Privacy Policy: Darntougho — Protect Your Data Like We Protect Your Feet

At Darntougho, we’re just as committed to safeguarding your personal information as we are to crafting durable, comfortable merino wool socks for hiking, running, and work. When you browse our site, order a pair of socks, or reach out to our team, you trust us with details that make your shopping experience seamless—and we take that trust seriously. Below, we’ll clearly outline what data we collect, how we use it, how we keep it safe, and your rights to control it—no confusing jargon, just transparent terms for our community of outdoor enthusiasts and hard workers.

1. What Personal Data We Collect (And Why We Need It)

We only gather information that helps us deliver a tailored, smooth experience—never more than necessary to serve you. Here’s what we collect and the purpose behind it:

Account & Order Information: When you create a Darntougho account or place an order, we collect details like your full name, email address, phone number, shipping/billing address, and payment information (e.g., credit card details). This lets us process your order (e.g., send that pair of hiking socks to your door), confirm purchases, and update you on delivery status—critical for ensuring your socks arrive in time for your next adventure or workweek.
Payment Data: We never store your full credit card or payment details. Instead, we partner with trusted third-party payment processors (e.g., Stripe, PayPal) who encrypt and secure this data in compliance with global payment security standards (e.g., PCI DSS). These processors handle payment verification and fraud prevention, so your financial information stays protected.
Browsing & Preference Data: We collect non-personal and pseudonymized data about how you use our site, including your device type (e.g., smartphone, laptop), browser, IP address, pages you visit (e.g., “running socks,” “work merino wool packs”), items you view or add to your wishlist, and search terms (e.g., “cold-weather hiking socks”). This helps us tailor your experience—like recommending a 3-pack of work socks if you’ve viewed single pairs, or showing you new running sock styles that align with your activity.
Voluntary Information: If you sign up for our newsletter (to get updates on new sock styles, hiking tips, or workwear deals), leave a product review (e.g., “These running socks keep my feet dry for miles!”), or reach out to customer service (e.g., “I need help finding socks for wide feet”), we’ll collect details like your newsletter preferences, review content, or activity needs. This lets us communicate with you effectively and improve our support for your lifestyle.
Social Media & Third-Party Data (If You Connect): If you log in to Darntougho via a social media account (e.g., Facebook, Instagram) or share our socks on social platforms (e.g., a photo of your hiking socks on the trail), we may receive limited data from those platforms (e.g., your username, profile photo) as permitted by their privacy policies. This only happens if you explicitly grant access, and we use it solely to simplify account creation or enable social sharing.

2. How We Use Your Data (No Unwanted Surprises)

Your information works for you—not for unrelated third-party marketing. We use it only for these specific, purpose-driven reasons:

Fulfill Your Orders: Process payments, print shipping labels, and deliver your Darntougho socks. We also use your email or phone number to send order confirmations, tracking links, and delivery notifications (e.g., “Your work socks are out for delivery!”).
Personalize Your Experience: Curate product recommendations based on your browsing and wishlist activity (e.g., showing you waterproof hiking socks if you viewed outdoor gear), customize our site’s homepage to highlight styles you might love, and tailor newsletter content to your preferences (e.g., sending running tips to users who browse running socks).
Improve Our Products & Site: Analyze browsing data to fix issues (e.g., optimizing a slow-loading “work socks” page) or enhance features (e.g., adding a “size filter for wide feet” based on user feedback). We also use review data to refine our socks—like adjusting the cushioning in hiking socks if multiple customers note discomfort.
Provide Customer Service: Use your order history and conversation details to assist you quickly—like helping you exchange a pair of running socks that are too tight, or troubleshooting a warranty claim for a defective work sock. We may also use your activity preferences to offer personalized advice (e.g., “These thick hiking socks work best with heavy-duty boots”).
Prevent Fraud & Keep Our Community Safe: Use anonymized order and browsing data to detect and block fraudulent activity (e.g., fake orders, stolen payment details) that could harm you or our brand. This includes verifying order details (e.g., matching shipping addresses to payment information) to reduce risk.
Communicate With You (With Your Consent): Send you newsletters, new product alerts, or exclusive deals only if you’ve opted in (e.g., by checking the “subscribe to updates” box at checkout). You can unsubscribe from these communications anytime via the “unsubscribe” link in every email.

3. Who We Share Your Data With (And Who We Don’t)

We hate sharing your information as much as you hate ill-fitting socks—so we only partner with trusted third parties who help us serve you, and we never sell your data to marketers. Here’s who may receive your data, and why:

Payment Processors: As noted earlier, we share limited payment-related data (e.g., order amount, billing address) with our payment partners to process transactions and prevent fraud. These partners are contractually prohibited from using your data for any purpose other than payment processing.
Shipping & Logistics Partners: We share your name, shipping address, and order details with carriers (e.g., USPS, UPS, DHL) to deliver your socks. These partners use this data solely to fulfill delivery and provide tracking updates, and they comply with our data protection requirements.
Service Providers for Site & Support: We work with a small number of trusted vendors to maintain our site (e.g., web hosting, analytics tools like Google Analytics) and provide customer service (e.g., email management platforms). These vendors have access only to the data needed to perform their services (e.g., analytics tools get pseudonymized browsing data) and are contractually bound to protect it and not use it for other purposes.
Legal & Regulatory Authorities (Only When Required): We may share your data if compelled by law (e.g., a court order, subpoena) or to comply with regulatory requirements. We will only do this when necessary, and we’ll notify you if permitted by law.
No Sale or Sharing for Third-Party Marketing: We never sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their own marketing purposes. You’ll never receive unsolicited offers from other brands because of your relationship with Darntougho.

4. How We Protect Your Data (Like It’s Our Most Durable Sock)

We secure your information with the same care we put into crafting merino wool socks that last for years. Our protection measures include:

Encryption: All data transmitted between your device and our site (e.g., when you enter your shipping address or payment details) is encrypted using SSL/TLS technology (look for the padlock icon in your browser’s address bar). This ensures no one can intercept or read your data in transit.
Secure Storage: We store your account and order data on servers protected by firewalls, access controls, and regular security updates. We limit access to this data to only authorized Darntougho staff who need it to perform their jobs (e.g., customer service teams, order fulfillment teams), and all staff undergo data protection training.
Regular Security Audits: We conduct regular audits and vulnerability assessments of our site, systems, and third-party partners to identify and fix potential security risks. We also comply with global data protection laws (e.g., GDPR, CCPA) to ensure our practices meet the highest standards.
Data Minimization & Retention: We only keep your data for as long as needed to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy (e.g., order data is retained for 7 years for tax and legal compliance, browsing data is retained for 12 months unless you request deletion). After that, we securely delete or anonymize the data so it can no longer identify you.

5. Your Rights: Control Your Data, Just Like You Control Your Gear

You have full control over your personal information—here’s how to exercise your rights:

Access Your Data: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you (e.g., your order history, wishlist, newsletter preferences) by emailing [email protected]. We’ll provide this to you free of charge within 30 days.
Correct Inaccurate Data: If your information is outdated or incorrect (e.g., a wrong shipping address, misspelled name), you can update it directly in your Darntougho account or contact us to fix it.
Delete Your Data (Right to Erasure): Request that we delete your personal information (e.g., if you want to close your account) by emailing us. We’ll delete your data unless we’re required by law to retain it (e.g., for tax records).
Opt Out of Personalization or Newsletters: Unsubscribe from newsletters by clicking the “unsubscribe” link in any email. To opt out of personalized product recommendations, you can clear your browser cookies or adjust your account settings (note: this will make your site experience less tailored to your activity needs).
Object to Data Use: If you disagree with how we’re using your data (e.g., for marketing), you can contact us to object. We’ll review your request and stop the use if required by law.
Data Portability: Request that we transfer your personal information to another service provider (e.g., if you switch to another outdoor gear platform) in a machine-readable format. We’ll comply with this request if it’s technically feasible.

6. Cookies & Tracking Technologies (What They Are, How We Use Them)

Like most e-commerce sites focused on outdoor and work gear, we use cookies (small text files stored on your device) and similar tracking technologies (e.g., web beacons) to improve your experience. Here’s how:

Necessary Cookies: These cookies are required to use our site (e.g., to keep you logged in, remember items in your cart). You can’t disable them without breaking site functionality.
Personalization Cookies: These cookies track your browsing activity to tailor recommendations and site content (e.g., remembering your size preferences for running socks).
Analytics Cookies: These cookies help us understand how users interact with our site (e.g., which pages are most visited, how long users stay) so we can improve it. We use Google Analytics for this, and you can opt out of Google’s analytics tracking via their Ads Settings.

You can control or delete cookies via your browser settings (e.g., Chrome, Safari, Firefox). Note that disabling non-necessary cookies may limit some site features (e.g., personalized sock recommendations).

7. Children’s Privacy (Our Socks Are for Adults & Teens)

Darntougho’s products and services are intended for users aged 13 and older. We do not intentionally collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn we’ve collected data from a child under 13 without parental consent, we’ll immediately delete it. Parents or guardians who believe their child has shared data with us can contact us to request deletion.

8. Changes to This Policy (We’ll Keep You Informed)

We may update this Privacy Policy occasionally to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements (e.g., new data protection laws). When we do, we’ll post the revised policy on our site with a “Last Updated” date at the top. If the changes are significant (e.g., new ways we use your data), we’ll also notify you via email (if you have an account) or a pop-up on our site before the changes take effect. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your data.

9. Contact Us: Have Questions About Your Privacy?

If you have questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please reach out to our Privacy Team:

Email: [email protected] (we reply within 24 hours on weekdays)
Mail: Darntougho Privacy Office, 456 Trailhead Avenue, Bozeman, MT 59715, United States
Phone: 1-XXX-DARNTUGH (Monday–Friday, 9 AM–5 PM MST)

We’re committed to addressing your privacy concerns promptly and transparently—because great socks should always come with great peace of mind.

— The Darntougho Team