Privacy policy

Last updated: November 5, 2026

WIN Online Shop operates this store and website, including all related information, content, features, tools, products and services, in order to provide you, the customer or donor, with an online shopping and donation experience (the “Services”). The Services are powered by Shopify, which enables us to provide them. This Privacy Policy describes how Victoria Women In Need Community Cooperative (“WIN”) collects, uses and discloses your personal information when you visit or use the Services, make a purchase or donation, or otherwise communicate with us. If there is a conflict between our Terms of Service and this Privacy Policy with respect to the collection, use or disclosure of personal information, this Privacy Policy applies. 

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. It explains the purposes for which WIN collects, uses and discloses personal information. Using or accessing the Services does not, by itself, mean that you have consented to every use or disclosure described here. Where consent is required, WIN will seek it in an appropriate way. 

Personal Information We Collect or Process 

When we use the term “personal information,” we mean information that identifies or can reasonably be linked to you or another person. Personal information does not include information that is collected anonymously or has been de-identified so that it cannot identify or reasonably be linked to you. Depending on how you interact with the Services, we may collect or process the following categories of personal information: 

  • Contact details, including your name, billing address, shipping address, telephone number and email address. 

  • Payment and transaction information, including your payment method, payment confirmation, transaction details, purchase or donation amount, and items purchased, returned, exchanged or cancelled. Payments are processed through Shopify and/or the payment provider used at checkout. WIN receives the payment and transaction information needed to administer your purchase or donation. The payment provider’s own privacy practices also apply. 

  • Account information, such as your username, password, preferences and settings, if you choose to create an account. 

  • Purchase and donation information, including items you view or place in your cart, your purchase history, donation details, and information you provide about how you would like your donation handled. 

  • Communications with us, including information you provide in a customer service, purchase or donation inquiry. 

  • Device information, including information about your device, browser or network connection, your IP address and other unique identifiers. 

  • Usage information, including information about how and when you interact with or navigate the Services, including through cookies and similar technologies. 

Personal Information Sources 

We may collect personal information from the following sources: 

  • Directly from you, including when you create an account, visit or use the Services, make a purchase or donation, communicate with us, or otherwise provide your personal information; 

  • Automatically through the Services, including from your device and through cookies and similar technologies; 

  • From our service providers, including when they collect or process personal information on our behalf to operate the Services or support payments, orders or donations; and 

  • From another source where you have directed or authorized us to obtain the information, or where permitted by law. 

How We Use Your Personal Information 

Depending on how you interact with us or which Services you use, we may use your personal information for the following purposes: 

  • Provide and improve the Services. We use your personal information to process payments and transactions, fulfil orders, arrange shipping, handle returns and exchanges, record and administer donations, respond to related inquiries, maintain an account you choose to create, remember preferences, and improve the Services. Where applicable, this may include issuing or administering a receipt that WIN is legally able to issue. 

  • Marketing and advertising. We may use your personal information for marketing and promotional purposes, such as sending promotional communications. We send commercial electronic messages only where we have consent or another permitted basis under Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL). A purchase or donation is not, by itself, express consent to receive promotional messages. You may unsubscribe using the method provided in the message. If you opt out, we may still send non-promotional messages needed to administer your account, purchase or donation. 

  • Security and fraud prevention. We use personal information to provide a secure payment and shopping experience, detect and investigate suspected fraudulent, illegal, unsafe or malicious activity, and secure the Services. 

  • Communicating with you. We use personal information to respond to your questions, provide customer support and maintain our relationship with you as a customer or donor. 

  • Legal reasons. We use personal information to comply with applicable law or respond to valid legal process, investigate or participate in legal proceedings, and enforce or investigate potential violations of our terms or policies. 

How We Disclose Personal Information 

In certain circumstances, we may disclose your personal information to third parties for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy. These circumstances may include: 

  • With Shopify and service providers who perform services on our behalf, such as payment processing, website hosting, data analytics, customer support, order fulfilment and shipping, where those services are used; 

  • When you direct, request or otherwise consent to our disclosure of certain information to third parties, such as to ship an order or through your use of a third-party feature; 

  • When disclosure is required or permitted by law, including to respond to lawful requests, enforce applicable terms or policies, or protect WIN, the Services or the rights of others; and 

  • In connection with a proposed or completed business or organizational transaction, where permitted by law and subject to appropriate safeguards. 

Relationship with Shopify 

The Services are hosted by Shopify, which collects and processes personal information about your access to and use of the Services in order to provide and improve its platform. Information you submit through the Services will be transmitted to Shopify and may be shared with service providers, which may be located in countries other than where you reside, to provide the Services. Shopify may also process personal information for its own purposes under its privacy practices. WIN remains responsible for its own collection, use and disclosure of personal information. To learn more about how Shopify uses personal information and any rights you may have in relation to information Shopify processes for its own purposes, you can visit the Shopify Consumer Privacy Policy and the Shopify Privacy Portal. 

Third-Party Websites and Links 

The Services may provide links to websites or other online platforms operated by third parties. If you follow links to sites not affiliated with or controlled by WIN, you should review their privacy and security policies and other terms. WIN is not responsible for the privacy or security practices of those sites. Our inclusion of links does not, by itself, imply endorsement of those platforms or their owners or operators. 

Children’s Information 

The Services are not directed to children. If a parent or guardian makes a purchase or donation on a child’s behalf, we collect only the information needed to complete or administer that transaction. If you believe a child has provided personal information to WIN in circumstances where it should not have been collected, please contact WIN’s Privacy Officer using the details below. 

Security and Retention of Your Information 

Please be aware that no security measures are perfect or impenetrable, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. Information you send to us may not be secure while in transit. We recommend that you do not use unsecured channels to communicate sensitive or confidential information. 

How long we retain your personal information depends on whether we need it to provide the Services, administer a purchase or donation, meet legal or accounting requirements, resolve disputes or enforce agreements. 

Your Rights and Choices 

Under British Columbia’s Personal Information Protection Act, you may request access to your personal information that WIN holds and request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information. You may also withdraw consent where consent is the basis for WIN’s collection, use or disclosure, subject to legal requirements. WIN may need to verify your identity before responding and will respond within the time required by law. 

You may ask WIN to delete personal information. WIN will consider the request under applicable law and may need to retain some information to complete a transaction, issue or administer a receipt where applicable, meet legal or accounting requirements, or resolve a dispute. British Columbia law does not provide a general right to have all personal information deleted or transferred to another organization. Additional rights may apply where required by the laws of another jurisdiction. 

You may exercise these rights by contacting WIN’s Privacy Officer using the contact details below. For information Shopify processes for its own purposes, you may use the Shopify Privacy Portal. 

You may unsubscribe from promotional communications at any time using the unsubscribe option in the message. If you opt out, we may still send non-promotional messages about an account, purchase or donation. 

Complaints 

If you have a concern about how WIN processes your personal information, please contact WIN’s Privacy Officer using the details below. If you are not satisfied with WIN’s response, you may contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for British Columbia. 

International Transfers 

Shopify and service providers may transfer, store or process personal information outside British Columbia or Canada. Privacy laws in those locations may differ from the laws where you live. WIN remains responsible for personal information under its control and takes reasonable steps to ensure service providers protect it appropriately. 

Changes to This Privacy Policy 

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our practices or for operational, legal or regulatory reasons. We will post the revised Privacy Policy on this website, update the “Last updated” date and provide notice where required by law. 

Contact 

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, want to exercise a privacy right, or have a privacy concern, please contact WIN’s Privacy Officer at hr@womeninneed.ca. You can find WIN’s other contact details on our Contact Information page.