Category: Data Privacy for Makers

If you’ve been following the steps to get up to speed on data privacy, your final step is to update (or create) your shop’s Privacy Policy.

Do I need a Privacy Policy if I only sell on Etsy?

All shops should have their own privacy policy, even if only you sell on Etsy or don’t even have an email list! If you run a business with customers, you handle personal data.

Do I need a Privacy Policy if I’m not worried about the GDPR?

Yes, you should have your own privacy policy even if you don’t think the GDPR applies to you or if you’re not worried about it. Here’s why:

1. Customers are expecting more transparency and honesty, regardless of the law.
2. Other privacy laws almost certainly apply that require a privacy policy. “GDPR standards” should work for these too (though seek legal advice if you’re unsure).
3. Certain features in Google Analytics (and other tools) require notices that Etsy doesn’t cover in their own privacy policy, such as Advertising Features.

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We’re used to asking people to sign up to newsletters and email lists. We might need to tweak how we do it and refine our “consent process”. But the basics stay the same:

People actively send us their details.

But personalized advertising and analytics happened in the background. No questions asked.

Until now!

This article is all about asking for user consent. You will still need to update (or create) your privacy policy for all the advertising and analytics tools you use, even if you aren’t required to collect consent for all of them.

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Google “email marketing best practices” and you’ll get millions of results.

Literally.

But also unsurprisingly. The internet is chock full of marketers wanting to tell you how to write can’t-say-no subject lines and make-money-while-you-sleep drip campaigns.

But what about the basic email best practices? You know: how to send emails that are legal and ethical.

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Just like you need to have a basic understanding about tax laws and business registration laws, you need to get the gist of how to keep your customers’ details safe and secure.

Understanding your obligations will help you:

• Know what information you can ask for and how to ask for more.
• Deal with any customer requests about their data.
• Make sure you’re telling them the right information during checkout and in your privacy policy.
• Vet the tools and services you use to make sure they help you stay compliant.
• Inform your customers if they might be affected by a security breach in any of the systems you use.

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Before you can take any action — update your privacy policy, add a new opt-in box or change your consent process — you need to know what data you currently collect and what you do with it.

Luckily, it doesn’t need to take you all day. It’s just a simple record of the different sources of people’s information, where you store it and what you do with it.

In fact, you can do it with just 7 questions!

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Get to know your obligations as a business owner, for the data you collect and store for your customers, contacts and website visitors.

The legal side of business is boring.

Super, incredibly, put-you-to-sleep boring.

So boring this article needs a disclaimer!

But there are very good reasons to stay on the right side of the law – including some you might not expect!

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