Privacy Policy

Effective Date: September 16, 2025

At Comics Upgraded (referred to as "we," "us," or "our"), operating the online comic book store at comicsupgraded.com (the "Website"), we are committed to protecting the privacy and security of our customers and visitors. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our Website, make purchases, or interact with our services. By using our Website, you consent to the practices described in this policy.

We do not collect or store any personal data locally on our servers. All data handling, including financial information, is managed by trusted third-party vendors to ensure secure and compliant processing.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at Glenn@comicsupgraded.com.

We collect the minimum information necessary to provide our services. Since we rely on third-party vendors for data management, the following types of information may be collected through our Website:

• Contact and Identification Information: Such as your name, email address, phone number, and shipping address, provided when you create an account, place an order, or subscribe to newsletters.
• Payment Information: Billing details, such as credit/debit card numbers or other payment method information, which are collected directly by our third-party payment processors (e.g., Stripe, PayPal) during checkout. We do not access, store, or process this information ourselves.
• Account Information: Login credentials and preferences if you create an account.

• Usage Data: Information about your interactions with the Website, such as pages viewed, items browsed, and time spent on the site.
• Device and Technical Data: IP address, browser type, device identifiers, operating system, and referral sources.
• Cookies and Tracking Data: See Section 8 for details.

We do not intentionally collect sensitive personal information, such as racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, or health data, unless required for specific order fulfillment (e.g., accessibility requests).

Information is collected through:

• Direct Interactions: When you submit forms, place orders, or communicate with us via email or chat.
• Automated Technologies: Such as cookies, web beacons, and server logs managed by third-party analytics providers (e.g., Google Analytics).
• Third-Party Sources: From payment processors, shipping partners, or marketing tools that integrate with our Website.

We use the collected information for legitimate business purposes, including:

• Order Processing and Fulfillment: To process purchases, confirm orders, arrange shipping, and provide customer support (e.g., using your name and address for delivery via third-party carriers like USPS or UPS).
• Communication: To send order confirmations, updates, promotional emails (with your consent), or respond to inquiries.
• Website Improvement: To analyze usage patterns and enhance user experience, such as personalizing recommendations.
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, prevent fraud, or resolve disputes.
• Marketing: To send targeted advertisements or newsletters, where you have opted in.

All uses are based on legal grounds such as your consent, fulfillment of a contract (e.g., completing a purchase), or our legitimate interests (e.g., improving services).

We do not sell your personal information. We may share it with:

• Third-Party Service Providers: Such as payment processors (for financial transactions), shipping companies (for delivery), hosting providers, and analytics tools (e.g., for site performance). These vendors are contractually obligated to use your data only for the services they provide to us and to maintain appropriate security measures.
• Legal Authorities: If required by law, subpoena, or to protect our rights, property, or safety.
• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, where your information may be transferred to the new entity.

We ensure that any third parties comply with relevant privacy laws and do not use your data for their own purposes without your consent.

We do not store any personal or financial data on our local servers. All data is securely managed and stored by our third-party vendors, who employ industry-standard security measures, including encryption (e.g., SSL/TLS for transactions), firewalls, and access controls.

We retain your information only as long as necessary for the purposes outlined in this policy, such as order history for warranty or tax purposes (typically 7 years for financial records). After that, data is deleted or anonymized by our vendors.

While we strive to protect your information, no online transmission is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but commit to notifying you in case of a data breach as required by law.

Depending on your location and applicable laws (e.g., GDPR for EU residents, CCPA for California residents), you may have rights regarding your personal information, including:

• Access: Request a copy of your data.
• Correction: Update inaccurate information.
• Deletion: Request removal of your data (subject to legal retention requirements).
• Opt-Out: Withdraw consent for marketing or object to processing.
• Portability: Receive your data in a transferable format.
• Do Not Sell: Opt out of any potential sale of your information (though we do not sell data).

To exercise these rights, contact us at Glenn@comicsupgraded.com. We will respond within the legally required timeframe (e.g., 30 days under GDPR). For CCPA requests, you may designate an authorized agent.

Our Website uses cookies and similar technologies provided by third-party vendors to enhance functionality, analyze traffic, and personalize content. Cookies may track your browsing behavior for advertising purposes.

Types of cookies:

• Essential: Necessary for site operation (e.g., maintaining your shopping cart).
• Analytics: To understand user behavior (e.g., via Google Analytics).
• Marketing: For targeted ads.

You can manage cookies through your browser settings or by opting out via our cookie consent banner. For more details, see our separate Cookie Policy [available at comicsupgraded.com/cookie-policy if applicable].

Our Website is not intended for children under 13 (or 16 in some jurisdictions). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware of such collection, we will delete it promptly. Parents or guardians should contact us if they believe their child has provided information.

If you are located outside the United States, your data may be transferred to and processed in the US or other countries by our third-party vendors. We ensure such transfers comply with laws like GDPR through standard contractual clauses or other safeguards.

We may update this policy to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The updated policy will be posted on our Website with a revised effective date. We encourage you to review it periodically. Continued use of the Website after changes constitutes acceptance.

For questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please contact:

Comics Upgraded
Email: Glenn@comicsupgraded.com

Thank you for trusting Comics Upgraded with your privacy.