Last updated: February 27, 2024

NOTICE: This Privacy Policy differs substantially from the policies governing other websites, services, applications and platforms operated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. If you are under the age of 21, please exit immediately and discontinue all use.

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (“PLCB”) is dedicated to protecting your privacy and security when using or accessing FineWineAndGoodSpirits.com, FWGS.com, (the “FW&GS website”), the Licensee Online Order Portal (“LOOP”), and/or any associated services, applications, or mobile platforms (collectively, the “PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s)”). This Privacy Policy explains how the PLCB may collect, use, and/or share information gained when you use or access the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s), as well as your choices relative to how such information is used. Please review this Privacy Policy carefully.

For information on the terms and conditions governing your use of the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s), please refer to the Terms of Use and/or the LOOP Terms of Use respectively.

This Privacy Policy addresses the following topics:

Collection of Information

Information that is collected automatically:
The PLCB, and/or its third-party contractors or suppliers may automatically collect the following information when you use or access the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s): 

  • Your domain name; for example, “xcompany.com” if you use a private internet access account, or “yourschool.edu” if you are connecting from a university domain;

  • Your IP address, a number automatically assigned to your device when you are using the internet;

  • The type of browser and operating system used to access the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s);

  • The internet address of the website from which you linked directly to the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s);

  • The pages you visit within the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s); and

  • The links used to access other websites from the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s).

Additionally, in order to administer the PLCB’s business and to optimize the shopping experience for customers, the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s) automatically employ the use of the following:

  • Cookies
    “Cookies” are used to provide tailored information to customers. A “cookie” is an element of data placed on a device when it is used to visit a website. Both “session” cookies, which expire once you close your web browser, and “persistent” cookies, which remain on your device, sometimes until you delete them, may be used. If you would prefer not to accept cookies, most browsers will allow you to block or delete cookies. Please note, however, that by disabling cookies, certain features of the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s) may no longer work properly 

  • Pixel Tags 
    A “pixel tag” is a transparent graphic image, sometimes called a web beacon or clear GIF, that is placed on a website, in online content, or in the body of an email to indicate that a page or email has been viewed. Pixel tags are used in conjunction with cookies to anonymously track interactions with the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s) in order to determine user trends.

  • Similar Technologies
    The PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s) may also automatically use other kinds of technologies for the same or similar purposes. These may include Local Shared Objects (or “Flash cookies”), HTML5 local storage, mobile analytics software (like Google Analytics), mobile ad identifiers, and security software (like Google reCAPTCHA). 

Information that is collected if you voluntarily provide it:

The PLCB and/or its third-party contractors or suppliers may also collect certain information that you voluntarily provide when you: 

  • Create or maintain a customer account on the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s);

  • Sign up for newsletters, notifications, or promotional material through the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s);

  • Place an order or purchase products through the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s) (even as a guest);

  • Contact the PLCB for any reason;

  • Participate in PLCB-sponsored programs, events, or services, including but not limited to customer rewards programs, lotteries, product clubs, subscription services, sweepstakes, surveys, or promotions;

  • Connect with the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s) through social media services; or

  • Otherwise submit personal information.

The information collected by the PLCB may include personally identifiable information, which generally refers to information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual’s identity, such as your name, billing address, shipping address, telephone number, email address, and credit card information. The information collected may be in the form of text characters, videos, audio, photographs, data files, or may involve various other formats. Any information collected is retained only to the extent authorized by applicable laws, Commonwealth polices, and/or applicable standards or agreements governing the PLCB’s operations. 

Use of Information

Information that is collected by the PLCB or its third-party contractors or suppliers when you use or access the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platforms will generally be used as follows: 

  • To provide and manage services you request. This includes, for example, processing purchases made through the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s), responding to customer questions and comments, managing customer accounts, conducting customer rewards programs, and sending promotional material.  

  • To deliver targeted marketing materials. The PLCB, along with its third-party contractors or suppliers, may use your information to personalize and tailor content and facilitate the delivery of targeted marketing material such as advertisements, promotions, and offers, whether via the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s), or elsewhere. 

  • To better understand customer preferences and enhance performance. Non-personal information may be used by the PLCB, or its third-party contractors or suppliers, for statistical analysis. Such information may also be used, in the aggregate, to determine what types of information customers find most beneficial or interesting and to identify system performance or problem areas. 

  • To satisfy other operational needs. The PLCB, or its third-party contractors or suppliers, may also use any information that is collected to satisfy other operational needs of the PLCB.

  • To satisfy contractual obligations. The PLCB, or its third-party contractors or suppliers, may use any information collected concerning licensed customers to satisfy contractual obligations with third-party trade organizations or other businesses. 

Where Google Analytics or Google reCAPTCHA is used, the data are used for other limited purposes by Google. For more detail on how data is used by Google Analytics, click here. Click here for more detail on how data is used by Google reCAPTCHA.

Sharing of Information

Any information collected by the PLCB or its third-party contractors or suppliers when you use or access the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s) will not be shared or disclosed with anyone, except as set forth herein.

Please note that pursuant to applicable law, the PLCB is strictly prohibited from selling or otherwise making available to the public any records or information that would disclose the personal purchase choices of individual consumers under any circumstances.

The PLCB may share non-personal information, such as aggregate usage data, with third parties to improve the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s). Third parties may use the non-personal information to improve their own services, consistent with their own privacy policies.

Except as set forth herein, the PLCB will only share personal information under the following circumstances: 

  • To enable a third-party or supplier to perform contracted services on the PLCB’s behalf. The PLCB may contract with third-party contractors or suppliers to perform various services related to the operation of the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s), including but not limited to hosting or operating services, assisting with advertising, analyzing data, processing transactions, fulfilling orders, providing platform maximization, and supplying marketing or promotional support. The PLCB may share your personally identifiable information with such third-party contractors or suppliers to provide the products or services that you request, and/or to otherwise enhance your shopping experience. The PLCB is not responsible for the management or execution of the privacy practices of its third-party contractors or suppliers, although all vendors are legally bound to ensure the privacy of any personally identifiable information received. 

  • To satisfy legal obligations. The PLCB may share or disclose certain personally identifiable information in instances where it is legally obligated to do so, such as if the information is requested pursuant to a valid subpoena or court order, or if the information is requested by law enforcement or other governmental authorities for purposes of enforcing a violation of law. 

  • When you have specifically consented. The PLCB may share your personally identifiable information with third parties whenever you have specifically consented to sharing or disclosing such information. The PLCB may also receive your personally identifiable information from third parties in the same manner, such as when you connect your social media account(s) with the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s). 

Access to Information and Choice

Any information that you enter or provide when creating a customer account through the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s) will be open and accessible to you for review and modify at any time simply by logging into your customer account. You are free to choose to discontinue your use of the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s) at any time.

Please note that it may not always be possible to completely remove or delete all of your information from the PLCB’s databases without some residual data remaining in back-up storage. The PLCB may also retain and use your information as needed to comply with legal obligations, to resolve disputes, or to enforce agreements and policies.

You may be given the option to receive some forms of commercial messaging and targeted advertising from the PLCB and its third-party contractors or suppliers. To unsubscribe or opt out of receiving such messaging or advertising you have previously chosen to receive, simply follow the instructions contained in the communications relative to the same. If you have any questions or difficulties in doing so, you may contact the PLCB by email or mail at the addresses set forth below.

Please note that the PLCB does not control the privacy settings and preferences maintained by social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube. If you wish to make changes to those accounts, you may do so by visiting the settings pages of those sites.

Security

As part of the PLCB’s continuing commitment to the security of electronic content as well as the electronic transmission of information: 

  • The PLCB has a variety of physical, electronic, and administrative procedures in place to protect your personally identifiable information and online transactions across the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s). 

  • The PLCB uses encryption technologies for data at rest and in motion.

  • The PLCB complies with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. 

Nonetheless, no security system is perfect or impenetrable. While the PLCB will continue to maintain and improve the above measures to safeguard your information, it cannot guarantee that your information will not be accessed through the unauthorized acts of others.

You are responsible for protecting the username and password associated with your customer account. You should not divulge your username or password to anyone; the PLCB will never ask you for your password in an unsolicited phone call or email. It is further recommended that you log out (where applicable) and close the web browser when you have finished using or accessing the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s).

When contacting the PLCB through any method of communication (phone call, email, text or SMS message, web form, etc.), you must determine whether the method of communication is adequately secure for your purposes prior to providing any confidential or personally identifiable information. Any information sent by you to the PLCB is sent at your own risk; the PLCB cannot guarantee that the information you supply will not be intercepted while being transmitted to the PLCB.

External Linking

The PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s) may link or interact with third-party websites, content, or services that are not owned, controlled, or operated by the PLCB, including but not limited to social media websites or platform(s). The PLCB does not endorse any specific third-party websites, content, or services, and the PLCB is not liable for any harm or damages related to your use of the same. Please review the terms and privacy polices applicable to any third-party websites, content, or services carefully prior to using the same. Questions or complaints regarding third-party websites, content, or services should be directed to the applicable third party.

Modifications or Revisions to Privacy Policy

The PLCB reserves the right to modify or revise this Privacy Policy at any time. Any modifications or revisions that are made to this Privacy Policy will become effective upon being posted to the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s). You are responsible for reading and understanding the Privacy Policy that is posted and in effect each time you use or access the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s). Your use of the PLCB’s merchant websites and/or mobile platform(s) constitutes your acknowledgement of and consent to the posted Privacy Policy. Therefore, you are encouraged to review the Privacy Policy regularly. The PLCB, in its discretion, may also provide additional notices regarding changes to the Privacy Policy.

Contact Information

If you have any questions or comments about the information presented in this Privacy Policy, please email ra-lbpawineandspirits@pa.gov.