Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy describes how and when I collect, use, and share information when you purchase an item from Explorer Factory, contact me, or otherwise use my services through Etsy.com or its related sites and services. Since I am based in Switzerland and sell to the EU and beyond, this policy is designed to comply with the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (nDSG) and the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

1. Personal Information I Collect

To fulfill your order, you must provide me with certain information (which you authorized Etsy to provide to me), such as:

• Your name, email address, and postal address.
• Payment information (processed by Etsy; I do not see your full credit card details).
• The details of the product you’re ordering (specifically, the coordinates or location you provide for customization).

2. Why I Need Your Information and How I Use It

I rely on a number of legal bases to collect, use, and share your information, including:

• Contractual Necessity: To provide my services, such as when I use your information to fulfill your order, to settle disputes, or to provide customer support.
• Compliance with Laws: If necessary to comply with a legal obligation or court order, such as retaining information about your purchases if required by Swiss tax law (Art. 957 ff. OR).
• Legitimate Interests: To improve my services and comply with the Etsy Seller Policy and Terms of Use.

3. Information Sharing and Disclosure

Information about my customers is important to my business. I share your personal information for very limited reasons:

• Etsy: I share information with Etsy as necessary to provide you my services and comply with my obligations under the Etsy Seller Policy.
• Service Providers: I engage certain trusted third parties to perform functions and provide services to my shop, specifically Print-on-Demand partners (e.g., Printful) and shipping carriers. I share your name and address with these partners only to the extent necessary to perform these services.
• Data Processing: I use the address provided to determine geographic coordinates and generate custom map designs. This process is handled internally or via secure design tools; your specific personal address is not shared with the OpenStreetMap Foundation.
• International Data Transfers: As I use Print-on-Demand partners based in the USA, your data may be transferred to and processed in a country outside of Switzerland or the EEA. I rely on the Swiss-U.S. Data Privacy Framework or Standard Contractual Clauses to ensure your data is protected according to Swiss and EU standards.
• Compliance with Laws: I may share your information if I have a good faith belief that it is reasonably necessary to respond to legal processes, government requests, or to protect the rights, property, and safety of my customers.

4. Data Retention

I retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to provide you with my services. However, I am required to retain certain information (invoices/records) to comply with Swiss legal and regulatory obligations, typically for 10 years.

5. Your Rights

If you reside in certain territories, including the EU and Switzerland, you have the right to:

• Access: Receive a copy of the personal information I hold about you.
• Change, restrict, delete: You may have rights to change, restrict my use of, or delete your personal information (absent legal requirements for me to keep it).
• Complain: If you wish to raise a concern about my use of your information, you have the right to do so with your local data protection authority.

6. Data Controller & Contact

For the purposes of Swiss and EU data protection laws, the data controller is Explorer Factory, represented by Raphael Senft.

If you have any questions regarding your data, or wish to exercise your rights (access, correction, or deletion), please contact us directly at: hello@explorerfactory.com.