Privacy Policy

At CRKT Knives Store (“we,” “us,” or “our”), we serve a community of doers, adventurers, veterans, and everyday carriers who demand reliability and trust in every aspect of their gear—including how their personal information is handled. This Privacy Policy outlines our commitment to protecting your privacy with the same seriousness with which we select our knives and tools. It explains what data we collect, why we collect it, and how we use, share, and protect it.

By using our website crktknivesstores.com, you consent to the data practices described in this policy.

1. Information We Collect

We collect information to provide you with a seamless, secure, and efficient experience, from browsing our product lines to receiving your order.

Information You Provide Directly:

• Identity & Contact Data: Name, shipping/billing address, email address, and phone number when you create an account or place an order.
• Financial Data: Payment card details (Visa, MasterCard, JCB) or PayPal account information. We do not store raw payment card numbers on our servers. All transactions are processed through our secure, PCI-DSS compliant payment gateways.
• Transactional Data: Details of your purchases, order history, and preferences.
• Communication Data: Records of your correspondence with our customer service team (e.g., via [email protected]).

Information Collected Automatically:

• Technical & Usage Data: IP address, browser type and version, time zone, operating system, device information, and how you navigate and interact with our site (pages viewed, time spent, etc.).
• Cookie Data: See Section 6 below for detailed information on cookies and tracking technologies.

2. How We Use Your Information

Your data is used with precision and purpose, solely to enhance your experience and fulfill our commitments to you.

• To Process & Fulfill Orders: To complete your purchase, process payments, arrange shipping, and provide you with invoices and order confirmations.
• To Provide Customer Service: To respond to your inquiries, manage returns or warranty claims, and provide support.
• To Improve Our Store & Products: To analyze site usage trends, troubleshoot issues, and improve website functionality, product selection, and marketing strategies.
• To Communicate with You (with your consent): To send you service-related announcements (e.g., order status updates) and, if you opt-in, marketing communications about new products (like American Made Knives or Veteran-Designed tools), promotions, or company news.
• For Security & Fraud Prevention: To protect our website, business, and customers from malicious activity, fraud, or abuse.

3. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We treat your personal information with the confidentiality it deserves. We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data to third parties for their marketing purposes.

We may share your data only in the following circumstances:

• Service Providers: With trusted partners who perform essential functions on our behalf, such as payment processing (e.g., PayPal, PCI-compliant gateways), order fulfillment, shipping carriers (like USPS, FedEx), IT services, and email delivery. These partners are contractually bound to use your data only to provide their services to us and in accordance with this policy.
• Legal Obligations: If required to do so by law, regulation, or in response to a valid legal request (e.g., court order, subpoena).
• Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, sale of company assets, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of our business, where customer information may be transferred as a business asset.
• With Your Consent: In any other situation, we will ask for your explicit consent before sharing.

4. Data Storage and Security

We safeguard your data with the same rigor we apply to designing protective sheaths for our blades.

• Global Operations: We serve a global community. Your data may be processed and stored in the United States or other countries where our service providers operate. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for any international data transfers.
• Security Measures: We implement robust technical and organizational measures to protect your data against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These include encryption (SSL/TLS for data in transit), secure servers, access controls, and regular security assessments.
• Payment Security: All payment transactions are encrypted using end-to-end encryption and are PCI-DSS compliant. We never store your full payment card details on our own servers.
• Data Retention: We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes we collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.

5. Your Rights and Choices

You have control over your personal information, consistent with applicable laws (such as GDPR for EU residents, CCPA/CPRA for California residents, etc.).

• Access & Correction: You can access and update your account information (name, address, etc.) by logging into your account on our website.
• Data Portability & Deletion: You may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you in a structured format. You may also request that we delete your personal data, subject to certain legal exceptions.
• Marketing Opt-Out: You can unsubscribe from our marketing emails at any time by clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of any email.
• Cookie Preferences: You can manage your cookie settings through your browser controls. See Section 6 for details.
• Exercising Your Rights: To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [email protected]. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe and in accordance with applicable law. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Like a well-honed edge, we use precise tools to understand how our site is used and to enhance your browsing experience.

• What Are Cookies: Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit our site. They help the site remember your actions and preferences over time.
• How We Use Them:
  • Essential Cookies: Required for core functions like adding items to your cart, secure checkout, and account login. The site cannot function properly without these.
  • Performance & Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our site (e.g., which pages are most popular). This data is aggregated and anonymous.
  • Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences (like language or region) to personalize your experience.
• Your Control: Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. You can set your browser to refuse all or some cookies, or to alert you when websites set or access cookies. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website, particularly the shopping and checkout process.

7. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. The updated version will be indicated by a revised “Effective Date” at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information.