Florist Chinatown Privacy Policy

Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how Florist Chinatown ('we', 'our', or 'us') collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal data of customers placing orders in Chinatown and its surrounding districts. We are committed to respecting your privacy, complying fully with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and relevant UK and European data protection laws. This policy applies to all customers ordering flowers and related products and services directly from Florist Chinatown.

What Data We Collect

When you place an order or interact with Florist Chinatown, we may collect and process the following types of personal data:

Contact Information: Full name, address (delivery and billing), and telephone number.
Email Address: For confirmation, delivery updates, and customer support.
Order Details: Items purchased, order value, delivery preferences, and occasion details (e.g., birthdays, anniversaries).
Payment Data: Transaction details; note that payment card information is handled securely by our payment processors and not stored directly by us.
Recipient Information: Name, delivery address, and any delivery instructions for recipients of your order.
Communication Records: Any correspondence you send to us, including order questions and customer support requests.
Website Usage Data: Transaction logs, IP address, browser type, device identifiers, and cookies for functional and analytical purposes.

Lawful Basis for Processing

Florist Chinatown collects and processes your personal data only where we have a lawful basis to do so under GDPR. The primary lawful bases we rely on include:

Contractual Necessity: To process, confirm, and deliver your orders; to provide information about your order status; and to manage payments and refunds.
Legal Obligation: To meet legal and regulatory requirements, including record-keeping and tax obligations.
Legitimate Interests: To improve our services, respond to queries, prevent fraud, and conduct analytical reviews for service quality improvement, provided our interests do not override your fundamental rights and freedoms.
Consent: In some instances, such as direct marketing communications not related to your order, we will seek your consent.

How We Use Your Information

Your personal data is used to:

Process, confirm, and fulfil your flower orders and service requests.
Communicate with you regarding your order status, delivery, or modifications.
Respond to your customer service inquiries or requests.
Process payments securely through our payment processor partners.
Send you important notifications about changes to our services or terms.
Improve our website functionality and user experience through aggregated, non-identifiable website analytics.
Comply with legal obligations related to finance, taxes, and business operation.

How Long We Keep Your Data

We retain personal data only for as long as is necessary for the specific purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, or as required by law. Typically:

Order-related data is kept for up to seven years to satisfy financial reporting and regulatory requirements.
Customer interaction data, including correspondence and support tickets, may be retained for up to two years after your last order to help resolve future queries.
Website analytics data is retained for no more than two years and is aggregated or anonymised wherever possible.

Once retention periods expire, personal data is securely deleted or irreversibly anonymised.

Who Processes Your Data

To provide our services, we may share your personal data with trusted third-party providers (processors) under strict contractual obligations and supervision, for the following services:

Payment Processors: For secure handling and processing of card payments; we do not directly store payment card details.
Delivery Partners: To deliver your order and provide real-time delivery updates where applicable.
IT Service Providers: To host, maintain, and provide security for our website and internal systems.
Analytics Providers: To help us better understand website usage and improve our services; all analytics are aggregated or pseudonymised.
Legal and Regulatory Authorities: Where required to comply with legal obligations or protect our rights.

All processors are required to comply with GDPR and this Privacy Policy, ensuring your data is always handled securely.

Your Rights

Under GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

Right to Access: You can request access to the personal data we hold about you, and obtain information on how we process it.
Right to Rectification: You can request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to Erasure ('Right to be Forgotten'): You can ask for your personal data to be deleted where it is no longer necessary for processing, or where consent is withdrawn and no other lawful grounds exist.
Right to Restrict Processing: You may request to restrict processing of your data in certain circumstances.
Right to Data Portability: You are entitled to request a copy of your personal data in a structured, commonly used format, which you can transmit to another controller.
Right to Object: You can object to certain types of processing, including direct marketing.
Right to Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on consent (for example, marketing), you can withdraw your consent at any time.
Right to Lodge a Complaint: You have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority if you believe your rights are not being respected.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the details available on our website or in your order documentation. We will respond to such requests in accordance with GDPR timeframes and requirements.

Data Security

Florist Chinatown employs appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data from unauthorised access, accidental loss, unlawful processing, or disclosure. These include encrypted connections for payment processing, regular security reviews of our infrastructure, and restricted access to data within our team and trusted partners only as necessary.

Policy Updates

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in legal requirements or our business practices. Updated policies will be posted on our website with a new effective date. Please review the policy from time to time to stay informed about how we protect your personal data.

Contact Information

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or about our handling of your personal data, please refer to our website's contact section for ways to reach out. We are always happy to help address your privacy concerns.