Privacy Policy for Croydon Flowers Customers

Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how Croydon Flowers collects, uses, stores, and protects your personal information when you place an order with us. The policy applies to all customers who order from Croydon Flowers within Croydon and its surrounding districts. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of privacy and data security as set out by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

What Personal Data We Collect

To fulfill your flower orders and provide our services, we collect and process certain data, including:

• Contact Information: Such as your name, delivery recipient’s name, addresses (billing and delivery), and telephone numbers.
• Order Details: Items ordered, preferences, selected delivery dates and any special instructions.
• Payment Information: Payment card details (which are processed by our payment processor and not retained by us), purchase history, and transaction records.
• Communications: Details of messages sent to us via order forms or customer service, including complaints or queries.
• Website Usage: Information about your visits to our website, such as IP address, device type, and browsing activity, collected through essential cookies and analytics tools.

Lawful Basis for Processing

Under GDPR, we must have a lawful reason for processing your personal data. The reasons for Croydon Flowers to process your information are as follows:

• Contractual Necessity: Most of the data we collect is necessary for us to perform our contract with you, delivering your order as requested.
• Legitimate Interests: We may process your data to improve our products and services, or for administrative purposes, where these interests are not overridden by your rights and interests.
• Legal Obligation: In certain cases, retention of data may be required to meet legal or regulatory requirements (for example, for accounting or tax purposes).
• Consent: For certain direct marketing communications, we rely on your explicit consent, which you can withdraw at any time.

How We Use Your Data

Croydon Flowers uses your information to:

• Fulfill, process, and deliver your flower orders, including updates on delivery status.
• Respond to customer service requests, questions, and complaints.
• Improve the services we offer by analyzing purchase patterns and website usage (only in anonymized form where possible).
• Send you marketing, offers, or newsletter communications, only if you have opted in.
• Maintain proper business records and comply with regulatory requirements.

Retention of Personal Data

We only keep your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including satisfying legal, accounting, or reporting obligations. Standard retention practices include:

• Order and transaction records are kept for up to seven years to comply with legal requirements.
• Marketing preferences and consent records are kept until you withdraw your consent, or for a set period after your last transaction (typically 24 months).
• Unless required by law, we will securely delete or anonymize your data when it is no longer needed.

Data Processors and Sharing

Croydon Flowers uses reputable third-party service providers (known as data processors) to assist in operating our business and providing services, such as payment processors, delivery couriers, website hosting, analytics services, and IT support. We only share the minimum information required for these purposes, and all processors are contractually obliged to safeguard your information and act in accordance with GDPR.

Your data is not sold or transferred to third parties for their own marketing purposes. In rare circumstances, we may disclose your information if required by law, judicial process, or regulatory authority.

Your Data Protection Rights

As a customer of Croydon Flowers, you have several rights regarding your personal data under GDPR:

• Right to Access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification: You can ask us to correct or update incorrect or incomplete data.
• Right to Erasure: You may request the deletion of your data where there is no longer a good reason for us to process it, subject to certain legal exceptions.
• Right to Restriction: You may ask us to suspend processing of your information in some scenarios.
• Right to Data Portability: You can ask for a copy of your data in a structured, commonly used format for transfer to another provider.
• Right to Object: You may object to our processing of your information for certain purposes such as direct marketing.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Where our processing is based on your consent, you are free to withdraw this at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact our support team. We will respond to your requests within the periods required by law and may request additional information to verify your identity.

Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your data against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or loss. These include secure storage, limiting staff access, regular security assessments, and use of secure communication protocols. While we cannot guarantee absolute security, we strive to protect your information to the best of our ability.

Updates to This Privacy Policy

We keep our Privacy Policy under regular review and may update it from time to time to reflect changes in our processes or legal requirements. We will provide notice of material changes where appropriate.

Applicability

This Privacy Policy applies to all customers who place orders with Croydon Flowers from Croydon and the surrounding districts. Our services are not intended for children under sixteen, and we do not knowingly collect or process data from minors under this age.

How to Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, your rights, or how we handle your data, please reach out to our customer service team. We are committed to dealing promptly with your inquiries and to treating your privacy with the utmost respect.