Data Collection

At How My Pet, we are committed to providing transparency regarding the data we collect and use to offer our services effectively. This page outlines the types of data we collect, the methods we use, and the purposes behind data collection. Our practices comply with international data protection standards, ensuring the privacy and security of our users’ personal information.

Our goal at How My Pet is to enhance the experience of pet owners by providing personalized services, accurate product recommendations, and effective customer support. To achieve this, we collect various types of data. This document explains what data we collect, how we collect it, and how we use it to provide the best possible experience for you and your pet.

Types of Data We Collect

We collect several types of data from our users, which can be broadly categorized into the following categories:

1. Personal Information

Personal information is essential for us to provide tailored services, fulfill orders, and maintain efficient communication with our users. This data may include:

• Name: Your full name is used for identification and communication purposes.
• Contact Information: This includes your email address, phone number, and shipping address, which allows us to reach out to you for updates, order confirmations, and customer support.
• Payment Details: To complete transactions, we collect payment details such as credit/debit card numbers, billing addresses, and other payment-related information. Payment information is securely processed, and we do not retain sensitive payment data longer than necessary.
• Pet Information: We also collect details about your pet, including breed, age, size, and health data, which helps us to customize our products and services for your pet’s unique needs.

2. Device and Technical Data

To ensure that our platform works smoothly on all devices and browsers, we collect certain technical information about the devices you use to access our services. This information helps us enhance user experience and includes:

• Device Identifiers: Information such as IP addresses, unique device IDs, browser type, operating system, and device type. This data allows us to optimize our platform for various devices and troubleshoot any issues.
• Usage Data: Data related to how you interact with our platform, such as the pages you visit, time spent on our site, clicks, and actions taken (e.g., pre-ordering, signing up for newsletters). This data helps us understand user behavior and improve our website’s functionality.

3. Location Data

We collect location data when you use features of our platform that require location services. This may include:

• Geographic Location: Your geographic location is determined either through your IP address or by using GPS data from your device (with your permission). This data is used for location-based services, such as determining available delivery options.

4. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Cookies and similar technologies are used on our platform to enhance the user experience, gather data for analytics, and personalize services. We use different types of cookies to achieve this:

• Session Cookies: These are temporary cookies that are deleted when you close your browser. They are used to keep track of your actions during a session, such as items added to a shopping cart.
• Persistent Cookies: These remain on your device for a set period or until you delete them. They help remember your preferences and login details for future visits.
• Analytical Cookies: These cookies help us understand how users interact with our platform by providing data on visitor behavior. This helps us make informed decisions on improving our platform.
• Advertising Cookies: Used to provide you with relevant advertisements based on your interests.

5. Third-Party Data Sources

In some cases, we may receive information about you from third-party sources, which helps us improve our services and better understand our users. Examples of such sources include:

• Social Media Platforms: If you choose to interact with us through social media or link your social media account to our platform, we may receive certain information from these platforms.
• Analytics Providers: We work with analytics providers that help us collect data on how users interact with our platform. This helps us understand usage patterns and improve our services.
• Payment Processors: We partner with secure payment processors to handle financial transactions, and they may share necessary payment-related information with us to complete your orders.

Methods of Data Collection

We collect data from users in several different ways, including direct interactions, automated technologies, and data from third-party sources. Below is a detailed breakdown of each method:

1. Direct Interactions

This type of data collection occurs when you provide information directly to us through:

• Account Registration: When you create an account on our platform, you provide personal details such as your name, email address, and pet information.
• Pre-Orders and Purchases: When you place a pre-order or make a purchase, we collect payment and shipping information to fulfill your order.
• Customer Support: Any time you reach out to our customer support team, we may collect additional data to help resolve your query.

2. Automated Technologies

We use various automated technologies to collect information about your interactions with our platform. These technologies include:

• Cookies and Web Beacons: Cookies are used to collect data about how you use our website. Web beacons, also known as pixel tags, are used to track user behavior and help us understand the effectiveness of our communications.
• Log Files: When you visit our platform, we automatically collect log data, which includes details such as your IP address, browser type, and access times. This helps us ensure that our platform is functioning properly and identify any technical issues.
• Mobile Identifiers: If you access our services through a mobile device, we collect unique mobile identifiers to provide optimized services for mobile users.

3. Third-Party Sources

We may also collect information about you from trusted third-party sources, such as:

• Social Media: If you interact with our brand on social media platforms, we may collect information shared through those interactions.
• Service Providers: We may receive data from service providers, such as payment processors, to complete transactions and provide services efficiently.
• Publicly Available Data: In some cases, we may collect data from publicly available sources to verify user identity or ensure compliance with legal requirements.

Purpose of Data Collection

The data we collect serves several purposes, all aimed at enhancing your experience with How My Pet and ensuring that our services meet your needs. These purposes include:

1. Providing and Improving Services

The data we collect allows us to provide and improve our services. This includes fulfilling orders, providing customer support, and ensuring our platform functions smoothly across all devices.

2. Personalization

We use collected data to personalize your experience on our platform. For example, we use pet information to recommend products that are most suitable for your pet’s breed, age, and health requirements. Personalization helps us provide relevant content and product recommendations based on your preferences.

3. Marketing and Advertising

With your consent, we use data to send you promotional materials, newsletters, and special offers. We also use data to show you advertisements that are relevant to your interests. You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by updating your preferences.

4. Security and Fraud Prevention

We use your data to enhance the security of our platform, protect against fraudulent transactions, and detect any unauthorized access attempts. This ensures a safe environment for all our users.

5. Analytics and Performance Tracking

The data collected through cookies and other automated means helps us monitor the performance of our platform and make informed decisions about future updates and improvements. This data allows us to analyze usage patterns, user engagement, and the effectiveness of our features.

6. Legal Compliance

We may also collect and use data to comply with applicable laws and regulations. This includes responding to valid requests from government authorities or law enforcement and retaining records for tax and other legal purposes.

Data Retention

We retain your data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this document. The retention period for different types of data may vary based on legal requirements and the nature of the information:

• Personal Information: Personal information related to transactions is retained for up to 7 years to comply with tax and legal requirements. Other personal information is retained for as long as you maintain an active account with us or until it is no longer necessary for the purposes collected.
• Technical Data: Technical data, such as log files and device identifiers, is typically retained for a shorter period and is used primarily for performance monitoring and security.
• Cookies: The retention period for cookies varies depending on their type. Session cookies are deleted when you close your browser, while persistent cookies may be retained for up to 2 years unless manually deleted by the user.

User Rights Regarding Data Collection

We respect the rights of our users concerning their personal data. You have the following rights related to data collection:

1. Access to Information

You have the right to request access to the personal data we hold about you. This helps you understand what information we have collected and verify its accuracy.

2. Correction of Information

If you believe that any of the personal information we hold is incorrect or incomplete, you have the right to request corrections. We will promptly update any inaccurate information.

3. Deletion of Information

You may request the deletion of your personal data under specific circumstances, such as when it is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected. We will comply unless we are required to retain the data for legal reasons.

4. Objection to Processing

You have the right to object to the processing of your data in certain situations, such as direct marketing. If you object, we will stop processing your data for those purposes.

5. Restriction of Processing

In certain circumstances, you may request that we restrict the processing of your personal data, such as when you contest the accuracy of the data.

6. Data Portability

You can request a copy of your data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format and request that it be transferred to another service provider if technically feasible.

7. Withdrawal of Consent

Where we rely on your consent for data collection and processing, you may withdraw your consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal.

Changes to This Data Collection Policy

We may update this Data Collection Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. When we make changes, we will notify you by updating the “Last Updated” date at the top of this document. We encourage you to review this page periodically to stay informed about our data collection practices.

Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about our data collection practices, please contact us at:

How My Pet Customer Support
Email: support@howmypet.com

By using the How My Pet platform, you agree to the data collection practices outlined on this page. Thank you for trusting us with your personal data.