The Short Version:
We hate spam and fraud as much as the next guy and think all people who engage in such should rot in a pit of festering pig guts. We have to take your personal information to fill your order and conduct our business but that’s where it ends.
The Long Version:
Solar Direct Canada Privacy Notice (Updated: 5 December 2023)
By visiting the Solar Direct Canada website or any other websites operated by Solar Direct Canada or its affiliates (collectively, the “Site”), you agree to accept the practices described in this Privacy Notice. If you do not agree to the terms of this Privacy Notice, please do not use the Site. Each time you use the Site, you should check the date of this Privacy Notice (which appears above) and review any changes that have been made since your last visit to the Site.
1. Personal Information Collected By Solar Direct Canada
Solar Direct Canada uses information that we collect from our visitors and customers to personalize and improve your visit and shopping experience at the Site. We gather the following types of information:
Information You Give to Us: We Collect Personal Information that is provided by Site users. “Personal Information” includes your name, address, telephone number, credit, debit card, or paypal information, e-mail address, date of birth, IP address and the last four digits of your Social Security number. Personal Information is collected when you establish an account with us, place an order on the Site, participate in a contest, or on-line survey, or when you communicate with any of our departments such as customer service, sales or technical services through the Site, telephone, mail or fax. In some instances, we may obtain other people’s names and email addresses that you may choose to provide as part of our “email a friend” feature.
Web Beacons: We may collect information from visits to the Site through the use of “Web Beacons.” Web Beacons are web page elements which may employ cookie technology that enable us to record data about visits to or transactions made on the Site. This information is sometimes known as “clickstream data.” We may use this data to analyze trends and statistics to improve your online experience or our customer service. No Personal Information is collected through the use of Web Beacons on the Site.
Cookies: Through the use of cookies, we may also collect and analyze the IP address used to connect your computer to the Internet; computer and connection information such as your browser type and version; operating system and platform; purchase history; confirmation when you open e-mail that we send you; and the URLs which lead you to and around the Site including the date and time. You can generally set your browser to reject cookies or to notify you when you are sent a cookie. Software is also available from third parties which will allow you to visit the Site without providing this information. You are welcome to use the Site if you use such software but we will not be able to offer you our personalized services and we will be unable to accept any online orders from you.
Orders: If you place an order through the Site, you will be required to provide contact, billing, and payment information.
2. Use of Information Collected
We use this information in an effort to improve your experience on the Site, to provide services to you and to communicate with you about information that you request. We may also use this information to help us target specific offers to you, to help us develop and improve our Site, and to tailor our Site to your interests.
3. Sharing of Information with Third Parties
We will not rent, sell or otherwise disclose your Personal Information to unrelated third parties without your consent, except as stated in this Privacy Notice.
Credit Card Companies: If you place an order through the Site, the Personal Information you provide is transmitted to your credit card company to verify and authorize your purchase. At certain times we may offer financing options with or without third party participation. If you use a financing option, information provided by you (such as your address, birth date, social security number, and credit card number) may be used to request a credit report from third parties or may be sent to a third party for processing.
Third Party Marketing Partners: We will never share your personal information with third party marketing partner(s). We just don’t like them.
Shippers: If you make a purchase through the Site, your name, telephone number and shipping information must be provided to third party shippers such as UPS, FEDEX, Puroloator, and Canada Post to deliver your purchase. There also may be instances in which we drop-ship orders directly to you from one of our manufacturers or suppliers. These drop-shippers are only given your name, postal address, and telephone number for the sole purpose of fulfilling your order.
Links to Third Party Site: The Site contains certain links to third party websites, such as our vendors. We are not responsible or liable for the privacy practices or content found on these websites. We recommend that you check the privacy notice of each website you visit. Links to third party websites are provided solely for your convenience and any submission of data to such websites shall be at your sole risk.
Law Enforcement and Protection of Users: To the extent permitted by law, we will disclose Personal Information to government authorities or third parties pursuant to a legal request, subpoena or other legal process. We may also use or disclose your information as permitted by law to perform charge verifications, report or collect debts owed, fight fraud or protect our rights or property as well as those of our affiliates, customers, or its users. You should be aware that, following disclosure to any third party, your Personal Information may be accessible by others to the extent permitted or required by applicable law.
4. Children and Privacy
The Site is a general audience website and is not directed to children under the age of 13. We will never knowingly collect personally identifiable information from children under the age of 13 without verifiable parental consent. If you are under the age of 13, please do not provide us with personally identifiable information of any kind whatsoever. If we become aware that a user is under the age of 13 and has submitted Personal Information without verifiable parental consent, we will remove his or her personally identifiable information from our files. We understand that children may not fully understand all of the provisions of this Privacy Notice or make informed decisions about the choices that are made available to adult users of the Site. We encourage parents and guardians to spend time with their children online and to be familiar with the websites they visit. Solar Direct Canada does not sell products to persons under the age of 18. If you are under the age of 18, you are required seek the consent of your parent or guardian to purchase products from the Site.
5. Security
We employ 128-bit encryption technology in all areas of the Site which require you to provide your personal or account information, including those areas related to online ordering, order status, catalog request and contest forms. The Site utilizes industry-standard firewalls and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology to allow for the encryption of potentially sensitive Personal Information, such as your name, address and credit card number.
You should recognize, however, that no computer system is fully secure and that there are inherent risks associated with Internet transactions. To make sure you have the latest security features on your browser, you may want to download the most recent version of your favorite browser, which should have full SSL support.
6. Corrections/Information Removal/Opt-Out
If your name, e-mail or postal address, telephone number or other Personal Information changes, you may update, correct or omit the relevant information by contacting us at privacy@SolarDirectCanada.com, or simply login to your account on our website and make the changes yourself. We don’t do marketing emails and have no plans to send you information you haven’t specifically asked for, but if we do and you no longer wish to receive them from us you may opt-out by emailing us at privacy@SolarDirectCanada.com, sending a letter to: Solar Direct Canada Privacy Officer, 4 Morgan Drive, Acton, ON L7J2L7, or by clicking on the unsubscribe link within any marketing e-mail you receive from us.
7. Contact Information
If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Notice, please e-mail us at privacy@SolarDirectCanada.com or send a letter to: Solar Direct Canada Privacy Officer, 4 Morgan Drive, Acton, ON L7J2L7.
8. Business Transfer
In the event that Solar Direct Canada is sold, has its assets acquired or transferred, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, or merges or becomes affiliated with any other division, individual or entity, any customer information owned or under the control of Solar Direct Canada may be one of the transferred assets. We reserve the right, as part of such transaction, to transfer or assign the Personal Information and aggregate information we have collected from users of the Site.
9. Limitations On Liability
IN NO EVENT WILL SOLAR DIRECT CANADA, ITS AFFILIATES, LICENSEES OR ANY PARTY INVOLVED IN CREATING, PRODUCING OR DELIVERING THE SITE OR ITS PRODUCTS OR SERVICES BE LIABLE IN ANY MANNER WHATSOEVER FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT, SPECIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF YOUR ACCESS, USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE SITE, OR IN CONNECTION WITH ANY FAILURE OR PERFORMANCE, ERROR, OMISSION, INTERRUPTION, DEFECT, DELAY IN OPERATION OR TRANSMISSION, COMPUTER VIRUS OR LINE OR SYSTEM FAILURE (INCLUDING LOSS OF PROFITS, LOSS OF BUSINESS OR DATA, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, AND DAMAGES THAT RESULT FROM INACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION OR INCONVENIENCE, DELAY, OR LOSS OF THE USE OF THE SITE). THE FOREGOING LIMITATIONS APPLY WHETHER THE ALLEGED LIABILITY IS BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT, NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY OR ANY OTHER BASIS, EVEN IF SOLAR DIRECT CANADA OR ITS AFFILIATES OR ANY OTHER PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
