Privacy Policy

About this policy

Forrests Music Inc. is a double-reed and woodwind shop in Berkeley, California. This policy explains what personal information we collect when you shop with us online, by phone, or in the store, how we use it, and how you can control it.

We have been serving musicians since 1944, and we treat your personal information with the same care we give your instruments. If anything here is unclear, call or email us — a person will answer.

Last updated

July 30, 2026

Information we collect

When you place an order or contact us, we ask only for what we need to complete and support your purchase:

• Your name, and billing and shipping addresses
• Email address, so we can confirm your order and send receipts
• Phone number, in case we need to reach you about an order
• What you ordered, and any notes or instructions you send us

Information collected automatically

Like most websites, our servers record basic technical details when you visit: your IP address, your browser and operating system, the pages you view, the date and time, and the site you came from. If you use the search box, we log what you searched for and what came back, which is how we learn what to stock.

This usage measurement is deliberately kept minimal. Page addresses are recorded without query strings, browser session identifiers are stored only as a one-way hash, and automated traffic is filtered out.

Card payments

Card payments are processed by Stripe, a certified PCI Service Provider Level 1. When you check out, you enter your card details on Stripe's own secure payment page. Your card number goes directly from your browser to Stripe.

Forrests never receives, sees, or stores your full card number, expiration date, or security code. We receive only the result of the transaction and the last four digits, so we can match a payment to your order and handle refunds.

Information you exchange with our site is encrypted in transit using current TLS.

How we use your information

• Filling, shipping, and invoicing your order
• Contacting you about an order, a back-ordered item, or a question you asked
• Handling returns, exchanges, repairs, and warranty claims
• Keeping the inventory, accounting, and tax records a business is required to keep
• Preventing fraud and keeping the store secure
• Sending shop news or offers — only if you asked to receive them

We do not sell your information

Forrests does not sell your personal information. We do not rent, trade, or otherwise hand your details to anyone who wants to market to you.

If you would rather not receive any advertising from us, just email sales@forrestsmusic.com and ask to come off the mailing list — we will take care of it. We may still need to send you messages about an order you actually placed. We will not solicit you by telephone.

Service providers

Running a store takes a few outside services: our payment processor, shipping carriers, and the providers that host the site and deliver our email. They receive only the information needed to do that job — a carrier gets your shipping address, not your order history — and they are not permitted to use it for their own purposes.

Cookies, analytics, and advertising

Some cookies are necessary for the site to work at all: they remember your shopping cart, keep you signed in, and carry you through checkout. Turning those off will stop the cart from working.

We also offer optional Google Analytics and Google Ads measurement, which helps us understand which products people are looking for and whether our advertising is worth the money. These load only after you allow them. They receive page addresses without query strings, and they never receive your email address or any payment details.

California law treats this kind of advertising measurement as "sharing" for cross-context behavioral advertising. You can decline it, or change your mind later, using the Privacy choices control at the bottom of any page. We also honor the Global Privacy Control browser signal automatically — if your browser sends it, analytics and advertising stay off without you having to do anything.

Your California privacy rights

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended by the CPRA, California residents have the following rights. Forrests honors them for every customer, whether or not you live in California:

• Know what personal information we have collected about you, and how we used and disclosed it
• Access a copy of that information
• Correct information that is inaccurate
• Delete information we hold about you, subject to the records we must keep for tax and accounting
• Opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information
• Limit how sensitive personal information is used — we do not collect or use sensitive personal information beyond what is needed to complete your order
• Be treated the same whether or not you exercise these rights: same prices, same service

Making a privacy request

Email sales@forrestsmusic.com or call 800-322-6263 and tell us what you would like. To protect your information we will ask you to confirm details we already hold, such as an order number or the email address used on an order, before we act on a request.

We will acknowledge your request within 10 business days and respond within 45 days. If we need more time we will tell you why, and take no more than another 45 days. There is no charge. An authorized agent may make a request on your behalf with your written permission.

How long we keep information

We keep order and customer records for as long as needed to support the purchase — returns, warranty, and repair history are genuinely useful years later — and to meet tax, accounting, and other legal requirements. After that they are disposed of securely.

Children

This store is intended for adults and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. We do not sell or share the personal information of anyone we know to be under 16. If you believe a child has given us information, contact us and we will remove it.

Email that claims to be from Forrests

We will never email you asking you to "update your account," verify a password, or confirm card details. Messages like that are not from us. Legitimate email from Forrests originates from our own mail servers — if you are unsure, call the shop before clicking anything.

Changes to this policy

If this policy changes we will post the revised version here and update the date at the top. Material changes will be called out on the storefront.

Questions

We are happy to answer any question about your privacy or your information.

Email

sales@forrestsmusic.com

Phone

510-845-7178

Toll free

800-322-6263

Mail

Forrests Music Inc., 1849 University Ave., Berkeley, CA 94703