Privacy Policy – North Ockendon Florist

Our Commitment to Data Privacy

At North Ockendon Florist, safeguarding your personal information is a priority. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, store, and protect your data in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This policy applies to all customers placing orders through North Ockendon Florist, including those residing in North Ockendon and the surrounding districts.

What Personal Data We Collect

Depending on your interaction with North Ockendon Florist, we may collect the following types of personal data:

• Identification Data: Name, surname, and (if applicable) company name.
• Contact Information: Delivery address, billing address, telephone number(s), and postal code.
• Email Address: Used for order confirmations and communication regarding your purchase.
• Order Details: Product selections, purchase history, and special instructions or preferences provided for the order.
• Recipient Information: Name, delivery address, and contact number for the person receiving your flowers or gifts.
• Payment Details: Limited payment card information as necessary to process transactions (note: full card information is never stored, and payments are handled through secure, compliant third-party providers).
• Communication Data: Records of your interaction with us, including inquiries, feedback, or complaints.
• Technical Data: IP address, browser type, device identifiers, and cookies (where applicable, see our separate Cookie Notice for details).

Lawful Basis for Data Processing

We process your personal data only when permitted by law. The lawful bases under which we operate include:

• Contractual Necessity: Processing is required to fulfil your order, deliver products and services, and manage payments.
• Legal Obligation: Retaining transaction records for taxation and regulatory purposes.
• Legitimate Interests: Using data to improve customer service, handle queries or complaints, and prevent fraud – always balanced against your rights and freedoms.
• Consent: We may rely on your explicit consent to use your data for certain purposes, such as sending marketing information. Where consent is relied upon, you may withdraw it at any time.

How We Use Your Personal Data

North Ockendon Florist uses your data for the following purposes:

• Processing and fulfilling flower orders.
• Delivering products to customers and recipients.
• Communicating order confirmations, updates, and delivery notifications.
• Managing your enquiries, feedback, or complaints.
• Record keeping for financial, tax, and legal compliance.
• Analysing sales trends and service quality (using anonymised or aggregated data where possible).
• Sending marketing communications (with your consent) about promotions, new products, or services.

Data Retention Periods

Your personal data is kept only as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected or as required by legal obligations. When determining retention periods, we consider factors such as:

• Order and transaction history (usually retained for up to 6 years to comply with UK financial and tax law).
• Contact and communication records (retained in line with customer service and compliance requirements).
• Marketing preferences (maintained until you unsubscribe or withdraw consent).

Once your data is no longer needed, we will securely delete or anonymise it so it cannot be associated with you.

Data Processors and Third Party Service Providers

We sometimes share your personal data with carefully selected third parties and data processors who assist us in delivering our products and services. These include:

• Payment providers and card processing companies for secure transactions.
• Delivery and courier services to fulfil orders.
• IT and technical support partners for our website and business operations.
• Accountancy, auditing, and legal advisers for compliance purposes.

All third party partners are contractually obliged to process your data securely, only for the agreed purposes, and in accordance with GDPR requirements. We do not sell or share your data with unrelated third parties for their own marketing.

Your Data Protection Rights

As a customer of North Ockendon Florist, you have the following rights regarding your personal data under the GDPR:

• Right to Access: You can request copies of your personal data we hold.
• Right to Rectification: You may ask us to correct or update inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Right to Erasure: In certain situations, you can request deletion of your data.
• Right to Restrict Processing: You may be entitled to request limitation of how we use your data.
• Right to Data Portability: Ask for your data to be provided in a commonly used electronic format.
• Right to Object: You may object to processing based on legitimate interests, or to the use of your data for direct marketing.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.
• Right to Lodge a Complaint: You can contact the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if you believe your rights have been infringed.

To exercise any of your rights or for questions regarding your personal data, please contact us using the information provided on our website or through your preferred communication channel.

Protecting Your Information

We use appropriate technical and organisational security measures to safeguard your personal data from accidental loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, or alteration. These include secure servers, encryption for payment data, regular staff training, and restricted data access based on role. While we strive to protect your information, no system can guarantee absolute security; therefore, we encourage you to also take appropriate steps to protect your own information online.

Policy Updates and Contact

This Privacy Policy is reviewed periodically and may be updated to reflect changes in our practices or relevant law. Substantial changes will be signposted on our website or at the point of order. We encourage you to review this notice regularly.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how North Ockendon Florist handles your data, please contact us through the details available on our website. We are dedicated to maintaining your privacy and ensuring your data is treated with respect.