Privacy Policy
Effective Date: 10/01/2025 Last Updated: 10/16/2025
Introduction
Welcome to The Story Grove (“we,” “us,” or “our”). We are committed to protecting your privacy and being transparent about how we collect, use, and protect your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains our practices regarding data collection through our website (thestorygroveco.com), blog, email communications, and in-person market sales.
By using our website, making a purchase, or subscribing to our communications, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.
Information We Collect
Information You Provide Directly
When you interact with The Story Grove, you may provide us with personal information, including:
Account & Purchase Information:
- Name
- Email address
- Shipping address
- Billing address
- Phone number
- Payment information (processed securely through our payment processors)
Communication Information:
- Email correspondence
- Customer service inquiries
- Product reviews and feedback
- Survey responses
- Newsletter subscription preferences
Market Purchase Information:
- Name and email (if you request a receipt or join our mailing list)
- Payment method used
Information We Collect Automatically
When you visit our website or interact with our emails, we automatically collect certain information:
Website Usage Information:
- IP address
- Browser type and version
- Device type and operating system
- Pages visited and time spent on pages
- Referring website
- Click patterns and navigation paths
- Date and time of visits
Cookies and Tracking Technologies: We use cookies and similar technologies to improve your experience. These include:
- Essential cookies: Required for website functionality
- Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our site (Google Analytics)
- Marketing cookies: Used to deliver relevant content and advertisements
You can control cookies through your browser settings, but disabling certain cookies may limit website functionality.
Information from Third Parties
We may receive information about you from:
- Payment processors (Square, PayPal, Venmo, CashApp) – transaction details
- Shipping providers (PirateShip) – delivery status
- Email service provider (MailerLite) – email engagement data
- Social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram) – if you interact with our social content
How We Use Your Information
We use your personal information for the following purposes:
Order Fulfillment & Customer Service
- Process and ship your orders
- Send order confirmations and shipping notifications
- Respond to customer inquiries and support requests
- Process returns and exchanges
- Provide personalized book recommendations
Marketing & Communications
- Send newsletters and promotional emails (with your consent)
- Share blog updates and new product announcements
- Conduct customer surveys and request feedback
- Notify you about upcoming craft markets and events
Website & Business Operations
- Maintain and improve our website functionality
- Analyze website traffic and user behavior
- Prevent fraud and enhance security
- Comply with legal obligations
- Maintain accounting and business records
Product Curation & Personalization
- Understand your reading preferences
- Curate book boxes tailored to your interests
- Recommend products you might enjoy
- Improve our product selection
Legal Basis for Processing (for EU/International Visitors)
If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, or other jurisdiction with similar privacy laws, we process your personal information based on:
- Contract performance: To fulfill orders and provide services you’ve requested
- Consent: For marketing communications and optional data collection
- Legitimate interests: To improve our services, prevent fraud, and operate our business
- Legal compliance: To meet tax, accounting, and regulatory requirements
How We Share Your Information
We do NOT sell your personal information to third parties. We share your information only in the following limited circumstances:
Service Providers
We share information with trusted third-party service providers who help us operate our business:
| Provider | Purpose | Information Shared |
|---|---|---|
| Hostinger | Website hosting | Website data, user interactions |
| WooCommerce | E-commerce platform | Purchase and account information |
| Square, PayPal, Venmo, CashApp | Payment processing | Payment and transaction details |
| PirateShip | Shipping fulfillment | Name, shipping address, order details |
| MailerLite | Email marketing | Email address, name, engagement data |
| Zoho | Accounting & inventory | Transaction and customer data |
| Google Analytics | Website analytics | Anonymized usage data, IP addresses |
All service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the specified purposes.
Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or government regulation, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to:
- Comply with legal obligations
- Protect our rights or property
- Prevent fraud or illegal activity
- Protect the safety of our customers or others
Business Transfers
If The Story Grove is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change and any choices you may have.
Your Privacy Rights
Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:
All Customers
- Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
- Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
- Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal retention requirements)
- Opt-out of marketing: Unsubscribe from promotional emails at any time
California Residents (CCPA/CPRA Rights)
If you are a California resident, you have additional rights:
- Right to know what personal information we collect, use, and share
- Right to delete personal information (with certain exceptions)
- Right to opt-out of the “sale” of personal information (Note: We do not sell personal information)
- Right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights
European/UK Residents (GDPR Rights)
If you are in the EEA or UK, you have additional rights:
- Right to data portability
- Right to restrict processing
- Right to object to processing
- Right to withdraw consent
- Right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority
How to Exercise Your Rights
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at:
- Email: support@thestorygroveco.com
- Subject Line: “Privacy Rights Request”
- Include: Your name, email address, and specific request
We will respond to verified requests within 30 days (or as required by applicable law).
Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required by law.
Retention Periods:
- Purchase records: 7 years (for tax and accounting purposes)
- Marketing communications: Until you unsubscribe or request deletion
- Website analytics: Up to 26 months (Google Analytics default)
- Customer service records: 3 years after last interaction
- Market purchase records with consent: Until you request deletion
Data Security
We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, loss, misuse, or alteration. These measures include:
- Secure SSL encryption for data transmission
- Secure payment processing through PCI-compliant providers
- Regular security assessments
- Limited employee access to personal information
- Secure data storage practices
However, no internet transmission is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, and you provide information at your own risk.
Children’s Privacy
Our website and services are not directed to children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that we have collected information from a child under 13, we will delete it promptly. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us at support@thestorygroveco.com.
Email Marketing
Subscription
When you make a purchase or sign up for our newsletter, you may receive:
- Welcome emails
- Order confirmations and shipping updates
- Product recommendations and new releases
- Blog post notifications
- Promotional offers and market schedules
- Bi-weekly newsletters
Unsubscribe
You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time by:
- Clicking the “unsubscribe” link in any marketing email
- Emailing support@thestorygroveco.com with “Unsubscribe” in the subject line
- Updating your preferences in your account settings
Note: Even if you unsubscribe from marketing emails, we may still send you transactional emails related to your orders (confirmations, shipping updates, customer service communications).
Blog Comments & User-Generated Content
If you comment on our blog or submit reviews, your comments may be publicly visible. Please do not include sensitive personal information in public comments. We reserve the right to moderate, edit, or remove comments that violate our community guidelines.
Third-Party Links
Our website and blog may contain links to third-party websites, social media platforms, or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.
Social Media
We maintain profiles on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. When you interact with our social media content, your interactions are governed by the privacy policies of those platforms. We may collect publicly available information from your social media interactions to understand our audience and improve our content.
International Data Transfers
The Story Grove is based in Allendale, Michigan, USA. If you access our website from outside the United States, your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States. By using our services, you consent to this transfer.
For European visitors: We take appropriate safeguards to ensure your information is protected in accordance with applicable privacy laws.
Your Choices & Control
You have control over your information:
Email Preferences:
- Manage subscription preferences through email links
- Update frequency and content preferences
Cookie Preferences:
- Adjust browser settings to block or delete cookies
- Use browser extensions for enhanced privacy control
Account Information:
- Update your account information at any time
- Request account deletion
Marketing Opt-Out:
- Unsubscribe from promotional emails
- Opt out of text message marketing (if applicable)
California “Shine the Light” Law
California residents may request information about our disclosure of personal information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes. To make such a request, please contact us at support@thestorygroveco.com.
Do Not Track Signals
Some browsers offer “Do Not Track” (DNT) signals. Our website does not currently respond to DNT signals, but you can control tracking through cookie settings and browser extensions.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will post the updated policy on this page with a new “Last Updated” date.
For material changes, we will provide additional notice by:
- Sending an email to registered users
- Posting a prominent notice on our website
- Providing notice at the point of data collection
Your continued use of our services after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.
Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:
The Story Grove
Email: support@thestorygroveco.com
Phone: 616-379-9310
Mail: 5639 Country View Dr., Allendale, MI 49401
Response Time: We typically respond within 2 business days.
For privacy-specific inquiries, please include “Privacy Policy” in your subject line.
State-Specific Notices
California Residents
Categories of Personal Information Collected:
- Identifiers (name, email, address, IP address)
- Commercial information (purchase history, preferences)
- Internet activity (browsing behavior, interactions)
- Geolocation data (approximate location based on IP)
Purposes of Collection: See “How We Use Your Information” section above.
Third Parties We Share With: See “How We Share Your Information” section above.
Your Rights: See “Your Privacy Rights” section above.
Nevada Residents
Nevada residents have the right to opt-out of the sale of certain personal information. We do not sell personal information as defined by Nevada law. If you have questions, contact support@thestorygroveco.com.
This Privacy Policy is designed to be transparent and comprehensive. We believe in treating your data with respect and care. If you have any concerns, we’re here to help!
Summary (TL;DR)
- We collect information you provide and automatically through website use
- We use information to process orders, send emails, and improve our service
- We do NOT sell your personal information
- We share data only with trusted service providers
- You can access, correct, delete, or opt-out at any time
- Contact support@thestorygroveco.com with questions