Effective Date: 07.08.2026 | Last Updated: 07.08.2026

1. Introduction

Welcome to Luxe Tea ("Luxe Tea," "we," "us," or "our"). We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website luxeteachicago.com (the "Website"), subscribe to our marketing email list, or make a purchase through our online shop.

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. If you disagree with its terms, please discontinue use of our Website. This policy applies to all information collected through our Website and any related services, sales, marketing, or events.

Our Website is hosted on Squarespace. Squarespace's own privacy practices apply to the infrastructure and hosting of our Website. We encourage you to review Squarespace's Privacy Policy at squarespace.com/privacy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

We collect information you voluntarily provide when you:

• Subscribe to our email marketing list — including your name and email address

• Make a purchase through our online shop — including your name, email address, billing address, shipping address, phone number, and payment information

• Contact us through our Website — including your name, email address, and the content of your message

• Participate in surveys, promotions, contests, or sweepstakes — including any information requested in those activities

• Create an account on our Website — including your name, email address, and password

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our Website, certain information is collected automatically through cookies and similar tracking technologies, including:

• Your IP address and general geographic location

• Browser type and version

• Device type and operating system

• Pages viewed and time spent on each page

• Referring URLs and exit pages

• Date and time of your visit

This information is collected by Squarespace's analytics infrastructure and through any additional analytics tools we use, including Google Analytics where applicable.

2.3 Payment Information

All payment transactions on our Website are processed through Squarespace's secure payment processing system and third-party payment processors including Stripe and PayPal where applicable. We do not directly collect, store, or have access to your full credit card number, CVV, or other sensitive payment credentials. Payment processors handle this information in accordance with their own privacy policies and PCI-DSS compliance standards.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

3.1 To Operate Our Business

• To process and fulfill your online shop orders

• To send order confirmations, shipping updates, and receipts

• To respond to your inquiries and provide customer service

• To manage your account if you create one

• To process returns, refunds, or exchanges

3.2 Marketing Communications

If you subscribe to our email marketing list or opt in at purchase, we will use your email address to send you:

• Updates about Luxe Tea's development and upcoming opening

• Information about new products available in our online shop

• Announcements about events, promotions, and special offers

• Our newsletter and other marketing communications

You may opt out of marketing communications at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any email we send, or by contacting us directly at support@luxeteachicago.com. Please note that even if you opt out of marketing emails, we may still send you transactional communications related to your purchases or account.

3.3 To Improve Our Website and Services

• To analyze Website usage and improve user experience

• To understand which content and products are most relevant to our visitors

• To detect and prevent fraud, abuse, or security incidents

• To comply with legal obligations

3.4 Artificial Intelligence — How Your Personal Data Is and Is Not Used

Luxe Tea does not use personal information collected through this Website to train, develop, fine-tune, evaluate, or otherwise improve any artificial intelligence or machine learning model, including but not limited to large language models, image generation models, or any other automated data processing systems. We do not knowingly share, license, or sell your personal data to any third party for AI training purposes.

Luxe Tea uses AI-assisted tools in certain aspects of its content creation and business operations. Where AI tools are used, they are not provided with personal information collected from Website users. Any AI assistance used in developing Website content — including our Digital Guide to Global Tea Traditions — is disclosed where applicable.

Important limitation: Our Website is hosted and operated on Squarespace's platform. Squarespace and its affiliated service providers operate under their own terms of service and privacy policies, which govern how data processed through their infrastructure is handled. We do not control Squarespace's internal technology decisions, which may include the use of AI-assisted tools within their platform — for example, in email template functionality, design tools, or other platform features. We encourage you to review Squarespace's Privacy Policy at squarespace.com/privacy and their Terms of Service for information about how Squarespace processes data within their platform.

To the extent Squarespace or other third-party service providers use AI tools in the course of providing services to us, such use is governed by their own agreements and policies rather than this Privacy Policy. We select service providers with reasonable care and do not knowingly engage service providers for the specific purpose of training AI systems on your personal data.

If you have questions or concerns about AI-related data use, please contact us at support@luxeteachicago.com.

4. Email Marketing List

When you subscribe to the Luxe Tea email marketing list, you are providing your express consent to receive marketing communications from us. The following terms apply to your participation in our email marketing list:

• Subscription is voluntary and you may unsubscribe at any time

• We will not sell, rent, or share your email address with third parties for their own marketing purposes

• We use Squarespace to manage our email list, which processes your data in accordance with their own privacy policy

• By subscribing, you confirm that you are 18 years of age or older

• We will honor all unsubscribe requests within 10 business days

• For subscribers in the European Union or United Kingdom, we rely on your explicit consent as the legal basis for processing your data for marketing purposes under GDPR

• For subscribers in California, you have the right to opt out of the sale of your personal information, though we do not sell personal information as described in Section 8 of this policy

5. Online Shop Purchases

When you make a purchase through our online shop, the following applies:

• We collect the information necessary to process your order, including contact, shipping, and billing information

• Your payment information is processed securely by our third-party payment processor and is not stored on our servers

• We retain your order information for accounting, legal compliance, and customer service purposes

• By completing a purchase, you agree to receive transactional emails related to your order

• At checkout, you will have the option to subscribe to our marketing email list — this is optional and separate from your transaction

• We do not share your purchase information with third parties except as necessary to fulfill your order (e.g., shipping carriers) or as required by law

6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our Website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience. Cookies are small data files stored on your device. We use the following types of cookies:

• Essential cookies — necessary for the Website to function properly

• Analytics cookies — help us understand how visitors interact with our Website

• Marketing cookies — used to deliver relevant advertisements and track campaign performance

Squarespace, as our hosting platform, places certain cookies automatically. You can control cookie settings through your browser settings. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect Website functionality. For visitors in the European Union or United Kingdom, we will request your consent before placing non-essential cookies in accordance with GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive.

7. Sharing of Your Information

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

• Service providers — we share information with vendors who assist in operating our Website and business, including Squarespace (hosting and e-commerce), payment processors, shipping carriers, and email marketing platforms. These parties are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the services they provide to us.

• Legal requirements — we may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.

• Business transfers — in the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of our assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change via email or prominent notice on our Website.

• With your consent — we may share your information for other purposes with your explicit consent.

8. Your Privacy Rights

8.1 All Users

Regardless of your location, you have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you

• Request correction of inaccurate information

• Unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time

• Request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain legal exceptions

• Contact us with questions or concerns about your personal information

8.2 European Union and United Kingdom Users (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Union or United Kingdom, you have additional rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or UK GDPR, including:

• The right to know the legal basis for processing your personal data

• The right to data portability — to receive your personal data in a structured, commonly used format

• The right to restrict processing of your personal data

• The right to object to processing based on legitimate interests

• The right to withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent

• The right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority

Legal bases for processing: We process your personal data under the following legal bases: (a) performance of a contract when processing purchase-related data; (b) your explicit consent for marketing communications; (c) legitimate interests for Website analytics and security; and (d) legal obligation for record-keeping requirements.

Data transfers: If you are located in the EU or UK, your personal data may be transferred to and processed in the United States. We rely on Standard Contractual Clauses and other appropriate safeguards to protect such transfers in accordance with applicable law.

8.3 California Users (CCPA/CPRA)

If you are a California resident, you have the following rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA):

• The right to know what personal information we collect, use, disclose, and sell

• The right to delete personal information we have collected from you, subject to certain exceptions

• The right to opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information — note that we do not sell personal information

• The right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights

• The right to correct inaccurate personal information

• The right to limit use and disclosure of sensitive personal information

To exercise your California privacy rights, please contact us using the information in Section 12. We will respond to verified requests within 45 days. We do not sell personal information and have not done so in the preceding 12 months.

8.4 Canadian Users (PIPEDA)

If you are located in Canada, we process your personal information in accordance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). You have the right to access your personal information and challenge its accuracy. Contact us at the information provided in Section 12 to exercise these rights.

9. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including:

• Email marketing subscribers — until you unsubscribe or request deletion

• Purchase records — for a minimum of seven years for accounting and legal compliance purposes

• Website analytics data — as determined by our analytics platform settings, typically 26 months

• Customer service communications — for up to three years after resolution

When personal information is no longer needed, we delete or anonymize it in accordance with our data retention practices.

10. Children's Privacy

Our Website and services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at support@luxeteachicago.com, and we will take steps to delete such information from our records. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 18 without verification of parental consent, we will delete that information promptly.

11. Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. Our Website is hosted on Squarespace, which maintains industry-standard security practices including SSL/TLS encryption for data in transit. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. In the event of a data breach that affects your rights and freedoms, we will notify you and applicable authorities as required by law.

12. Contact Us

To exercise your privacy rights, ask questions about this Privacy Policy, or submit a complaint, please contact us:

Luxe Tea

Email: support@luxeteachicago.com

Website: luxeteachicago.com

Mailing Address: 2501 Chatham Rd., STE 8359, Springfield, IL 62704

We will respond to all privacy-related requests within 30 days. For GDPR-related requests, we will respond within the legally required timeframe of one month, with the possibility of a two-month extension for complex requests.

13. Third-Party Links

Our Website may contain links to third-party websites, including social media platforms and partner sites. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those websites, and we are not responsible for their privacy practices. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated policy on this page with a revised effective date, and where required by law, by sending you an email notification. Your continued use of our Website after the effective date of any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

15. Squarespace-Specific Disclosures

Our Website is built and hosted on Squarespace. In addition to this Privacy Policy, Squarespace's Privacy Policy governs the collection and processing of certain data related to your use of our Website. Squarespace may collect information such as IP addresses, browser data, and usage information through its platform infrastructure. For more information about how Squarespace handles data, please visit squarespace.com/privacy.

Squarespace's e-commerce platform processes your payment and order information. Squarespace is certified as a Level 1 PCI DSS compliant service provider, which is the highest level of security certification available in the payments industry.