This privacy policy applies to the handling of personal information by HushMate (ABN ) of 1 Maxwell Street, Fairy Meadow NSW 2519 (HushMate, we us, our).
HushMate understands the importance of protecting the privacy of an individual’s personal information. This privacy policy sets out how HushMate aims to protect the privacy of your personal information, your rights in relation to your personal information managed by HushMate and how HushMate collects, holds, uses, discloses, and otherwise manages, your personal information.
In collecting, holding, using, disclosing and otherwise managing your personal information, HushMate will comply with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act) and the Australian Privacy Principles in the Privacy Act.
HushMate will regularly review its policies and procedures regarding personal information and may therefore update and amend this privacy policy from time to time. Any updated privacy policy will be made available on the HushMate website, www.hushmate.com.au, or can otherwise be obtained by contacting us.
Kinds of personal information collected
Personal information is information or an opinion about an identified, or reasonably identifiable, individual. During the provision of its goods or services, or as a result of our other interactions or dealings with you, HushMate may collect your personal information. HushMate provides a range of goods which are tailored towards or incidental to pets.
The kinds of personal information that HushMate collects will vary depending on our particular interaction or dealing with you. However, generally speaking, the kinds of personal information HushMate collects may include:
- 1. if you register for an account on our website, your contact information such as your name, address, telephone number, email address and related rewards program numbers;
- 2. where you purchase goods and/or services through our website:
- 1. information relevant to that transaction, such as the delivery address, any delivery instructions and payment/invoicing related information;
- 2. information regarding your purchasing history with HushMate or your other dealings with HushMate in relation to our services;
- 3. general identity information including the names and addresses of account holders; and
- 4. your credit card information (which may include transactional histories, balances and limits);
- 2. in order for us to provide our services to you (such as to provide an insurance claim payout through support or to process a transaction), your BSB and bank account numbers; and
- 3. contact and identification information you provide to HushMate through inquiries you make to us such as your name, address, telephone number, email address or other types of verification details.
HushMate also collect internet/technology related information from visitors to our site or users of our other online services, including the referring URL, your IP address, which browser you used to come to the site, the country, state or province, the pages of our site that you viewed during your visit and any search terms entered on our site.
Depending on the nature of your dealings with us, we may collect and hold other types of personal information, for example, information collected and held via our secure financial systems about the debit or credit card you might use for your purchases from us.
You generally have the option of not identifying yourself or using a pseudonym when dealing with us, but not where this is impractical (for example when you shop online with us) or where the law or a court order provides otherwise.
HushMate may also hold other kinds of personal information as permitted or required by law or other kinds of personal information that we notify you of at or about the time of collection.
Generally, we do not collect sensitive information about individuals. Information about your health, racial or ethnic origin, political persuasions, criminal record and religious or philosophical beliefs are all examples of sensitive information. If we do need to collect sensitive information about you, we will only do so with your consent or where we are required to do so by law.
Kinds of Pet Information collected
HushMate also collects information about your pet(s) during the provision of goods or services to you (Pet Information). It is possible that some Pet Information may be personal information for the purposes of the Privacy Act, such as to the extent that the Pet Information renders you identifiable in some manner. To the extent that any Pet Information is personal information, we will treat that information in accordance with the Privacy Act and this policy, as appropriate.
The kinds of Pet Information that HushMate collects will vary depending on our particular interaction or dealing with you. However, generally speaking, the kinds of Pet Information that HushMate collects may include:
- the name of your pet(s), date of birth and species;
- other products that are purchased for your pet(s)
How we collect personal Information
Generally, HushMate collects your personal information directly from you. For example, HushMate may collect your personal information:
- when you register for an account with us, request information or goods and/or services, or otherwise provide us with your details;
- where you download or use our app(s);
- where you use our websites or other online services or otherwise interact with us;
- when you complete a survey or enter a promotion or competition;
- if you post information to our websites (including your online account) or any of our social media sites; or
- where you order or purchase goods and/or services through our website.
There may be occasions when HushMate collects your personal information from someone other than you, for example:
- indirectly from the Pet Information, to the extent that the Pet Information renders you identifiable in some manner;
- from your bank or other relevant financial institutions in order to provide our services to you;
- from third parties you authorise to disclose your information to us
- from a publicly maintained record or other publicly available sources of information including social media and similar websites; from our vendors or suppliers that help provide our services and supply goods to you (for example, customer support information, payment information and delivery information); or
- from third parties if you connect to our services or register an account with us using an external third-party application, such as Facebook or Google.
Generally, HushMate will only collect your personal information from sources other than you if it is unreasonable or impracticable to collect that personal information from you.
Purposes for which personal information is used
Generally speaking, HushMate collects, holds, uses or discloses personal information so that we can provide you goods or services through our online store, including transactions, creating an online account and providing insurance services.
Some examples of the purposes for which HushMate collects, holds, uses and discloses your personal information include to:
- enable us to supply you with information you request from us;
- facilitate the supply of goods and/or services you order through our website, including communicating with you about your purchases
- supply our services to you, and related services;
- personalise your experience with our services;
- conduct promotions, competitions, giveaways and events;
- contact you to obtain your feedback regarding our goods or services or to conduct other market research;
- undertake direct marketing (as detailed in the section below “Direct Marketing”);
- conduct investigations in cases of fraud or data security risks;
- analyse information we collect so that we can administer, support, improve and develop our business and the goods and services we offer (including by monitoring or recording our interactions with you for training purposes); and
- comply with the obligations of HushMate under any applicable laws.
In addition to the purposes listed above, HushMate may use your personal information for purposes related to the above purposes, other purposes which we notify you of when we collect the information and for purposes otherwise permitted or required by law.
Where personal information is used or disclosed, HushMate takes steps reasonable in the circumstances to ensure it is relevant to the purpose for which it is to be used or disclosed. You are under no obligation to provide your personal information to HushMate. However, without certain information from you, HushMate may not be able to provide goods, services or information to you or may be limited in how we can interact with you.
Direct marketing
In addition to the purposes outlined in paragraph 5 above, HushMate may use and disclose your personal information in order to inform you of promotions, competitions, giveaways, events, goods or services that may be of interest to you. This may include HushMate disclosing the information to related companies of HushMate or other entities with which HushMate has a commercial relationship or arrangement for the purpose of the other entity contacting you for such direct marketing purposes.
If you do not wish to receive such communications, you can:
- opt-out of marketing emails by logging into your account on the HushMate website and changing your marketing preferences; or
- opt-out through the opt-out mechanism contained in a marketing email or SMS you’ve received from us; or
- contact HushMate via the contact details set out in paragraph 13 of this privacy policy and we’d be glad to assist you with the opt out process.
You can opt-out from receiving push notifications on the HushMate website by changing the permission in your browser settings. Please note that it may be necessary for you to opt out separately from each device and browser that you use to access the HushMate website.
HushMate may also disclose your personal information to related companies of HushMate or other entities with which HushMate has a commercial relationship or arrangement for the purpose of the other entity contacting you for direct marketing purposes.
Disclosure of personal information
HushMate discloses your personal information for the purpose for which HushMate collects it. As a result, generally, HushMate will only disclose your personal information for a purpose set out in paragraphs 5 and 6 of this privacy policy. This may include disclosing your personal information to:
- our vendors and suppliers;
- other parties who invest in or acquire an interest in HushMate;
- service providers and contractors and other third parties that provide goods or services to us (including our technology service providers, our order fulfilment service providers or other business or administration service providers);
- people or entities considering acquiring an interest in HushMate’s business or assets;
- HushMate’s professional advisors (including legal and accounting firms, auditors, consultants, insurers and other professional advisers); and
- government authorities where required by law.
HushMate may also disclose your personal information for other purposes if we notify you of the disclosure at or about the time of collecting the information, we have otherwise received your consent or the disclosure is required or authorised by law.
If you post information or other content to public sections of our websites or to our social media sites, you acknowledge that the information or content may be viewed by the public and/or users of the relevant website or social media site.
Overseas disclosures
HushMate generally stores or discloses your data in Australia, however, from time to time some of our partners may be located outside Australia, including technology service providers and related companies of HushMate.
We take reasonable steps to ensure that any such overseas recipients do not hold, use or disclose your personal information in a way that is inconsistent with the obligations imposed under the Privacy Act and the Australian Privacy Principles in the Privacy Act.
Links to other websites
When you access our websites or other online services, we may provide as a convenience to you links to other websites, including websites operated by our partners, associates, or independent third parties. These links are provided as a convenience to you. Each website has its own privacy practices, as described in that website’s privacy policy. Those practices may be different than the practices described in this privacy policy, and we encourage you to read each website’s privacy policy carefully before you use or submit information to that website. Additionally, to the extent that you follow a link to a website operated by an independent third party, please be aware that we exercise no authority or control over that third party, and cannot be and are not responsible for any information that you may submit to that website.
Cookies
When you visit our websites or other online services, we will generally leave a ‘Cookie’ in the memory of your web browser. The website or other online service may only function properly if Cookies are enabled. Our websites and online services may use persistent Cookies to authenticate you as a user and display content that is relevant and specific to you.
Cookies are very small files that store information about your visit to and use of a website. Most major commercial Internet sites use them and they make your Internet-surfing more useful and less time-consuming because they store information that is reusable each time you visit our website, such as birthday and other preferences you have chosen to share with us.
Cookies cannot access and read the files on your hard drive. They do allow us to provide information and products that are more meaningful to you without asking you the same questions every time you visit us. You may get Cookies from our advertisers. We cannot pre-screen these Cookies since they come directly to you from other sites. We hope you will want the better service that Cookies allow, but if you prefer, you can set your browser to refuse Cookies. However by doing that, your access to our website may be compromised or limited. This may also affect the provision of certain services through our website.
Security of personal information
HushMate takes steps reasonable in the circumstances to ensure that the personal information it holds is protected from misuse, interference and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. HushMate holds personal information in electronic forms in secure databases on secure premises, accessible only with the appropriate passwords by authorised staff.
HushMate will destroy or de-identify personal information in circumstances where it is no longer required, unless HushMate is otherwise required or authorised by law to retain the information.
Where you have an online account with us, you are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your username and password. You will be responsible for all uses of your membership, whether or not authorised by you. You agree to immediately notify HushMate of any unauthorised use of your user name or password.
Access and correction
HushMate takes steps reasonable in the circumstances to ensure any personal information it holds is accurate, up-to-date, complete, relevant and not misleading. Where you have an online account with us, you can update your personal information by logging into your account and editing your profile.
In addition, under the Privacy Act, you have a right to seek access to and correction of your personal information that is collected and held by HushMate. If at any time you would like to access or correct the personal information that HushMate holds about you, or you would like more information on HushMate’s approach to privacy, please contact HushMate using the details set out in paragraph 13 below. HushMate will grant access to the extent required or authorised by the Privacy Act or other law and take steps reasonable in the circumstances to correct personal information where necessary and appropriate.
To obtain access to your personal information:
- you will have to provide proof of identity to ensure that personal information is provided only to the correct individuals and that the privacy of others is protected. HushMate requests that you be reasonably specific about the information you require; and
- HushMate may charge you a reasonable administration fee, which reflects and will not exceed the cost to HushMate for providing access in accordance with your request.
HushMate will endeavour to respond to your request to access or correct your personal information within 30 days from your request. If HushMate refuses your request to access or correct your personal information, HushMate will provide you with written reasons for the refusal and details of complaint mechanisms.
If you are dissatisfied with HushMate’s refusal to grant access to, or correct, your personal information, you may make a complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
Contacting HushMate
For further information or enquiries regarding your personal information, or if you would like to opt-out of receiving any promotional or marketing communications or make a privacy complaint, please contact HushMate using any of the following contact details:
Email: customercare@hushmate.com.au
Website: www.hushmate.com.au
Post: 1 Maxwell Street, Fairy Meadow, NSW 2519
Privacy complaints
Please direct all privacy complaints to HushMate. At all times, privacy complaints:
- will be treated seriously;
- will be dealt with promptly;
- will be dealt with in a confidential manner; and
- will not affect your existing obligations or affect the commercial arrangements between you and HushMate.
HushMate will acknowledge your complaint within 14 days of receipt and endeavour to resolve it within 30 days, unless HushMate informs you otherwise and seeks your agreement in writing.
HushMate will commence an investigation into your complaint. You will be informed of the outcome of your complaint following completion of the investigation. In the event that you are dissatisfied with the outcome of your complaint, or an extension to the time in which HushMate will resolve it, you may refer the complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
HushMate Data Collection Policy: Effective Date: April 29 2023
Why we collect your information (Collection Notice)
At HushMate we care deeply about your privacy and that means giving you what you need to make informed choices.
We want to make it simple for you to understand how we collect, use and share your personal information, so please read on to find out more. We also want to make it simple for you to understand how we collect, use and share information about your pet(s) during the provision of goods or services to you.
Why we collect your information
We usually collect personal information such as your name, contact details (such as address, telephone number or email address), your HushMate membership details, your orders and payment details directly from you or anyone ordering on your behalf. The kinds of personal information that HushMate collects may vary depending on our particular interaction or dealing with you.
We will handle all personal information collected in accordance with our Privacy Policy
How and why we collect personal information
First and foremost, we collect your personal information and Pet Information to register and manage your account, take your orders and provide you with pet-related services. Without the necessary personal information or Pet Information, we may not be able to do so. It is possible that some Pet Information may be personal information for the purposes of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), such as to the extent that the Pet Information renders you identifiable in some manner.
We usually collect personal information such as your name, contact details (such as address, telephone number or email address), Rewards program number, your orders and payment details directly from you or anyone ordering on your behalf. The kinds of personal information that HushMate collects will vary depending on our particular interaction or dealing with you.
We do so when you visit us online or otherwise engage with us, for instance when you contact our call centres, or when you browse our websites, apps or other digital assets. Like most businesses, we use technologies like cookies (learn more from our Privacy Policy).
We typically use your personal information to:
- enable us to supply you with information you request from us
- facilitate the supply of goods and/or services you order through our website, including communicating with you about your purchases;
- supply our services to you, and related services;
- personalise your experience with our services;
- conduct promotions, competitions, giveaways and events;
- contact you to obtain your feedback regarding our goods or services or to conduct other market research;
- sell and promote relevant products, services, personalised offers and other benefits to you via direct marketing (including emails or personalised catalogues) or tailored advertising (including on websites you visit and social media platforms) (see our Privacy Policy for more details);
- record your feedback and product reviews;
- investigate and respond to your enquiries and (hopefully very rare) complaints;
- conduct investigations in cases of fraud or data security risks;