Privacy Policy
Last updated:
Notice at collection (summary)
We collect the information needed to take and deliver your order and to run this store: your contact details, shipping and billing address, what you order, and basic device and visit information.
- We use it to process payments, ship orders, handle returns and customer service, prevent fraud, keep the site secure and meet our tax and legal obligations.
- We do not sell your personal information and we do not share it for cross-context behavioral advertising.
- We keep information only as long as described in How long we keep information.
- You can ask us to access, correct or delete your information. See Your Privacy Choices.
Who we are and what this policy covers
This Privacy Policy explains how Tool Shed LLC ("Tool Shed", "we", "us") collects, uses, discloses and protects personal information when you visit our website, place an order, contact customer service, or sign up for our emails.
Tool Shed LLC is the business that decides how and why your information is used. Our contact details are in Contact us. This policy does not apply to websites or services run by other companies, even if we link to them.
Our store is intended for customers in the United States. You can order without creating an account (guest checkout).
Information we collect
The table lists the categories of personal information we collect, using the category names from California law. We do not collect any category that is not listed.
| Category | Examples | Sold or shared |
|---|---|---|
| Identifiers | Name, email address, phone number, shipping and billing address, IP address, browser and device identifiers. | No |
| Customer records | Name, address and phone number you give us for an order. Payment card details are entered on a page run by our payment processor; we receive only the card brand, last four digits and expiry date. | No |
| Commercial information | Items you order, prices paid, order and return history, messages about your orders. | No |
| Internet or network activity | Pages viewed, links clicked, the page that referred you, date and time of visits, device type. | No |
| Approximate location | City or region estimated from your IP address. We do not collect precise geolocation. | No |
We do not knowingly collect sensitive personal information (such as government ID numbers, health information, precise location, or account passwords), biometric information, or information about protected characteristics. Please do not send us this information.
Where information comes from
- From you: when you place an order, contact us, request a return, or subscribe to our emails.
- Automatically: from your browser or device when you use the site (for example IP address, pages viewed and device type).
- From our service providers: for example our payment processor tells us whether a payment succeeded, and shipping carriers send delivery status.
How we use information
- To take your order, process payment, calculate tax, and send order confirmations.
- To pack, ship and deliver your order, and to provide tracking information.
- To handle returns, refunds, warranty questions and other customer service requests.
- To contact you about a product recall or safety notice that affects something you bought.
- To detect and prevent fraud, abuse and security incidents.
- To keep the website working, understand how it is used and improve it.
- To keep tax, accounting and other records the law requires.
- To send you marketing emails, only if you have chosen to receive them.
- To enforce our Terms of Service and protect our rights.
We do not use your information for purposes that are incompatible with these without telling you first.
Who we disclose information to
We disclose personal information to the service providers below so they can perform services for us. They may use it only to provide those services (and for their own legal and security obligations), not to market their own products to you.
| Recipient | Why | Information involved |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting, security and content delivery Cloudflare | To host and deliver the website, protect it from attacks and abuse, and store order and site data. | Identifiers (IP address, device and browser information), internet activity, and the order and contact information you submit. |
| Payment processing, tax and fraud prevention Stripe | To take payment, calculate sales tax, detect fraud and process refunds. | Identifiers (name, email, billing address), payment card details (entered on the processor's secure page), commercial information (order amount). |
| Shipping carriers and label software UPS, USPS, FedEx and our shipping-label provider | To ship your order, provide tracking and handle delivery problems and return labels. | Identifiers (name, shipping address, phone number, email) and commercial information (package contents, weight and value). |
| Email delivery Our transactional email provider | To send order confirmations, shipping notices, replies to your messages and, if you opt in, our newsletter. | Identifiers (name, email address) and commercial information (order details). |
| Website analytics Cloudflare Web Analytics | To understand which pages are visited and how the site performs, without using cookies or tracking you across sites. | Internet activity (pages visited, referrer, approximate location, device type). No cookies are set. |
| Professional advisers and authorities Accountants, lawyers, insurers, tax and law-enforcement authorities | To meet tax, accounting and legal obligations, resolve disputes and enforce our terms. | Any category above, only as needed for the purpose. |
We may also disclose information if required by law, to respond to a lawful request from authorities, to protect the safety of our customers or the public, or as part of a sale or reorganization of our business. In that case the information remains protected by this policy or a policy at least as protective.
Sale, sharing and targeted advertising
We do not sell personal information, and we do not share it for cross-context behavioral advertising or targeted advertising. We have not done so in the past 12 months. Because of this, we do not use advertising cookies or remarketing pixels on this site.
We also do not use your information to make automated decisions that have legal or similarly significant effects on you.
How long we keep information
We keep each category of information for the period below, or for the criteria stated, and then delete or anonymize it. We may keep it longer if the law requires, if a dispute or claim is pending, or if we need it to honor your opt-out.
| Category | Examples | Retention |
|---|---|---|
| Order and transaction records | Name, shipping and billing address, email, phone, items ordered, amount, tax, last four digits of the card | 7 years after the order, to meet tax and accounting rules |
| Customer service messages | Emails and notes about your order or questions | 3 years after our last contact with you |
| Marketing email list | Email address and subscription status | Until you unsubscribe; we then keep only the address needed to honour your opt-out |
| Security and technical logs | IP address, browser and device information, requests to the site | Up to 30 days in our own logs. Our hosting provider keeps its own logs under its policies |
| Shopping cart | Items you add before checkout | Stored in your browser until you check out or clear it; we do not keep it on our servers until you place an order |
How we protect information
- The whole site is served over an encrypted (HTTPS) connection.
- Payment card numbers are entered on a page operated by our payment processor and never pass through or are stored on our servers.
- Access to order and customer information is limited to people who need it for their job.
- We use trusted hosting and security providers and review who has access.
No system is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security. If a breach affects your personal information we will notify you and the authorities as required by law.
Children
This store is for adults. It is not directed to children, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 16. If you believe a child has given us personal information, contact us and we will delete it.
Your privacy rights
Depending on where you live (for example California, Colorado, Connecticut, Texas, Virginia and other states with privacy laws), you may have the right to:
- Know and access the personal information we hold about you, including a portable copy.
- Delete personal information we collected from you, subject to legal exceptions (for example tax records).
- Correct inaccurate personal information.
- Opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information, targeted advertising, and profiling that has legal or similarly significant effects. We do none of these, so there is currently nothing to opt out of.
- Limit the use of sensitive personal information. We do not collect it.
- Not be discriminated against for using your rights. We will not deny you products, charge different prices, or give you a lower level of service.
How to use your rights
Email us at privacy@toolshedshop.com or use the instructions at Your Privacy Choices. Because we operate only online, email is our method for requests.
- Verification. To protect you, we confirm your identity by matching details you give us (such as your name, email address, and a recent order number or ZIP code) with our records. We may ask for more information if we cannot verify you.
- Authorized agents. You may ask someone to make a request for you. We need your written permission and may need to verify your identity directly.
- Timing. We confirm receipt within 10 business days and respond within 45 days. If we need more time (up to another 45 days) we will tell you why.
- Cost. There is no fee unless a request is clearly excessive or repetitive; if so, we will explain before acting.
- Appeals. If we decline your request, you may appeal by replying to our response or emailing us with the word "Appeal" in the subject. We answer within the time your state's law requires (generally 45 to 60 days) and explain our decision in writing. If you are not satisfied, you may contact your state attorney general.
Additional California notices
- Categories disclosed. In the past 12 months we disclosed identifiers, customer records and commercial information to the service providers listed above for business purposes. We did not sell personal information or share it for cross-context behavioral advertising.
- Shine the Light. We do not disclose personal information to third parties for their own direct marketing purposes.
- Financial incentives. We do not offer financial incentives in exchange for personal information.
- Online tracking (CalOPPA). See "Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control" above.
Marketing emails
We always send transactional emails about your order (confirmation, shipping, returns). They are not marketing.
We send marketing emails (such as offers and new products) only if you opt in. The opt-in box at checkout is never pre-checked. Every marketing email has an unsubscribe link and includes our postal address. You can also unsubscribe by emailing privacy@toolshedshop.com. We stop within 10 business days.
We do not send marketing text messages.
Where information is processed
Our hosting provider runs a global network, so pages may be delivered from data centers near you and your information may be processed in the United States and other countries where our providers operate.
This store serves customers in the United States only. If you contact us from another country, you understand your information will be processed as described here.
Links to other sites
Our site may link to other websites, such as carriers' tracking pages or manufacturer standards. We do not control them and are not responsible for their privacy practices. Read their policies.
Changes to this policy
We update this policy when our practices change. The "Last updated" date at the top shows the current version. If we make a material change we will post a notice on this site and, where the law requires, ask for your consent or notify you by email.
Contact us
Tool Shed LLC471 Main St
Waltham, MA 02452
Privacy requests: privacy@toolshedshop.com
Customer service: support@toolshedshop.com
Phone: +1-781-647-7970 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm ET)