Privacy policy.

This policy explains what information Great Lakes Fudge Company (“we”, “us”) collects through this website, how we use it, and the choices you have. We’re a small family business in Monroe, Michigan. We do not sell your personal information, and we don’t use it for targeted advertising.

What we collect

When you order

Our online shop and checkout are run by Ecwid by Lightspeed. When you order, they collect the details needed to fill your order: your name, email address, phone number, delivery and billing address, what you ordered, and any notes you add. We receive these details to make and deliver your order.

Payments are handled by Stripe and PayPal (including Venmo). Your card or account details go straight to them. We never see or store your full card number.

When you post a review

We collect the name you enter, the location you add (optional), your star rating, your review, what you tried (optional) and any photos you add. Reviews are public: your name, location, review and photos are shown on this website. Before a photo is uploaded, our form re-saves it, which removes hidden details such as the GPS location where it was taken, and our server removes them again.

When you contact us

If you call, text or email us, we keep what you send so we can answer you and help with your order.

Collected automatically

• Our web host, Netlify, processes your IP address and basic browser information to deliver the website and protect it from attacks.
• To stop spam on the review form, we keep a scrambled code made from your IP address (not the address itself) for about two days.
• Ecwid, Stripe and PayPal collect device and usage information to run the checkout and prevent fraud.
• Ecwid also counts visits and shop activity (for example, which products are viewed or added to the cart) and shows us summary reports. It uses an ID stored in your browser for this.
• Our pages use fonts from Google Fonts, so Google receives your IP address when the fonts load.
• If we turn on the “I’m human” check on the review form, Cloudflare Turnstile collects browser signals to tell people from bots.

Apart from Ecwid’s shop reports, we don’t use analytics, advertising pixels or social-media tracking tools on this website.

Cookies and browser storage

• Our pages save in your browser: the fudge box you’re building (so it isn’t lost if you refresh), your order for the moment it’s handed to the cart, and whether you closed the cookie notice.
• Our shop and payment providers (Ecwid, Stripe, PayPal) use cookies and browser storage to run the cart and checkout, keep your store account signed in, prevent fraud (for example Stripe’s “__stripe_mid” and “__stripe_sid” cookies), and, for Ecwid, count shop visits for our reports.
• We don’t use advertising cookies. You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings, but the cart and checkout may not work if you do.

How we use information

• To make, deliver and arrange pickup of your order, and to contact you about it.
• To answer your questions.
• To show reviews on our website.
• To keep the website secure and stop spam and fraud.
• To keep business and tax records and follow the law.

Who we share information with

Only with companies that help us run our business, for the purposes above:

• Ecwid by Lightspeed (online shop, checkout and order records)
• Stripe and PayPal / Venmo (payments)
• Netlify (website hosting and storing reviews)
• Google (website fonts)
• Cloudflare (the review form’s spam check, if turned on)
• Delivery carriers such as the U.S. Postal Service, if your order is shipped

We may also share information if the law requires it, or to protect our customers, our business or others from fraud or harm. Each of these companies handles information under its own privacy policy.

Tracking by other companies, and Do Not Track

We don’t track you across other websites. When you use the shop and checkout, Ecwid and the payment companies may collect information about your online activity over time and across different websites, as described in their own privacy policies. Because our website doesn’t do cross-site tracking, it doesn’t change how it works when your browser sends a “Do Not Track” signal.

How long we keep information

• Order records: as long as needed for our business and tax records (usually up to 7 years).
• Reviews: until you ask us to remove yours, or we remove it under our review rules.
• Scrambled IP codes used against spam: about two days.
• Messages you send us: as long as needed to help you.

Your choices

You can ask us to show you, correct or delete the personal information we have about you, or to remove a review you posted. Contact us at greatlakesfudgecompany@gmail.com or call or text 734-693-3836. We’ll answer within 30 days. We may need to confirm it’s really you, and we may need to keep some order records the law requires. If you have a store account, you can also update your details in the shop under “My Account”. If you ever get a marketing email from us, you can unsubscribe at any time.

Children

This website isn’t meant for children under 13, and we don’t knowingly collect information from them. You must be 13 or older to post a review. If you believe a child under 13 has given us information, contact us and we’ll delete it.

Security

The whole website uses a secure, encrypted connection (https). Payments are handled by Stripe and PayPal, which meet the payment card industry’s security standard (PCI DSS). We limit who can access customer information. No system is perfectly secure, but if a problem ever affected your information, we’d tell you as the law requires.

Where we operate

We’re based in Michigan, USA, and sell to customers in Michigan.

Changes to this policy

If we change this policy, we’ll update the date at the top of this page. If a change is important, we’ll also say so on the website.

Contact us

Great Lakes Fudge Company, Monroe, Michigan
Email: greatlakesfudgecompany@gmail.com
Phone or text: 734-693-3836