Welcome to Ahi Candles. We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and what rights you have in relation to it.

By visiting ahicandles.co.nz and making a purchase or otherwise choosing to participate in our services, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

This policy is governed by the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at the details provided at the end of this document.

1. Who We Are

Ahi Candles is a New Zealand-based handcrafted candle business operating through our website at ahicandles.co.nz. We are a whānau run business based in Queenstown, New Zealand.

Business name: Ahi Candles

Website: ahicandles.co.nz

Contact email: ahicandles@gmail.com

Location: Queenstown, New Zealand

2. What Information We Collect

We collect personal information from you when you visit our website, make a purchase, sign up to our mailing list, or contact us directly. The types of information we may collect include:

Information you give us directly:

• Your name
• Email address
• Delivery address and billing address
• Phone number
• Payment information (processed securely through our payment provider — we do not store your card details)
• Any messages or enquiries you send us

Information collected automatically when you visit our site:

• IP address and browser type
• Pages you visit and how long you spend on them
• How you found our website (e.g. Google, Instagram, direct)
• Device type and operating system
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 7 for more detail)

We only collect information that is necessary for providing our products and services to you. We do not collect sensitive personal information such as health data, ethnicity, or financial account details beyond what is needed to process your payment.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

To process and fulfil your orders:

• Processing payments and confirming transactions
• Packing and shipping your order to the correct address
• Sending you order confirmations, shipping updates and receipts
• Handling returns, exchanges or customer service enquiries

To communicate with you:

• Responding to your questions or messages
• Sending you marketing emails if you have opted in (you can unsubscribe at any time)
• Letting you know about new products, collections, market dates, and promotions

To improve our website and services:

• Understanding how visitors use our website so we can make it better
• Analysing sales data and customer behaviour to improve our product range
• Running targeted advertising through platforms like Meta (Facebook and Instagram)

We will never sell your personal information to third parties. We do not use your information for any purpose beyond what is described in this policy without obtaining your consent first.

4. Who We Share Your Information With

We only share your personal information where it is necessary to deliver our services. The third parties we may share your information with include:

• Shipping and courier providers — to deliver your order to you
• Payment processors (such as Shopify Payments, Stripe or similar) — to securely process your payment
• Email marketing platforms (such as Klaviyo or Mailchimp) — to send you communications you have opted in to
• Website analytics providers (such as Google Analytics) — to help us understand website traffic
• Advertising platforms (such as Meta / Facebook) — to run targeted ads to relevant audiences

All third-party providers we use are required to handle your information securely and in accordance with applicable privacy laws. Where these providers are based outside of New Zealand, we take reasonable steps to ensure your information is protected to a comparable standard.

We may also disclose your information if required to do so by law, or to protect the rights, property or safety of Ahi Candles, our customers, or others.

5. Your Rights Under the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020

Under the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020, you have the following rights in relation to your personal information:

• The right to access the personal information we hold about you
• The right to request correction of any personal information that is inaccurate or incomplete
• The right to ask us to delete your personal information, where we are no longer required to retain it
• The right to opt out of receiving marketing communications from us at any time
• The right to make a complaint to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner if you believe we have breached your privacy rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details at the end of this document. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe and no later than 20 working days, as required by the Privacy Act 2020.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner at www.privacy.org.nz.

6. How Long We Keep Your Information

We keep your personal information only for as long as it is necessary for the purposes outlined in this policy, or as required by New Zealand law.

• Order information is retained for a minimum of 7 years for accounting and tax purposes, as required by the Companies Act and Inland Revenue requirements
• Marketing data is retained until you unsubscribe or ask us to remove you
• Website analytics data is retained in accordance with our analytics provider’s standard retention periods
• Customer service correspondence is retained for up to 2 years

When your information is no longer required, we will delete or anonymise it securely.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience and help us understand how our site is being used. Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website.

We use the following types of cookies:

• Essential cookies — necessary for the website to function properly, including keeping items in your cart and processing your order
• Analytics cookies — help us understand how visitors use our site (e.g. Google Analytics)
• Marketing cookies — used to show you relevant advertising on platforms like Meta (Facebook and Instagram)
• Preference cookies — remember your settings and preferences for future visits

You can control and manage cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website. By continuing to use our website, you consent to our use of cookies as described in this policy.

8. How We Protect Your Information

We take the security of your personal information seriously. We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your information from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, or disclosure. These measures include:

• SSL encryption on our website to protect data transmitted between your browser and our site
• Secure payment processing through trusted third-party payment providers — we do not store your full payment card details
• Restricted internal access to personal information on a need-to-know basis
• Regular review of our security practices

While we take all reasonable steps to protect your information, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but are committed to protecting your information to the best of our ability.

9. Links to Other Websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, including our social media pages on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook. These websites have their own privacy policies, and we are not responsible for how they collect or use your information.

We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit through links on our site.

10. Children’s Privacy

Our website and products are not directed at children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child under 16, please contact us immediately and we will take steps to delete that information.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our business practices, legal requirements, or the services we offer. When we make changes, we will update the effective date at the top of this page.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information. Your continued use of our website after any changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the way we handle your personal information, please get in touch with us:

Business	Ahi Candles
Email	ahicandles@gmail.com
Website	ahicandles.co.nz
Location	Queenstown, New Zealand

We aim to respond to all privacy-related enquiries within 5 working days.

AHI CANDLES  ·  Privacy Policy  ·  ahicandles.co.nz

Aligned with the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020  ·  Effective Date: 30 March 2026