Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Farcow Welfare Society's Privacy Policy. We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website, make donations, purchase products, or use our services.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you:

• Make a donation through our website
• Create an account on our e-commerce platform
• Place an order or make a purchase
• Register for membership programs
• Sign up for newsletters or updates
• Contact us through our contact form or customer support
• Register as a volunteer
• Participate in our events, activities, surveys, or promotions
• Leave reviews or ratings on products
• Apply to become a seller or vendor on our platform

The personal information we collect may include:

• Name: First name and last name
• Contact Information: Email address, phone number, shipping address, billing address, postal address
• Payment Information: Credit/debit card details, UPI ID, net banking information (processed securely through payment gateways)
• PAN Number: For tax exemption certificate (80G) issuance on donations
• Account Credentials: Username, password, and security questions
• Date of Birth: For membership records, age verification, and special offers
• Purchase & Donation History: Details of products purchased, donations made, and transaction history
• Professional Information: For volunteer or expertise-sharing opportunities
• Preferences: Product preferences, wishlist items, and saved addresses

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain information about your device and browsing actions:

• IP address and browser type
• Device information and operating system
• Pages visited and time spent on pages
• Referring website addresses
• Search queries and product views
• Shopping cart activities
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies
• Location data (with your permission)

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

Purpose	Description
Process Donations	To process your donations and issue tax exemption certificates (80G)
Order Processing	To process your orders, arrange delivery, and handle returns or exchanges
Payment Processing	To process payments securely and issue invoices/receipts
Membership Management	To create and manage your membership account and send membership cards
Account Management	To manage your e-commerce account, including order history and preferences
Customer Service	To respond to inquiries, resolve issues, and provide customer support
Communication	To send updates about our activities, events, programs, promotions, and product recommendations
Tax Compliance	To generate and maintain records for 80G tax exemption certificates
Personalization	To personalize your shopping experience and show relevant products
Fraud Prevention	To detect and prevent fraudulent transactions and protect account security
Service Improvement	To improve our website functionality, user experience, and services
Legal Compliance	To comply with legal obligations and protect our rights

4. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. However, we may share your information in the following circumstances:

4.1 Service Providers

• Payment Processors: To process donations and payments securely (e.g., payment gateway providers)
• Shipping Partners: To deliver products and membership cards to your address (courier and logistics companies)
• Email Service Providers: To send newsletters, transactional emails, and promotional updates
• Cloud Storage Providers: For secure data storage and backup
• Analytics Providers: To analyze website traffic and user behavior
• IT Service Providers: For website hosting, maintenance, and security
• Customer Support Tools: To provide efficient customer service

4.2 Sellers and Vendors

When you purchase from third-party sellers on our e-commerce platform, we share necessary information (name, shipping address, phone number) to fulfill your order.

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or government regulation, or if necessary to:

• Comply with legal obligations
• Protect the rights and safety of Farcow Welfare Society and our users
• Prevent fraud or security issues
• Respond to legal proceedings
• Enforce our terms and conditions

4.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your personal information may be transferred to the acquiring entity.

4.5 With Your Consent

We may share your information with other parties when you provide explicit consent to do so.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information:

• Encryption: All payment transactions and sensitive data are encrypted using SSL/TLS technology
• Secure Servers: Personal data is stored on secure servers with restricted access
• Access Controls: Only authorized personnel have access to personal information
• Regular Audits: We conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
• PCI DSS Compliance: Our payment processing complies with Payment Card Industry standards
• Two-Factor Authentication: Available for account security
• Data Minimization: We collect only the information necessary for our purposes

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience:

6.1 Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: Required for website functionality (shopping cart, checkout process)
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our website
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings, language, currency preferences
• Marketing Cookies: Track your visits for relevant content delivery, personalized advertising, and product recommendations
• Performance Cookies: Monitor website performance and user experience

6.2 Managing Cookies

You can control and manage cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling cookies may affect website functionality and your ability to complete purchases or donations.

7. Your Privacy Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: Request copies of your personal data, donation history, and account information
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Deletion: Request deletion of your account and personal data (subject to legal requirements)
• Objection: Object to processing of your personal data for marketing purposes
• Restriction: Request restriction of processing your personal data
• Data Portability: Request transfer of your data to another organization or service provider
• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for data processing at any time
• Opt-Out: Unsubscribe from marketing emails and promotional communications

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information provided at the end of this policy.

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to:

• Fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy
• Maintain your account, order history, and donation records
• Comply with legal, accounting, or reporting requirements
• Maintain tax records for 80G certificate compliance (7 years minimum)
• Process returns, refunds, and warranty claims
• Resolve disputes and enforce our agreements
• Detect and prevent fraud

After account deletion, we may retain certain information for legal compliance and fraud prevention purposes for up to 7 years.

9. Children's Privacy

Our website is not intended for children under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us immediately, and we will take steps to delete such information.

10. Third-Party Websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, including seller websites and payment gateways. 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.

11. Email Communications

We may send you:

• Transactional Emails: Donation receipts, tax certificates, membership confirmations, order confirmations, shipping updates, delivery notifications, invoices, and return confirmations
• Promotional Emails: Updates about our activities, events, campaigns, special offers, discounts, new product launches, and seasonal sales
• Newsletters: Regular updates about our work, impact, products, and services
• Account Notifications: Security alerts, password resets, and account updates
• Abandoned Cart Reminders: Reminders about items left in your shopping cart

You can unsubscribe from promotional emails at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link in the email or updating your preferences in your account settings. However, you cannot opt-out of transactional emails related to your donations, orders, membership, or account security.

12. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries outside of India. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your personal data in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable data protection laws.

13. Updates to Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, services, or legal requirements. The updated policy will be posted on this page with a new "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

14. Contact Information

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

• Organization: Farcow Welfare Society
• Email: fws.ngo@gmail.com
• Customer Support: contact@farcow.org
• Phone: +91-9893240844
• Address: Madhya Pradesh, India

15. Consent

16. Compliance with Indian Laws

This Privacy Policy is designed to comply with:

• Information Technology Act, 2000
• Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011
• Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020
• Other applicable Indian data protection laws and regulations