The Shell Connection
The Shell Connection Privacy Policy
www.theshellconnection.com is owned and operated by The Shell Connection.
This privacy notice discloses the privacy practices for www.theshellconnection.com and all other websites operated by The Shell Connection. This privacy notice applies solely to information collected by this website. It will inform you of the following:
Identify the personally identifiable information collected from you through the website, how it is used, and with whom it may be shared.
Detail the choices that are available to you regarding the use of your data.
The security procedures are in place to protect against the misuse of your information.
How you can correct or modify any inaccuracies in the information, and keep that information updated.
Information Collection, Use, and Sharing
The Shell Connection is the sole owner of the information collected on this site. We only have access to/collect information that you voluntarily give us via registration, email, or another direct contact from you. We will not sell or rent this information to anyone.
We will use your information to communicate with you, regarding the reason you contacted us. We will not share your information with any third party outside of our organization, other than as necessary to fulfill your request, e.g. to ship an order.
Unless you request us not to, we may contact you via email or telephone in the future to tell you about specials, new products or services, or changes to this privacy policy. Our various newsletters, specials, and other notifications require your opting in during registration, or by editing your account preference.
Your Access to and Control of Information
You may opt in or out at any time by accessing your account settings via the website, sending an email to theshellconnection@gmail.com, and speaking to a Customer Service representative. You can do the following at any time by contacting us via the email address or phone number given on our website:
See what data we have about you if any.
Security
We take precautions to protect your information. When you submit sensitive information via the website, your information is protected both online and offline.
Wherever we collect sensitive information (such as credit card data), the information is encrypted and transmitted to us in a secure way, using SSL systems. You can verify this by looking for a closed lock icon at the bottom of your web browser, or looking for "HTTPS" at the beginning of the address of the web page.
While we use encryption to protect sensitive information transmitted online, we also protect your information offline. Only employees who need the information to perform a specific job (for example, billing or customer service) are granted access to personally identifiable information. The computers/servers in which we store personally identifiable information are kept in a secure environment.
If you feel that we are not abiding by this privacy policy, you should contact us immediately via email at theshellconnection@gmail.com
Orders
We request information from you on our website order form. To buy from us, you must provide register and provide contact information (like name and shipping address) and financial information (like credit card number, expiration date) and other data required in order to do business with The Shell Connection. This information is used for billing purposes and to fill your orders. If we have trouble processing an order, we'll use this information in order to contact you.
Cookies
Our website utilizes “cookies” in order to facilitate faster service. A cookie is a piece of data stored on a site visitor's hard drive to help us improve your access to our site and identify repeat visitors to our site. For instance, when we use a cookie to identify you, you would not have to log in a password more than once, thereby saving time while on our site. Cookies can also enable us to track and target the interests of our users to enhance the experience on our site. Usage of a cookie is in no way linked to any personally identifiable information on our site.
Sharing
We do not share aggregated demographic information with anyone. We use a credit card processing company to bill users for their orders. These companies do not retain share, store or use personally identifiable information for any secondary purposes beyond filling your order.
Links
This website contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware of when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of any other site that may collect personally identifiable information.
Environmental Policy
It is the strict policy of The Shell Connection to adhere to all U.S. and International laws. All shells that are sold are carefully inspected and cleared by the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife. We have obtained all necessary permits and exemptions from the corresponding country of origin of all products that we carry. We also follow all rules and regulations of the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) International Agreement.
Most of our products are natural by-products of the food and fishing industry. There are a few exceptions like sand dollars and some of the sealife items. These are closely monitored and our vendors are required to have the necessary permits as well. Starfish are mainly collected from areas where they endanger the reefs or they are purchased from sea farms where they are grown as a crop. Sand dollars are collected from huge colonies and only a very small fraction of sand dollars are harvested and in no way endangers the colony. We work with responsible suppliers and require them to be in compliance with acceptable gathering procedures.
There is always a growing concern about the environment and whether what we are doing is controlled and managed properly, the gathering policies and practices of our suppliers are always of our utmost concern. Our family has been in the seashell business for over 55 years and we want to ensure our future generations a business for them to continue. This means responsible management and a deep concern for the environment, laws, and regulations.
We welcome inquiries about our business policies and procedures so we can discuss and educate you about the overall business process. Communication is the key to understanding and we want to take the time to make sure we can address any concerns you may have. It has been and should always be our great pleasure to provide you with these wonderful treasures from the sea.
Each and every shipment is governed by a number of Federal and International agencies and or watchdogs. Once they arrive they are thoroughly inspected by U.S. Fish and Wildlife and cleared by U.S. Customs. We have a solid relationship with the agencies involved and do our proactive best to maintain our good standing and adhere to current laws and regulations and prepare for upcoming changes to laws, policies, and procedures.
Legal Disclosure
IMPORTANT LEGAL INFORMATION REGARDING THIS WEBSITE:
Your use of this website is subject to the conditions and qualifications described below. By using The Shell Connection website, you agree to accept such conditions and qualifications.
No Warranties; Limitation of Liability. This website includes information, documents, and materials (collectively, the "Contents") that are subject to change without notice.
The Shell Connection expressly disclaims any obligation to keep Contents up to date or free of errors or viruses or to maintain uninterrupted access to this website. This website (including all Contents) is provided "AS IS."
The Shell Connection assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in any Content, including Contents that are referenced by or linked (by hypertext links) to third-party websites. The Shell Connection makes no representations or warranties of any kind whatsoever for the Contents or third party websites or for any products or services mentioned or offered in the Contents or in third party websites.
The Shell Connection shall not be liable for any errors contained herein or for any damages whatsoever arising out of or related to the use of this website (including all Contents), including, without limitation, direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, whether under a contract, tort, or any other theory of liability, even if The Shell Connection is aware of the possibility of such errors or damages.
No Offer or Solicitation Regarding Securities. This website includes Content relating to certain The Shell Connection securities, including offering documentation, Contents referenced in offering documentation, and other materials.
Terms of Securities
The terms of any particular issue of securities are governed by applicable documents establishing such terms. In the event of any inconsistency between the information in Contents regarding an issue of securities and the terms specified in, or determined pursuant to, the documents establishing the terms of such issue, the terms so specified or determined shall prevail.
Reservation of Rights
All Contents (including, without limitation, the graphics, brands, icons, and overall appearance of The Shell Connection website and the Contents) are the property of The Shell Connection. The Shell Connection does not waive any of its proprietary rights therein including, but not limited to, copyrights, trademarks, and other intellectual property rights. This website and the Contents are intended only for the individual, non-commercial use of website users. No user of this website may resell, republish, print, download, copy, re-transmit, or display (by use of an HTML "frame" or otherwise) any portion of this website or the Contents without the prior written consent of The Shell Connection, except that reasonable copying or printing of the Contents for individual, non-commercial use is permissible where permitted by law. The availability of any Content through this website shall under no circumstance constitute a transfer of any copyrights, trademarks, or other intellectual property rights of The Shell Connection to any website user or any third party. This website and the Contents are protected by the U.S. and international copyright laws, both as individual works and as a compilation. You may not delete any copyright or similar notice from any Content you obtain from this website.
Seashells are made by God and each is unique. As they are of natural origin, no two shells are alike. The product that you receive may not be 100% identical to the one pictured in our online store. Although seashells may contain naturally made blemishes rest assured that all seashells are of impeccable quality.
We want to have a responsible business that will last many more generations in our family. We are a part of the environment and enjoy the beauty of these seashells and want to share these with our customers. Responsible practices and participation will carry us on for many years to come.