Flowers Whetstone Privacy Policy

Introduction

This Privacy Policy for Flowers Whetstone explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you place an order with us from Whetstone and nearby districts. We are committed to safeguarding your data and handle all personal information in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and applicable UK data protection laws. Please read this Policy carefully to understand your rights and how we process your personal data.

Scope of Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to all customers placing orders with Flowers Whetstone, whether online, in-person, or via phone, within Whetstone and the surrounding districts. By submitting your order, you acknowledge that you understand and agree with the practices described herein.

What Data We Collect

We collect the following types of personal data in order to facilitate your flower order and provide quality customer service:

  • Contact Details: Your name, delivery address, and contact information, including phone number (where provided).
  • Order Information: Information about the products you order, payment method, delivery instructions, and any personalised card messages or special requests.
  • Transaction Data: Purchase history and payment records for accounting and order fulfilment purposes.
  • Communications: Any correspondence between you and Flowers Whetstone (for example, queries, feedback, or complaints).
  • Technical Data: When ordering online, we may additionally collect limited technical information including IP address and browser type to improve our website experience and security.

Lawful Basis for Processing

Our collection and processing of your personal data is justified by one or more of the following lawful bases, as allowed under the GDPR:

  • Contractual Necessity: We require certain details to process your order, deliver products to you, and fulfil our contractual obligations.
  • Legal Obligation: We may need to process personal data to comply with accounting, tax, or other legal requirements.
  • Legitimate Interests: We process your data to maintain service quality, respond to customer enquiries, manage records, prevent fraud, and improve our business processes. We always consider your rights and interests when relying on this basis.
  • Consent: Where required (for example, for marketing purposes), we will seek your explicit consent before processing your data.

How We Use Your Data

Your personal data is used for the following purposes:

  • Processing and fulfilling your flower orders.
  • Communicating with you regarding your order, enquiries, or complaints.
  • Improving our services, customer experience, and website functionality.
  • Legal and accounting obligations, including tax reporting and invoicing.
  • Managing any refunds, exchanges, or problems with your order.
  • With your consent, sending news or marketing communications (if you have opted in).

Data Retention

We only retain your personal data for as long as is necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including fulfilling your order, maintaining business records, complying with legal obligations, and resolving any disputes. Typically, we keep order and transaction records for up to six years in accordance with UK law. We regularly review the data we hold and securely erase personal information that is no longer required.

Data Processors and Third Parties

To provide our services, we may engage third-party service providers ("processors") who process your information on our behalf. For example, we may use payment processors to handle transactions, delivery partners to complete deliveries, and IT providers to support our ordering systems. These service providers are strictly required to process your data under our instructions and to implement adequate security safeguards consistent with the GDPR.

We do not sell or share your personal data with unrelated third parties for marketing purposes. Where required by law, we may need to disclose information to regulatory bodies or law enforcement agencies.

Your Rights

Under GDPR, you have a number of rights regarding your personal data, including:

  • Right of Access: You may request to see what data we hold about you.
  • Right to Rectification: You may request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.
  • Right to Erasure: You may request deletion of your personal data where there is no compelling reason for its continued processing.
  • Right to Restrict Processing: You can ask us to temporarily halt the processing of your data.
  • Right to Object: You may object to the processing of your data for direct marketing or other specified purposes.
  • Right to Data Portability: Where applicable, you can request to receive your data in a machine-readable format.

Requests to exercise your rights will be handled promptly and are generally free of charge. Certain requests may require proof of identity to safeguard your information. Please note that some legal or contractual obligations may prevent immediate deletion of your data.

Data Security

We take your privacy seriously and have put in place appropriate security measures to prevent loss, misuse, or unauthorised access of your personal data. Our staff are trained to handle your information confidentially and only process it for the intended purpose. Third-party service providers are contractually required to maintain data security as part of their service to us.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

Flowers Whetstone may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements or our business operations. When we make changes, we will update the date at the top of the policy and, where appropriate, notify customers of significant changes. We encourage you to review this Policy periodically to stay informed.

Contact and Complaints

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data protection rights, please contact us using the details provided on our website or ask in store. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to seek further advice or make a complaint.