Privacy Policy

The privacy practices described in this Privacy Policy, including any changes we may inform you of or post to our web site, apply to our services available under the domain and sub-domains of epistree.com and ksysinc.com, and apply generally to all of our web sites and wholly owned subsidiary web sites. By visiting this web site you agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use or access our services.

This Privacy Policy describes the information we collect about you and what may happen to that information. Although this policy may seem lengthy, we have prepared a detailed policy because we believe you should know as much as possible about KSS's practices. All KSS controlled web sites and the web sites of our subsidiaries operate under similar privacy practices as described in this Privacy Policy and, subject to the requirements of applicable law, we strive to provide a consistent set of privacy practices globally.

As provided in this Privacy Policy, KSS is committed to safeguarding your privacy when you provide us with personal information. We strive to treat your personal information as safely and securely as reasonably possible. Please read the following privacy policy to better understand how your information will be treated as you use our services. We have organized our privacy statement in Q&A format to address the most frequently asked questions. If you have any questions after reading this Privacy Policy, please let us know--we want to hear from you. You can e-mail us at support@ksysinc.com.

Information about our customers is an important part of our business, and we are not in the business of selling it to others. We share customer information with KSS partners who agree to follow appropriate customer data management practices to manage your entitlements and contractual relationship with KSS, or with your consent. We occasionally employ other companies and individuals to perform functions on our behalf. Examples include fulfilling orders, sending postal mail and e-mail, removing repetitive information from customer lists, ensuring accuracy of data, analyzing data, providing marketing assistance, and processing credit card payments. They have access to personal information needed to perform their functions, but may not use it for other purposes. We release account and other personal information when we believe release is appropriate to comply with the law. This includes exchanging information with other companies and organizations for fraud protection and credit risk reduction. Obviously, however, this does not include selling, renting, sharing, or otherwise disclosing personally identifiable information from customers for commercial purposes in violation of these commitments. As we continue to develop our business, we might sell or buy subsidiaries or business units. In such transactions, customer information generally is one of the transferred business assets but remains subject to these pre-existing commitments.

What information does KSS collect from me?
KSS may collect customer information in a number of ways, but the most common is during product or service purchase, registration, activation, or enrollment. In some instances, you may visit some of our sites and use some of our services without providing information to us. The information requested may vary depending on which product, service, or site you are using or accessing. We typically ask for your basic contact information, such as your name, title, company name, e-mail address, postal addresses, telephone numbers, and the industry that you work in. As an example, we may also ask for unique identifiers, such as a mother's family name or a keyword, and for financial information, such as an account or credit card number to verify your user identity when you make purchases. If you contact us, we may keep a record of that correspondence or communication. Information on how you communicated with us may also be recorded and can include your e-mail address including country domain, the language you selected for viewing order forms or other documents, your browser type, the currency in which you viewed prices if such feature is available, your use of a secure or insecure web page, the return e-mail address shown in any e-mail message from you, the return address on any envelope or facsimile number on any facsimile, or the telephone number from which you called. KSS may also clean up and standardize data when it is collected. For example, KSS may abbreviate the term "street" to "St." or correct a spelling mistake made when KSS collected the data. We may also ask you for information at other times, such as when you participate in a contest, survey, or promotion; when you submit a listing for a web site; or when you report a problem with one of our sites or services. In most cases, the more specific information you provide, the better we are able to personalize your web experience. Finally, KSS collects information about its web site guest visitors and members in general, which does not necessarily identify the member, using our server log files and some of the methods described under "cookies" below.

Why does KSS gather this information?
KSS's primary goal in collecting personal information is to provide you, the user, with a personalized experience on our web sites and/or with our products and services. We may also use your information to address, and contact you on, issues about the use of our products and services. This includes personalization services, interactive communications, online commerce, and many other types of services, many of which are completely free to you. Depending on your wishes, we may use your contact information to provide you with information about products or services offered by KSS or by our partners. By knowing accurate information about you, KSS is able to deliver better service and more relevant content to you as an individual.

How does KSS use my information?
KSS uses your information to recommend KSS products and services and to enable you to take advantage of the many features they offer. Once you register, you are no longer anonymous to KSS. For some of our sites, you will be given or may create a user ID, and you can create a confidential password to be able to take full advantage of the site's offerings. As previously stated, any additional information you volunteer enables us to better personalize your experience. We may also use your contact information to reach you regarding important issues about the use of our services.

The information you provide during product or service registration or enrollment will be used by KSS to register you as an authorized user of a KSS product or service or to issue your authorization code or password, which allows you to access products or services. We may also use this information to send you materials describing products and services offered by KSS or by our partners if you have indicated that you wish to receive these materials.

We use other information we collect to get a better understanding of our subscriber base. The more insight we have into you--the people who use KSS sites on a daily basis--the better we can serve you. Therefore, we analyze our users' demographics, interests, and behavior based on the information provided to us. Our research and analysis is done on an aggregate basis and does not identify you personally.

With whom, and how, does KSS share my information?
1. Information that we obtain from voluntary programs such as surveys, promotions, and contests may be subject to additional or different terms, or may be used in a slightly different way. If different terms do apply, details of the shared use of this information will be outlined in the specific terms and conditions or rules of these special surveys, promotions, or contests. Please be sure to read those specific terms and conditions because they may alter what is written in this privacy policy on a case-by-case basis.

2. Ordering Products or Services: When you order a product or service from KSS, we (or our service provider) use your name, e-mail address, delivery address, and credit card number and expiration date (or financial information) as part of a credit check. This information allows us (or our service provider) to process the order and deliver the product or service. We ask for your telephone number to enable us to contact you if there is a problem with your order or the delivery of a product or service. In the event you have asked for the delivery of tangible goods, we may need to share your telephone number with the carrier delivering the goods. When you order a product or service from a company linked to one of our web sites, it may be necessary for us to share certain limited information with that company in order to process and complete your purchase or other transaction. In such cases, we share the minimum information necessary to complete the transaction and only share that information when you make a purchase or engage in a transaction--not when you simply visit and leave our site. If you do not want your data to be shared, you can choose not to allow the transfer by not using that particular service.

3. Within KSS: Your information may be shared within KSS for the purposes of providing you with products or services you have ordered or for which you have registered and to provide information to you about our products or services in accordance with your wishes.

What are my choices regarding the use of my information?
When you register with KSS, you may choose whether you want to receive information from KSS or our partners about other products or services or about special promotions. If you do not want to receive this information, be sure to indicate that on your registration form if the form requires you to specify your choices. You also have choices about whether you want to receive this information when you visit and provide information to other sites, including sites accessible through a KSS site.

Also, if you visit a public forum, chat room, message board, and/or news group on a KSS web site, please remember that any information that is disclosed in these areas becomes public information and you should exercise caution when deciding to disclose your personal information.

What are "cookies" and how does KSS use them?
A cookie is a small amount of data that is sent to your browser from a web server and is saved on your computer hard drive. These cookie files store and sometimes track information about what you do on a web site. KSS does not currently use cookies.

What kinds of security precautions are in place to protect my information from hackers or prying eyes?
For those KSS sites requiring registration, your profile is password-protected so that you and only you have access. However, it may on occasion be necessary for KSS employees or contractors working on behalf of KSS to have access to your profile to provide you with support or to perform certain maintenance tasks. This access happens on an as-needed basis only. We sometimes utilize other companies and individuals to perform functions on our behalf. Examples include fulfilling orders, delivering packages, sending postal mail and e-mail, removing repetitive information from customer lists, analyzing data, providing marketing assistance, processing credit card payments and providing customer service. They have access to personal information needed to perform their functions, but may not use it for any other purpose. We recommend that you do not divulge your password to anyone. Also remember to sign out of your KSS account and close your browser window when you have finished your work. This is to prevent others from accessing your personal information. KSS strives to protect your personal information. For all KSS sites, we use advanced security technology to ensure that your personal data remains private within our site. However, since no data transmission over the internet can be guaranteed to be 100% secure, we cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information you transmit to us or which we transmit to you from our online products or services.

Where is my data stored?
Your data may be processed and stored on KSS computers in the United States. Your data may also be processed and stored in other countries where services are being provided by a licensee, agent, or service provider of KSS. In such cases, KSS and KSS's licensees, agents, or service providers are bound to all the terms and conditions of this privacy policy. You hereby consent to the transfer of any personal data to the United States or any other country outside of your home country where KSS or its licensee, agent, or service provider is providing services or processing or storing personal data in accordance with the terms of this privacy policy.

What else should I know about my privacy?
Please keep in mind that whenever you voluntarily disclose personal information online-- for example, on message boards, through e-mail, or in chat areas--that information can be collected and used by others. In short, if you post personal information online that is accessible to the public, you may receive unsolicited messages from other parties in return. As KSS expands its online offerings, we will update our privacy policy to apply to them. Please check this page on a regular basis for updates. You are responsible for maintaining the secrecy of your user names and passwords. Please be careful and responsible whenever you are online.