Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

This privacy policy explains how UK Merchandising Limited (“we”, “us”, “our”) collects, uses and protects your personal data when you visit ukmerchandising.co.uk, request a quote, place an order or otherwise deal with us.

We are the data controller. Our details are: UK Merchandising Limited, 1 Willows Rd, Birmingham B12 9QE; company number 06153922; telephone 0121 752 7105; email info@ukmerchandising.co.uk.

We comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and applicable privacy and electronic marketing laws, including the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR).

2. What personal data we collect

We collect and use the following information when you place an order, request a quote, create an account or contact us:

• Company name
• Contact name
• Email address and telephone number
• Delivery address and billing address
• Order and quote details, and records of our communications with you
• Artwork and files you upload or send to us (which may include logos, images or text)
• Payment information. Card payments are processed by Stripe. We do not see or store your full card details, but we receive confirmation of payment and limited transaction information
• For credit account customers: information needed to assess and manage credit, including the result of credit searches and your payment history

We may also collect technical and usage information when you use our website, such as your IP address, browser type, device information and the pages you visit. Google Analytics is used only where the required consent has been given (see section 7).

We may receive information directly from you, from your organisation if you are ordering on behalf of a business, from credit reference agencies or other relevant business-information sources when assessing credit accounts, and from publicly available sources where appropriate.

3. How we use your data and our legal bases

4. Who we share your data with

We do not sell your personal data. We share it only where needed with:

• Payment provider: Stripe, to process card payments.
• Accounting software provider: Sage, where we hold our customer, order and invoicing records.
• Couriers and delivery companies: to deliver your order to you.
• Analytics provider: Google, through Google Analytics.
• Service providers: such as website hosting and IT support, email providers, and credit reference agencies for credit account applications.
• Professional advisers and authorities: such as our accountants, insurers and lawyers, and HMRC, regulators or law enforcement where we are required to by law.

Where we use other organisations to process your data for us, we require them to protect it and use it only on our instructions.

5. International transfers

Some of our providers, including Google and Stripe, may process data outside the UK, including in the United States. Where this happens, we rely on a lawful international transfer mechanism recognised under UK data protection law, such as an adequacy regulation or an appropriate contractual safeguard such as the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or UK Addendum, where applicable.

6. How long we keep your data

Customer and order records (company and contact names, email, telephone, delivery and billing addresses, order and invoice history) are held on our Sage accounts platform. We keep personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including managing our business relationship, complying with accounting, tax and other legal obligations, resolving disputes and establishing, exercising or defending legal claims. Where a statutory retention period applies, we will normally keep relevant records for that period. We periodically review retained personal data and securely delete or anonymise it when it is no longer required, unless we have a lawful reason to retain it for longer.

You can ask us to delete your personal data at any time (see section 8). We will do so where required by law and where we no longer have a lawful reason to retain it. We may need to retain some information for example to meet tax and accounting requirements, to maintain necessary business records or to deal with a legal claim or dispute.

Google Analytics data is kept for the period set in our Google Analytics settings.

7. Cookies and Google Analytics

Our website uses cookies and similar storage or access technologies, which are small files or identifiers stored on or accessed from your device. Some may be essential for the website to operate. We also use Google Analytics for website analytics, such as understanding which pages are visited and how the website is used, so we can improve it. Analytics cookies are non-essential and are only activated after the required consent is given. Our cookie settings should explain the categories of cookies we use, their purposes and how to change your preferences.

Google Analytics uses non-essential analytics cookies. We will not activate Google Analytics cookies or use them to collect analytics information unless you have given the required consent through our cookie consent mechanism. You can withdraw your consent at any time through our cookie settings or banner. You can also control or delete cookies in your browser settings. Blocking some cookies may affect how the site works.

8. Your rights

Under data protection law, you have rights in relation to your personal data, including the right to:

• Be informed about how we use your data
• Access a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Have inaccurate data corrected
• Have your data erased, in certain circumstances
• Restrict how we use your data, in certain circumstances
• Object to us using your data where we rely on legitimate interests, and object to direct marketing at any time
• Data portability, in certain circumstances
• Withdraw consent at any time where we rely on your consent

To exercise any of these rights, email info@ukmerchandising.co.uk or write to us at the address above. We will normally respond within one month. We may need to verify your identity first.

9. Keeping your data secure

9.1 We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss or misuse. These include access controls on our systems and the use of reputable, secure service providers. No method of transmission over the internet is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9.2 If we become aware of a personal data breach, we will assess and manage it in accordance with applicable data protection law. Where legally required, we will notify the Information Commissioner’s Office and/or affected individuals within the applicable timescales.

10. Third-party websites

Our website may link to other websites. We are not responsible for their privacy practices, so please read their privacy policies.

11. Complaints

If you have a concern about how we handle your data, please contact us first so we can try to put it right. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk or on 0303 123 1113.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The latest version will always be on our website, with the date it was last updated shown at the top.

13. Contact us