Privacy Policy

At Free Dive Gears Sales (“we”, “us”, or “our”), operating at www.freedivegears.com, we are committed to protecting the privacy and security of our customers’ personal information. As a trusted provider of high-performance dive equipment, we understand that your privacy is as important as the quality of our diving gear.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website or make a purchase from us. Please read this policy carefully to understand our practices regarding your personal data.

1. Information We Collect

We collect several types of information from and about users of our website, including:

Personal Information

• Contact Details: Name, email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses
• Payment Information: Credit/debit card details (processed securely via PCI-DSS compliant systems), PayPal account information (we never store full card details on our servers)
• Order Information: Products purchased, order history, preferences for dive equipment categories (e.g., technical diving computers, spearfishing gear, or backplate systems)
• Account Information: Username, password (encrypted), profile preferences for dive gear types

Non-Personal Information

• Technical Data: IP address, browser type, operating system, device information
• Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on site, click patterns (particularly regarding product categories like analysers, fins, or canister lights)
• Location Data: Country/region for shipping restrictions and currency display (we do not ship to certain Asian and remote regions)

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Order Processing: To process and fulfill your orders for dive equipment, including payment processing, shipping, and handling returns
• Customer Service: To respond to inquiries about products like masks, fins, or technical diving computers, and provide support
• Website Improvement: To enhance your browsing experience and optimize our product offerings (e.g., understanding interest in categories like freedive gear versus technical diving systems)
• Security: To protect against fraudulent transactions, especially important when purchasing high-value items like dive computers or complete backplate systems
• Marketing: With your consent, to send information about new products, special offers on dive gear, or updates relevant to dive professionals
• Compliance: To meet legal obligations, including tax calculations for EU customers and customs declarations for international orders

3. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

• Service Providers: With trusted third parties who assist in operating our website, processing payments (like Visa, MasterCard, or PayPal), shipping orders (particularly for international deliveries of dive equipment), and conducting business activities
• Legal Requirements: When required by law or to protect our rights, such as for customs documentation for international shipments of diving knives or spearfishing equipment
• Business Transfers: In connection with any merger, sale of company assets, or acquisition, though dive gear preferences would remain protected under this policy
• Dive Professionals: For commercial dive operations or clubs placing bulk orders, we may share limited information to facilitate large purchases of fins, masks, or complete systems

We never sell your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

4. Data Storage and Security

Your security is as important to us as the reliability of our dive gear:

• Storage Location: Data is stored on secure servers located in Australia, with backups for redundancy
• Encryption: We use 256-bit SSL encryption for all transactions – the same standard used by major banks
• Payment Security: We are PCI-DSS compliant and never store full credit card details on our systems
• Access Controls: Strict access limitations to personal data within our Western Australia-based team
• Retention: We retain personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes outlined, or as required by law (typically 7 years for financial records)

5. Your Rights and Choices

As a valued customer of our dive equipment store, you have rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: You may request details of personal information we hold about you
• Correction: You may update or correct inaccuracies in your information, especially important for shipping details when ordering bulky items like float systems
• Deletion: You may request deletion of personal data, subject to legal retention requirements for dive equipment purchases
• Marketing Preferences: You may opt-out of marketing communications while still receiving essential order updates
• Data Portability: You may request a copy of your data in a structured, machine-readable format

To exercise these rights, please contact us at [email protected].

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Like the precise instruments in our dive computers, we use precise tools to enhance your experience:

• Essential Cookies: Necessary for website functionality, such as maintaining your shopping cart of dive accessories or fins
• Performance Cookies: Help us understand how divers navigate our site, such as paths between technical diving gear and recreational equipment
• Functionality Cookies: Remember your preferences, like currency selection for international orders
• Targeting Cookies: Used with consent to show relevant ads for dive gear you may be interested in

You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling essential cookies may affect your ability to purchase dive equipment on our site.

7. International Data Transfers

As we serve divers worldwide (except certain Asian and remote regions):

• Data may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own
• We ensure all transfers comply with applicable data protection laws
• EU customers’ data is protected under GDPR requirements, with VAT automatically calculated at checkout

8. Children’s Privacy

Our website is not intended for children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children, except when purchasing youth diving gear like smaller masks or fins with parental consent.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. Significant changes will be notified to customers who have purchased high-value items like dive computers or complete systems in the past.

10. Contact Us

Thank you for trusting Free Dive Gears Sales with your diving equipment needs and your personal information. We’re committed to protecting your privacy as seriously as we’re committed to providing top-quality dive gear.