Privacy Policy
We only collect what we need, and we never sell it.
Seed Studio follows the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020.
Aether NZ Ltd trades as Seed Studio. We are based in the Western Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. This policy covers what personal information we collect through seedstudio.co.nz and our client work, what we do with it, and your rights under the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020.
Questions about privacy go to support@seedstudio.co.nz. You can also contact Dave Williams on 021 797 313 or dave@seedstudio.co.nz.
How We Handle Your Personal Information
What We Collect and Why
We only collect what we need to reply to you, process an order or do the work you asked for.
- Contact form: your first name, last name, email, phone number and message. We use these to reply to your enquiry. The form is protected by Google reCAPTCHA to block spam.
- Online checkout: your first and last name, email, billing address and phone number. If you buy as a business we also ask for the business name and your website address. We use these to process your order, deliver what you bought and keep our financial records.
- Card payments: these are processed by our payment provider, Stripe. We never see or store your card details.
- WhatsApp chat link: the link opens WhatsApp. If you message us there, WhatsApp’s own privacy policy applies to that conversation, and we see the details you choose to send us.
Cookies and Analytics
We use Google Analytics 4 to see how people use our website, for example which pages are visited and how visitors found us. It sets cookies in your browser and sends usage data to Google. We use it to improve the site, not to identify you.
You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings, or install Google’s opt-out browser add-on. The site still works without them.
Emails We Send You
If you buy from us, we send order and delivery emails for what you bought, including report delivery emails. These are part of providing the service. We send them using FluentCRM, which runs on our own website.
If you are an existing customer or client, we may also send you Seed Studio updates. Every email has an unsubscribe link, and you can also email us to be removed.
Access to Your Accounts for Report Work
For some reports and services, you may choose to give us read-only access to your Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Google Merchant Center, Google Ads (through a manager account link) or your shop admin.
- We use that access only to produce your report or deliver your service.
- You can remove our access at any time, and we will stop using it.
- Your finished report is hosted on seedstudio.co.nz behind a login that is specific to you, and it is not indexed by search engines.
Who We Share Information With
We do not sell your personal information. We share it only with the services we use to run the business and deliver your work:
- our payment provider, Stripe
- Google, for Analytics, reCAPTCHA and the Google services you give us access to
- WhatsApp (Meta), if you contact us through WhatsApp
- Xero, our accounting software, which holds invoices and billing details
- Google Workspace, which runs our business email
We may also disclose information if the law requires it.
Information Sent Overseas
Google, WhatsApp (Meta) and our payment provider are based overseas, so your information may be stored or processed outside New Zealand when you use those services. We only use providers we believe protect personal information to a standard comparable to New Zealand’s. Each has its own privacy policy for the information it handles.
How Long We Keep Information
We keep personal information only as long as we need it for the purpose we collected it.
- Enquiries from the contact form: 2 years after your last contact.
- Order and billing records: 7 years, to meet New Zealand tax record-keeping rules.
- Update emails: until you unsubscribe.
- Client reports and the account access details behind them: 2 years after delivery, unless we are still working together.
When we no longer need information, we delete it or make it anonymous.
Keeping It Secure
The website and its data are kept in New Zealand on our own managed hosting. We host the site on managed hosting and use secure connections and access controls. Client report pages sit behind a login that is specific to each client. We take reasonable steps to stop loss, misuse and unauthorised access.
If Something Goes Wrong
If a privacy breach is likely to cause you serious harm, we will tell you as soon as we reasonably can and notify the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, as the Privacy Act 2020 requires. We will explain what happened, what information was involved and what you can do about it.
Your Rights
Under the Privacy Act 2020 you can:
- ask us whether we hold personal information about you, and ask for a copy
- ask us to correct information that is wrong
Email support@seedstudio.co.nz and we will respond within 20 working days.
If you are not happy with how we handled your information, please talk to us first. You can also complain to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner at privacy.org.nz.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The latest version is always on this page. Last updated: 23 October 2026.