Privacy Policy

Last updated: May 7, 2026 | Effective Date: May 1, 2026

1. Introduction and Scope

Ernie's Arms Accessories ("we," "us," "our," or "the Company"), a licensed Federal Firearms License (FFL) dealer operating at 9045 S 51st Ave, Oak Lawn, IL 60453, respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information you share with us. This Privacy Policy explains in detail how we collect, use, store, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website (earnies-arms-accessories.vercel.app), communicate with us via phone, email, or other channels, or interact with our business in any capacity.

This policy applies to all visitors, customers, prospective customers, and any individual who interacts with our website or services. By using our website or providing us with your information, you acknowledge that you have read and understand this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our practices described herein, please discontinue use of our website and services.

2. Information We Collect

We collect several categories of information depending on how you interact with us:

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

  • Contact Information: Your name, email address, phone number, and mailing address when you submit an inquiry form, contact us by phone or email, or schedule an appointment.
  • Inquiry and Service Details: The content of messages, questions, requests, and service inquiries you submit through our website forms or other communication channels. This includes information about specific products or services you are interested in.
  • Appointment Information: Date, time, and purpose of appointments you schedule with us.
  • Transaction Information: When you conduct a firearm transaction with us in person, we collect information required by federal and state law, including information on ATF Form 4473 (Firearms Transaction Record). This information is collected and maintained separately under strict federal regulatory requirements and is not stored on our website or in our website's database systems.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

  • Device and Browser Information: Your IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device type, screen resolution, and language preferences.
  • Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on each page, links clicked, referring URLs, exit pages, and the date and time of your visits.
  • Location Data: General geographic location derived from your IP address (city and state level, not precise location).

2.3 Information from Third-Party Services

Our website uses third-party services including Vercel (hosting), Supabase (backend services), and Google Maps (embedded maps). These services may independently collect information about your interactions as described in their respective privacy policies. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of these third-party services.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

  • Service Delivery: To respond to your inquiries, schedule appointments, provide product and service information, and facilitate transactions.
  • Communication: To communicate with you about your inquiries, appointments, orders, and any changes to our services or policies.
  • Website Improvement: To analyze how visitors use our website and improve its functionality, content, and user experience.
  • Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, including but not limited to the Gun Control Act of 1968, the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, the Illinois Firearm Owners Identification Card Act (430 ILCS 65), and all ATF regulations governing FFL dealers.
  • Security: To protect our website, our business, and our visitors from fraud, abuse, and security threats.
  • Business Operations: To manage our business operations, maintain records, and improve our services.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal information based on the following legal grounds:

  • Consent: When you voluntarily submit your information through our contact forms or communication channels.
  • Contractual Necessity: When processing is necessary to provide you with requested services.
  • Legal Obligation: When processing is required to comply with applicable laws and regulations, particularly federal firearms regulations.
  • Legitimate Interest: When processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, such as improving our website and services, provided these interests do not override your fundamental rights and freedoms.

5. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, trade, rent, or otherwise transfer your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes. We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:

  • Legal Requirements: When required by law, subpoena, court order, or government regulation. As an FFL dealer, we are subject to inspection and audit by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and must provide access to records as required by federal law.
  • Law Enforcement: When we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect public safety or comply with applicable law enforcement requests.
  • Service Providers: With third-party service providers who assist in operating our website and business (such as hosting providers, email services, and analytics tools), subject to confidentiality obligations and data processing agreements.
  • Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of our assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

6. Firearm Transaction Records

As a licensed FFL dealer, we are required by federal law to maintain certain records of firearm transactions, including ATF Form 4473 (Firearms Transaction Record) and our acquisition and disposition (A&D) bound book. These records are maintained in compliance with 27 CFR Part 478 and are subject to the following specific rules:

  • ATF Form 4473 records must be retained for a minimum of 20 years from the date of the transaction.
  • These records are stored securely at our business premises in accordance with ATF requirements.
  • These records are NOT stored on our website or in any online database.
  • Access to these records is limited to authorized personnel and ATF inspectors as required by law.
  • These records are separate from and not governed by the general data practices described elsewhere in this policy.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website may use the following types of cookies and tracking technologies:

  • Essential Cookies: Required for basic website functionality, including session management and security features. These cannot be disabled without affecting website functionality.
  • Analytics Cookies: Used to understand how visitors interact with our website, including pages visited and time spent. This data is collected in aggregate form and does not personally identify you.
  • Functional Cookies: Used to remember your preferences and improve your browsing experience on return visits.

You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences. Most browsers allow you to refuse cookies, delete existing cookies, or set alerts when cookies are being sent. Note that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of some portions of our website.

8. Data Security

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include encrypted data transmission (HTTPS/TLS), secure hosting infrastructure through Vercel, access controls and authentication for administrative functions, regular security assessments of our website and systems, and secure storage of sensitive records at our physical business location. However, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Specifically:

  • Contact form submissions and inquiry records: Retained for 3 years from the date of submission.
  • Website analytics data: Retained in aggregate form for up to 26 months.
  • Firearm transaction records (ATF Form 4473): Retained for a minimum of 20 years as required by federal law.
  • A&D book records: Retained for the duration of our FFL license and transferred to the ATF upon discontinuation of business as required by law.

10. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

  • Access: You may request access to the personal information we hold about you.
  • Correction: You may request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.
  • Deletion: You may request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal retention requirements. Note that we cannot delete records required to be maintained by federal firearms law.
  • Opt-Out: You may opt out of any marketing communications at any time.
  • Portability: You may request a copy of your personal information in a structured, commonly used format.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided in Section 13 below. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

11. Children's Privacy

Our website is not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 18, we will take steps to delete such information promptly. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 18, please contact us immediately.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to update or modify this Privacy Policy at any time. When we make changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of our website after any changes indicates your acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Contact Information

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

14. Additional Disclosures

This website is hosted on Vercel. Vercel's privacy policy governs their collection and use of data related to hosting and delivery of our website. Our backend services are provided by Supabase, whose privacy policy governs their handling of data processed through their platform. Google Maps is embedded on certain pages of our website, and Google's privacy policy governs their collection of data through map interactions. We recommend reviewing these third-party privacy policies for a complete understanding of how your data may be processed.