Muswell Hill Florist Privacy Policy

Introduction

This Privacy Policy outlines how Muswell Hill Florist (“we”, “our”, “us”) collects, uses, stores, and safeguards the personal data of our customers who place orders in Muswell Hill and surrounding districts. We are committed to respecting your privacy and ensuring protection of your personal information, in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This policy details our practices and your rights regarding your personal data.

Scope

This Privacy Policy applies to all customers, whether individuals or organisations, who order from Muswell Hill Florist within Muswell Hill and neighbouring districts. By placing an order with us, you agree to the collection and use of your information in accordance with this policy.

What Data We Collect

We only collect data necessary to fulfil our services and manage our obligations to you. Depending on your interaction with us, the following categories of personal data may be collected:

• Identity Data: Name, including title
• Contact Data: Delivery address, billing address, and delivery recipient’s address (if different); telephone numbers; your contact preferences
• Order Data: Items ordered, purchase history, delivery notes, and any messages you include for the recipient
• Payment Data: Payment method and transaction details (please note card details are processed securely by payment processors and not stored by us)
• Technical Data: IP address, browser type, and device information collected via our website
• Correspondence: Records of your communications with us (for example, if you contact us with a query or complaint)

Lawful Basis for Processing

Under GDPR, the law requires us to have a clear lawful basis for processing your data. We process your personal data for the following reasons:

• Contractual necessity: To process and deliver your order and provide customer support
• Legitimate interests: To develop our products, manage customer relationship, and improve our services; in a way which does not override your rights or interests
• Legal obligation: To comply with legal requirements, for instance maintaining appropriate business records
• Consent: In specific cases, such as for marketing communications, where we obtain your explicit agreement

How We Use Your Data

Your personal data is used only for the purpose of fulfilling your order and providing a satisfactory customer experience. Specifically, we may use your data to:

• Process and deliver your floral orders
• Communicate order status and updates
• Respond to your queries or complaints
• Improve our services and customer experience
• Maintain internal records for bookkeeping and accounting
• Comply with regulatory obligations
• Send you marketing information, where you have given explicit consent

Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as is necessary to fulfil the purpose it was collected for, including satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Typically, this means:

• Order-related data: kept for up to 6 years after your purchase in accordance with tax, legal, and accounting standards
• Account and communication data: retained for as long as your account is active or as required to resolve disputes
• Marketing data: retained as long as you remain opted-in to marketing communications or until you withdraw consent

After the relevant retention period, your data will be securely deleted or anonymised so it can no longer be associated with you.

Processors and Data Sharing

We share your personal data with trusted third-party providers ("processors") where necessary for the above stated purposes, for example:

• Payment processors to securely handle card transactions
• Courier and delivery partners to deliver your purchases
• IT and website hosting providers who assist in operating our systems

All our service providers operate under written contracts that require them to process your data only according to our instructions, to keep it confidential, and to protect it to GDPR standards. We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

Your Rights

Under GDPR, you have several rights regarding your personal data. Subject to certain limitations, your rights include:

• Right of access: To request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Right to rectification: To have inaccurate or incomplete data corrected
• Right to erasure: To request deletion of your data in certain circumstances
• Right to restrict processing: To ask us to limit how we use your data
• Right to data portability: To receive your data in a machine-readable format and, where feasible, have it transmitted directly to another controller
• Right to object: To object to our use of your data where we process on the basis of legitimate interests or for direct marketing
• Right to withdraw consent: To withdraw your consent at any time if you have given it for marketing purposes
• Right to lodge a complaint: With the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe your data protection rights have been breached

Data Security

We take the security of your data seriously and have appropriate measures in place to prevent your personal information from being lost, used, accessed, altered, or disclosed in an unauthorised way. Access to personal data is restricted to staff and authorised processors with a business need to know that information and who are subject to confidentiality obligations.

Changes to this Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time, for example to reflect changes to the law, our practices, or technology. We encourage you to revisit this page regularly to stay informed about how we are protecting your data.

Contact and Further Information

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how your data is handled, please contact us through the methods provided on our website. We are committed to resolving any privacy concerns swiftly and transparently.