CCPA & Data Sharing
Learn how the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) may affect your PlanetShopping store, including customer rights, data collection, privacy disclosures and responsible data management.
Purpose
If your business sells products or services to customers in California, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) may apply to your business.
The CCPA gives California residents greater control over how businesses collect, use and share their personal information.
PlanetShopping provides tools to help merchants manage customer information responsibly, but each merchant is responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable privacy laws.
What You’ll Learn
After reading this guide you’ll understand:
- What CCPA is
- Who it applies to
- What customer information may be collected
- Customer privacy rights
- Merchant responsibilities
- Data sharing considerations
- Best practices for privacy compliance
What is CCPA?
The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) is a privacy law that gives California residents greater transparency and control over how businesses collect and use their personal information.
Depending on the size and nature of your business, additional regulations such as the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) may also apply.
If your business serves customers in California, you should understand your privacy obligations and seek legal advice where appropriate.
What Information May Be Collected?
Depending on your store configuration, information may include:
- Customer names
- Email addresses
- Telephone numbers
- Billing addresses
- Shipping addresses
- Order history
- IP addresses
- Device information
- Marketing preferences
- Website usage information
Only collect information that is necessary for operating your business.
Customer Rights
Under the CCPA, eligible California consumers may have rights including:
✔ The right to know what personal information is collected.
✔ The right to request access to their personal information.
✔ The right to request deletion of personal information, subject to legal exceptions.
✔ The right to correct inaccurate information (where applicable).
✔ The right to opt out of certain types of data sharing or selling.
✔ The right not to be discriminated against for exercising privacy rights.
Merchants should have processes in place to respond to these requests within applicable legal timeframes.
Understanding Data Sharing
Businesses often work with trusted service providers to operate their stores.
Examples may include:
- Payment processing
- Shipping providers
- Email marketing platforms
- Analytics services
- Customer support systems
Before sharing customer information, merchants should understand:
- Why the information is needed.
- Whether the provider has appropriate privacy safeguards.
- Whether customer consent is required.
- Whether privacy disclosures accurately describe these relationships.
Merchant Responsibilities
Merchants should:
- Publish a clear Privacy Policy.
- Explain how customer information is collected and used.
- Honour customer privacy requests where required.
- Maintain appropriate security measures.
- Keep customer information accurate.
- Regularly review privacy practices.
- Work only with reputable service providers.
Responsible data management helps build customer confidence and trust.
Best Practices
✔ Collect only necessary information.
✔ Be transparent about how customer data is used.
✔ Keep customer information secure.
✔ Review third-party integrations regularly.
✔ Train staff on privacy responsibilities.
✔ Keep privacy documentation up to date.
✔ Review legal requirements as privacy laws evolve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does CCPA apply to every online business?
Not necessarily.
Applicability depends on several factors, including where your customers are located and the nature and size of your business. If you’re unsure, seek independent legal advice.
Does PlanetShopping sell customer information?
No.
PlanetShopping does not sell customer information.
Merchants should ensure that any sharing of customer information is lawful, transparent and consistent with their Privacy Policy.
Can customers request a copy of their information?
Yes.
Where applicable, customers may request access to their personal information.
Can customers request deletion?
Yes.
However, merchants may still be legally required to retain certain records for accounting, taxation or fraud prevention purposes.
Do I need to update my Privacy Policy?
Yes.
If your business is subject to the CCPA, your Privacy Policy should accurately explain what information is collected, why it is collected, how it is used and the rights available to customers.
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Important Notice
This article provides general information about the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and related privacy practices.
It is not legal advice.
Privacy laws vary depending on your location, industry and business activities. Merchants should seek independent legal advice to ensure they comply with all applicable laws and regulations.
Ready to Learn More?
Protecting customer privacy helps build trust and supports long-term business success.
Continue with: Notification Variables Explained to learn how PlanetShopping uses dynamic variables in automated emails and customer notifications.
Privacy laws vary between countries and regions. This article provides general guidance only and should not be considered legal advice.