Privacy Policy

• All credit/debit card details and personally identifiable information will NOT be stored, sold, shared, rented or leased to any third parties
• https://hosm.com/ will not pass any debit/credit card details to third parties
• https://hosm.com/ takes appropriate steps to ensure data privacy and security including through various hardware and software methodologies. However, (https://hosm.com/) cannot guarantee the security of any information that is disclosed online
• https://hosm.com/ is not responsible for the privacy policies of the websites to which it links. If you provide any information to such third parties different rules regarding the collection and use of your personal information may apply. You should contact these entities directly if you have any questions about their use of the information that they collect.
• The Website Policies and Terms & Conditions may be changed or updated occasionally to meet the requirements and standards. Therefore, the Customers are encouraged to frequently visit these sections to be updated about the changes on the website. Modifications will be effective on the day they are posted.

1. Introduction

Welcome to hosm.com, the premier e-commerce platform for local artisans in the UAE. Our Privacy Policy is designed to affirm our unwavering commitment to safeguarding the personal information of our users. This policy outlines the types of data we collect, how it’s used, and the controls you have over your personal information. It serves as a guide to inform you of your privacy rights when accessing and using hosm.com and its associated services. Our principles of transparency, integrity, and respect for user privacy are at the core of our data practices.

2. Who We Are

hosm.com is an online marketplace that connects a community of buyers eager to discover unique, handcrafted goods. We celebrate the rich tapestry of traditional craftsmanship by offering a digital storefront for a diverse array of artisanal products. Our website, accessible at https://hosm.com, serves as a conduit for these vibrant exchanges, fostering a community where creativity and commerce thrive in unison.

3. Information We Collect

At hosm.com, we collect information to provide better services to all our users. The data we gather helps us not only to process transactions effectively but also to understand your needs, enhance your user experience, and ensure your interaction with our platform is secure and personalized. Here’s an outline of the various types of information we collect:

A. Personal Identification Information

• Voluntary Submission: We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you create an account, place an order, or communicate with us. This includes but is not limited to your name, email address, shipping address, and payment information.
• Automatic Collection: As you navigate through and interact with our website, we may use automatic data collection technologies to collect certain information about your equipment, browsing actions, and patterns.

B. Non-Personal Identification Information

• We may collect non-personal information about users whenever they interact with our site. This may include the browser name, type of computer, and technical information about users’ means of connection to our site, such as the operating system and the internet service providers utilized.

C. Comments

• When you leave comments on the site, we collect the data shown in the comments form, as well as your IP address and browser user agent string to help spam detection. This information may be used to facilitate communication, ensure a safe environment for all users, and enhance our services.

D. Media

• If you upload images to the website, please be aware that uploading images with embedded location data (EXIF GPS) included allows others to potentially extract this location data. We advise you to remove any such data before uploading images to protect your privacy.

E. Cookies

• ArtisanMart.ae uses “cookies” to enhance User experience.

4. Use of Collected Information

The information we collect from our users plays a crucial role in allowing us to operate hosm.com effectively and provide you with a seamless experience. Here’s how we use the information:

• Service Provision: To create your account, process transactions, and deliver purchased products or services.
• Personalization: To tailor your experience on ArtisanMart.ae, remembering your preferences and customizing our interactions to fit your personal interests.
• Communication: To communicate with you about your account or transactions and send you updates about our platform, as well as promotional offers that might interest you.
• Support: To provide customer support, including addressing and resolving any issues or inquiries you may encounter.
• Improvement: To improve our website offerings, based on the information and feedback we receive from you, and to enhance our overall service suite.
• Safety and Security: To protect our platform, prevent fraud or potentially illegal activities, and enforce our Terms of Service.
• Analytics: To perform data analysis, audits, fraud monitoring, and prevention, to develop new products, determine the effectiveness of our promotional campaigns, and to operate and expand our business activities.

Your information, whether public or private, will not be sold, exchanged, transferred, or given to any other company for any reason whatsoever, without your consent, other than for the express purpose of delivering the purchased product or service requested by the customer.

5. Sharing Your Information

hosm.com values your privacy and is committed to safeguarding your personal information. We share your information only under the following circumstances:

• Service Providers: We may share your information with third parties who perform services on our behalf, such as payment processing, order fulfillment, and data analysis. These service providers are bound by confidentiality agreements and are restricted from using your information for any other purpose.
• Legal Requirements and Law Enforcement: We may disclose your information if required by law or if we believe in good faith that such action is necessary to comply with the law, protect our rights or safety, or respond to a government request.
• Business Transfers: In the event that ArtisanMart.ae is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of its assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will provide notice before your personal information is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy.
• With Your Consent: Other than as set out above, you will receive notice when information about you might go to third parties, and you will have an opportunity to choose not to share the information.

We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer to outside parties your personally identifiable information except as described in this policy. This does not include trusted third parties who assist us in operating our website, conducting our business, or serving you, so long as those parties agree to keep this information confidential.

Non-personally identifiable visitor information may be provided to other parties for marketing, advertising, or other uses.

6. Storage and Security of Your Data

At hosm.com, ensuring the security of your data is a top priority. Here’s how we handle the storage and security of your information:

• Data Storage: Your personal information is stored on secure servers, protected from unauthorized access, use, alteration, and destruction. We utilize industry-standard physical, technical, and administrative security measures to safeguard your data.
• Data Encryption: Sensitive and private data exchange between the Site and its Users happens over a SSL secured communication channel and is encrypted and protected with digital signatures.
• Access Control: We limit access to your personal data to employees, contractors, and agents who need to know that information in order to process it for us, and who are subject to strict contractual confidentiality obligations.
• Regular Review: Our security policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and updated to meet the dynamic nature of security threats and to comply with any new regulations.
• Breach Notification: In the unlikely event of a data breach, we will notify affected users in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage, is 100% secure. Therefore, we cannot guarantee its absolute security but are committed to using all available measures to ensure the safety of your information.

7. Your Rights Over Your Data

At hosm.com, we not only respect your privacy but also your rights over your personal data. Here are the rights you hold regarding the information we collect:

• Access and Update: You have the right to access the personal information we hold about you and to request that we update, correct, or supplement any information you believe is inaccurate.
• Data Portability: Upon your request, we can provide you with a copy of your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.
• Erasure: You have the right to request that we delete or remove your personal data when there is no longer a legitimate reason for us to continue processing it.
• Withdraw Consent: Where we rely on your consent to process your personal data, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time, though this will not affect the lawfulness of the processing carried out before you withdrew your consent.
• Restrict Processing: You have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your personal data under certain circumstances, such as if you contest the accuracy of that data or object to us processing it.
• Object to Processing: You have the right to object to our processing of your personal data on grounds relating to your particular situation, at any time, in cases where we are relying on a legitimate interest.
• File a Complaint: If you believe that we have not complied with your data protection rights, you can file a complaint with the appropriate data protection authority.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at support@hosm.com. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe and notify you of the action we have taken.

8. Third-Party Services

hosm.com interacts with various third-party services to enhance your shopping experience. Understanding how these external services function in relation to your data is crucial:

• Third-Party Integration: Our website may utilize various third-party products and services, such as payment gateways, analytics tools, and advertisement services. While interacting with our site, these services might collect information about you.
• Links to Other Sites: Our website may contain links to other websites not operated by us. If you click on a third-party link, you will be directed to that third party’s site. We strongly advise you to review the Privacy Policy of every site you visit.
• No Control Over Third Parties: We do not control and are not responsible for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party sites or services. Our Privacy Policy does not apply to services offered by other companies or individuals.
• Data Sharing: We only share your data with third parties to the extent necessary to provide you with ArtisanMart.ae services. These third parties are prohibited from using your personal data for any other purpose.
• Security of Third-Party Sites: We endeavor to partner with third parties who also prioritize data security and privacy. However, we cannot guarantee the security of any information that is disclosed to a third party.

We encourage you to be aware when you leave our site and to read the privacy statements of any other site that collects personally identifiable information. Your interactions with these features are governed by the privacy policy of the company providing it.

9. Data Retention

hosm.com adheres to a thoughtful data retention policy to ensure your information is handled responsibly and in line with legal obligations:

• Retention Period: We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to provide you with our services and for legitimate and essential business purposes, such as maintaining the performance of the site, making data-driven business decisions, complying with our legal obligations, and resolving disputes.
• Comments and Contributions: If you leave a comment or other user-generated content, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely. This is so we can automatically recognize and approve any follow-up comments and maintain a history of your interactions.
• Registered Users: For users that register on ArtisanMart.ae (if any), we store the personal information they provide in their user profile. All users can see, edit, or delete their personal information at any time (except they cannot change their username). Website administrators can also view and edit that information.
• Legal Compliance: In some cases, we may be legally required to retain certain information for a set period of time. For instance, financial transaction data may be retained for financial reporting and compliance reasons.
• Data Deletion: Upon your request, we will delete or anonymize your personal information so that it no longer identifies you, unless we are legally allowed or required to maintain certain personal data, including situations like ongoing dispute resolution, enforcing our agreements, or compliance with legal obligations.
• Security of Stored Data: During the retention period, we will continue to adhere to our established security measures to protect your personal data.

If you have questions about our data retention policies or wish to request the deletion of your personal data, please contact us at support@hosm.com.

10. Children’s Privacy

hosm.com is committed to protecting the privacy of children. In line with this commitment:

• Age Limitations: Our services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under this age. If we become aware that a child under the relevant age has provided us with personal information, we will take steps to delete such information from our records promptly.
• Parental Consent: If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child under the relevant age has provided us with personal information without your consent, please contact us at support@hosm.com. We will take steps to remove such information and terminate the child’s account.
• Use of Our Services by Minors: If minors (individuals under the age of [Specify Age]) are permitted to use our services, it should be with the consent and under the supervision of a parent or guardian. We advise parents and guardians to monitor their children’s online activities and to help enforce our Privacy Policy by instructing their children never to provide personal data on our website without their permission.
• Data Collection from Minors: In the event that we learn that we have collected personal information from a minor without verification of parental consent, we will take steps to remove that information as quickly as possible.

We encourage parents and guardians to be actively involved in their children’s online activities and interests.

11. Changes to This Policy

hosm.com reserves the right to update or modify this Privacy Policy at any time:

• Policy Updates: We may occasionally update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices, services, legal requirements, or other factors. If we make significant changes, we will notify you through the website or other means, such as email, to provide you the opportunity to review the changes before they become effective.
• Effective Date: The date of the most recent revisions will appear on this page, so please check back periodically for updates.
• Your Continued Use: Your continued use of hosm.com following the posting of changes to this Privacy Policy will mean you accept those changes. If you do not agree to the modified Privacy Policy, you should discontinue your use of the website.
• Consent to Changes: By using our services, you consent to the terms of this Privacy Policy as modified. We encourage you to periodically review this page for the latest information on our privacy practices.
• Historical Versions: If changes are made, older versions of the Privacy Policy will be available for review upon request.

We understand that privacy is an ongoing responsibility, and we will continue to update and improve our Privacy Policy as the need arises.

12. Contact Information

If you have any questions, concerns, or comments about our Privacy Policy, or if you wish to exercise any of your privacy rights as outlined in this policy, please feel free to reach out to us:

• Contact Details:
  • Email: support@hosm.com
  • Contact Form: You can also use the contact form available on our website for any inquiries.
• Customer Support: Our dedicated customer support team is available to assist you with any privacy-related questions or issues you may encounter on our platform.
• Feedback and Suggestions: We welcome your feedback and suggestions regarding our privacy practices. Please feel free to share your thoughts, which can help us improve our services.
• Data Protection Officer (DPO): For specific questions regarding the processing of your personal data, or if you need further assistance regarding your rights, you may directly contact our Data Protection Officer at [DPO’s Contact Information].
• Legal Inquiries: For formal legal inquiries or notices, please direct your communication to the provided mailing address.

Your privacy is important to us, and we are committed to responding to your inquiries promptly and efficiently.

13. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

This Privacy Policy and the collection, use, and disclosure of your information through the hosm.com platform are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United Arab Emirates:

• Applicable Law: The laws of the United Arab Emirates shall govern any dispute or claim arising out of or in relation to this Privacy Policy, without regard to conflict of law provisions.
• Jurisdiction: By using hosm.com, you consent to the jurisdiction of the courts located in the United Arab Emirates for any action or proceeding arising under or relating to this Privacy Policy, the use of our website, or the purchase of any products from our website.
• Compliance: This policy is intended to comply with local laws and regulations, including those pertaining to data protection and privacy.
• International Considerations: While our primary operations are under the jurisdiction of the UAE, we acknowledge that users may access our site globally. We strive to meet internationally recognized standards of personal data privacy protection, while also adhering to local laws in the jurisdictions we operate.

It is our goal to resolve any complaints about your privacy and our collection or use of your personal information. Users with inquiries or complaints regarding this Privacy Policy should first contact hosm.com at the contact information provided in Section 12.

14. Effective Date

This Privacy Policy is effective as of 22 February 2024, and will remain in effect except with respect to any changes in its provisions in the future, which will be in effect immediately after being posted on this page:

• Policy Implementation: This version of the Privacy Policy becomes effective on the [Insert Effective Date] and supersedes any prior versions.
• Review and Acknowledgement: We encourage users to frequently check this page for any changes and to stay informed about how we are protecting the personal information we collect.
• Acknowledgement of Changes: Your continued use of the hosm.com website and services following the posting of changes to this Privacy Policy will be deemed as your acknowledgment of those changes and your consent to abide and be bound by the modified Privacy Policy.
• Record of Updates: A record of when this policy was last revised is indicated by the [Insert Effective Date], and any changes made from the previous version will be highlighted, providing transparency and ease of understanding for our users.

We are committed to safeguarding your personal information and ensuring that our Privacy Policy reflects both our dedication to privacy and any changes in data protection laws or our own business practices.