Richmond upon Thames Florist - GDPR Privacy Policy

Data Protection and Privacy at Richmond upon Thames Florist

Your privacy is of paramount importance to Richmond upon Thames Florist. We are committed to handling your personal data with utmost responsibility and respect, in accordance with the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and applicable data protection laws. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you place an order with us in Richmond upon Thames and its surrounding districts.

Scope of this Policy

This Privacy Policy is applicable to all customers who place orders with Richmond upon Thames Florist, either in person, online, or by telephone, from Richmond upon Thames or any of the neighbouring districts we serve. By using our services, you acknowledge and accept the practices described in this policy.

What Data We Collect

We collect various types of personal data to process your floral orders and provide our services. The data we collect includes:

• Contact Information: Name, address, email address, and phone number for order delivery and communication.
• Order Details: Information about your floral order, including recipient details (name, delivery address, message card content, and phone number).
• Payment Information: Payment method details. We do not store full card or bank details; these are managed by our secure payment processors.
• Correspondence: Records of your communications and interactions with our staff regarding enquiries, orders, or after-sales support.
• Website Usage Data: When you use our website, we may collect information about your device and interaction with our site, including IP address, browser type, and cookies (where applicable and with your consent).

Lawful Basis for Processing Personal Data

We process your personal information under the following lawful bases defined under the GDPR:

• Contractual Necessity: Processing your data is necessary to fulfil the contract of sale and deliver your order (e.g., collecting your address to deliver flowers).
• Legitimate Interests: We may use your data for legitimate business purposes, such as managing and improving our services, record keeping, or responding to enquiries, provided it does not override your rights and freedoms.
• Legal Obligations: We retain certain information as required by law, for example, for tax and accounting obligations.
• Consent: Where your consent is necessary (for example, for certain marketing communications or non-essential cookies), it will be expressly obtained, and you may withdraw it at any time.

How We Use Your Personal Data

Your data is used strictly for the following purposes:

• Processing orders and arranging delivery of flowers or related products.
• Communicating with you about your order or responding to your enquiries.
• Fulfilling legal, tax, and accounting requirements.
• Improving our website and customer service.
• With your consent, sending you occasional updates or promotional offers related to Richmond upon Thames Florist. You can opt out of these communications at any time.

Who Processes Your Data

Your personal data is processed by appropriately trained Richmond upon Thames Florist staff. Where necessary, we engage trusted third-party service providers ("data processors") for specific business operations, including:

• Payment gateway providers for processing transactions securely.
• IT and website hosting providers supporting our website and order management systems.
• Couriers or delivery personnel who receive recipient names and delivery addresses to fulfil your order.

All third-party processors are required to process your data securely and in compliance with GDPR. They may not use your data for other purposes or share it with other parties.

How Long We Retain Your Data

We keep your personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes set out in this policy and in accordance with legal requirements:

• Order and transaction records are retained for up to seven years, in line with accounting and tax regulations.
• Contact, order, and correspondence data is regularly reviewed and deleted or anonymised when no longer needed for active purposes.
• Where consent is given for marketing, your details are kept until you withdraw consent, or for a reasonable period after your last engagement with us.

Your Privacy Rights

You have a number of rights under the GDPR regarding your personal data. These include the right to:

• Access and request a copy of your personal data that we hold.
• Request correction of any inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Request deletion (erasure) of your data where there is no legal or contractual reason for its continued processing.
• Object to or restrict how we use your data in certain circumstances (for example, direct marketing).
• Withdraw your consent for specific processing activities at any time, where consent is the legal basis.
• Request that your data be transferred to another service provider (data portability), where applicable.

To exercise any of these rights, or for questions about our data practices, please contact us in writing or by phone.

How We Protect Your Data

We implement stringent technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data from unauthorised access, loss, alteration, or disclosure. These include secure electronic storage, password protection, staff training, and, where appropriate, encryption. We regularly review our information security practices to maintain industry standards.

Updates to This Policy

This Privacy Policy is reviewed regularly and may be updated to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. We encourage you to review it periodically. Material changes will be clearly communicated at the point of order or on our premises or website.

Contact and Complaints

If you have concerns or complaints regarding the way we handle your personal information, please reach out to us directly. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

Thank you for trusting Richmond upon Thames Florist with your floral orders and your personal information.