This Privacy Policy describes how Applique Threads (I-8 Markaz, Islamabad, Pakistan) collects, uses, and protects your personal information when you visit appliquethreads.com or make a purchase from us.

By using our website, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. We are committed to protecting your privacy and will never misuse your personal data.

We only collect information that is necessary to process your orders and provide a great shopping experience.

We use the information we collect only for legitimate purposes related to running our business and serving you better:

• Processing, confirming, and dispatching your orders efficiently
• Sending order confirmations, tracking updates, and delivery notifications via SMS or WhatsApp
• Responding to your customer service queries and resolving complaints
• Handling returns, exchanges, and refunds smoothly
• Sending promotional messages and offers — only when you have opted in
• Improving our website, products, and overall shopping experience
• Detecting and preventing fraud to protect the security of our platform

We Will Never:

• Sell or rent your personal information to third parties — under any circumstances
• Share your data with advertisers or marketing companies for their own gain
• Use your information for any purpose beyond what this policy states
• Contact you without your permission for reasons unrelated to your order
• Store your full payment card details anywhere on our systems

We only share your information with trusted partners who help us run our business. We never share more than what is strictly necessary:

• Courier Partners (TCS, LCS, Trax) — Your name, phone number, and delivery address are shared to fulfil delivery of your order.
• Payment Processors — Your payment details are processed securely by our gateways (JazzCash, Easypaisa). We do not store card details.
• Website Platform (WooCommerce / WordPress) — Stores order and account data to manage the online store.
• Analytics Tools — Anonymised data may be processed by Google Analytics to help us understand how visitors use our site.

Cookies are small text files saved on your device when you visit our website. We use cookies to improve your browsing experience and understand how visitors use our site.

• Essential Cookies — Required for the website to function — keeping items in your cart and maintaining your login session. These cannot be turned off.
• Analytics Cookies — Help us understand which pages are popular. All data is anonymised so it never identifies you personally.
• Marketing Cookies — Used to show you relevant ads on platforms like Facebook and Instagram based on your previous visits.

We take the security of your personal data seriously and have put in place appropriate technical and organisational measures to guard against unauthorised access, data loss, or misuse.

• Our website runs on SSL encryption (HTTPS), protecting all data between your browser and our server
• We store passwords in encrypted form only — our team never sees them in plain text
• Only authorised staff members can access customer data, reviewed regularly
• Our payment partners hold PCI-DSS certification, meeting the highest card security standards
• We continuously review our security practices to keep your data protected

We only keep your personal data for as long as the original purpose requires, or as Pakistani law demands. Once that period ends, we securely delete or anonymise the information.

As a customer of Applique Threads, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

We may send you promotional messages about new arrivals, exclusive deals, and seasonal sales — but only with your explicit permission.

• At checkout, you can choose to opt in to our WhatsApp or email updates
• To stop receiving emails, click the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email we send
• For WhatsApp messages, reply "STOP" at any time and we will remove you immediately
• Even after opting out of marketing, you will still receive important order and delivery updates

Our website and services are not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child, please contact us immediately at support@appliquethreads.com and we will delete it promptly.

We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or business operations. Whenever we make significant changes, we will:

• Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page
• Notify registered customers by email or WhatsApp if the changes are material
• Post a notice on our website homepage for a period of time

Continued use of our website after changes are posted means you accept the updated policy. We recommend checking this page periodically to stay informed.