Teapotheca — Privacy Policy
Effective Date: 11/30/2024
Last Updated: 08/19/2026
1. Introduction
Teapotheca (“Teapotheca,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) operates the website located at teapotheca.com (the “Site”), an educational herbal reference library covering herbs, recipes, and related content. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and the choices available to you.
Teapotheca is currently operated as an individual, sole-proprietor project and is not yet organized as a formal business entity. [TO BE UPDATED IF/WHEN AN LLC OR OTHER ENTITY IS FORMED.]
By using the Site, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Site.
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Information You Provide Directly
- Account information: name/username, email address, and password (stored in hashed form) when you register for a free WordPress account or Full Herbarium membership.
- Payment information: when you purchase a Full Herbarium membership, payment is processed by Stripe through our membership plugin (Paid Memberships Pro). We do not directly collect or store full credit card numbers on our servers — Stripe handles and stores this data under its own privacy practices.
- User-generated content: notes you write on saved herbs, recipes, or articles; Collections you create; and Brewing Log entries. This content is private to your account and is not displayed publicly.
- Correspondence: if you contact us directly (e.g., by email), we retain that correspondence and any information you choose to include in it.
2.2 Information Collected Automatically
- Usage and analytics data via Google Analytics, including pages visited, time on page, referring/exit pages, device and browser type, and approximate location (derived from IP address). See Section 5 for more on Google Analytics.
- Cookies and similar technologies used for login sessions, security, caching (via our hosting/caching provider), and analytics. See Section 6 (“Cookies”).
- Standard server log data collected by our hosting provider (Hostinger), such as IP address, browser type, and access timestamps.
2.3 Email Marketing
If you subscribe to updates or opt in to receive emails from us, we use Hostinger Reach to manage and send that email marketing communication. Your email address (and any other information you provide at signup, such as a first name) is stored within Hostinger Reach for this purpose. You may unsubscribe at any time using the link included in every marketing email, or by contacting us directly.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Provide, operate, and maintain the Site and its features, including Discovery filtering, the Herbarium Journal, Collections, and the Brewing Log.
- Create and manage your account, and process Full Herbarium membership purchases and renewals.
- Send transactional communications, such as account confirmations, password resets, and receipts.
- Send marketing or newsletter communications, where you have opted in, via Hostinger Reach.
- Monitor and analyze usage trends and Site performance via Google Analytics, to improve content and functionality.
- Maintain the security and integrity of the Site, including detecting and preventing fraud or abuse.
- Comply with applicable legal obligations.
4. How We Share Your Information
We do not sell your personal information. We share information only in the following circumstances:
- Service providers: with vendors who perform services on our behalf, including Hostinger (hosting and email marketing via Hostinger Reach), Stripe (payment processing), Paid Memberships Pro (membership/subscription management), and Google (analytics via Google Analytics). Each of these providers processes data under its own privacy policy and terms.
- Legal requirements: if required to do so by law, subpoena, or other legal process, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.
- Business transfers: if Teapotheca is ever acquired, merged, or transfers its assets, user information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to the terms of this Policy or a successor policy.
5. Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use the Site. Google Analytics uses cookies and similar technologies to collect and analyze information about Site use. This information may be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States or elsewhere. You can learn more about how Google collects and processes data at Google’s “How Google uses information from sites or apps that use our services” page, and you can opt out of Google Analytics tracking using the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
6. Cookies
Cookies are small text files placed on your device. We use cookies for:
- Essential functions: keeping you logged in, remembering your Discovery filter preferences within a session, and site security.
- Performance/caching: our hosting environment uses caching technology (LiteSpeed Cache) to improve load times; this does not involve tracking individual users for advertising purposes.
- Analytics: as described in Section 5.
Most browsers let you refuse or delete cookies. Doing so may affect certain features of the Site, such as staying logged in or saving Discovery filter preferences.
7. Data Retention
We retain account information, membership records, and user-generated content (notes, Collections, Brewing Log entries) for as long as your account remains active, or as needed to provide the Site’s services. If you delete your account or request deletion (see Section 9), we will delete or anonymize your personal information within a reasonable period, except where we are required to retain it for legal, tax, or accounting purposes (e.g., transaction records related to Stripe payments).
8. Children’s Privacy
The Site is not directed to children under the age of 13 (or the relevant minimum age in your jurisdiction), and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that a child has provided us with personal information without parental consent, we will take steps to delete it.
9. Your Rights and Choices
Depending on your location, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, or export the personal information we hold about you, or to object to or restrict certain processing. To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [INSERT CONTACT EMAIL].
- Account data: you may review and update your account information at any time by logging in.
- Marketing emails: you may unsubscribe at any time via the link in any marketing email sent through Hostinger Reach.
- Account/content deletion: you may request deletion of your account and associated notes, Collections, and Brewing Log entries by contacting us.
10. Data Security
We use commercially reasonable technical and organizational measures designed to protect your personal information, including secure password hashing, HTTPS encryption in transit, and reliance on PCI-compliant payment processing through Stripe for all payment card data. However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
11. Third-Party Links
The Site may contain links to third-party websites, including sourcing/vendor links related to herbs and products. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those third-party sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any site you visit.
12. International Users
The Site is operated from the United States. If you access the Site from outside the United States, your information will be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States, where data protection laws may differ from those in your jurisdiction.
13. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Material changes will be reflected by updating the “Last Updated” date above, and, where appropriate, through a notice on the Site. Your continued use of the Site after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised Policy.
14. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how your information is handled, please contact us at:
- Email: info@teapotheca.com
- Website: teapotheca.com