want to exercise your rights (e.g., access your data), or report a privacy concern, please reach out to us:

We will respond to your inquiry within 24–48 business hours and work to resolve any issues promptly. Your trust is important to us, and we are committed to protecting your privacy every step of the way.