Archived: Privacy Policy
Last updated as of: October 15th, 2020
Thank you for visiting www.article.com (“Site”), owned and operated by TradeMango Solutions, Inc. (“Article”, “we”, “us”, “our”).
When we refer to “Services” throughout this Privacy Notice, we mean the Site (and any of its content), the products available for purchase on the Site (“Products”), and any other services available via the Site. In order to provide the Services, we collect and process personal information. This Privacy Notice governs how Article may collect, use, store and disclose personal information that we obtain through or from individuals who:
- Visit, access, or use the Site;
- Register for an account with Article;
- View and/or purchase Products; and
- Upload content to the Site or communicate directly with us.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding this Privacy Notice, please contact us at service@article.com
What information do you collect?
We collect your personal customer information in order to provide and continually improve our products and services.
Here are the types of personal information we collect:
- Information you give us: We receive and store any information you provide in relation to Article Services. Click here to see examples of what we collect.
- Automatic information: We automatically collect and store certain types of information about your use of Article Services, including information about your interaction with content and services available through Article Services. Like many websites, we use "cookies" and other unique identifiers, and we obtain certain types of information when your web browser or device accesses Article Services and other content served by or on behalf of Article on other websites. Click here to see examples of what we collect.
- Third-party services: We use third-party analytics services — primarily Google Analytics – to assist us in analyzing trends and statistics on our Services. With the Device and Usage Information collected by our third-party analytics services, we generate and process “Aggregated Information,” such as statistical or demographic data. Aggregated Information may be derived from personal information, but is not considered personal information under the law if it does not directly or indirectly reveal your identity. For example: we may track the total number of visitors to our Services, or the number of visitors to each page of our Services, and we may aggregate usage data to calculate the percentage of users accessing a specific feature of the Services and analyze this data for trends and statistics. However, if we combine or connect Aggregated Information with your Personal Information such that it can directly or indirectly identify you, we treat the combined data as Personal Information, which will be processed in accordance with this Privacy Notice.
- Information from other sources: We might receive information about you from other sources, such as updated delivery and address information from our carrier partners, which we use to correct our records and deliver your next purchase more easily.
- Reviews and photos: You may post a review or upload photos, videos, and other content on the Services (for example, to share how a Product looks in your living room). We process this information if you choose to upload it to the Services or post a review. Please be aware that if you use this functionality, the photos, videos, and other content that you post, which may contain personal information, may be viewed by other users of the Services.
How do you use my information?
We use your personal information to operate, provide, develop, and improve the products and services that we offer our customers. These purposes include:
- Purchase and delivery of products and services: We use your personal information to take and handle orders, deliver products and services, process payments, and communicate with you about orders, products and services, and promotional offers.
- Provide, troubleshoot, and improve Article Services: We use your personal information to provide functionality, analyze performance, fix errors, and improve the usability and effectiveness of the Article Services.
- Recommendations and personalization: We use your personal information to recommend features, products, and services that might be of interest to you, to identify your preferences, and to personalize your experience with Article Services.
- Comply with legal obligations: In certain cases, we collect and use your personal information to comply with laws. Communicate with you: We use your personal information to communicate with you in relation to Article Services via different channels (e.g., by phone, email, chat).
- Advertising: We use your personal information to display interest-based ads for features, products, and services that might be of interest to you. We don't use information that personally identifies you to display interest-based ads.
- Fraud prevention and credit risks: We use personal information to prevent and detect fraud and abuse in order to protect the security of our customers, Article, and others. We may also use scoring methods to assess and manage credit risks.
What about cookies and other identifiers?
To enable our systems to recognize your browser or device and to provide and improve Article Services, we use cookies and other identifiers. For more information about cookies and how we use them, please read our Cookies Notice.
Does Article share my personal information?
Information about our customers is an important part of our business, and we are not in the business of selling our customers’ personal information to others. We share customers’ personal information only as described below:
- Third-party service providers: Article employs other companies and individuals to perform functions on our behalf. Examples include fulfilling orders for products or services, delivering packages, sending postal mail and e-mail, analyzing data, providing marketing assistance, providing search results and links (including paid listings and links), processing payments, transmitting content, scoring, and assessing and managing credit risk. These third-party service providers have access to personal information needed to perform their functions, but may not use it for other purposes.
- Business transfers: As we continue to develop our business, we might sell or buy other businesses or services. In such transactions, customer information generally is one of the transferred business assets, but remains subject to the promises made in any pre-existing Privacy Notice (unless the customer consents otherwise). In the unlikely event that Article.com, Inc. or substantially all of its assets are acquired, customer information would be one of the transferred assets.
- Protection of Article and others: We release account and other personal information when we believe release is appropriate to comply with the law, to enforce or apply our Terms of Use and other agreements, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Article, our users, or others. This includes exchanging information with other companies and organizations for fraud protection and credit risk reduction.
In any instance other than the ones described above, customers will receive notice when personal information might be shared with third parties. Customers will have an opportunity to choose not to share the information.
How secure is Article’s customer information?
Article’s systems are designed with your security and privacy in mind. No method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage, is 100% secure. However, Article takes steps that are reasonably necessary to securely provide our Services. We have put in place reasonably appropriate security measures designed to prevent your Personal Information from being accidentally lost, used, or accessed in an unauthorized way, altered, or disclosed. We limit access to Personal Information only to those employees, agents, contractors, and the third parties who require access to perform their business function.
We also have procedures in place to deal with any suspected data security breach. If required, we will notify customers and applicable regulators of a suspected data security breach. We require those parties to whom we transfer Personal Information to provide acceptable standards of security.
We don't directly collect your payment information, nor do we store your payment information. We use third-party, PCI-compliant payment processors to collect payment information on our behalf in order to complete transactions. While we receive payment confirmation when a user makes a purchase, we don't have access to or process your credit card information.
What about advertising and third-party plug-ins?
We provide ad companies with information that allows them to serve you with more useful and relevant Article ads, and to measure their effectiveness. We never share customer names or other information. Instead, we use an advertising identifier like a cookie or other device identifier.
For example, if you have already downloaded one of our apps, we will share your advertising identifier and data about that event so that you will not be served an ad to download the app again. Some ad companies also use this information to serve you relevant ads from other advertisers.
Our Services integrate social media plug-ins of social networks such as Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. Where our Services contain a plug-in to a social network, these are clearly marked with icons (e.g., a Pinterest button) that allow you to interact with those third-party social networks. If you chose to click on one of these buttons or links, your browser connects directly to the servers of the relevant social network. The social network directly transmits the content of the plug-in to your browser. If you are registered on the relevant social network and logged into your respective account, the social network receives the information about your visit to the Services. If you interact with a social network plug-in (e.g., you press the Facebook “Like” feature), the corresponding information is directly transmitted to the relevant social network from your browser.
If you are not registered with the social network or you are logged out before you visit our Services, there is the possibility that at least your IP address will be submitted to and stored by the social network. If you interact with us through a social media platform, plug-in, etc., then you may be permitting us to have on-going access to some limited information from your social network profile.
If you don’t want the social network to collect the information about you described above, or to share your information with us and other third parties, please review the privacy policy of the relevant social network, and/or log out of the relevant social network before you visit our Services. Your use of these social plug-ins is subject to the privacy policies of the third-party social networks.
What information can I access?
You can access your information — including your name and profile information — in the "Your Account" section of the website.
What choices do I have?
If you have any questions as to how we collect and use your personal information, please contact our Customer Service. Many of our Article Services include settings that provide you with options as to how your information is being used. For example:
- You may choose not to provide certain information: This may leave you at risk of missing out on certain Article services.
- You can add or update certain information on pages by contacting us: This includes those referenced in What information can I access?. When you update information, Article will keep a copy of the prior version for our records.
- Opting out: If you don’t want to receive the Article Newsletter or other marketing communications from us, please contact us and we will adjust your Customer Communication Preferences.
- The Help feature on most browsers and devices will tell you how to prevent your browser or device from accepting new cookies or other identifiers, how to have the browser notify you when you receive a new cookie, or how to block cookies altogether. Because cookies and identifiers allow you to take advantage of some essential features of Article Services, we recommend that you leave them turned on. For instance, if you block or otherwise reject Article cookies, you will not be able to add items to your Shopping Cart, proceed to Checkout, or use any Services that require you to Sign in. For more information about cookies and other identifiers, see our Cookies Notice.
- If you want to browse the Article website without linking the browsing history to your account, you may do so by logging out of your account and blocking cookies on your browser.
- You will also be able to opt out of certain other types of data usage by updating your settings on the applicable Article website (e.g., in "Manage Your Content and Devices"), device, or application. You may download and install a browser add-on from Google Analytics that prevents your visitor data from being used by Google Analytics by clicking here. Most devices also provide users with the ability to change device permissions (e.g., disable/enable location services). For most devices, these controls are located in the settings menu. If you have questions about how to change your permissions on devices manufactured by third parties, we recommend you contact your mobile service carrier or your device manufacturer.
- In addition, to the extent required by applicable law, you may have the right to request access to or delete your personal data including any photographs that you have sent to Article. If you wish to do any of these things, please contact service@article.com. Depending on your data choices, certain services may be limited or unavailable.
Are children allowed to use Article services?
Our Services are not intended for children, and Article does not target its Services to minors. If you are a minor, please don't register to use the Services and don't give us any information about yourself.
California Consumer Privacy Act
Click here to read additional disclosures required under the California Consumer Privacy Act.
Notice to Nevada Consumers
We don't sell your personal information within the scope of and according to the defined meaning of a “sale” under NRS 603A.
Conditions of Use, Notices, and Revisions
If you choose to use Article Services, your use and any dispute over privacy is subject to this Notice and our Conditions of Use. If you have any concern about privacy at Article, please contact us with a thorough description and we will try to resolve it. Our business changes constantly, and as such our Privacy Notice will change too. You should check our websites frequently to see recent changes. Unless stated otherwise, our current Privacy Notice applies to all information that we have about you and your account. We stand behind the promises we make. We will never materially change our policies and practices to make them less protective of customer information collected in the past without the consent of affected customers.
Examples of Information Collected
You provide information to us when you:
- Search or shop for products or services on our website;
- Add or remove an item from your cart, place an order through, or otherwise use Article Services;
- Download, stream, view, or use content on a device or through a service or application on a device;
- Provide information in Your Account (and you might have more than one if you have used more than one email address or mobile number when shopping with us) or Your Profile;
- Configure your settings on, provide data access permissions for, or interact with an Article device or service;
- Communicate with us by phone, e-mail, or otherwise;
- Complete a questionnaire, a support ticket, or a contest entry form;
- Upload or stream images, videos, or other files our website;
- Participate in discussion boards or other community features;
- Provide product reviews.
As a result of those actions, you might supply us with such information as:
- Identifying information such as your name, address, and/or phone number;
- Payment information;
- Your age;
- Your location information;
- Your IP address;
- Content of reviews and e-mails to us;
- Images and videos collected or stored in connection with Article Services;
- Information and documents regarding identity.
Automatic Information
Examples of the information we collect and analyze include:
- The IP address used to connect your computer to the internet;
- Login, e-mail address, and password;
- The location of your device or computer;
- Content interaction information, such as content downloads, streams, and playback details, including duration and number of simultaneous streams and downloads, and network details for streaming and download quality, and information about your internet service provider;
- Device metrics such as when a device is in use, application usage, connectivity data, and any errors or event failures;
- Article Services metrics (e.g., the occurrences of technical errors, your interactions with service features and content, your settings preferences and backup information, location of your device running an application, information about uploaded images and files such as the file name, dates, times and location of your images); Version and time zone settings;
- Purchase and content use history, which we sometimes aggregate with similar information from other customers
- The full Uniform Resource Locator (URL) clickstream to, through, and from our websites, including date and time; products and content you viewed or searched for; page response times, download errors, length of visits to certain pages, and page interaction information (such as scrolling, clicks, and mouse-overs);
- Phone numbers used to call our customer service number.
We may also use device identifiers, cookies, and other technologies on devices, applications, and our web pages to collect browsing, usage, or other technical information.
Information From Other Sources
Examples of information we receive from other sources include:
- Updated delivery and address information from our carriers or other third parties, which we use to correct our records and deliver your next purchase or communication more easily;
- Search results and links.
Information You Can Access
Examples of information you can access through Article Services include:
- Status of recent orders;
- Your complete order history;
- Personally identifiable information (including name, e-mail and password);
- Email notification settings;
- Your Article profile.
CALIFORNIA PRIVACY NOTICE
Last Updated: October 15th, 2020
This California Privacy Notice ("Notice") supplements the Article Privacy Policy. The Article Privacy Policy describes the personal information that we collect, the sources from which we collect it, the purposes for which we use it, the limited circumstances under which we share personal information, and with whom we share it. The additional disclosures in this Notice are required by the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) and California’s Shine the Light law. If you are a California resident, this Notice applies to you.
1. Categories of Personal Information Collected
The personal information that Article has collected from consumers in the preceding twelve months falls into the following categories:
- Identifiers, such as your name, alias, email address, postal address, phone numbers, and IP address;
- Characteristics of protected classifications under state or federal law, such as age and gender;
- Commercial information, such as purchase history;
- Internet or other electronic network activity information, such as browsing history and activity on our website;
- Audio or visual information, such as customer service phone call recordings for quality assurance purposes and photos submitted to your Article Photos account;
- Inferences, such as information about your product preferences; and
- Other personal information described in Section 1798.80(e) of the California Civil Code, such as a credit card number.
2. Purpose of Collection
We collect personal information for the business or commercial purposes described in the “How Do You Use My Information” section of the Article Privacy Policy.
3. Categories of Personal Information Disclosed for a Business Purpose
In the preceding twelve months, we have disclosed the following categories of personal information for business purposes to the following categories of recipients:
| Categories of Personal Information | Categories of Recipients |
|---|---|
| Identifiers | Advertising networks, marketing partners, data analytics providers, payment processors, fulfillment partners, customer support partners, Internet service providers, operating systems and platforms, fraud prevention partners, cloud service providers, and other users (if you choose to share certain information publicly on our website) |
| Characteristics of protected classifications under state or federal law | Marketing partners and other users (if you choose to share certain information publicly on our website) |
| Commercial information | Advertising networks, data analytics providers, marketing partners, payment processors, fulfillment partners, customer support partners, fraud prevention partners, and cloud service providers |
| Internet or other electronic network activity information | Advertising networks, marketing partners, data analytics providers, fraud prevention partners, Internet service providers, operating system and platforms, and cloud service providers |
| Audio or visual information | Customer support partners, cloud service providers, and other users (if you choose to share certain information publicly on our website) |
| Inferences | Fraud prevention partners, data analytics partners, marketing partners, and cloud service providers |
| Other personal information described in Section 1798.80(e) of the California Civil Code | Payment processors, fraud prevention partners, and customer support partners |
4. Sale of Personal Information
California law requires that we provide transparency about personal information we “sell,” which for the purposes of the CCPA broadly means scenarios in which we have shared personal information with partners in exchange for valuable consideration. While we do not provide personal information about you to other companies for money, we do “sell” certain personal information in the course of advertising and marketing our products to you. In the preceding 12 months, we have “sold” the following categories of personal information to the following categories of third parties:
| Category of Personal Information | Category of Third Party |
|---|---|
| Identifiers | Advertising partners and direct mail marketing partners. |
| Commercial information | Advertising partners and direct mail marketing partners |
| Internet or other electronic network activity information | Advertising partners |
To opt out of such “sales” of your personal information, please visit our “Do Not Sell My Personal Information” webpage and make an opt-out request.
5. Consumer Rights Requests.
Subject to certain limitations, you have the right under the CCPA to (1) request to know more about the categories and specific pieces of personal information we collect, use, sell, and disclose; (2) request deletion of your personal information, (3) opt out of any “sales” of your personal information that may be occurring, and (4) not be discriminated against for exercising these rights. If you wish to make any of these requests, please visit this webpage or contact us at +1-888-746-3455. Once we receive your request, we will verify it based on certain identifiers you provide, such as your name, email address and phone number. If we receive your request from an authorized agent registered with the California Secretary of State, we may ask you to verify your identity with us directly or confirm with us that the agent otherwise has valid written authority to submit the request on your behalf.
6. No discrimination: Article will not discriminate against consumers for exercising their rights under the CCPA.
7. Shine the Light: California law permits residents of California to request certain details about how their information is shared with third parties for direct marketing purposes. Under the law, a business must either provide this information or permit California residents to opt in to, or opt out of, this type of sharing. Article qualifies for this alternative option. To opt out of having information about you shared with third parties for direct marketing purposes, please email us at service@article.com.
Cookies and Similar Technologies
Last updated: January 1, 2020
Like most websites, we use cookies and other standard Internet technologies to help us improve our Services.
Cookies
A cookie is a small text file that is placed on your computer or mobile device when you visit the site. This text file enables the website to remember your actions and preferences (such as login, language, font size and other display preferences) over a period of time, for example so you don’t have to re-enter them whenever you come back to the website or browse from one page to another. A cookie can be classified by its lifespan and the domain to which it belongs:
- Session cookie which is erased when the user closes the browser; or
- Persistent cookie which remains on the user’s computer/device for a pre-defined period of time.
As for the domain to which a cookie belongs, there are either:
- First-party cookies, which are set by the web server of the visited page and share the same domain (in this case article.com domain); or
- Third-party cookies, which are stored by a different domain from the visited page’s domain.
Pixel Tags/Web Beacons
A pixel tag (also known as a web beacon) is a piece of code embedded in the Services that collects information about visitors’ engagement on that web page. The use of a pixel allows us to record, for example, that a visitor has visited a particular web page.
How We Use Cookies
We or authorized third parties collect some information, including Device and Usage Information, by automated means using cookies, web beacons, and server logs for analytic purposes. When you visit or access the Services, we may — by means of cookies, web beacons, tags, scripts, and/or other similar technologies — automatically collect technical information about the devices and software you use to access the Services, such as the type of Internet browser or mobile device you use, the website or source that linked or referred you to the Services, your IP address or device ID (or other persistent identifier that uniquely identifies your computer or mobile device on the Internet), the operating system of your computer or mobile device, and other similar technical information.
These same technologies (or a combination of them) may also be used to help us:
- Capture and store users’ preferences, account settings, and certain login information (for convenience, user verification, and account security);
- Compile statistics and analytics about your use of and interaction with the Services, including details about how and where our Services are accessed, how often a user visits or uses the Services, the date and time of user visits to, and actions on, the Services, which areas of the Service are visited and for how long, and other similar traffic, usage, and trend data;
- Gather important functionality, testing, and performance data about our Services, including performance data;
- Moderation, such as protecting against fraud, security incidents and other inappropriate activities;
- Gather demographic information about our customer base;
- Enable Ad Partners to work with us on advertising our Services;
- Perform other similar functions