This Privacy Policy (“Privacy Policy”) describes the data collection, use, sharing and protection practices of Automation Empire LLC (“Automation Empire,” the “Company,” “we,” “our,” “us”) and applies to www.automationempire.com, as well as any subdomains thereof, associated mobile apps (including the Trod App) and associated private-access social media forums (such as the “Tommy’s Amazon Empire” Facebook group) (collectively, the “Website”), which we own and/or maintain, and includes any content, products or services made available through the Website. We refer to the information, products and services made available through the Website as “Services” in this Privacy Policy. We use the words “you” and “your” to mean you, the reader, and other visitors to our Website and users of our Services who are, in all cases, over the age of 18. This age requirement is discussed in more detail later in this Privacy Policy.
By visiting the Website and requesting or purchasing Services through the Website, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy, as they may be amended from time to time. As the Company updates or expands the Website or Services, this Privacy Policy may change and the changes are effective upon posting. Please check back frequently for updates as it is your sole responsibility to be aware of changes. Typically, we will indicate the effective/amendment date at the end of this Privacy Policy. If we feel it is appropriate, or if the law requires, we will also provide a summary of changes we’ve made near the end of the new Privacy Policy. We do not provide notice of changes in any manner other than by posting the changes at this Website. This Privacy Policy is incorporated into, and part of, the Website Terms and Conditions of Use (the “Terms”) which govern your use of the Website in general. The Website is primarily intended for users who are located in the United States of America, and this Privacy Policy shall be interpreted under the laws of the United States.
THE INFORMATION WE COLLECT
Automation Empire obtains information about you when you use our Services. Please note that we need certain types of information so that we can provide Services to you. If you do not provide us with such information, or ask us to delete it, you may no longer be able to access or use all or part of our Services.
- Information You Voluntarily Provide to Us
Automation Empire collects information directly from you in a variety of ways, including:
- The account registration process and the administration of your account;
- Receiving the questions, communications, or feedback you submit to us via email or online forms;
- Your participation in research and surveys; and
- Requests you submit for customer support and technical assistance, including through online chat functions, message, and text messages.
Automation Empire collects the following types of information directly from you:
- Name, mailing address, telephone number and email address;
- Billing information, such as credit or debit card number, bank account and routing numbers, and identity verification information that is collected though our payment processors on our behalf;
- Demographic information (such as language preference, gender and age);
- Log-in credentials;
- Information about purchases or other transactions with Automation Empire;
- Information about your customer service and maintenance interactions with us;
- User-generated content you post in public online forums on our Services; and
- Any other information you choose to directly provide to us in connection with you use of the Services.
- Information We Collect Through Automated Means
Automation Empire and our services providers (third-party companies that work on our behalf) use a variety of technologies to assist in collecting information about your use of the Services and the devices you use to access the Services.
Visitor Data. When you use our Website, we collect information that will help us understand and analyze your experience interacting with our Services. For example, we may collect information related to domain names, the type of browsers used to access the Services, operating system software, browser plug-ins, cookie preferences, search engine keywords, the pages you viewed and amount of time spent on particular pages, terms you use in you searches on our Website, and similar information.
Location Information. When you access the Website or use our Services, we and our service providers may automatically collect general location information (e.g., IP address, city/state and or postal code associated with an IP address) from your computer or mobile device. This information allows us to enable access to content that varies based on a user’s general location.
Cookies. “Cookies” are a feature in your browser software. If enabled, we, or our service providers, may write cookies that may store small amounts of data on your computer about your visit to any of the pages of the Website. Cookies assist us in tracking which of our features appeal the most to you and what content you may have viewed on past visits. When you visit this Website again, cookies can enable us to customize our content according to your preferences.
We may use cookies to:
- keep track of the number of return visits to this Website;
- accumulate and report aggregate, statistical information on Website usage;
- deliver specific content to you based on your interests or past viewing history; and
- save your password for ease of access to the Website.
You can disable cookies, although the Website may not function properly for you. Your browser preferences can be modified to accept or reject all cookies, or request a notification when a cookie is set. You may read more about cookies at http://cookiecentral.com. In order to use all of the features and functionality of our Website, you need to accept cookies.
Web Beacons. A web beacon, sometimes called tracking pixels, is a programming code that can be used to display an image on a web page, but can also be used to transfer your unique user identification to a database and associate you with previously acquired information about an individual in a database. This allows Automation Empire and our third-party service providers to track certain websites you visit. Web beacons are used to track online behavioral habits for marketing purposes to determine products or services you may be interested in. In addition to using web beacons on web pages, we also use web beacons in email messages sent to individuals listed in Automation Empire’s database.
Other Online Tools. Automation Empire may also use a web server log or an SDK. A webserver log is a file where website activity is stored. An SDK is a set of tools and/or code that we embed in our software to allow third parties to collect information about how people interact with our Services.
As we continue to develop the Website and our Services, Automation Empire may implement additional methods to gather information about our community of users.
- Information We Collect from Social Media and Other Content Platforms
Automation Empire maintains a presence on a variety of social media platforms. When you “like” or “follow” us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok, or other social media platforms, we may collect some information about you. This information includes your name, email address, any comments or content you post that is relevant to Automation Empire. Likewise, if you request admittance and are subsequently admitted to the “Tommy’s Amazon Empire” private Facebook group (the “FB Group”), we collect information about you (such as your Facebook display name, your Facebook URL, your friends list, your photos and other posted content, etc.). We also collect your information if you sign up for a promotion or enter a giveaway and submit information to us through one of our social media accounts and/or a social media account belonging to one of our marketing partners.
Information you post on the FB Group page will not be treated as confidential, and, therefore, users should not disclose any confidential, proprietary, or sensitive business or financial information. In fact, since any information posted in the FB Group may be downloaded, screen-grabbed, reproduced, and disseminated without your knowledge, you are advised to use extreme care when posting or sending such information.
HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION
The following paragraphs describe how Automation Empire uses your information in connection with our Services.
General Use. Automation Empire will use your information as necessary to carry out and manage its Services. This includes, using your information to verify and administer your account, including processing payments and fulfilling orders (if applicable) and communicating with Amazon representatives on your store’s behalf. We will use your information to communicate with you about the Services, your use of the Services, or your inquiries related to the Services. Automation Empire will use your information to ensure that content from our Services is presented in the most effective manner for you and for your computer or device, allowing you to participate in interactive features of our Services (when you choose to do so), and as part of our efforts to keep our Services safe and secure.
Improving our Services. Automation Empire continuously seeks to improve its Services. To do so, we conduct research to understand the effectiveness of our Services, improve our Services, and to better understand the Automation Empire community. If we publish the results of our research to others, such research will be presented in a de-identified and aggregate form such that individual users cannot be identified.
Promotional Communications. We will use your personal information to communicate with you by email, FreshDesk, postal mail, phone, or text message about surveys, promotions, special events or our products and Services and those of our affiliates or third-party partners, and any of their related businesses. By creating an account and using this Website, you are giving your express permission to Automation Empire and our agents or vendors the right to contact you with targeted advertising materials by email, text message (SMS), telephone or Internet voice app (including the use of automated, predictive, programmable, or similar “robodialers” or other dialing software), or any other means of communication to provide promotional offers. To the extent applicable, you expressly acknowledge that you are solely responsible for all charges billed by your mobile service provider. If you no longer wish to receive promotional communications by email, please follow the unsubscribe link located at the end of the email message you receive from us.
Marketing/Performance Analysis & Data Analytics. We will use your information to help us better understand your interests and needs, such as by engaging in analysis and research regarding use of the Services. We may use your information to measure or understand the effectiveness of advertising and content we serve to you and others, and to deliver and customize relevant advertising and content to you.
Combined Information. For the purposes discussed in this Privacy Policy, we may combine the information that we collect through the Services with information that we receive from other sources, both online and offline, and use and share such combined information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
Aggregate/De-Identified Data. We may aggregate and/or de-identify any information collected through the Services so that such information can no longer be linked to you or your device (“Aggregate/De-Identified Information”). We may use Aggregate/De-Identified Information for any purpose, including for research and marketing purposes, and may also share such data with any third parties, including advertisers, promotional partners, and sponsors.
DATA ANALYTICS AND ADVERTISING
- Data Analytics
We may use third-party web analytics services—such as those of Google Analytics (including Google Signals, Google User-ID, and other Google Analytics features) and MixPanel—as part of our Services to collect and analyze usage information through cookies and similar tools; engage in auditing, research, or reporting; assist with fraud prevention; try to locate the same unique users across multiple browsers or devices to better tailor services and features; and provide certain features to you. If you have a Google account with personalized advertising enabled, through Google Signals, Google will also be able to gather for us analytics and engagement information from across the various devices you use to access the Services. To prevent Google from using your information for analytics (including cross-device tracking for personalization purposes), you may install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on by clicking here. To opt out of Google Signals, please open your “Settings” app, locate and tap “Google,” select “Ads,” and turn ON “Opt out of Ads Personalization.” You may also be able to disable cross-device tracking through your Android or Apple device-based settings.
If you receive email from us, we (or our marketing partners) may use certain analytics tools, such as clear GIFs to capture data such as when you open our message or click on any links or banners our email contains. This data allows us to gauge the effectiveness of our communications and marketing campaigns.
- Online Advertising
The Services may integrate third-party advertising technologies (e.g., ad networks and ad servers such as Facebook, Google Ad Words, Criteo and others) that use cookies and other technologies to deliver relevant content and advertising for products on the Services, as well as on other websites you visit and other applications you use. The ads may be based on various factors such as the content of the page you are visiting, information you enter such as your searches, demographic data, and other information we collect from you. These ads may be based on your current activity or your activity over time and across other websites and online services.
We sometimes provide our customer information (such as email addresses) to service providers, who may “match” this information in de-identified form to cookies (or mobile ad identifiers) and other proprietary IDs, in order to provide you with more relevant ads when you visit other websites and mobile applications.
We neither have access to, nor does this Privacy Policy govern, the use of cookies or other tracking technologies that may be placed on your device you use to access the Services by non-affiliated third-party advertising network services. If you are interested in more information about tailored browser advertising and how you can generally control cookies from being put on your computer to deliver tailored advertising, you may visit the Network Advertising Initiative’s Consumer Opt-Out link, the Digital Advertising Alliance’s Consumer Opt-Out link, or the Your Online Choices link to opt-out of receiving tailored advertising from companies that participate in those programs. If you are interested in more information about Criteo’s privacy practices or opting-out of Criteo’s advertising services, you may view their Privacy Policy here. To opt out of Google Analytics for display advertising or customize Google display network ads, visit the Google Ads Settings page. We do not control these opt-out links or whether any particular company chooses to participate in these opt-out programs. We are not responsible for any choices you make using these mechanisms or the continued availability or accuracy of these mechanisms.
Please note that if you exercise the opt-out choices above, you will still see advertising when you use the Services, but it will not be tailored to you based on your online behavior over time.
- Mobile Advertising
When using mobile applications from us or others (including our proprietary TRod App), you may also receive tailored in-application advertisements. We may use third-party service providers to deliver advertisements on mobile applications or for mobile application analytics. Each operating system, iOS for Apple phones, Android for Android devices, and Windows for Microsoft devices provides its own instructions on how to prevent the delivery of tailored in-application advertisements. We do not control how the applicable platform operator allows you to control receiving personalized in-application advertisements; thus, you should contact the platform provider for further details on opting out of tailored in-application advertisements. You may review the support materials and/or the device settings for the respective operating systems to opt-out of tailored in-app advertisements.
- Email Marketing
By submitting your email address through the Website and/or when signing up for our Services, you are expressly consenting to receive emails from Automation Empire, including from our marketing partners and affiliates, and from third parties concerning offers and advertisements which may be unrelated to Automation Empire. To opt-out of receiving email messages from us, from our affiliates or from other third parties, click on the “Unsubscribe” link contained in each email. Please allow up to ten (10) business days for us to process your request. Please note if you decide not to receive marketing emails from us, you may still receive transactional email messages regarding the Services and any fees due in connection therewith. If you have questions or concerns regarding this provision, please contact us at support@automationempire.com.
- Notice Concerning Do Not Track
Do Not Track (“DNT”) is a privacy preference that users can set in certain web browsers. Tracking is not the same as using or collecting information in connection with a website. For purposes of this Privacy Policy, tracking refers to collecting personally identifiable information from consumers who use or visit a website or online service as they move across different websites over time. We are committed to providing you with meaningful choices about the information collected on our website for third-party purposes, and that is why we provide the variety of opt-out mechanisms listed above. However, we do not currently recognize or respond to browser-initiated DNT signals. To learn more about Do Not Track, please review the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s helpful guide, found here.
HOW WE SHARE YOUR INFORMATION
Automation Empire may share your information in the following ways:
Affiliates & Related Business Entities. We may share the information we collect with our marketing partners, affiliates or related business entities for the purposes of delivering products or Services to you, improving such products and Services, ensuring a consistent level of customer support, and enhancing your customer experience.
Service Providers and Third-Party Vendors. We provide access to or share your information with select third parties who use the information to perform services on our behalf. These third parties provide a variety of services to us, including billing, sales, marketing, advertising, analytics, research, customer service, shipping and fulfillment, data storage, IT and security, fraud prevention, payment processing, accounting, auditing and legal services.
Legal Compliance. By using the Services, you acknowledge and agree that we may access, retain, and disclose information we collect and maintain about you if reasonably necessary to comply with a subpoena or court order, to enforce our Terms and Conditions of Use, this Privacy Policy, or our legal rights.
Business Transfers. As our Company continues to grow, we may buy, merge, or partner with other companies. In such transactions, your information may be among the assets that are transferred.
Public Forums. Certain features of our Services make it possible for you to share comments and reviews publicly with other users. Any information that you submit through such features is not confidential, and we may use it for any purpose (including in testimonials or other marketing materials). For example, if you submit a product review on the Website or the FB Group, we may display your review (along with the name provided, if any) on other websites or social media profiles under our control, as well as on third-party websites. Any information you post openly in these ways will be available to the public at large and potentially accessible through third-party search engines. Accordingly, please take care when using these features.
Anything that you submit or post to the Website, including (without limitation) photographs, testimonials, ideas, know-how, techniques, questions, reviews, comments, and suggestions (collectively, “Submissions”) is and will be treated as non-confidential and nonproprietary, and we shall have the royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable and transferable right to use, copy, distribute, display, publish, perform, sell, lease, transmit, adapt, and create derivative works from such Submissions by any means and in any form, and to translate, modify, reverse-engineer, disassemble, or decompile such Submissions. You represent and warrant that you are the owner or have sufficient rights to share the Submissions with us. All Submissions shall automatically become our sole and exclusive property and shall not be returned to you.
Aggregate/De-Identified Information. We reserve the right to create Aggregate/De-Identified Data from the information we collect through the services and our sharing of such Aggregate/De-Identified Data is in our sole discretion.
THIRD-PARTY LINKS AND CONTENT
The Website, Automation Empire’s social media profiles, our individual officers’ Instagram stories, and email messages that you receive from Automation Empire may sometimes contain hypertext links to the websites of third parties. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such other websites. Linked websites may contain links to websites maintained by third parties. Such links are provided for your convenience and reference only. We do not operate or control in any respect any information, software, products or services available on such third-party websites. The inclusion of a link to a website does not imply any endorsement of the services or the site, its contents, or its sponsoring organization.
DATA SECURITY
We will implement reasonable and appropriate security procedures consistent with prevailing industry standards to protect data from unauthorized access by physical and electronic intrusion. Unfortunately, no data transmission over the Internet or method of data storage can be guaranteed 100% secure. Therefore, while we strive to protect your personal information by following generally accepted industry standards, we cannot ensure or warrant the absolute security of any information you transmit to us or archive at this Website. We urge you to take every precaution to protect your personal and financial data when you are using the Internet.
SUBMITTING INFORMATION FROM OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES
We control and operate the online and mobile resources from within the United States of America. Information collected through the Website and Services may be stored and processed in the United States or any other country in which we or our vendors maintain facilities. Although we do not actively block or monitor visitors from other countries, the Website is directed only at visitors from the United States. As such, this Privacy Policy is consistent with U.S. law and practice and is not adapted to other laws (including European data security and privacy laws). Automation Empire will apply the applicable laws of the U.S. including as embodied in this Privacy Policy in place of data protections under your home country’s law. That is, you freely and unambiguously acknowledge that this Privacy Policy, not your home country’s laws, controls how we will collect, store, process, and transfer your personal information. Similarly, the English language version of this Privacy Policy is the controlling version regardless of any translation you may attempt.
DATA PRIVACY AND PROTECTION LAWS: THE CCPA AND GDPR
Privacy and data protection laws vary around the world and among the several United States. Some of those laws are more specific than others. Most prominently, residents of California and data subjects whose personal information was obtained from them while they were in the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, and Switzerland have certain additional rights in cases where the party collecting that information is governed by the applicable law. We have reviewed our business operations and data-related business practices with legal counsel in the context of the General Data Protection Regulation under European Law also known as the “GDPR” and the California Consumer Privacy Act (the “CCPA”). As a result of that review, as of the effective date of this Privacy Policy, we do not believe we are governed by either the GDPR or CCPA.
We do not, for instance, collect personal information from data subjects in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, nor elsewhere abroad. Similarly, we do not target or tailor our Website or Services or any of our other U.S.-based business activities to appeal to, or specifically attempt to do business in those jurisdictions. With regard to California, although we may transact business within the state, we do not meet any of the various statutory thresholds and criteria that would bring us under the purview of the CCPA.
For general visitors, consumers and regulators who have questions about whether or how the GDPR, CCPA or other industry- or jurisdiction-specific laws apply to us, you can contact us using the contact information below.
CHILDREN’S PRIVACY
Federal law imposes special restrictions and obligations on commercial website operators who direct their operations toward, and collect and use information from children under the age of 13. We take those age-related requirements very seriously and, consistent with them, do not intend for our Website or Services to be used by children under the age of 18, and certainly not by anyone under the age of 13. Moreover, we do not knowingly collect personal information from minors under the age of 18. If we become aware that anyone under the age of 18 has submitted personal information to us via our Website or Services, we will delete that information and not use it for any purpose whatsoever. We encourage parents and legal guardians to talk with their children about the potential risks of providing personal information over the Internet. If you become aware that your child has provided us with personal information without your consent, you are urged to email us at support@automationempire.com.
YOUR RIGHTS
You may exercise certain rights regarding your information processed or collected by us. In particular: (i) you have the right to withdraw consent where you have previously given your consent to the processing of your information; (ii) you have the right to object to the processing of your information if the processing is carried out on a legal basis other than consent; (iii) you have the right to learn if information is being processed by us, obtain disclosure regarding certain aspects of the processing and obtain a copy of the information undergoing processing; (iv) you have the right to verify the accuracy of your information and ask for it to be updated or corrected; (v) you have the right, under certain circumstances, to restrict the processing of your information, in which case, we will not process your information for any purpose other than storing it; (vi) you have the right, under certain circumstances, to obtain the erasure of your personal information from/by us; and (vii) you have the right to receive your information in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format and, if technically feasible, to have it transmitted to another controller without any hindrance. This provision will apply provided that your information is processed by automated means and that the processing is based on your consent, on a contract which you are part of or on pre-contractual obligations thereof.
CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY STATEMENT
We reserve the right to change or update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Please check our Website periodically for such changes since all information collected is subject to the Privacy Policy in place at the time of collection. Typically, we will indicate the effective/amendment date at the beginning of this Privacy Policy. If we feel it is appropriate, or if the law requires, we’ll also provide a summary of changes we’ve made near the end of the new Privacy Policy.
CONTACT US
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at:
Automation Empire LLC
1800 Second Street, Suite 884
Sarasota, FL 34236
Phone: (888) 220-6679
Email: support@automationempire.com