Security, Privacy & Compliance
How does ShopIQ handle customer data?
Summary
ShopIQ helps merchants manage customer and order data required for ecommerce operations. Merchants remain responsible for using customer data lawfully, protecting customer information, following privacy obligations, and ensuring customer communication is based on proper consent and applicable rules.
Who this is for: Merchants who collect customer details through their ShopIQ store and want to understand privacy and data responsibility.
What customer data is collected?
Customer data may be collected when customers browse, place orders, contact the merchant, track orders, request refunds, initiate cancellations, or interact with connected apps. This may include customer name, phone number, email address, shipping address, billing address, order details, payment status, delivery details, return or refund requests, communication history where available, campaign interaction data where connected, and website activity data where analytics tools are connected. The exact data depends on the store setup and connected apps.
Why is customer data used?
- Processing orders
- Delivering products
- Sending order updates
- Managing payments, refunds, and returns
- Providing customer support
- Sending approved customer communication
- Running campaigns where consent and rules allow
- Analyzing business performance
Merchants should use customer data only for legitimate business purposes.
Who is responsible for customer data?
The merchant is responsible for customer data usage. This includes collecting data lawfully, using data for valid purposes, following privacy laws, managing customer consent, protecting customer information, avoiding spam, honoring opt-out requests, using third-party apps responsibly, and keeping customer communication accurate and respectful. ShopIQ provides the software platform and workflows, but the merchant remains responsible for how they use customer data in their business.
Can connected apps access customer data?
Yes, some connected apps may access customer-related data depending on their purpose and permissions. For example, payment gateways may process payment and checkout information, logistics providers may receive shipping details, WhatsApp providers may process customer communication, analytics tools may track website activity, ad platforms may receive event or conversion data, and marketplace integrations may exchange order or product data. Each third-party provider has its own data policies, security practices, and compliance obligations.
Can merchants export customer data?
Yes. ShopIQ supports export of customer data. Merchants should protect exported customer data carefully and use it only in accordance with applicable privacy obligations.
Can merchants use customer data for marketing?
Merchants may use customer data for marketing only when they have the required consent and legal basis to do so. WhatsApp campaigns, email campaigns, SMS campaigns, remarketing, and ad audiences may have consent, opt-out, and platform policy requirements. Merchants should avoid sending messages to customers who have not consented or who have opted out.
What should be included in a privacy policy?
- What customer data is collected and why
- How the data is used
- Which third-party providers may process data
- How customers can contact the merchant
- How customers can request changes or deletion where applicable
- Marketing communication rules
- Data retention and security practices
- Cookies, tracking, and analytics usage where applicable
Merchants should consult a legal professional for privacy policy accuracy.
Customer data is sensitive business information. Merchants should protect it carefully, use it responsibly, and avoid unnecessary sharing.