So you want to grow your business and reach tons of people by customizing your online store, but you need to lay out the legal documents, including the Privacy Policy.
Privacy Policy is vital for every website, especially for an online store.
This will reassure customers that there’s data protection from the site and this will help you meet what Shopify and the law require.
Adding a privacy policy on your Shopify store may be tricky, but we’ll help you get the hang of it.
Here is the step-by-step guide on how to add a Shopify store privacy policy!
4 Steps to Add a Privacy Policy for Shopify
Adding a Privacy Policy for Shopify is easy. There are templates, generators, and easy-to-navigate shopify dashboard for your convenience.
Here are the FOUR EASY STEPS on how you can add policies for your Shopify:
- Step 1: Open the Shopify dashboard and from the Shopify admin, go to Settings, then Policies.
- Step 2: Place your store policies, or click Create from template to make the default template. You can use the rich text editor for the style and format and add links and images.
- Step 3: Review your policy and make any adjustments.
- Step 4: Click Save to add your policies.
When you’re done, your policies will automatically be linked to the website footer menu of your checkout pages.
Linking policy pages at your store navigation is a good website functionality, as users might want to view them before checking out.
6 Steps to Link Your Privacy Policy in Shopify
Store policies are usually linked at the footer menu at the bottom of the online store.
- Step 1: Go to the Shopify admin and click online store, then navigation.
- Step 2: Proceed to the footer menu and click “add menu item”.
- Step 3: Give the menu item a name like “Refund Policy” this will reflect on your ecommerce store, and the customers will see it.
- Step 4: In the search field under “Link,” find and click “Policies” and click “Refund Policy”
- Step 5: Click “Add” to finish
- Step 6: To include all the policies that you created, such as terms of service, shipping policy, and privacy policy, you can repeat the steps for each one of them.
You can also learn more at Help.shopify.com.
8 Steps to Add Legal Policies in the Checkout Page in Shopify
You can also add your legal policies on the checkout page in Shopify. Though the steps are quite lengthy, they’re easy to follow.
- Step 1: Log in to your Shopify Account.
- Step 2: Proceed to Settings.
- Step 3: Find and click on the Policies Section.
- Step 4: An editor will appear, then you can add your policies.
- Step 5: Attach the text for your Privacy Policy page on the fields given, and fill in the title field.
- Step 6: You can use a generator to create the Privacy Policy. Then you can copy the text by copying this to the clipboard.
- Step 7: Return to the Shopify dashboard, then go to the store policies and click the code icon, which you can find on the right side of the editor. Paste the Privacy Policy HTML.
- Step 8: Click the save button in the upper right corner.
Read more at Termsfeed.com.
What Is a Privacy Policy?
A Privacy policy is a contract between the store owner, potential customers, and website visitors.
It’s a statement on how the online store will use it and why it collects personal information from consumers.
A well-written privacy policy for Shopify is a legal requirement. So, you must ensure one before publishing your Shopify store.
This is also a way for the consumers to trust your ecommerce shop because if they know how their data is being used, they might not feel secure when purchasing from you.
As a merchant, you must evaluate how you treat your customer’s personal information and ensure that you conform to the online privacy protection act.
Moreover, a good Privacy Policy should be stated in a clear and transparent way so that your customers can easily understand.
Why Do You Need a Privacy Policy for Your Shopify Store?
Let’s discuss why you need a Privacy Policy when you collect personal information.
More than a legal document, this will increase customers’ confidence and give you additional legal protection.
1. For Legal Compliance
You will be required to Shopify Stores Privacy Policy because of the lawful basis.
This is based on the laws in the United States, Canada, Australia, the European Union’s GDPR, the CCPA, and other jurisdictions worldwide.
Websites with users in particular regions and states must adhere to various regulations when crafting privacy policies.
Shopify also has legal requirements that you need to abide by.
Furthermore, e-commerce shop owners must restrict risk and administer their customers’ expectations to prevent miscommunications.
2. Builds Trust With Customers
As a commercial website, you collect personal data from your visitors, such as name, age, address, email, and payment card details.
Your customers will want to know that their personal information is secured, and a privacy policy will show your dedication to securing customers’ privacy rights.
If you are selling products on your Shopify store, the Privacy Policy will notify customers how they can refrain from receiving marketing information.
This should be emphasized, particularly if you use cookies or other tracking techniques.
To increase trust with your customers, you can add information on how to contact you if they should ever have any concerns about how you manage their personal information.
3. Use Apps and Services
Besides adhering to Data Privacy laws and building trust with your customers, many third-party apps and services like Google also need a Privacy Policy.
For instance, to gain access to certain services and tools such as AdSense, Google Analytics, etc., Google will demand your latest Shopify Store privacy policy on your respective website.
4. Provides You With Legal Protection
Your Shopify Store privacy policies can protect you from possible legal trouble from customers and other businesses.
If your online store is sued, you can demonstrate that you have situated a publicly stated privacy policy that proclaims what personal information you collect.
Learn more at ecommerceguide.com.
What Should You Include in Your Shopify Store Privacy Policy?
When crafting an effective privacy policy for your Shopify store, you must determine the kinds of data you should collect and how they will be documented, saved, and eliminated.
Note that various aspects are distinct for your Shopify store, which will also identify the personal information protection necessary for your policy.
Nonetheless, all data are personal information that should be published on your Shopify store’s privacy policy.
Although the list is unique to any respective online store, plenty of general rules are based on what the law requires and also included in Shopify’s requirements.
1. The Types of Information That Are Being Collected
You need to specify the kinds of data that you will gather. Discuss why you are collecting personal information and how it is being used.
So, if you are collecting their email addresses, your privacy policy should directly declare it. This can be in general and specific terms like being used for communication purposes.
2. Cookie Policies
Discuss if the personal information will remain on the customer’s computer.
Cookies are utilized to trace visitors’ viewing patterns and for targeted advertising.
This will also make it more convenient for returning users to log in and remember the products added to the cart.
If you provide the choice to avoid cookies, notify them of the Shopify store website features that will not be accessible to them as a result.
3. The Conditions in Which Personal Data May Be Disclosed
Sometimes, you may have to adhere to law demands such as court orders and warrants to deliver the user data.
So, your privacy policy for Shopify stores must argue the instances wherein the visitor or customer’s data may be reported.
You can do this by listing and discussing some examples of special situations where user data should be released.
If the personal data is shared or marketed to third-party services, your privacy policy must incorporate an opt-out choice for the users who don’t want their data to be revealed.
If you permit third parties (e.g., Google Analytics, AdSense, YouTube) to track the habits of your customers, a clause should be included in the privacy policy.
5. Customers’ Ability to Look Over or Change Their Information
Your Shopify privacy policy must include a portion discussing how users can view the personal information that the Shopify store has gathered from them.
The consumers must be allowed to modify, edit, and remove their data and opt out of sharing their data with you.
6. Business Transfer Clause
It is also sensible to add a privacy policy for Shopify stores that discusses what will happen if you sell or combine your business with another entity.
This is known as the business transfer provision.
This article will explain what will come about if the ownership of the company changes, as well as the steps that the business will take to transfer the ownership of user data.
7. Age Requirements
If you sell adult products, you should include a section stating the minimum age for consumers to look on your Shopify store website.
This is when a merchant sells hemp or hemp-derived products but is still grounded with marketing laws in your jurisdiction and the jurisdiction of your customers.
This clause should directly state that the Shopify store is intended for mature users over 21 and will delete their personal information if they discover they are under 13.
8. Contact for Privacy Concerns
Shopify stores should give their active contact information to the people accountable for verifying your policy methods.
So, consider generating a special address for this purpose.
9. Policy’s Functional Date and Last Update
Ensure that your privacy policy page is updated, record any modification you have made, and put it on view when the last update occurs.
Read more at ecommerceguide.com.
What Are Examples of Shopify Store Privacy Policies?
The Privacy Policy must be customized to your Shopify store. However, there will be the usual clauses utilized across Privacy Policies that you can personalize to fit your needs.
Here are some examples that you can refer to:
Collected Personal Information
When you collect personal data, you must be specific in declaring what kinds of personal information you will gather.
An example of this is SoYoung’s Privacy Policy. They are transparent about the data they will collect, such as name, contact details, and demographics.
The clause is also written simply so that the general audience can understand.
If you share personal data with third parties, then you should disclose this in your Privacy Policy.
Leif did this, as the store makes a clarification that they never sell data to third parties for whatever purposes.
The clause is clear that should help in building confidence with consumers.
How Long Information Is Stored For
You must let your consumers know how long you will store their personal information, the deletion date, and how they can ask to eliminate it.
ColourPop’s short clause links to a longer clause to discuss the specific details regarding the retention periods for various kinds of information.
How Payments Are Processed
One of the most important articles of the Privacy policy for Shopify stores is the payment section.
This article should discuss how customers’ payments are handled and if a third-party payment processor is included.
Again, ColourPop’s article in their processing your payment discusses that Shopify Payments is utilized as a third-party service.
It also guides users on what information Shopify Payments gather and gives them a link to Shopify’s Privacy Policy.
How Personal Information Is Protected
Your consumers will want to know that you are securing their personal information and your Privacy Policy is a suitable place to discuss this.
An example is when retailer Rebecca Minkoff incorporates a security section in its policy, which discusses the steps it took to maintain the security of its customer’s data.
Consumer Rights
The federal privacy law provides rights for the users to their personal information. And it is your responsibility to inform them of these rights based on your Privacy Policy.
This one goes to Gymshark, which lays out a list in bullet points and incorporates the right to delete and rectify data.
5 Best Privacy Policy Generators for Shopify
If you can hire an expert or a lawyer to help you craft your privacy policy page, you can.
Ensure that the lawyer has experience with international customers and in electronic documents act.
But if you’re on a tight budget and are having a tough time designing your store’s privacy policy page.
Then, you can opt for the best privacy policy generators for Shopify.
Here are the top 5 Privacy Policies for Shopify that you can find:
1. TermsFeed
TermsFeed is one of the best generators that you can use for free!
You can create privacy policies, terms, and conditions, End User License Agreements, legal disclaimers, etc.
They comply with international laws, including GDPR, PIPEDA, CalOPPA, and California Online Privacy Protection Act.
So, they will help you create privacy policies that adhere to these laws.
TermsFeed also has an easy user interface that will let you build policy in just minutes! It will take two clicks to pick the generator and five to six clicks to prepare your Privacy Policy.
They also have a live editor that will help you edit the clauses while creating them.
2. Termly
Termly will be your go-to tool for generating privacy policies for your Shopify stores.
It has the latest upgrades to follow the changes in US and EU laws. And you can use their standard privacy policy for US, EU, and UK websites.
They have an easy editing tool if you want to make adjustments to the policy and a policy preview feature that you can use during its crafting.
3. Shopify’s Privacy Policy Generator
You can also opt for the Shopify privacy policy generator per se.
Shopify’s privacy policy generator has a GDPR-compliant feature so that you can adhere to the privacy laws.
Their privacy policy generator is simple to use as you only need to enter your Shopify store’s name, email, business address, and URL.
You will receive an email containing your basic privacy policy when you’re done.
The best thing? It is a free tool!
4. Privacy Policy Generator
The Privacy Policy Generator is another free tool to help you generate a privacy policy.
It is free, compared to other generators offering only free basic plans.
It’s super easy to use, as you only need to fill out nine fields. It is not as sturdy as the other, so it is a suitable tool for starters.
Privacy Policy Generator is also GDPR compliant, so you won’t have to worry about following the applicable laws.
5. AutoDS
The AutoDS privacy policy generator is a dropshipping software that offers ready-made editing templates.
They also provide ready-made templates, so you can add pages such as About Us, FAQ, Shipping Policy, Returns & Refunds, and Terms of Services.
You can use their templates to administer your Shopify store hassle-free!
You can edit out the information and arrange custom privacy policies. You can add a new page like FAQ to the navigation menu item when crafting a website on Shopify if you’re done.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
We have added information to discuss the store policies based on several regulations.
Where Should a Privacy Policy Go on Shopify?
The Privacy policies are commonly linked on a website footer menu and will be available from every website page.
It would be best to link your privacy policy to essential touchpoints where you collect personal information, like the sign-up pages, checkout pages, forms, etc.
What Is the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)?
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) placed an extremely high bar for privacy regulations.
You will shelter almost everything, including your customer base, if you cite the GDPR for your privacy policy.
You are required to follow the GDPR since you are dealing with the personal data of European Union residents.
Even if you are situated in the US, most of your customers come from the US, and you have one customer from the EU.
You will still have to design GDPR compliant privacy laws.
European Union and United Kingdom
If you have EU or UK customers, you should follow the EU GDPR.
The GDPR’s provisions are comprehensive. Your Privacy Policy should at least contain the following:
- Contact details for your business
- Classifications of personal information that you collect and process
- The lawful basis for processing each kind of personal data
- Your protection for handing over personal information of the EU
- Data Retention Policy
- Options for consumers to access, eliminate, and correct their personal information.
- The suitable Data Protection Officer whom your customers can make complaints.
What Is the CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act)?
The California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 gives California residents and consumers control over the personal information that business entities collect.
The CCPA regulations issue guidance on how to execute the law, which will also secure consumers’ privacy rights.
- The right to know about the personal information you collect and how it will be used and shared.
- The right to delete personal data which were collected from them
- The right to opt-out out from selling their personal information
- The right to non-discrimination for practicing their CCPA rights
- Shopify has an integrated feature to authorize you to do this. However, they cannot provide legal advice, so you better seek a privacy professional for further queries.
You should also check the California online privacy protection (CalOPPA). As this is a legal requirement that commercial websites need to comply in posting a privacy policy.
Read more at Oag.ca.gov.
Conclusion
Growing your business and trying to reach out to future customers is a challenging task.
You must follow the rules and regulations, especially regarding the legal requirements and the online privacy protection act.
You should take advantage of this one. Both you and your customers will be legally protected, so you better craft a good one!
You can always use Privacy Policy generators for free and add your policies in just minutes!