Privacy
Policy

Overview

Altara ("we", "us", "our") operates the website altaradesign.com and processes personal information in connection with the sale of our premium seat cover products. We are committed to handling your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

This Privacy Policy applies to all personal information collected through our website, order system, customer service channels, and any other touchpoints through which you interact with Altara. By using our website or placing an order, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this policy.

Information We Collect

We collect personal information through two primary channels: information you provide directly, and information collected automatically through your use of our website.

Information you provide directly:

• Order information: Your name, delivery address, email address, and phone number, provided when you place an order. This information is necessary to fulfil your purchase.
• Payment information: Card details and billing address, provided at checkout. Payment data is processed exclusively by our secure payment provider and is never stored on Altara's systems.
• Account information: If you create an account, your name, email address, and password (stored in encrypted form). Account creation is optional.
• Communications: Any information you provide when contacting us through our contact form, by email, or through customer service channels, including the content of your enquiry.
• Reviews and feedback: If you submit a product review or provide feedback, the content you provide together with your name (or chosen display name).

Information collected automatically:

• Device and browser data: Your IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device type, and screen resolution.
• Usage data: Pages visited, time spent on page, referring URLs, links clicked, and navigation patterns within our website.
• Transaction data: Records of products viewed, added to cart, and purchased, together with timestamps and order values.
• Cookie data: Preferences, session identifiers, and analytics data stored in accordance with our Cookie Policy set out in Section 5.

How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information strictly for the purposes for which it was collected, or for directly related purposes. The table below outlines our primary processing activities:

Purpose	Legal Basis	Information Used
Processing and fulfilling your order	Contractual necessity	Name, address, email, phone, payment details
Sending order confirmations and shipping updates	Contractual necessity	Name, email address, order details
Responding to customer enquiries and support requests	Legitimate interest	Name, email, enquiry content
Processing returns, refunds, and exchanges	Contractual necessity	Order details, name, address, email
Sending marketing communications (where consent is given)	Consent	Email address, purchase history
Improving our website and product offering	Legitimate interest	Usage data, device data, analytics
Fraud prevention and security monitoring	Legal obligation / Legitimate interest	IP address, order data, payment metadata
Complying with legal and regulatory obligations	Legal obligation	Transaction records, identity information

We do not use your personal information for automated decision-making or profiling in any way that produces legal or similarly significant effects.

Disclosure to Third Parties

Altara does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We share your information only with trusted service providers who assist us in operating our business, under binding contractual obligations that restrict their use of your data to the purposes we specify.

Service providers we work with include:

• Payment processing: Stripe Inc. processes all payment card transactions. Card data is transmitted directly to Stripe's PCI-DSS compliant infrastructure and is never accessible to Altara. Stripe's privacy policy is available at stripe.com/privacy.
• Order fulfilment and logistics: Shipping carriers and logistics partners receive your name, delivery address, and contact number for the purpose of delivering your order.
• Email communications: Our transactional and marketing email platform receives your email address and name to enable order confirmations, shipping notifications, and (with your consent) marketing messages.
• Website hosting and infrastructure: Our hosting provider maintains the servers and infrastructure on which our website operates. Data is stored in secure, geographically compliant data centres.
• Analytics: We use anonymised and aggregated analytics data to understand website performance. No personally identifiable information is shared with analytics providers.

We may also disclose personal information where required by law, court order, or regulatory authority; where necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of Altara, our customers, or the public; or in connection with a business sale or merger, subject to the incoming party assuming equivalent privacy obligations.

Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies — small data files stored on your device — to enable core functionality, remember your preferences, and understand how visitors interact with our site. We use three categories of cookies:

• Strictly necessary cookies: Required for the website to function correctly. These include session identifiers that maintain your shopping cart and authentication state. These cookies cannot be disabled without impairing core functionality.
• Functional cookies: Store your preferences such as currency selection and previously viewed products, allowing us to provide a more personalised experience on return visits.
• Analytics cookies: Enable us to understand aggregate traffic patterns, popular pages, and technical performance. Data collected is anonymised and used solely to improve the website experience.

We do not use advertising or tracking cookies. We do not enable third-party advertisers to place cookies on our site. You may control cookie preferences through your browser settings. Disabling strictly necessary cookies will impair website functionality, including the ability to complete a purchase.

Our website does not respond to Do Not Track signals, as there is no consistent industry standard for this mechanism.

Data Security

We take the security of your personal information seriously and implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect it against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

• All data transmitted between your browser and our website is encrypted using TLS 1.2 or higher.
• Payment card data is processed exclusively through Stripe's PCI-DSS Level 1 certified infrastructure. Altara does not store, process, or transmit card numbers.
• Account passwords are stored as salted cryptographic hashes. Altara staff cannot access your password.
• Access to personal data within Altara's systems is restricted to personnel with a legitimate operational need, on a least-privilege basis.
• We conduct regular reviews of our data handling practices and update security measures in response to evolving threats.

No method of transmission or storage is completely secure. In the event of a data breach that is likely to result in serious harm, we will notify affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) in accordance with the Notifiable Data Breaches (NDB) scheme within 30 days of becoming aware.

Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law.

• Order and transaction records: Retained for 7 years from the date of the transaction, as required for tax and accounting compliance under Australian law.
• Account information: Retained for the duration of the account's active status, and for 2 years following account closure or the date of last login, whichever is later.
• Customer service communications: Retained for 3 years from the date of the last communication, to enable us to provide continuity of service and resolve any subsequent disputes.
• Marketing consent records: Retained for the duration of the marketing relationship and for 2 years following unsubscription, to demonstrate compliance with consent obligations.
• Analytics and usage data: Retained in anonymised, aggregated form indefinitely for the purpose of website improvement. Identifiable usage data is retained for no longer than 26 months.

When retention periods expire, personal information is securely deleted or de-identified. Where de-identification rather than deletion is appropriate, we ensure that the de-identification is irreversible.

Your Rights

Under the Australian Privacy Principles and applicable law, you have the following rights in relation to your personal information:

• Access: You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you at any time. We will provide this within 30 days of receiving a valid request, free of charge for reasonable requests.
• Correction: If any information we hold is inaccurate, incomplete, or out of date, you may request that we correct it. We will action corrections promptly.
• Deletion: You may request the deletion of your personal information where it is no longer necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, subject to our legal retention obligations.
• Withdrawal of consent: Where processing is based on your consent (such as marketing communications), you may withdraw that consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing prior to withdrawal. You may unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time using the link in any email we send.
• Complaints: If you believe we have mishandled your personal information, you may lodge a complaint with us directly. If we are unable to resolve your complaint to your satisfaction, you may escalate it to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at oaic.gov.au.

To exercise any of the rights above, please contact us using the details provided in Section 12. We may require you to verify your identity before actioning a request. We will not charge for handling rights requests in ordinary circumstances.

Children's Privacy

Our website and products are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under the age of 18. If you are a parent or guardian and believe that a child under 18 has provided personal information to us, please contact us immediately and we will take steps to delete the information from our systems.

International Data Transfers

Altara is based in Australia, and we store the majority of personal information on servers located within Australia or in jurisdictions that provide an equivalent level of protection under Australian privacy law.

Some of our third-party service providers (including payment processors and email platforms) may process data on servers located in the United States or other jurisdictions. Before transferring data internationally, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, including contractual clauses that require the recipient to handle personal information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles.

By using our website, you acknowledge that your information may be transferred to, and processed in, countries other than Australia. We take all reasonable steps to ensure such transfers are conducted securely and lawfully.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or the services we offer. Material changes will be communicated by updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, by notifying customers directly via email.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of our website following any update constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy. If you do not agree with the updated terms, please discontinue use of our website and contact us to discuss your concerns.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or the handling of your personal information, please contact us through any of the following channels:

• Email: privacy@altaradesign.com
• Contact form: altaradesign.com/contact
• Response time: We will acknowledge all privacy-related enquiries within 2 business days and aim to resolve them within 30 days.

We take all privacy enquiries seriously. If you remain dissatisfied after contacting us, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):

• Website: oaic.gov.au
• Phone: 1300 363 992
• Post: GPO Box 5218, Sydney NSW 2001