This privacy statement
defines privacy aspects specific to the Meade.com Web site and affiliated
Meade Web servers (referred to
as the "Meade Web sites").
Whenever you register or purchase your products with MEADE Instruments
Corp. (“MEADE”), we do not sell, rent, or exchange customer
information. We share identifiable information only with those parties
entrusted with the processing of your account and the fulfillment of your
order. We have established procedures to protect your privacy, which we
uphold. Of course, this policy does not apply to information that we are
required to disclose by law, or in cooperation with law enforcement agencies.
Customer information is gathered so we can better serve you, and we make
an effort to ensure its security and to treat your information responsibly.
When you become a MEADE customer, we ask for your name, address, e-mail
address and phone number.
MEADE does not collect information associated with your purchase when
you shop at one of the merchant Web sites linked to MEADE. What you purchase
is known only to the merchant. We cannot ensure the protection of any
personal information that you provide to a third-party site that links
to or from the MEADE.com site, as these third-party sites are owned and
operated independently. These third-party sites may have their own separate
privacy and data collection practices that are beyond our control. Any
personal information that you provide to these third-party sites will
be regulated by their privacy policy, if any. MEADE can assume no responsibility
or liability whatsoever for the practices, actions or policies of these
third-party sites, and cannot be responsible for the content or privacy
practices of such sites. Be sure to read the participating merchant's
privacy policy to better understand its use of your personal information.
From time to time, you may receive mail, e-mail or telephone calls from
MEADE, or agents of MEADE, in order to update your account or communicate
information which we believe will be of interest to you. At any time,
you may request your name be removed from any of these methods of communication.
Simply relay your request to a Customer Service Representative and your
name will be removed from the appropriate list. We want your experiences
with MEADE to be based upon your preferences – always.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What additional information is collected?
When you visit MEADE.com, our system automatically notes which browser
and Internet Provider (IP) you used for access. We collect this navigational
information to help us design our pages, so we can provide the majority
of our customers with the best experience possible.
2. What if I do not want to send personal information over the Internet?
If you prefer not to register your products on MEADE.com, simply fill
out the registration card provided with your product in its original packaging
and send it in the mail.
3. What if I do not want to use "cookies?"
Most browsers are set to accept cookies. You can, however, set your browser
to refuse cookies. You will not, however, be able to use certain services
requiring the use of cookie technology.
4. What steps are taken to keep my personal information private?
Your information is sent to us through a "secure session" established
with Secure Socket Layer (SSL). This technology encrypts, or scrambles,
your account information before it is sent to us, making it extremely
difficult for anyone other than MEADE.com to read it. We protect all customer
data against unauthorized access. We use security technology, privacy
protection controls and restrictions on employee access, to safeguard
your personal information.
Meade does not share your contact information with outside companies for
their promotional use. If you are a registered user, we may use your e-mail
address to notify you about new Meade.com services or special offers available
to registered users or about other Meade products or those of our partners
or affiliates. If you would prefer not to receive this information, simply
indicate your contact preferences during the registration process.
Although we respect and honor the privacy preferences you have expressed,
we may nevertheless contact you to inform you of specific changes that
may impact your ability to use this service or for other critical non-marketing
purposes, such as bug alerts. We may also contact you to respond to your
specific requests or to clarify the order information you provided to
us.
5. Does MEADE protect my e-mail address too?
We use your e-mail address to provide fast Customer Service communications
and other services. MEADE protects your e-mail information the same way
it protects all identifiable customer information.
In order to provide you with customer service, we ask for your name and
e-mail address. We may use your contact information in order to contact
you regarding service updates or specific support questions and may contact
you for additional opportunities to provide feedback on our products and
services.
6. Will MEADE share my information with any third parties?
Meade and its subsidiaries may exchange customer information with each
other to fulfill your requests or to provide you with information about
other products or services.
In some cases, we will employ or work with service providers such as consultants,
temporary workers, third party software developers or outsourcers to complete
a business process or provide a service on our behalf. For example, we
may use service providers to deliver products, offer online software applications
or send e-mails. When we employ service providers, we may need to share
your personally identifiable information. Service providers are strictly
prohibited from using your personally identifiable information for purposes
other than to act on our behalf.
7. How can I change, correct or update the information on my account?
If you want to make any changes to your contact information, please contact
MEADE’s Customer Service Department at (800) 626-3233 (USA Only)
or (949) 451-1450.
If we plan to make significant changes to any of our privacy policies
or practices with respect to how we use personally identifiable information,
we'll post those changes to this privacy statement 30 days before they
take effect. MEADE will generally not send individual notices to consumers
regarding changes to its privacy policies or practices.
If you have any questions regarding MEADE's Privacy Policy, you can e-mail
us through info@meade.com. Please
be sure to include your e-mail address so we can respond to your questions
quickly. If you prefer, call (800) 626-3233 (USA Only) or (949) 451-1450,
and a Customer Service Representative will take your call. Or, you can
write to us at: MEADE Instruments Corp., Customer Service Department,
27 Hubble, Irvine, California 92618. MEADE reserves the right to
modify, change or replace this policy at its discretion.
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