Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

The Sofa Comfort & Living Guide is an informational website operated from 444 Alaska Ave, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. We provide free educational content about sofa comfort, styles, and living room design. You may contact us at info@sofacomfortguide.com or by phone at +1 (206) 555-7721 with any privacy-related questions.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Voluntarily

We collect information you choose to provide to us directly, including:

• Contact form submissions: Name, email address, and the content of your message when you contact us via our website form.
• Newsletter sign-ups: Email address when you subscribe to our email newsletter.
• Email correspondence: Any information contained in emails you send to us directly.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, certain information is collected automatically by our web infrastructure and analytics tools, including:

• Log data: IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URL, pages visited, and time and date of your visit.
• Cookies and similar technologies: We may use cookies to improve user experience and analyse website traffic. See Section 6 for more detail on cookies.
• Device information: Device type, screen resolution, and general geographic region (country or region level) derived from IP address.

2.3 Information We Do Not Collect

We do not collect payment information (we do not sell products or services), sensitive personal data (such as health information, financial account details, or government identification numbers), or precise geolocation data.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Responding to inquiries: To respond to questions or messages you send via our contact form or email.
• Newsletter delivery: To send you informational emails you have subscribed to, including content updates and new articles.
• Website improvement: To analyse how visitors use our website and to improve content, navigation, and user experience.
• Legal compliance: To comply with applicable laws and legal obligations.
• Security: To detect and prevent fraudulent or malicious activity on our website.

We do not use your information for automated decision-making, profiling, or targeted advertising. We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes.

4. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, or other jurisdictions where the GDPR or similar laws apply, we process your personal data on the following legal bases:

• Consent: For newsletter subscriptions and non-essential cookies, where you have given explicit consent.
• Legitimate interests: For website analytics and security monitoring, where our interests in operating and improving the website do not override your privacy rights.
• Contract performance: For responding to contact form inquiries, as necessary to address your request.
• Legal obligation: Where processing is necessary to comply with applicable law.

5. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share information in the following limited circumstances:

• Service providers: We work with trusted third-party service providers (such as email delivery services and web hosting providers) who process data on our behalf under contractual data protection obligations.
• Analytics providers: We use analytics services (such as Google Analytics) to understand website usage. These services may collect anonymised or pseudonymised data subject to their own privacy policies.
• Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or other legal process, or if necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of our website, users, or the public.
• Business transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to equivalent privacy protections.

6. Cookies

Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. We use the following types of cookies:

• Strictly necessary cookies: Required for the website to function properly (e.g., session management). These cannot be disabled.
• Analytics cookies: Used to collect information about how visitors use our site (e.g., pages visited, time spent). This data is aggregated and anonymised. You may opt out of analytics cookies.
• Functional cookies: Remember your preferences (such as language settings) to improve your experience.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to refuse cookies or delete existing cookies. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality. For more information on managing cookies, visit allaboutcookies.org.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, subject to the following guidelines:

• Contact form submissions: Retained for up to 2 years from the date of submission, or longer if required to resolve an ongoing inquiry.
• Newsletter subscriptions: Retained until you unsubscribe. You may unsubscribe at any time using the link in any newsletter email.
• Analytics data: Typically retained in aggregated form for up to 26 months.
• Log files: Retained for up to 12 months for security purposes.

8. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Right of access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Right to rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
• Right to erasure: Request deletion of your personal information in certain circumstances.
• Right to restriction: Request that we limit how we use your personal information in certain circumstances.
• Right to data portability: Receive your personal information in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Right to object: Object to processing of your personal information based on legitimate interests.
• Right to withdraw consent: Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent.
• Right not to be subject to automated decisions: We do not engage in automated decision-making or profiling.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@sofacomfortguide.com. We will respond within 30 days. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

9. Children's Privacy

Our website is not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at info@sofacomfortguide.com and we will delete such information promptly.

10. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites (such as image sources or reference materials). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites and encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information. The inclusion of a link does not constitute an endorsement of the linked site.

11. Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organisational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include SSL/TLS encryption for data in transit, access controls for data systems, and regular security reviews. However, no method of internet transmission or electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

12. International Data Transfers

Our website and servers are based in the United States. If you are accessing our website from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to and processed in the United States, where data protection laws may differ from those in your country. By using our website, you consent to this transfer. Where required by applicable law, we implement appropriate safeguards for international data transfers.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this Policy periodically. Your continued use of the website after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Policy.

14. Contact Us

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

• Email: info@sofacomfortguide.com
• Phone: +1 (206) 555-7721
• Post: Sofa Comfort & Living Guide, 444 Alaska Ave, Seattle, WA 98109, USA