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This Privacy Notice explains how Hodgdon Powder Co. (“Hodgdon,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) and its affiliates (including RCBS Precisioneered Reloading and Weaver Optics) collect, use, and disclose Personal Data about you, including through your use of our Services. This Privacy Notice also describes the privacy rights and choices you have with respect to your Personal Data. If you have questions about our privacy practices, please feel free to contact us using the contact information provided in Section 19 of this Notice.
In this Notice, we strive for transparency to build trust in how we collect and use Personal Data provided to us.
Hodgdon Powder Co., together with its brands Hodgdon, RCBS, and Weaver, provides industry-leading products and resources for reloaders and shooters. We manufacture and provide premium handloading propellants, reloading tools and equipment, optics, mounting systems, and related accessories, which are available through our websites, including:
(collectively, the “Sites”). Our Sites offer technical resources and educational and safety information for reloaders, as well as e-commerce storefronts for our products. Together, our Sites and the other resources and services our business provides to site visitors and customers (such as product sales, customer service, marketing, and other business services) are our “Services.”
The definition of Personal Data can vary depending on the context. In this Notice, “Personal Data” (or simply “Data”) refers to any information that identifies or can reasonably be associated with or linked (directly or indirectly) to an individual.
Unless otherwise indicated, Hodgdon follows this Notice with respect to Personal Data obtained from or about individuals in the United States. In certain cases, we may provide different or additional notices about our data practices. For example, if you reside in a U.S. state with a consumer privacy law, Section 17 of this Notice applies to you in addition to the rest of this Notice.
This Notice applies when Hodgdon acts as the “Controller” of the Personal Data we collect through our Services, both online and offline, including through our Sites (maintaining customer accounts, product sales, customer service, marketing, and other business services). To be clear, this Notice does not cover Data that our business customers collect and share with us where we are not the Controller, but rather a “Processor” or “Service Provider.”
Note that our Sites may contain links to other websites, applications, and services operated by third parties (for example, links to YouTube or social media platforms). The privacy and data security practices of those third-party sites are governed by the privacy policies of those third parties, and not by Hodgdon.
Employees. If you are a Hodgdon Powder Co. employee, we are the Controller of the Data we collect from you in the course of your employment with Hodgdon. (However, employee and personnel data practices are addressed by our internal policies, not this public Privacy Notice.)
Job Applicants. If you are applying for a job with Hodgdon or are completing our employee on-boarding processes, your communications with us and use of the Sites for those purposes are governed by our internal policies, not this Privacy Notice.
If you interact with Hodgdon or our Services on behalf of an organization (for example, your employer), that organization is the Data Controller and Hodgdon acts as the Data Processor for that data. Any Personal Data generated during these interactions is part of your organization’s account with us and is governed by your organization’s policies, not ours. Please direct any privacy inquiries to your organization’s administrator.
However, please note that Hodgdon is the Controller of Data connected with your other interactions with us in your personal capacity, such as your visits to the Sites or any interactions you have with us or our Services for personal use.
Our Services, including our Sites, are not geared toward or directed to individuals under the age of 18. Certain parts of the Services may also be subject to heightened age or other eligibility requirements. We do not intend to solicit, collect, or process Personal Data from any individual under the age of 18. If you are under 18, please do not use our Services or submit any Personal Data to us.
Some of the information we collect is personal to you, while other information is collected in a way that does not identify you individually (anonymous or aggregated information). For information about your choices regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of your Personal Data, please see Section 10 of this Notice. Additionally, if you reside in a U.S. state with a consumer privacy law, Section 17 of this Notice also applies to you.
We collect the following categories of information:
This section outlines the sources from which we collect Personal Data and the purposes for which we use each category of Personal Data described above in Section 7 (“Information We Collect About You and How We Collect It”).
For information about your choices regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of your Personal Data, please see Section 10 of this Notice.
Overview of our Data Sources:
Overview of our Data Use:
Our primary goal in collecting information is to improve our Services and provide you with the best possible experience. For example, by using the information we collect, we can provide you with an easy-to-use platform to learn about and purchase our products, and to take advantage of our technical resources and educational safety information.
We will also use your Personal Data for purposes including, but not limited to, the following:
Information You Provide Directly to Us: We collect much of the Personal Data listed above directly from you when you provide it. For example, we collect information you send us through email, through forms or fields on our Sites, or through other direct interactions you have with us (such as live chat or customer support calls). This includes information such as account or profile details, contact information, newsletter subscriptions or other marketing sign-ups, user submissions (like product reviews or survey responses), and any content you post publicly on our platforms. The Personal Data we request and the reasons for collecting it will be explained at the time of collection, unless it’s obvious from the context. If you prefer not to share certain information, you may choose not to participate in a particular service or activity.
Information Inferred or Derived About You: We may derive information or draw inferences about you based on the information we collect. For instance, we might infer that you are interested in a specific product based on your browsing behavior or past purchases, or we might use your IP address to estimate your general location. We may use these inferences to create a profile that helps us predict your preferences, characteristics, or likely behavior. This allows us to personalize your content and experiences on our Sites and deliver relevant offers, promotions, and marketing materials.
Information from Your Device: We, and third-party service providers and partners working on our behalf (such as website hosting and development providers, form management providers, security service providers, embedded content hosts, and marketing service providers), may automatically collect certain information from your device when you use our Services. This includes when you visit our Sites or interact with our content on third-party sites. Collecting this information helps us better understand our visitors (for example, where our visitors come from and what content is of interest to them). We use this information for internal analytics to improve the quality and relevance of our products and Services, to enhance the security of our Services, and to detect and prevent fraud or other illegal activities.
Data from Cookies and Tracking Technologies: Our Sites use cookies, web beacons, pixels, and other online tracking technologies (collectively referred to as “cookies”) to store information and sometimes to track your activity. As part of offering customizable and personalized Services, we may use these technologies to:
We may also use (or allow others to use) cookies or similar tracking technologies which, if enabled, follow your behavior across our Sites and across the Internet over time to enable targeted, interest-based advertising (generally referred to as “Targeted Advertising”). We may use Personal Data collected through cookies and similar technologies to facilitate the delivery of Targeted Ads. You can manage your consent options for Targeted Advertising based on cookie-collected data by using our Cookie Preferences Center (see Section 20 for more on cookies). For further information about the types of cookies we use, why we use them, and how you can control cookies, please see our Cookie Notice (Section 20 of this Privacy Notice).
Data from Third-Party Sources: Our Services may include links to third-party websites, embedded third-party content (such as YouTube videos or social media widgets), and social media integration (for example, “Share” or “Like” buttons). If you interact with these third-party features, those third parties may collect Personal Data from you directly. We may also receive Personal Data about you from third-party sources from time to time. These third-party sources may include, for example, our product suppliers or distributors, third-party web analytics services, advertising networks, and social media platforms.
The types of information we might receive from third parties include: data about your web activity and how you interact with our Sites or their platforms, and aggregated analytics data. We use third-party-sourced information to help improve our Services, to provide relevant information and advertising to you, and to analyze aggregate usage trends. For instance, we might obtain analytics data from social media platforms that helps us measure the effectiveness of content or ads we place on those platforms (e.g., number of views or clicks). We may also obtain aggregated information (including analytic results) about your use of our Services for purposes such as fraud detection and prevention.
Additional Information about Social Networking Plugins and Platforms: Our Sites may permit you to engage with third-party social networking platforms such as Facebook, Pinterest, X (Twitter), Instagram, and others. This might include using social media plugins (for example, Facebook “Like” buttons, Twitter “Tweet” buttons, Pinterest “Pin” buttons, etc.). When you use these social networking features on our Sites, certain information from your social media account may be shared with us (such as your username or content you have made public). Also, if you are logged into those social networks, they may be able to collect information about your browsing of our Site and may notify your network connections about your visit. These social media platforms may allow your activity to be monitored across multiple websites for the purpose of delivering more targeted advertising to you. Please note that your use of social platforms is governed by each platform’s own privacy policy, and we encourage you to read those policies. We may add new social networking features to our Sites from time to time and will update our practices accordingly.
Additional Information about Analytics Services and Targeted Advertising by Others: We use third-party analytics services like Google Analytics to understand how our Sites are used and to improve our Services and marketing. For example, Google Analytics collects data to track and examine the use of our Sites, to prepare reports on site activity, and to help us target and measure our advertising. Google may use the data collected from our Sites to personalize ads within its own network. To prevent Google Analytics from collecting your data on our Sites, you can install the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on (available at https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout), which will block Google Analytics on all websites that you visit using that browser. We provide more information on how to opt out of Google Analytics and other third-party data collection in our Cookie Notice (see the “Service-Specific Information on Cookies and Online Advertising Choices” section in Section 20).
This section describes when and to whom we disclose the categories of Personal Data described above in the “Information We Collect About You and How We Collect It” section. In general, we disclose or allow others to collect information about you in the circumstances described below. We may share data with your consent, to fulfill the purpose for which you provided the data, for any purpose disclosed by us when you provided the data, or as otherwise permitted or required by law. We may also share data in an aggregated or de-identified form (which cannot reasonably be used to identify you).
We provide service providers only with the information they need to perform their specific services. They are contractually prohibited from using your information for any purpose other than to provide the requested services to us, and they must protect your information appropriately.
We may also share your Data with certain third parties in specific business scenarios. For instance, we might disclose Personal Data to product suppliers or manufacturer representatives to support the delivery or warranty service of products you ordered, for order fulfillment, to secure special pricing, or to address issues concerning those products.
We offer you several choices regarding your Personal Data:
“Do Not Track” (DNT) is a privacy preference that users can set in certain web browsers. A DNT signal is a way for you to inform websites and services that you do not want some of your online activities tracked across websites. Not all websites or services respond to DNT signals, but we want to be transparent about how we handle them:
The Global Privacy Control (GPC) is a related mechanism – essentially a browser or device setting that sends a signal to websites to opt out of the sale or sharing of Personal Data and/or opt out of targeted advertising, as required by certain state privacy laws.
Our commitment: Our Sites recognize and honor DNT and GPC signals. If you turn on a DNT setting in your browser, or if you enable a GPC global opt-out signal, our Sites will treat that as a valid opt-out request for cookie-based tracking for Targeted Advertising (and, where applicable, as a request to opt out of sales of Personal Data as defined by law).
When you have enabled GPC in your browser and visit our Sites, we will interpret that as a request to opt out of the sale or sharing of your Personal Data for Targeted Advertising purposes. In practical terms, once we detect a GPC or DNT signal, we will stop using or allowing third-party cookies on our Sites for Targeted Advertising. Specifically, we will cease collecting the cookie identifiers and other data that enable us (or our partners) to tailor ads or suggestions based on your browsing across different websites. We will also make commercially reasonable efforts to intercept third-party cookies on our Sites that collect Data for Targeted Advertising, when a valid opt-out signal is present.
Please note: Web browsers that support DNT or GPC provide instructions on how to enable these settings (typically in the Help section of the browser). For GPC, some browser extensions or settings may need to be enabled. We also provide additional information on enabling GPC signals in the “Browser Settings” portion of our Cookie Notice (Section 20).
Keeping your personal financial information private is very important to us. As a matter of policy and long-time business practice, we do not sell financial information provided by our users. Any financial statistics or metrics we provide to partners (for example, sales figures or payment transaction trends) are provided in aggregate form and do not include any personally identifiable financial Data about any individual user.
We use secure methods to process payments. For example, if you make a purchase through our Site, we (or our payment processor) will transfer your payment card number, bank account number, or other payment details in encrypted format to the appropriate payment processing company (such as the credit card network or bank) in order to complete the transaction.
We take the security of your Personal Data seriously. Your online account information is password-protected, and we use encryption technology (such as Transport Layer Security, TLS) to protect sensitive data (like passwords and payment information) during transmission. You can identify a secure connection by the padlock icon 🔒 or “https” prefix in your browser’s address bar when you are on our Site’s pages that collect Personal Data.
Your role in protecting your data: It is important for you to protect against unauthorized access to your account and Personal Data. We recommend that you use strong, unique passwords for your accounts and that you sign out of your account and close your browser when you are finished using our Site, especially if you are on a shared or public computer. Also, enable security features on your own devices (such as setting up a device passcode or using biometric unlock on your smartphone) to prevent unauthorized access to your devices.
Despite our precautions, please remember that no data transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. Information you share in public areas (for example, posting a comment or in an unsecured email) could potentially be seen or collected by others beyond our control. While we strive to protect your Personal Data and use commercially reasonable safeguards to do so, we cannot guarantee absolute security of information transmitted to our Site. Any transmission of Personal Data is at your own risk. Once we receive your information, we implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to secure it and limit access to those employees, contractors, and agents who need it to operate our business or provide services to you.
We will retain your Personal Data for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, or as required or permitted by law, whichever is longer. In general:
Hodgdon is based in the United States, and our Sites are operated from the United States. If you are accessing our Services from outside the U.S., be aware that your Personal Data may be transferred to and processed in the United States or other countries. The data protection and privacy laws in those countries might not be the same as those in your home jurisdiction and may not be as protective.
Specifically, our web servers and main databases are located in the United States. Additionally, many of our service providers and partners are located in the U.S. or other countries around the world. This means that when we collect your Personal Data, we may process it in any country where we or our third-party service providers operate.
However, we have taken appropriate safeguards to ensure that your Personal Data remains protected in accordance with this Privacy Notice and applicable law. For example, if we transfer Personal Data out of your home country, we will rely on lawful transfer mechanisms (such as Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the EU Commission, where applicable, or other safeguards under privacy laws) to ensure that appropriate data protection measures are in place.
Please keep in mind that whenever you voluntarily disclose Personal Data online in a forum that others can access (for example, in product reviews, community forums, or social media), that information can potentially be seen, collected, and used by others outside of our control. We urge you to exercise discretion and caution when sharing information in public areas of the Internet.
You are solely responsible for maintaining the secrecy of any passwords or account information and for controlling access to communications from us. Be careful and responsible whenever you are online.
If your relationship with us ends (for example, if you delete your account or stop being our customer), we will handle the Personal Data we have about you as described in this Privacy Notice, as if you were still a customer. In other words, terminating your relationship will not automatically trigger deletion of your data unless you request it (subject to our data retention policies and any legal obligations to retain information for a period of time). You will still have rights over how we process your data as described in this Notice and under applicable law.
Some U.S. states have enacted comprehensive consumer privacy laws that provide residents of those states with certain rights regarding their Personal Data. This Section 17 is intended to address those rights and our compliance with state laws such as (but not limited to) the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA, as amended by the CPRA), the Colorado Privacy Act, the Connecticut Data Privacy Act, the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act, and similar laws in other states.
A. U.S. States with Applicable Privacy Laws.
Residents of certain U.S. states may have rights (now or in the future) under their state’s privacy laws. These laws include, for example: the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA), the Colorado Privacy Act, the Connecticut Data Privacy Act, the Delaware Personal Data Privacy Act, the Indiana Consumer Data Protection Act, the Iowa Consumer Data Protection Act, the Kentucky Consumer Data Protection Act, the Maryland Online Data Privacy Act, the Minnesota Consumer Data Privacy Act, the Montana Consumer Data Privacy Act, the Nebraska Consumer Data Privacy Act, the New Hampshire Privacy Act, the New Jersey Data Privacy Act, the Oregon Consumer Privacy Act, the Rhode Island Data Transparency and Privacy Protection Act, the Tennessee Information Protection Act, the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act, the Utah Consumer Privacy Act, the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act, and any other U.S. state privacy law and implementing regulations (collectively, “State Privacy Laws”). Some of these laws were not effective as of the Last Updated date of this Notice, but may take effect in the near future.
While consumers may be covered by State Privacy Laws, not all laws may apply to Hodgdon due to the scope of our business or the volume of personal information we handle in certain states. Nonetheless, we will adhere to the privacy rights described below to the extent that they apply to you and to us.
In general, State Privacy Laws provide (or will provide) state residents with rights such as:
The exact scope and definitions of these rights vary by state. Additionally, some state laws have special rules regarding Personal Data of minors (for instance, California has additional protections for consumers under 16, and other states may follow suit). While it’s not practical here to detail the nuances of every state law, we will explain below the general rights and how you can exercise them, and how you can appeal our decisions regarding your rights.
As new State Privacy Laws take effect, we will update this Privacy Notice to reflect additional rights or requirements. We will comply with applicable state laws as they become effective and will honor your rights under those laws.
California’s “Shine the Light” law (Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.83) also permits California residents with whom we have an established business relationship to request information about certain types of Personal Data we share with third parties for their direct marketing purposes. If applicable, to make such a request, send an email or write to us at the contact information in Section 19 and specify that you are requesting “California Shine the Light” information. (Please note that the CCPA limits this kind of data sharing in general, and we do not currently share Personal Data with third parties for their own direct marketing except as permitted by law.)
Nevada law (NRS 603A.345) allows Nevada consumers to opt out of the sale of certain Personal Data. Nevada defines “sale” narrowly as exchanging certain Personal Data for money to be licensed or sold to others. We do not engage in “sales” of Personal Data as defined under Nevada law. If that ever changes, we will update this Notice and provide opt-out instructions.
B. Information for Employees of our Business Contacts.
State Privacy Laws generally apply to “consumers,” meaning individuals acting in a personal context. Except in California (until the end of 2022), most state laws do not apply to Personal Data collected in a business-to-business (B2B) context or in an employment context. This means if you are interacting with Hodgdon as an employee or representative of another company (for example, a dealer or supplier), the data we collect from those interactions may not be subject to the consumer rights described in state laws (aside from California’s law, which until recently had partial exemptions for B2B and employment data that have since expired). We reserve the right not to process consumer privacy requests for data that is exempt from state laws (for instance, if the data was collected in a B2B context not covered by those laws).
However, if you also interact with us in a personal context (for instance, you also purchase our products for personal use or visit our Sites outside of your professional role), then you can exercise your consumer privacy rights for those personal interactions. To inquire or exercise your rights regarding Personal Data based on interactions in your personal capacity, you may contact us (see Section 19 for how to submit requests).
C. Our Collection, Use, and Disclosure of Personal Data (Summary of the Past 12 Months).
To comply with certain State Privacy Laws (like the CCPA in California), we provide a summary of our data practices over the last twelve (12) months. The following is a general overview in a tabular format of the categories of Personal Data we collect, the sources of that data, the purposes for which we use it, our retention practices, and the categories of third parties with whom we share each category of data. (Please note that this is a broad summary; not all data points will apply to every person.)
D. Right to Know and Data Portability
If you are a resident of a state that grants the right of access (Right to Know), you may request that we disclose to you the Personal Data we have collected, used, disclosed, and (if applicable) sold or shared about you. Once we receive and verify a valid request from you (see “Exercising Your Rights” below), we will provide:
Additionally, if you are a resident of Oregon (once the Oregon Consumer Privacy Act is in effect) or Minnesota (when the Minnesota law takes effect on July 31, 2025), you have the right to request a list of specific third parties (by name) to whom we have disclosed your Personal Data. If you are an Oregon or Minnesota resident exercising your access right, please indicate your state so we can include this information in our response.
E. Right to Delete and Correct
You may have the right to request that we delete Personal Data that we have collected from you and retained, and/or to request that we correct inaccuracies in your Personal Data. These rights are subject to certain exceptions.
If no exception applies, we will delete (or de-identify) your Personal Data from our records and direct any applicable service providers to do the same.
Exercising Your Rights to Know, Delete, or Correct:
To exercise the rights described above, you (or an authorized agent acting on your behalf) may submit a request to us. How to submit a request: You can call our toll-free privacy request line at 913-362-9455, or send us a request via the contact methods in Section 19 (such as emailing our designated contact email or using the web form, if available). Please indicate which right you seek to exercise (access, deletion, correction) and provide the necessary information to process your request.
Verification: For your protection, we will need to verify your identity (and/or authority, if you are an agent) before fulfilling a Right to Know, Delete, or Correct request. The verification steps may vary depending on the sensitivity of the data and whether you have an account with us. Generally, we will ask you to provide identifying information that we can match against our records (such as your name, email, recent transaction details, or other information we have on file). We will only use the Personal Data provided in a request to verify identity or authority and to process the request.
If we cannot verify your identity to a reasonable degree of certainty, we may be unable to fulfill the request. In that case, we will notify you. For requests for specific pieces of data (data portability), a higher level of verification may be required (we may ask for a signed declaration under penalty of perjury that you are who you claim to be, if required by law).
Authorized Agents: You may designate an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf (for example, an attorney or someone with power of attorney, or a parent/guardian for a minor). If you do so, we will require the agent to provide proof of authorization (such as a written permission from you, and verification of identity for both you and the agent). We may deny requests from agents if we cannot verify that they are authorized to act on your behalf. We do not accept requests from automated or unofficial third-party request services that have not gone through our verification process, due to security considerations.
Response Timing and Format: We aim to respond to consumer rights requests within 45 days as required by most state laws. If we need more time (up to an additional 45 days, for a total of 90 days), we will inform you of the extension and the reason. Our response will typically cover the 12-month period preceding your request (unless you request a longer period as allowed by law, or if the law allows us to provide information beyond 12 months). If we have a reason to deny the request (such as an inability to verify identity or an exception applies), we will explain that in our response. For access requests, we will provide the information in a commonly used format, which might be electronic or paper, per your request if feasible.
Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your privacy rights. That means, unless permitted by law, we will not deny you goods or services, charge you different prices or rates, provide a different level of quality of service, or suggest any of those things, just because you exercised your rights under a privacy law. (Some laws do allow offering financial incentives that involve different prices or services, but if we ever do so, it will be in compliance with the law and with your consent.)
Currently, we do not offer any programs that provide a different price or service level in exchange for Personal Data (sometimes known as “financial incentives” under the CCPA). If that changes in the future, we will provide appropriate notice and terms for you to opt-in to such a program.
Additional Rights Details:
Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Data – Opt-Out Rights
Many state privacy laws distinguish between different kinds of data sharing and give you the right to opt out of certain disclosures of your Personal Data. Specifically, you have the right to opt out of: (i) the “sale” of your Personal Data, and (ii) the “sharing” of your Personal Data for targeted advertising purposes (also called cross-context behavioral advertising).
Hodgdon does not “sell” Personal Data in the traditional sense for money. We do not exchange your Personal Data with third parties for monetary consideration for them to use for their own purposes. However, some of our data practices — particularly our use of third-party advertising cookies and similar technologies on our Sites — may be considered a “sale” or “sharing” under certain privacy laws, because we allow third parties (like advertising partners) to collect information about our Site visitors to help serve ads that are personalized to your interests.
Hodgdon Does Not Outright Sell Personal Data: As stated, we do not sell Personal Data for money. We only share data as described in this Notice for our business and operational purposes. However, we do share Personal Data in ways that might fall under the broad definitions of “sale” in some state laws (for example, making online identifiers available to advertising networks through cookies could be considered a sale under the CCPA’s broad definition of the term).
Hodgdon Does Engage in “Sharing” of Personal Data for Targeted Advertising: We use cookies and other tracking technologies on our Sites, and we allow our advertising partners to use similar technologies, so that we and our affiliates can, among other things, show you ads promoting our products and services on other websites and online services. In this Privacy Notice, we refer to this as Targeted Advertising (or interest-based advertising). Under certain laws (like the CPRA in California), this practice is defined as “sharing” Personal Data (specifically, “sharing” means disclosing Personal Data to a third party for cross-context behavioral advertising, whether or not for money).
To clarify, when you visit our Sites, third-party advertising companies may collect identifiers (like cookie IDs, device IDs, and IP addresses) and information about your activity on our Sites (such as pages viewed, links clicked, products viewed, etc.) and associate it with other information about you (like your interests inferred from other sites) in order to display ads for our products or for other products tailored to your interests. This might occur on our partner sites, or elsewhere on the internet as you browse.
Like many companies, we utilize these advertising services to help deliver relevant ads to you and to measure their effectiveness. Our participation in these services may be considered a “sale” or “sharing” of your Personal Data under certain laws, because we are permitting third parties to use your Personal Data for their advertising purposes (even though we do not receive money in exchange, there might be some value or benefit involved).
Your Opt-Out Choices for Sales/Sharing (Targeted Advertising):
Keep in mind: Opting out via cookies is specific to the device and browser you use. If you use multiple browsers or devices, you’ll need to opt out on each one. Also, if you clear your cookies, the opt-out cookie (which signals your opt-out choice) may also be cleared, and you might need to opt out again.
If you have any trouble opting out or have questions about how to exercise these opt-out rights, please contact us (Section 19) and we will assist you.
K. Right to Non-Discrimination and No Retaliation.
All consumers have the right not to receive discriminatory treatment by us for the exercise of the privacy rights conferred by applicable law. This means we will not:
However, as mentioned, we may offer certain financial incentives or loyalty programs that involve the collection of Personal Data. Participation in these is entirely voluntary and requires your opt-in consent, and the terms will be provided to you at sign-up (for example, if we had a rewards program that uses your data, we’d inform you of what data is involved and what benefit you’d receive, and you can choose to join or not). Any difference in price or service within such a program would be reasonably related to the value of your data, as required by law, and you can opt out of the program at any time.
As of the date of this Notice, we do not have any such personal data-based incentive programs in place.
We may change this Privacy Notice from time to time. Please check back periodically to see any updates. If we make changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this Notice, and those changes will be effective as of the Effective Date. If we make material changes to our data practices or to this Notice (for example, changes that would affect your rights or how we handle your information in a significant way), we will take additional steps to notify you. This could include posting a notice on our website’s homepage or relevant pages, or contacting you via email or other means if you have provided us with contact information. Any updated Privacy Notice will apply to Personal Data collected after the new policy is effective, and as required by law we will honor the provisions of the Privacy Notice in effect at the time your data was collected (unless you consent to the new terms).
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Notice or how to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us using one of the methods below:
If you submit a privacy rights request (such as an access or deletion request) by mail, email, or web form, please be sure to provide sufficient information for us to verify your identity and understand your request. A member of our privacy team will respond as soon as practicable.
If you believe we have not fulfilled your request or have denied your rights improperly, you have the right to appeal our decision. To appeal a decision regarding a privacy request, please email us at help@hodgdon.com with the subject line “Privacy Request Appeal” and include information about the original request. We will review your appeal and respond within the timeframe required by applicable law. If after the appeal you still have concerns, you may contact your state Attorney General’s office (if applicable in your state) to lodge a further complaint.
This Cookie Notice is part of our Privacy Notice and provides detailed information about how we use cookies and similar technologies on our Sites, and how you can manage your preferences. Hodgdon Powder Co. respects the privacy of our site visitors, and we want to be transparent about our use of cookies and what it means for you.
Like most websites, our Sites use cookies in combination with other tracking code such as pixels, scripts, tags, and beacons (collectively referred to as “cookies” in this section for simplicity) to distinguish you from other users of our Sites. This helps us provide you with a good experience when you browse our Sites and also allows us to improve our Sites and deliver relevant advertisements. Below, we explain the different types of cookies we use and why we use them. Please be aware that if you block certain types of cookies, your experience on our Sites may be affected (for example, some features might not work).
You can change your cookie preferences at any time by visiting our Cookie Preferences Center on any of our Sites (usually accessible via a “Cookie Settings” link or in the site footer). The Cookie Preferences Center allows you to consent to or decline various categories of cookies (except strictly necessary cookies, which are always enabled for the site to function).
What is a Cookie?
We use the term “cookies” to refer broadly to various technologies used to store or collect information in a web browser. These include the traditional HTTP cookies (small text files placed on your device) as well as other tools like web beacons or tracking pixels and log file data that operate in conjunction with cookies.
These technologies (cookies, beacons, and logs) often work together. For instance, when you visit our Site, our server may drop a cookie on your browser, and a web beacon on the page might notify us (via a log entry) that a specific cookie (identifier) saw the page.
Your Choices Regarding Cookies
Cookie Preference Selection: When you first visit our Sites, you will be presented with a cookie notice and/or a consent banner that gives you the option to accept or reject certain cookies (with the exception of strictly necessary cookies, which are always active because the site cannot function without them). Our Cookie Preferences Center (accessible via the banner or a link on the site, often in the footer or in this policy) allows you to see a list of cookie categories and to toggle them on or off according to your preferences.
Importantly, our approach is that we do not assume consent for non-essential cookies. We do not use non-essential cookies unless you have expressly allowed them (either by clicking accept or by adjusting settings to opt in). If you ignore the banner and continue using the site without making a choice, we treat that as no consent (other than strictly necessary cookies which load by default). You can always adjust your choices later in the Cookie Preferences Center.
Browser Settings: Additionally, most web browsers allow you to manage cookies through the browser settings. You can typically find cookie settings in your browser’s “Options” or “Preferences” menu. Through these settings, you may be able to: – View what cookies are stored on your browser and delete them on an individual basis. – Block third-party cookies (or all cookies) from being set. – Clear all cookies when you close the browser. – Receive notifications when you get a new cookie. – Implement a Do Not Track setting (mentioned earlier, which our Sites honor for advertising cookies).
For more information on adjusting browser settings, you might consult your browser’s help documentation or the support websites for common browsers: – Cookie settings in Internet Explorer
– Cookie settings in Firefox
– Cookie settings in Safari
– Cookie settings in Chrome
(These are general references; the exact steps may vary by version and device.)
Please note: If you set your browser to refuse all cookies, some parts of our Sites may not function properly (for example, you might not be able to use the shopping cart or log into your account).
Our Sites do recognize browser-based “Do Not Track” (DNT) and Global Privacy Control (GPC) signals as described in Section 11. If your browser is sending a DNT/GPC signal, our Sites will treat it as an opt-out of cookies for Targeted Advertising, and will automatically disable those cookies without you needing to manually toggle settings.
Opt-Out of Google Analytics: As mentioned, to opt out of Google Analytics, you can install Google’s opt-out browser add-on. Visit https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout for instructions on how to download and install the add-on for your browser. This will prevent Google Analytics from collecting data from your browser on any website (not just ours). Bear in mind, this is specific to Google Analytics and your particular browser.
Industry Programs for Advertising Opt-Out: There are industry-wide opt-out programs that can help you control how certain companies use cookies and track your behavior across the web for advertising. These include: – The Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) Opt-Out: http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices – Allows you to opt out of many ad targeting cookies from NAI member companies. – The Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) WebChoices Tool: http://optout.aboutads.info – Lets you see which participating companies have cookies on your browser and opt out of targeted ads from them. – The Your Online Choices (EDAA) for EU/UK: http://www.youronlinechoices.com – Provides a similar service for European users to control online interest-based advertising preferences. – Global Privacy Control (GPC): As discussed, GPC is a setting or browser extension you can use to send a global opt-out signal for data sales/sharing. See https://globalprivacycontrol.org for more information and how to enable it. Our Sites honor GPC signals for California and other applicable users by opting them out of sale/sharing as described.
Keep in mind that these tools generally opt you out of targeted advertising across participating companies, but you may still receive ads that are not personalized or targeted based on your browsing (non-targeted ads). Also, the opt-outs typically work via cookies—so if you clear cookies, you may need to opt out again.
Service-Specific Information on Cookies and Online Advertising Choices
To help you manage your privacy, here is additional information about specific services or platforms we use that involve cookies or tracking, and how you can opt out or get more information:
We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the privacy controls and settings of any services or devices you use so that you can manage your cookie and tracking preferences effectively.
How Long Do Cookies Last?
Cookies have various lifespans: – Session Cookies: These cookies are temporary and last only as long as your browsing session. A session begins when you open your browser and ends when you close it. Once you close the browser, all session cookies are deleted. We use session cookies for example to remember that you have logged in as you navigate from page to page, or to remember what’s in your cart as you shop. They can also recall if you’ve navigated through certain menus or sections so you don’t have to re-enter information as you browse. – Persistent Cookies: These cookies remain on your device for a set period of time specified in the cookie (they could last days, months, or even years, depending on their purpose) unless you delete them. Persistent cookies are activated each time you visit the site that set that cookie (or any site that recognizes that cookie). We use persistent cookies for purposes like analytics (to recognize that you are a returning visitor and see what content you engaged with previously) and for remembering your preferences (such as language or location choices, or your cookie consent status so we don’t ask you every time). For instance, an analytics cookie might note that a browser visited our Site before and what it did, providing anonymous statistics about repeat usage.
In the Cookie Preferences Center on our Sites, you can often find more details about specific cookies, including whether they are session or persistent and how long they persist.
What Cookies Do We Use and Why?
We categorize the cookies used on our Sites as follows:
Each category serves different purposes, as described below.
Strictly Necessary Cookies:
These cookies are essential for the operation of our Sites. They enable core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility. You cannot opt out of Strictly Necessary Cookies because our services won’t work properly without them. For example, Strictly Necessary Cookies allow you to navigate our Sites and use key features like accessing secure areas (account login, checkout, etc.). Without these cookies, services you have asked for (such as adding items to your cart or e-billing) cannot be provided.
We use Strictly Necessary Cookies to:
– Distinguish humans from bots and protect our site from malicious activity.
– Store your cookie consent preferences (so we know what cookies you have or haven’t allowed).
– Provide the content or service you explicitly request, such as remembering items in your cart or information you enter into forms as you navigate pages.
– Identify and/or authenticate you once you’ve logged in, so you don’t have to re-enter your credentials on every page.
– Direct you to specific versions of our site (for example, if we route traffic to a particular server or implement site changes, these cookies ensure you connect to the right service).
– Ensure security, for instance by helping to route traffic appropriately and detect irregular site behavior.
Because Strictly Necessary Cookies are essential to our Sites’ functionality, if you block them via browser settings, we cannot guarantee that the site will perform as expected. For example, blocking these cookies may prevent you from logging in or adding items to your cart. If such cookies are blocked, we also cannot ensure the security of your session.
Functional Cookies:
Functional cookies allow the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalization. They may be set by us or by third-party providers whose services we have added to our pages (for example, a chat support widget or embedded video player might set functional cookies). While not strictly necessary, these cookies enhance your experience. Without them, some features (like video playback, or social sharing tools) may become unavailable or may not remember your preferences.
Examples of what Functional Cookies do:
– Remember choices you have made on our Sites (such as your preferred language or region, so we might present content in the correct language or not ask you to choose every time).
– Enable certain non-essential but useful site features, like playing videos, displaying maps, or offering live chat support.
– Integrations with social media – for example, recognizing if you have engaged with a plugin or allowing you to share content through your social media accounts.
You can disable Functional Cookies in the Cookie Preferences Center if you wish. However, note that doing so might diminish the convenience and personalization of your experience on our Sites.
Analytics Cookies:
Analytics cookies collect information about how visitors use our Sites. They allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve site performance. They help us understand which pages are popular, see how visitors move around the site, and identify areas where users encounter errors. Generally, the data collected by these cookies is aggregated and anonymous – it does not directly identify you.
We use Analytics Cookies for:
– Web analytics: To compile statistics on site usage. For instance, we might track the number of visitors to a certain page, how long users spend on the site, and what sources are driving traffic (search engines, social media, etc.).
– Error management: To log and measure errors encountered by users so we can fix bugs or improve compatibility (for example, tracking if a certain browser is giving a lot of errors on our site).
If you disable Analytics Cookies, we will be less able to understand how our site is performing and tailor it to our users’ preferences. It also makes it harder for us to detect issues and improve your experience. We will not know when you visited our site, and won’t be able to easily monitor performance or site engagement.
Some analytics cookies are placed by third-party providers (like Google Analytics). These providers may have access to the information collected (e.g., Google may use the data collected to improve their own services or provide benchmarking data to us). We have configured such services to limit data sharing where possible (for instance, with Google Analytics we can configure settings to not share data with Google’s other products, if available).
Targeting Cookies:
Targeting cookies (also known as advertising cookies) are used to make advertising messages more relevant to you. They may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They remember that you have visited our Sites and often they will track your browsing habits across different websites.
There are a few subtypes of Targeting Cookies: – Advertising cookies: These are used by us, our service providers, and third-party advertisers to collect data about your online activity and show you relevant ads on other sites. For example, if you looked at a particular product on our site, you may later see an advertisement for that product or similar products on another website. These cookies also help ensure you don’t see the same ad too many times and help us measure the effectiveness of ad campaigns (like whether someone who saw an ad on another site then came and purchased our product). – Social media cookies: These cookies may be set by social media platforms (like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) if we integrate their services into our Sites. They enable functionalities like allowing you to share or like something directly on those platforms, and they may be used by the social platform to build a profile of your interests. This can affect the content and messages you see on that social network. – Personalization cookies: These might track your activities to personalize content or recommendations on our site itself or in marketing communications.
We use Targeting Cookies to:
– Show personalized ads: We and third-party ad networks use cookies to collect information about your interests (from your browsing of our Sites and others) to present you with advertisements that are tailored to you.
– Limit ad frequency: Ensure that you don’t see the same advertisement repeatedly.
– Ad performance: Record which ads you have seen and whether you interacted with them (e.g., clicked or made a purchase after clicking).
– Retargeting: Present ads to you on other websites based on what you viewed or did on our Sites. For example, an advertising cookie may note that you viewed a particular reloading press on our site, and then we might serve you an ad for that press or a related product when you visit a news site.
– Social media integration: If you use social media features on our site (like a Facebook “Like” button), the social network may drop cookies that can recognize you and collect data about your actions (like sharing our content). They can use this to personalize your experience on their platform or to serve our ads to you on their platform.
If you do not allow Targeting Cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising. You will still see ads, but they may be less relevant to you and more repetitive. You can manage these cookies in the Cookie Preferences Center by toggling off “Targeting” or “Advertising” cookies.
Note: While we do allow third parties (like ad networks) to set cookies on our Sites, we do not knowingly allow any third-party to use cookies for purposes beyond those identified here. We contractually do not permit them to use data from our site for their own unrelated purposes. However, under some state laws, the use of third-party advertising cookies is considered a “sharing” of data (because the third party is using it to help serve personalized ads, which benefits us and them). We have described your opt-out rights for such sharing in Section 17.
Also, as stated earlier, we do not use or allow cookies to collect sensitive Personal Data (like precise geolocation, health information, etc.) except as needed for the above purposes and never for targeting sensitive characteristics. For example, we might have a cookie that remembers your age verification (since our products are for 18+), but that’s not used for advertising, just for compliance.
Summary of Cookie Categories and Your Choices:
We comply with applicable privacy laws regarding cookies. For example, in jurisdictions that require affirmative consent for non-essential cookies (such as the EU), we only set those cookies if you consent. In jurisdictions that require an opt-out (like California’s approach to “sale/sharing”), we treat a lack of opt-in as an implied opt-out and provide mechanisms (like GPC and the preferences center) to honor opt-out requests.
Opt-Out of Interest-Based Advertising Across Sites: If you want to opt out of interest-based advertising on a broader scale (not just for our Sites), you can use the industry tools mentioned above (NAI, DAA, etc.). These will opt your browser out of many (but not all) network advertising cookies. Remember that this opt-out is browser-specific and device-specific.
Also note that opting out of interest-based advertising does not mean you will not see any ads; it just means the ads you do see will not be based on your inferred interests from tracking technologies.
Finally, if you have any issues or questions about our use of cookies or how to manage them, you can always contact us (see Section 19) for assistance or further explanation. We’re here to help you understand and control your privacy choices.