Effective Date: April 13, 2026
Introduction
Welcome to Thekeithley.com (“we,” “our,” or “us”). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you visit our website at https://thekeithley.com/ or interact with our services related to Keithley precision electronic test and measurement instruments, including sourcemeters, digital multimeters, power supplies, and related equipment.
We are committed to protecting your privacy and maintaining the confidentiality of your personal information. This policy describes our practices concerning data collection and processing in compliance with applicable privacy laws, including the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). By accessing or using our website, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy.
Thekeithley.com operates as an informational and e-commerce platform providing information about Keithley instruments and facilitating purchases of precision measurement equipment. We recognize the importance of transparency in our data practices and are dedicated to earning and maintaining your trust.
What Information We Collect
We collect various types of information to provide and improve our services, process transactions, and enhance your experience on our website.
Personal Information You Provide: When you interact with our website, you may voluntarily provide personal information such as your name, email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, and payment information when making purchases. If you contact us through our support email at Support@Thekeithley.com or call our phone line at 1-800-833-9200, we collect the information you provide during those communications. When creating an account, you may provide additional information such as company name, job title, and industry sector.
Automatically Collected Information: We automatically collect certain technical information when you visit our website, including your IP address, browser type and version, operating system, referring URLs, pages viewed, time spent on pages, and general geographic location. We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to collect information about your browsing behavior and preferences on our site.
Transaction Information: When you purchase Keithley instruments such as the 2400 SourceMeter, DMM6500 multimeter, or other products, we collect order details including product selections, quantities, prices, payment method information (processed securely through third-party payment processors), and shipping preferences.
Technical Support and Communication Records: When you request technical information about Keithley instruments, inquire about product specifications, or seek assistance with sourcemeters, digital multimeters, power supplies, or data acquisition systems, we maintain records of these interactions to improve our service quality and provide ongoing support.
Professional Information: Given that our products serve research laboratories, semiconductor manufacturers, and professional testing environments, we may collect information about your organization, research applications, industry sector, and intended use of our precision measurement equipment to better serve your needs.
Use of Information
We use the collected information for legitimate business purposes that enhance our ability to serve you effectively.
Order Processing and Fulfillment: Your personal and payment information is used to process purchases of Keithley instruments, including sourcemeters like the 2400, 2450, 2460, and 2461 models; digital multimeters such as the DMM6500, DMM7510, and 2000 series; power supplies; and specialized equipment like picoammeters, electrometers, and semiconductor analyzers. We use shipping information to deliver products to your specified location.
Customer Service and Technical Support: We utilize your contact information to respond to inquiries about Keithley products, provide technical specifications for instruments like the 6221 current source or 4200-SCS semiconductor analyzer, assist with product selection for specific measurement applications, and resolve any issues with orders or products. Communication records help us maintain service quality and provide informed assistance.
Website Improvement and Personalization: Browsing data and usage patterns help us understand which Keithley product categories (sourcemeters, multimeters, power supplies, data acquisition systems) generate the most interest, optimize our website navigation and user interface, identify technical issues, and enhance the overall user experience. This information guides our decisions about content presentation and product information organization.
Marketing and Communications: With your consent where required by law, we may send promotional emails about new Keithley instruments, special offers on precision measurement equipment, educational content about semiconductor testing and materials characterization applications, and updates about product availability. You can opt out of marketing communications at any time while continuing to receive transactional emails related to your purchases.
Legal Compliance and Protection: We use information to comply with applicable laws and regulations, enforce our Terms & Conditions, prevent fraud and security threats, protect the rights and safety of our users and business, respond to legal requests from authorities, and maintain business records for accounting and tax purposes.
Research and Analytics: Aggregated and anonymized data helps us analyze industry trends in precision measurement equipment, understand customer needs across sectors like semiconductor manufacturing and materials research, improve product offerings and service delivery, and make informed business decisions about inventory and partnerships.
Third-Party Disclosure
We respect your privacy and limit disclosure of your personal information to trusted third parties necessary for business operations.
Service Providers: We share information with carefully selected service providers who assist with payment processing (credit card processors and payment gateways), shipping and logistics companies for product delivery, cloud hosting services for website infrastructure, email service providers for communications, and customer relationship management platforms. These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for specified purposes.
Business Partners: When relevant to your purchase of Keithley instruments, we may share limited information with authorized distributors of Keithley equipment, manufacturers (noting that Keithley is part of the Tektronix family under Danaher Corporation), and technical support partners who can assist with instrument setup, calibration services, or specialized applications support.
Legal Requirements: We may disclose information when required by law, in response to valid legal processes such as subpoenas or court orders, to protect our legal rights and property, in connection with investigations of fraud or security issues, or when we believe disclosure is necessary to prevent harm or illegal activity.
Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity, with advance notice provided to you about any changes in information handling practices.
Aggregate Information: We may share anonymized, aggregated statistical information about website usage patterns, popular Keithley product categories, and industry trends with business partners and the public. This information cannot be used to identify individual users.
We do not sell your personal information to third parties for their independent marketing purposes. We do not share your personal information with unaffiliated third parties for purposes unrelated to your transactions or our business relationship with you.
Cookie Usage
Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance functionality and improve your experience.
Types of Cookies: Essential cookies enable core website functions like shopping cart functionality and secure login. Analytical cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our site, which Keithley product pages receive the most views, and where users experience navigation difficulties. Functional cookies remember your preferences such as language settings and display options. Marketing cookies, with your consent, track your interests to provide relevant product recommendations and advertisements.
Third-Party Cookies: Some third-party services we use, including analytics platforms and advertising networks, may set their own cookies to track your activities across multiple websites. These third parties have their own privacy policies governing cookie usage.
Cookie Management: Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through settings preferences. You can typically refuse cookies, delete existing cookies, or receive notifications when cookies are set. Note that disabling certain cookies may limit website functionality, such as the ability to add Keithley instruments to your shopping cart or maintain login sessions.
Do Not Track Signals: Our website currently does not respond to Do Not Track browser signals, though we are monitoring developments in this area as industry standards evolve.
External Links
Our website contains links to external resources that may be relevant to Keithley instrument users.
We link to approved external domains for resources such as CDNs (cdnjs.cloudflare.com, cdn.jsdelivr.net, unpkg.com), technical libraries, font services (fonts.googleapis.com), image hosting services (imgur.com, unsplash.com), and other content delivery networks. These external sites have their own privacy policies that govern their data collection and usage practices.
We may also link to Tektronix official resources for software downloads, technical documentation, and product support materials, as Keithley is part of the Tektronix family. Additionally, we might reference industry publications, research papers, or educational resources related to precision measurement, semiconductor testing, and materials characterization applications.
We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of external websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit. The inclusion of links does not imply endorsement of those sites’ privacy practices or content, though we strive to link only to reputable resources relevant to our customers’ needs.
Security Measures
We implement comprehensive security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.
Technical Safeguards: We use industry-standard SSL/TLS encryption to protect data transmitted between your browser and our servers, particularly during checkout and login processes. Our systems employ firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and regular security updates. Access to personal information is restricted to authorized personnel who need the information to perform specific job functions.
Payment Security: Payment information is processed through PCI-DSS compliant payment processors. We do not store complete credit card numbers on our servers, instead using tokenization to reference payment methods securely.
Organizational Measures: Our employees and contractors with access to personal information receive privacy and security training. We maintain policies governing data handling, incident response procedures, and regular security audits. Physical access to servers and data storage facilities is strictly controlled.
Limitations: While we implement robust security measures, no internet transmission or electronic storage method is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but remain committed to protecting your information using industry best practices and continuously updating our security protocols.
In the event of a data breach affecting your personal information, we will notify you and relevant authorities as required by applicable law, providing information about the nature of the breach and steps you can take to protect yourself.
User Rights and Choices
You have important rights regarding your personal information under applicable privacy laws.
Access and Correction: You can request access to the personal information we hold about you, including details about Keithley instruments you’ve purchased, your account information, and communication history. You may request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete information through your account settings or by contacting us.
Deletion: You can request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions such as records we must retain for legal, accounting, or security purposes. Deletion requests may affect your ability to access order history or receive warranty support for purchased Keithley instruments.
Marketing Opt-Out: You can unsubscribe from promotional emails using the unsubscribe link in any marketing message or by updating your communication preferences in your account settings. You will continue to receive transactional emails related to purchases and customer service.
Account Closure: You may request closure of your account, which will result in deletion of associated personal information subject to retention requirements. Past transaction records may be retained in anonymized form for business analytics.
Data Portability: Where applicable under law, you can request a copy of your personal information in a structured, commonly used format for transfer to another service.
To exercise these rights, contact us at Support@Thekeithley.com or call 1-800-833-9200. We will respond to requests within timeframes required by applicable law, typically within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before processing certain requests to protect your privacy and security.
Protection of Minors
Our website and services are intended for professional users including engineers, researchers, laboratory technicians, and organizations purchasing precision measurement equipment for business purposes.
We do not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under 18 years of age. Our products, including sourcemeters, digital multimeters, power supplies, and semiconductor analyzers, are professional-grade instruments intended for use by trained personnel in laboratory, research, or industrial settings. If you are under 18, please do not provide personal information through our website.
If we discover that we have inadvertently collected personal information from someone under 18, we will delete that information promptly. Parents or guardians who believe we may have collected information from a minor should contact us immediately at Support@Thekeithley.com.
Educational institutions purchasing Keithley instruments for teaching laboratories should ensure that any student information shared with us complies with applicable educational privacy laws such as FERPA in the United States.
CCPA Compliance
For California residents, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) provides specific rights regarding personal information.
Right to Know: You have the right to request disclosure of the categories and specific pieces of personal information we’ve collected about you, the sources of that information, our business purposes for collection, and categories of third parties with whom we share information.
Right to Delete: You can request deletion of personal information we’ve collected, subject to certain exceptions such as completing transactions, detecting security incidents, complying with legal obligations, or exercising free speech rights.
Right to Opt-Out: We do not sell personal information as defined by CCPA. If our practices change, we will provide notice and an opt-out mechanism as required.
Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your CCPA rights by denying services, charging different prices, or providing different quality of service.
Authorized Agents: You may designate an authorized agent to make requests on your behalf by providing written authorization. We may require verification of both your identity and the agent’s authority.
Categories of Information: We collect identifiers (name, email, address), commercial information (purchase history), internet activity (browsing data), professional information (company, role), and inferences about preferences related to precision measurement equipment needs.
To exercise CCPA rights, contact us at Support@Thekeithley.com or 1-800-833-9200. We will verify your identity through matching information you provide with our records and respond within 45 days, with possible 45-day extension if needed.
GDPR Compliance
For individuals in the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, and Switzerland, we comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Legal Basis for Processing: We process personal information based on: performance of contract (fulfilling orders for Keithley instruments), legitimate interests (improving services, fraud prevention), legal obligations (tax and accounting requirements), and consent (marketing communications where required).
Data Subject Rights: You have rights to access, rectification, erasure, restriction of processing, data portability, and objection to processing. You also have the right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent, and the right to lodge complaints with supervisory authorities.
International Transfers: If we transfer personal information from the EEA to countries without adequate protection, we use appropriate safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission.
Data Protection Officer: For GDPR-related inquiries, contact us at Support@Thekeithley.com with “GDPR Request” in the subject line.
Automated Decision-Making: We do not engage in automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects without human intervention.
To exercise GDPR rights, contact us using the information provided. We will respond within one month, with possible two-month extension for complex requests. We may request additional information to verify your identity.
How Long We Keep Your Information
We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy and comply with legal obligations.
Account Information: Active account information is retained while your account remains open and for a reasonable period after closure to address potential issues or inquiries.
Transaction Records: Purchase records for Keithley instruments, including sourcemeters, multimeters, and other equipment, are retained for accounting, tax, warranty support, and legal compliance purposes, typically 7-10 years depending on jurisdiction requirements.
Communication Records: Customer service interactions and technical support communications are retained for quality assurance and to provide continuity in ongoing support relationships, typically 3-5 years.
Marketing Data: Information related to marketing preferences and campaign interactions is retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion, after which we maintain suppression records to honor your preferences.
Technical Data: Website analytics and usage data is typically retained in anonymized form indefinitely for business intelligence purposes, while identifiable browsing data is retained for shorter periods.
Retention periods may be extended when necessary for legal claims, audits, investigations, or other legitimate business purposes. When information is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymize it according to industry best practices.
Policy Updates
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, legal requirements, or business operations.
When we make material changes affecting how we handle personal information, we will notify you by posting the updated policy on our website with a new “Last Updated” date and, where appropriate, through email notification to registered users. For significant changes that materially affect your rights, we may seek your renewed consent where required by law.
We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically when visiting https://thekeithley.com/ to stay informed about our privacy practices. Your continued use of our website after policy updates constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.
Previous versions of this Privacy Policy may be available upon request for your reference. Changes become effective immediately upon posting unless otherwise specified in the update notice.
Privacy Questions
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, we are here to help.
Contact Methods:
- Email: Support@Thekeithley.com (include “Privacy Inquiry” in subject line)
- Phone: 1-800-833-9200 (Monday-Friday, business hours)
- Mail: Thekeithley.com Privacy Office, 28775 Aurora Road, Solon, Ohio 44139