1. Introduction
Welcome to books.hiyaavehi.com ("we," "us," "our," or the "Website"). We are committed to protecting the privacy of our customers and website visitors ("you," "your," or "User"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect your personal information when you visit our website or purchase books from us.
By accessing or using books.hiyaavehi.com, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the practices described here, please do not use our Website.
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Information You Provide to Us
- Account Information: Name, email address, phone number, and password when you register an account.
- Order Information: Billing and shipping address, island/atoll, city, and delivery instructions.
- Payment Information: Payment details necessary to process transactions (e.g., card details processed via our payment gateway, or bank transfer/mobile payment references). We do not store full card numbers on our servers; payments are processed through secure third-party payment processors.
- Communications: Information you provide when you contact customer support, leave a product review, or subscribe to our newsletter.
2.2 Information Collected Automatically
- Device and Usage Data: IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, pages visited, time spent on pages, and referring URLs.
- Cookies and Tracking Technologies: We use cookies and similar technologies to remember your preferences, keep you logged in, and understand how you use our Website (see Section 7).
- Location Data: General location (e.g., atoll/island) inferred from your IP address or provided at checkout, used for delivery and service purposes.
2.3 Information from Third Parties
We may receive information about you from payment processors, delivery/courier partners, and analytics providers.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Process and fulfil your book orders, including delivery across Malé and other islands/atolls in the Maldives;
- Create and manage your account;
- Process payments and prevent fraudulent transactions;
- Communicate with you about your orders, account, and customer support inquiries;
- Send promotional emails, newsletters, and offers (only with your consent, where required, and with an option to unsubscribe at any time);
- Improve our Website, products, and services through analytics;
- Personalize your shopping experience, including book recommendations;
- Comply with applicable legal obligations and resolve disputes.
4. Legal Basis for Processing
We process your personal data on the following grounds:
- Consent — where you have given clear consent (e.g., marketing emails);
- Contract — where processing is necessary to fulfil an order or provide our services;
- Legitimate Interest — for fraud prevention, Website security, and improving our services;
- Legal Obligation — where required by applicable Maldivian law or regulation.
5. How We Share Your Information
We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information with:
- Delivery and Courier Partners — to fulfil and deliver your orders within the Maldives;
- Payment Processors — to securely process payments;
- Service Providers — such as website hosting, IT support, email/SMS providers, and analytics providers, who process data on our behalf;
- Legal and Regulatory Authorities — where required by law, court order, or to protect our legal rights;
- Business Transfers — in the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.
All third parties are required to protect your data and use it only for the purposes for which it was shared.
6. Data Storage and International Transfers
Your data may be stored and processed on servers located within or outside the Maldives, including through cloud service providers. Where your data is transferred outside the Maldives, we take reasonable steps to ensure it is handled securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use cookies to:
- Keep you signed in to your account;
- Remember items in your shopping cart;
- Understand site traffic and usage patterns;
- Improve site performance and personalize content.
You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of the Website (e.g., you may not be able to complete a purchase).
8. Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to:
- Fulfil the purposes described in this Privacy Policy;
- Maintain business and accounting records;
- Comply with legal, tax, and regulatory obligations;
- Resolve disputes and enforce our agreements.
When your data is no longer needed, we will securely delete or anonymize it.
9. Data Security
We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. This includes secure (HTTPS) connections, encrypted payment processing, and restricted access to personal data. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
10. Your Rights
Depending on applicable law, you may have the right to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you;
- Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data;
- Request deletion of your personal data, subject to legal retention requirements;
- Withdraw consent to marketing communications at any time;
- Object to or restrict certain processing of your data.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details in Section 14.
11. Children's Privacy
Our Website is not intended for children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can delete it.
12. Third-Party Links
Our Website may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., publishers, payment gateways, social media). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.
13. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The updated version will be posted on this page with a revised "Effective Date." We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
14. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us at:
books.hiyaavehi.com
Email: privacy@hiyaavehi.com
Website: https://books.hiyaavehi.com
This Privacy Policy is provided as a general template and does not constitute legal advice. We recommend consulting a qualified lawyer familiar with Maldivian law and any applicable e-commerce or data protection regulations to ensure full compliance before publishing this policy on your website.