Privacy Policy

Wendell Cigar Co is a boutique premium cigar retailer located at 209 E Third St, Wendell, North Carolina 27591. We sell premium, small-batch, and boutique cigars through our online store and in-person, and we host curated cigar events and experiences.

We collect information in several ways:

Information You Provide Directly

• Name, email address, phone number, and billing/shipping address when you place an order or create an account
• Date of birth or age confirmation for legal compliance (tobacco sales require age verification)
• Payment information (processed securely — we do not store full card numbers)
• Messages, inquiries, and feedback submitted through contact forms or customer service
• Event registrations, membership sign-ups, and contest entries
• Email address and preferences when you subscribe to our newsletter or promotional communications

Information Collected Automatically

• IP address, browser type, operating system, and device identifiers
• Pages visited, time on site, referring URLs, and click behavior
• Purchase history and browsing activity on our site
• Data collected via cookies, pixels, and other tracking technologies (see Section 4)

Information from Third Parties

• Analytics providers (e.g., Google Analytics)
• Advertising and remarketing platforms (e.g., Meta Pixel, Google Ads)
• Email marketing platforms (e.g., Mailchimp, Klaviyo, or similar)
• Payment processors and fraud prevention services
• Social media platforms when you interact with our pages or use social login

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

We and our third-party partners use cookies, web beacons, pixel tags, session replay tools, and similar tracking technologies on our website. These tools allow us to analyze site traffic, personalize your experience, and deliver targeted advertising.

Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies — Required for basic site functionality such as shopping cart operation, session management, and checkout processing. Cannot be disabled without affecting core functionality.
• Analytics Cookies — Used to understand how visitors interact with our site (e.g., Google Analytics). These collect aggregate, anonymized data about pages visited, time on site, and traffic sources.
• Marketing & Advertising Cookies — Placed by platforms such as Meta (Facebook/Instagram Pixel), Google Ads, and other advertising partners. These track your behavior across websites to deliver relevant ads and measure campaign performance.
• Preference Cookies — Remember your settings and preferences (e.g., age verification status, language).

Your Cookie Choices: You may manage cookie preferences through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to refuse or delete cookies. Note that disabling certain cookies may impair site functionality. You may also opt out of interest-based advertising through the Digital Advertising Alliance or Network Advertising Initiative.

Third-Party Tracking Services

• Google Analytics / Google Ads
• Meta Pixel (Facebook & Instagram)
• Email marketing platform tracking pixels (open rates, click tracking)
• WooCommerce / WordPress analytics
• Elementor analytics features

We use email marketing to communicate with customers and subscribers about new cigar arrivals, exclusive promotions, events, club membership updates, and curated content relevant to the premium cigar lifestyle.

How We Use Your Email

• Sending transactional emails (order confirmations, shipping notifications, receipts)
• Delivering promotional newsletters, product spotlights, and exclusive offers
• Announcing upcoming events, member benefits, and private releases
• Re-engagement campaigns based on purchase history or browsing behavior
• Automated welcome sequences and post-purchase follow-ups

Consent & Opt-In

By providing your email address and checking the subscription box at checkout or sign-up, you consent to receiving marketing emails from Wendell Cigar Co. You may withdraw this consent at any time.

How to Unsubscribe

You may opt out of marketing emails at any time by clicking the Unsubscribe link at the bottom of any marketing email, or by contacting us directly at tucker@wendellcigarco.com. Unsubscribing from marketing emails will not affect your receipt of transactional messages related to active orders.

We do not sell your personal information. We may share your information with trusted third parties in the following circumstances:

• Service Providers: Payment processors, shipping carriers, email marketing platforms, analytics providers, IT and hosting services, and customer support tools — each bound by confidentiality obligations.
• Advertising Partners: We share hashed or pseudonymous identifiers with advertising platforms such as Meta and Google to serve targeted ads and measure campaign effectiveness.
• Legal Requirements: When required by law, court order, or regulatory authority, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Wendell Cigar Co, our customers, or the public.
• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or part of our business, customer data may be transferred as a business asset.
• With Your Consent: For any other purpose with your explicit consent.

Wendell Cigar Co sells tobacco products exclusively to adults. We are legally required to verify that all purchasers are at least 21 years of age in compliance with the federal Tobacco 21 law and North Carolina state law.

• We collect date of birth or age confirmation at checkout and/or account registration
• We may use third-party age verification services that check your provided information against public records
• We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under the age of 21. If we become aware that we have collected such information, we will delete it promptly
• Our website is not intended for, and is not directed at, persons under 21

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Specifically:

• Order and transaction records are retained for a minimum of seven (7) years for tax and accounting purposes
• Account information is retained for the duration of your account and a reasonable period thereafter
• Marketing data is retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion
• Cookie and analytics data retention periods are governed by the respective third-party platforms

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights with respect to your personal information:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: Request that inaccurate or incomplete data be corrected
• Deletion: Request that we delete your personal information, subject to our legal retention obligations
• Opt-Out of Marketing: Unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time
• Opt-Out of Interest-Based Advertising: Use the tools described in Section 4 to limit ad tracking
• Data Portability: Where applicable, receive your data in a portable format
• Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on consent, withdraw it at any time

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at tucker@wendellcigarco.com. We will respond to verified requests within 30 days.

California Residents (CCPA/CPRA)

California residents have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act, including the right to know what personal information is collected, the right to opt out of the "sale" or "sharing" of personal information, and the right to non-discrimination for exercising privacy rights. We do not sell personal information as traditionally defined. However, our use of advertising cookies may constitute "sharing" under California law. You may opt out by adjusting your cookie settings.

North Carolina Residents

North Carolina's Identity Theft Protection Act and other applicable state laws may grant you additional rights. Contact us for details.

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These include SSL/TLS encryption for data in transit, access controls, and secure payment processing through PCI-compliant providers.

No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. In the event of a data breach that affects your rights, we will notify affected individuals as required by applicable law.

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), and partner pages. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party site you visit. We are not responsible for the content, privacy practices, or data handling of third-party websites.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify you by email or a prominent notice on our website.

Your continued use of our website after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

If you have questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please reach out to us through any of the following: