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DSSI Data & Privacy Policy

This Data & Privacy Policy describes DSSI’s (“we” or “us”) policy for handling, processing, maintaining and sharing information and data that we may obtain from our customers and their suppliers (collectively, “you”) in connection with your use of our e-commerce system (the “System”).

Personal Information

Personal Information we may collect

"Personal Information" means information that can be used to uniquely identify, contact, or locate a single individual. We may obtain Personal Information from you such as your name, job title, business address, business email, telephone number, and credit card number in connection with the services we offer. We may also collect information such as your Internet protocol (IP) address used to connect your computer to the Internet, browser type, domain name, access time and referring Web site address when you access our System.

Please note that you should submit only publicly available business contact information. Individual contact information which you submit to us should not include your private, non-business contact information.

Use of Personal Information

We may use your Personal Information to provide services in connection with the System. For instance, you agree that we may collect and use your Personal Information to:

  • Set up a username, account and approvals for you on the System,
  • Customize your experience for you,
  • Communicate with you regarding the System,
  • Contact you to obtain your opinion about our System or new services we may offer,
  • Respond to customer service requests and trouble shoot problems,
  • Customize, measure and improve our service, content, and any advertising that may be offered on the System,
  • Bill you and collect fees for services we have or will provide, and
  • Inform you of events we may hold such as user subcommittee or DSSI Forum events.

You understand and agree that the account administrator for your organization may have access to your Personal Information for purposes of editing it, activating or inactivating your account, and otherwise controlling features of the System.

We only use Personal Information in accordance with applicable law. We will never sell, rent or trade your unique, identifiable Personal Information with any third party without your prior consent other than as outlined in this Data & Privacy Policy or if we are required by law to do so or we determine in good faith that it is necessary to disclose such information to: (a) comply with legal process served on us or the System; (b) protect and defend our rights or property; or (c) act under time-sensitive circumstances to protect the personal safety of users of the System or the public. We may share your Personal Information on a confidential and limited basis with trusted partners that help us perform services related to the System.

Transaction and Usage Data

Transaction and Usage Data we may collect

“Transaction and Usage Data” means all information that may be exchanged over our System in connection with your purchase or sale of good or services. For instance, Transaction and Usage Data includes quantities and prices for the goods or services you may buy or sell over the System, product catalog information, and other information related to an order you may place or receive over the System. Transaction and Usage Data may also include information about your use of the System such as how you search, buy, participate in a System discussion board, or communicate with our customer service team.

Use of Transaction and Usage Data

We understand the sensitive nature of your Transaction and Usage Data. In particular, we understand the confidential nature of your nonpublic pricing information. We will never share your specific unit pricing information other than with your specific trading partner in order to facilitate your transactions over the System, your or your trading partner’s Group Purchasing Organization (GPO), your purchasing agent, an organization that sponsors the site you access on the System, or as may be required by law. You understand and agree that we may collect, use and share your Transaction and Usage Data to:

  • Facilitate your purchase or sale with your trading partners;
  • Support GPOs, purchasing agents, or organizations that sponsor the site you use on the System;
  • Facilitate rebates and tracings; and
  • Provide reporting services to you and your trading partners.

In addition, you agree that we may use Transaction and Usage Data provided such data is in an aggregated, anonymous or disguised manner so as to not permit the identification of you or your specific Transaction and Usage Data. For instance, we may use aggregated Transaction and Usage Data to provide you with spend analytics or benchmarking information.

We will only use Transaction and Usage Data in accordance with applicable law. We will never sell, rent, or trade your unique, identifiable Transaction and Usage Data with any third party without your prior consent other than as outlined in this Data & Privacy Policy or if we are required by law to do so or we determine in good faith that it is necessary to disclose such information to: (a) comply with legal process served on us or the System; (b) protect and defend our rights or property; or© act under time-sensitive circumstances to protect the personal safety of users of the System or the public. We may share your Transaction and Usage Data on a confidential and limited basis with trusted partners that help us perform services related to the System or other services we may provide.

Limited Use & Security

We secure your Personal Information and Transaction and Usage Data against unauthorized access, use and disclosure. Personal Information and Transaction and Usage Data is obtained by us in a controlled, secure environment and will only be shared with third parties as provided in this Data & Privacy Policy. Credit card information we receive is treated and maintained in accordance with applicable industry standards, and Protected Health Information (PHI) we receive is treated in accordance with applicable provisions of the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act of 1996 and its associated privacy and security regulations (“HIPAA”) and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (“HITECH”).

Use of Cookies & Other Technology

The System may use “cookies” to help you personalize your experience on the System. A cookie is a text file that is placed on your hard disk by a Web server page. Cookies are uniquely assigned to you, and can only be read by a web server in the domain that issued the cookie to you. They are commonly used on websites to help facilitate your access to and use of a particular website. You have the ability to accept or decline cookies. Some web browsers may automatically accept cookies, but you may be able to modify your settings to decline cookies if you prefer. However, please note that if you choose to decline cookies when accessing the System, you may limit or prohibit some features of the System.

We may also use various analytic tools and technologies to track your use of the System. We will use these tools and technologies to help us better understand how our System is being used and to allow us to enhance the quality of the System for your use. These tools may allow us to store data regarding your web session.

Third Party Web Sites

The System may provide you with links to other websites. Please note that we do not exchange or share any Personal Information with such websites. We do not have access to or control over and are not responsible for such websites, including without limitation any cookies or other features that they may use, content found on such website, and the personal information and data practices of such websites. Third party websites are not covered by this Data & Privacy Policy. Please contact them directly for more information about their privacy practices.

Questions & Contacts

We welcome your comments regarding this Data & Privacy Policy. If you have any questions regarding this Data & Privacy Policy, our treatment of your Personal Information or Transaction and Usage Data, you wish to request access to your Personal Information, or if you believe that we have not adhered to this Data & Privacy Policy, please send an email to customeradvocacy@dssi.net or contact us at DSSI, 6767 N. Industrial Road, Milwaukee, WI 53223, Attn: DSSI Legal Team.

Use of the System by Children

The System is not intended for use by children and we request that children do not provide Personal Information through the System. We do not knowingly collect Personal Information from children.

Changes to this Policy & Miscellaneous

Please note that we may need to change this Data & Privacy Policy from time to time. For instance, we may need to update this Policy in order to comply with applicable law. We encourage you to periodically review this Policy to be informed of how we protect your Personal Information and Transaction and Usage Data. We reserve the right to change this Policy at any time and we agree to provide you with 30 days prior written notice of any material changes that we make to this Policy. The term “use” as used herein includes use, distribution, publishing, storage, display, share, transferring, licensing and selling. References to the term “you” include not only entities which constitute customers and suppliers, but also those individuals who use the System.

This Data & Privacy Policy is to be construed and applied in accordance with the internal laws of the United States, and specifically the State of Wisconsin. The parties agree that under no circumstances will we be liable for any incidental, consequential, punitive, indirect or special damages or lost profits or revenues for our use of Personal Information or Transaction and Usage Data, or otherwise related to this Policy. Some states do not allow exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages, so the above limitations or exclusions may not apply to you.

DSSI is a division of Direct Supply, Inc., which is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin USA.
Updated on 12-20-2010