Last updated: March 2026
1. Who We Are
Costco Andy (costcoandy.com) is an independently operated fan blog run by Andy Shen, based in Metro Vancouver, BC, Canada. This site is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Costco Wholesale Corporation.
For privacy questions, contact: privacy@costcoandy.com
2. What Information We Collect
We collect information in two ways: information you provide directly, and information collected automatically.
Information you provide:
- Newsletter sign-ups: Your first name and email address when you subscribe to our mailing list.
- Comments: Your name, email address, and any comment you post on the blog (email is not publicly displayed).
- Contact form submissions: Your name, email, and message content.
Information collected automatically:
- Log data: IP address, browser type, pages visited, time and date of your visit, and referring URL — collected by our web server and analytics tools.
- Cookies: Small files placed on your device to remember your preferences and improve site functionality (see Section 5).
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Send you our newsletter and weekly sale updates (only if you subscribed)
- Respond to comments or contact form messages
- Understand how visitors use the site so we can improve content and navigation
- Detect and prevent spam or abuse
- Comply with legal obligations
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties.
4. Third-Party Services
This website uses the following third-party services that may collect data independently under their own privacy policies:
- Google Analytics: Used to track aggregate site usage. Google Privacy Policy.
- Google AdSense: Used to display advertisements. Google may use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits. You can opt out at Google Ads Settings.
- Email newsletter provider (e.g. Mailchimp / MailerLite):Stores your email address and tracks email open/click data. Their privacy policy applies to data they process.
- WordPress.org / Hosting provider: Processes server-side data as part of site delivery.
- Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube: Social media links and embedded content from these platforms are subject to their own privacy policies.
5. Cookies
This website uses cookies for the following purposes:
- Essential cookies: Required for the site to function (e.g. WordPress session cookies, comment author cookies).
- Analytics cookies: Google Analytics uses cookies to collect anonymous traffic data.
- Advertising cookies: Google AdSense uses cookies to serve relevant ads based on browsing behaviour.
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect certain site functionality. For EU/UK visitors, a cookie consent banner will appear on your first visit.
6. Advertising Disclosure
This site participates in the Google AdSense advertising program. Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this site and other sites on the internet.
Ads displayed on this site are clearly labeled. Andy Shen will always disclose any sponsored posts, paid partnerships, or affiliate relationships. See our Transparency Disclaimer for full details.
7. Your Rights
Depending on your location, you may have the right to:
- Access the personal data we hold about you
- Request correction of inaccurate information
- Request deletion of your personal data
- Unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time (every email includes an unsubscribe link)
- Opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@costcoandy.com.
8. Data Retention
Newsletter subscriber data is retained until you unsubscribe. Comment data is retained as long as the post exists on the site. Log data is typically retained for up to 90 days by our hosting provider.
9. Children’s Privacy
This website is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.
10. External Links
This site contains links to external websites, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and others. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites and encourage you to review their policies directly.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated date. Continued use of the site after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
12. Contact
For any questions about this Privacy Policy, contact Andy Shen at: privacy@costcoandy.com