At ETC Supplies, our core company values include honesty, integrity and trust. We therefore process personal and customer information with strict compliance, so that your data is stored safely on the basis that it will not be used and/or disclosed unlawfully to third parties.
The European Union (EU) has introduced the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to protect personal data from miss-use and this regulation has also been integrated into the UK legislation. Therefore, organisations that process personal data need to be GDPR compliant from 25th May 2018.
Legal Basis for Using Personal Data
As we process the personal data of our clients and customers, we require a legal and legitimate basis to do this.
In specific situations, we can collect and process your data with your consent.
For example, when you tick a box to receive an email newsletter from ETC Supplies.
In specific situations, we require your data to pursue our legitimate interests as part of running the business.
For example, we will use your purchase history to send you available personalised offers. We also combine the shopping history of many customers to identify trends and ensure we can keep up with demand, or develop new products/services.
In certain circumstances, we need your personal data to comply with our contractual obligations.
For example, if you order an item from us for delivery, we'll collect your shipping address to deliver your purchase, and pass them to our delivery partner.
If the law requires us to for legal compliance, we may need to collect and process your data.
For example, we can pass on details of people involved in fraud or other criminal activity affecting ETC Supplies to law enforcement.
When do we collect your personal data?
When you visit our website and use your account to order products.
When you engage with us on social media.
When you contact us by any means with queries, complaints etc.
When you download our brochures.
When you comment on or review our products and services online.
When you've given a third party permission to share with us the information they hold about you.
We collect data from publicly-available sources (such as Google) when you have given your consent to share information or where the information is made public as a matter of law.
When you create an account with us.
When you request a visit from a company representative, for example to provide further information about ETC Supplies before you decide to create an account with us.
When you fill in any forms, for example if you apply to become a stockist.
What sort of personal data do we collect?
This applies to all data that the Company holds relating to an identifiable person:-
Name.
Identification number.
Online identifier (IP address).
Email address.
Registration address.
Company name.
Details of your interactions with us through contact centres or online. For example, we collect notes from our conversations with you, details of any complaints or comments you make, details of purchases you made, items viewed or added to your basket, gift list and wish list choices, voucher redemptions, brands you show interest in, web pages you visit and how and when you contact us.
Telephone numbers.
Your town.
Information gathered by the use of cookies in your web browser. Learn more about how we use cookies and similar technologies below.
Copies of documents you provide to prove your age or identity where the law requires this (including your passport and driver's licence). This will include details of your full name, address, date of birth and facial image. If you provide a passport, the data will also include your place of birth, gender and nationality.
If you have a web account with us: your name, gender, date of birth, billing/delivery address, orders and receipts, email and telephone number. For your security, we'll also keep an encrypted record of your login password.
Details of your purchase history.
Personal details which help us to recommend items of interest.
Your image may be recorded on CCTV when you visit our premises.
Your social media usernames, if you choose to share those with ETC Supplies.
How and why do we use your personal data?
We want to give you the best possible customer experience. One way to achieve that is to get the richest picture we can of who you are by combining the data we have about you.
We then use this to offer you promotions, products and services that are most likely to interest you.
The data privacy law allows this as part of our legitimate interest in understanding our customers and providing the highest levels of service.
Of course, if you wish to change how we use your data, you'll find details in the 'What are my rights?' section below.
Remember, if you choose not to share your personal data with us, or refuse certain contact permissions, we might not be able to provide some services you've asked for.
For example, if you've asked us to let you know when an item comes back into stock, we can't do that if you've withdrawn your general consent to hear from us.
We may use your personal data:
To process any orders that you make by using our website, via our contact centre by email, telephone or fax, or face to face with a business representative;
To respond to your queries, requests and complaints. Handling the information you sent enables us to respond. We may also keep a record of these to inform any future communication with us and to demonstrate how we communicated with you throughout. We do this on the basis of our contractual obligations to you, our legal obligations and our legitimate interests in providing you with the best service and understanding how we can improve our service based on your experience;
To protect our business and your account from fraud and other illegal activities. This includes using your personal data to maintain, update and safeguard your account. We'll also monitor your browsing activity with us to quickly identify and resolve any problems and protect the integrity of our websites. We'll do all of this as part of our legitimate interest. For example, by checking your password when you login and using automated monitoring of IP addresses to identify possible fraudulent log-ins from unexpected locations;
To develop, test and improve the system, services and products we provide to you. We'll do this on the basis of our legitimate business interests. For example, we'll record your browser's Session ID to help us understand more when you leave us your online feedback about any problems you're having;
Send you invoices and other accounting documents either by email or by post;
Send you email notifications which you have specifically requested;
Send to you our newsletter and other marketing communications relating to our business which could be interesting or useful for you and your business;
For market research purposes - to better understand your needs and to provide goods and services to your best demand;
To process your booking/appointment requests (for example with a business representative). We do so to maintain our appointment with you. Without sharing your personal data, we'd be unable to fulfil your request.
If you subscribe to our newsletter you can be confident that your email address will only be used by us to inform you of any special offers. Should you wish to unsubscribe at any time, please do so by clicking on the relevant link at the base of the newsletter.
Combining your data for personalised direct marketing
ETC Supplies use cookies to collect information for personalised direct marketing, that is:
Information about browsing and purchasing behaviour by people who access our websites;
Information about pages viewed, products purchased and the customer journey around our websites;
To collect data on the user via the Google Analytics tools;
To show recommendations to the user if they have already visited our website;
To identify the user if he/she is logged in. Anonymous users do not get this cookie;
To keep the user´s list of comparable items stored, or an abandoned basket for another session;
With the help of Google Analytics to analyse the use of this website:
Distinguish unique users,
Remember the number and time of previous visits,
Remember traffic source information,
Determine the start and end of a session,
Remember the value of visitor-level custom variables.
Cookies are small files sent by a user's web server to web browsers, and stored by the web browsers. Each time the user is on the website the browser requests a page from the server, and cookies send this information back to the browser. This enables a web server to identify and track web browsers.
Google will store and use this information for 30 minutes to 2 years, depending on the type of cookie. Google's privacy policy is here:
To enable cookies or to check if cookies are enabled depending on your browser
Google Chrome
Click on 'Tools' at the top of your browser window and select Options
Click the 'Under the Hood' tab, locate the 'Privacy' section, and select the 'Content settings' button
Now select 'Allow local data to be set'
Microsoft Internet Explorer
Click on 'Tools' at the top of your browser window and select 'Internet options', then click on the 'Privacy' tab
Ensure that your Privacy level is set to Medium or below, which will enable cookies in your browser
Settings above Medium will disable cookies
Mozilla Firefox
Click on 'Tools' at the top of your browser window and select Options
Then select the Privacy icon
Click on Cookies, then select 'allow sites to set cookies'
Safari
Click on the Cog icon at the top of your browser window and select the 'Preferences' option
Click on 'Security', check the option that says 'Block third-party and advertising cookies'
Click 'Save'
How to check cookies are enabled for Macs
Microsoft Internet Explorer
Click on 'Explorer' at the top of your browser window and select 'Preferences' options
Scroll down until you see 'Cookies' under Receiving Files
Select the 'Never Ask' option
Safari on OSX
Click on 'Safari' at the top of your browser window and select the 'Preferences' option
Click on 'Security' then 'Accept cookies'
Select the 'Only from site you navigate to'
Mozilla and Netscape on OSX
Click on 'Mozilla' or 'Netscape' at the top of your browser window and select the 'Preferences' option
Scroll down until you see cookies under 'Privacy & Security'
Select 'Enable cookies for the originating web site only'
Opera
Click on 'Menu' at the top of your browser window and select 'Settings'
Then select 'Preferences', select the 'Advanced' tab
Then select 'Accept cookies' option
How we protect your personal data
We know how much data security matters to all our customers. With this in mind we will treat your data with the utmost care and take all appropriate steps to protect it.
We secure access to all transactional areas of our websites with 'https' technology to keep you safer while you browse the Internet.
Access to your personal data is password-protected, and sensitive data (such as payment card information) is secured by SSL encryption.
We regularly monitor our system for possible vulnerabilities and attacks.
We train our employees to handle and process the personal data in line with the policy and data protection principles.
We do not sell your personal information to anyone.
Who do we share your personal data with?
We sometimes share your personal data with trusted third parties. Examples of the kind of third parties we work with are:
IT companies who support our website and other business systems.
Operational companies such as delivery couriers.
Direct marketing companies who help us manage our electronic communications with you such as email platform.
Google/Facebook to show you products that might interest you while you're browsing the internet. This is based on either your marketing consent or your acceptance of cookies on our websites. See our Cookies Notice for details.
Data insight companies to ensure your details are up to date and accurate.
Here's the policy we apply to those organisations to keep your data safe and protect your privacy:
We provide only the information they need to perform their specific services.
They may only use your data for the exact purposes we specify in our contract with them.
We work closely with them to ensure that your privacy is respected and protected at all times.
If we stop using their services, any of your data held by them will either be deleted or rendered anonymous.
What are your rights over your personal data?
You have the right to request:
Access to the personal data we hold about you.
The correction of your personal data when incorrect, out of date or incomplete.
Stop using your personal data for direct marketing (either through specific channels, or all channels).
Your right to withdraw consent:
Whenever you have given us your consent to use your personal data, you have the right to change your mind at any time and withdraw that consent.
Where we rely on our legitimate interest:
In cases where we are processing your personal data on the basis of our legitimate interest, you can ask us to stop for reasons connected to your individual situation. We must then do so unless we believe we have a legitimate overriding reason to continue processing your personal data.
Direct marketing:
You have the right to stop the use of your personal data for direct marketing activity through all channels, or selected channels. We must always comply with your request.
Checking your identity:
To protect the confidentiality of your information, we will ask you to verify your identity before proceeding with any request you make under this Privacy Notice. If you have authorised a third party to submit a request on your behalf, we will ask them to prove they have your permission to act.
Any questions?
If you have any questions that haven't been covered, please do not hesitate to contact us.