At Beads of Light Norfolk, we respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. This policy explains how we collect, use, store and protect your personal data when you purchase our handmade wire and bead suncatchers or contact us about our products.

We aim to handle your information responsibly and in accordance with applicable UK data protection laws, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who We Are

Business name: Beads of Light Norfolk
Business address: NR8 6GH
Email: Sophie.elvin@yahoo.co.uk
Website or online shop: https://mademe.co.uk/shop/beads-of-light-norfolk/

For the purposes of data protection law, Beads of Light Norfolk is responsible for the personal information collected and used in connection with its business.

2. What Information We Collect

When you contact us, place an order or purchase one of our handmade creations, we may collect the following information:

Your name. Your email address. Your delivery and billing address, where required. Your telephone number, if provided or needed for delivery. Details of your order, including the products purchased and any customisation requests. Payment and transaction information supplied through our payment provider or selling platform. Messages you send to us about enquiries, orders, returns or customer service. Your marketing preferences, if you choose to receive promotional messages.

We only collect information that is reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information to:

Process and fulfil your orders. Arrange postage and delivery of your suncatchers. Communicate with you about your purchase or custom-made items. Answer questions and provide customer support. Handle returns, refunds, complaints and disputes. Keep appropriate business, accounting and tax records. Meet our legal obligations. Send occasional promotional messages if we have the appropriate permission or other lawful basis to do so.

We do not sell your personal information to other businesses.

4. Our Lawful Basis for Using Your Information

Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful reason for processing your personal information.

We rely on the following lawful bases where applicable:

Contract: To process your order, take the necessary steps before a purchase and arrange delivery.

Legal obligation: To maintain records and comply with applicable tax, accounting and other legal requirements.

Legitimate interests: To manage our small business, respond to customer enquiries, maintain appropriate records and protect against fraud or disputes, where these interests do not override your rights.

Consent: Where consent is required, such as for certain marketing activities or non-essential cookies. You can withdraw your consent at any time.

5. Payments

Payments are handled through the payment provider or online selling platform you use to purchase our products.

We do not intentionally collect or store your full payment card details ourselves. Your payment information is handled according to the relevant provider's privacy and security arrangements.

Please refer to the privacy policy of the payment provider or selling platform for further information.

6. Who We Share Your Information With

We only share personal information when necessary to operate our business or meet our legal obligations.

This may include:

Online selling platforms: To manage listings, orders and customer communications. Payment providers: To process payments and refunds. Postal and delivery services: To deliver your purchases. Accountants or professional advisers: Where necessary for business administration. Authorities: Where disclosure is required by law.

These organisations may process your information under their own privacy policies or contractual arrangements.

Some providers may process information outside the United Kingdom. Where this happens, appropriate safeguards must be in place where required by data protection law.

7. How Long We Keep Your Information

We only keep personal information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including legal and accounting requirements.

As a general guide:

Order and transaction records: Usually kept for up to six years where needed for tax, accounting or legal purposes. Customer enquiries: Usually kept for up to 12 months after the enquiry is resolved, unless a longer period is necessary. Marketing information: Kept until you unsubscribe or withdraw consent, subject to any limited records needed to respect your preferences. Complaints and disputes: Kept for as long as reasonably necessary to resolve the matter and meet relevant legal requirements.

When information is no longer needed, we will securely delete it or anonymise it where appropriate.

8. How We Protect Your Information

We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration or disclosure.

These steps may include using password-protected accounts, restricting access to customer information and using reputable payment and selling platforms.

No method of electronic storage or transmission is completely secure, but we take reasonable precautions appropriate to our business.

9. Cookies and Website Tracking

If you visit our website or online shop, cookies or similar technologies may be used by the platform to operate the service, remember preferences, measure performance or provide other functions.

The cookies used depend on the website or platform you choose to sell through.

Where consent is legally required, non-essential cookies or tracking technologies should only be used after the appropriate consent has been obtained.

Please also refer to the relevant website or selling platform's cookie policy.

10. Your Data Protection Rights

Under UK data protection law, you may have the right to:

Access the personal information we hold about you. Correct information that is inaccurate or incomplete. Request deletion of your personal information where the law allows. Restrict processing in certain circumstances. Object to certain uses of your personal information. Request data portability where the legal conditions apply. Withdraw consent where we rely on consent to process your information.

These rights are subject to certain conditions and exceptions. For example, we may need to retain some transaction records to meet our legal obligations.

To exercise your rights, please contact us using the email address provided in Section 1. We may need to verify your identity before responding.

11. Marketing Communications

We may share news about new designs, handmade creations or special offers if we have the appropriate permission or other lawful basis.

You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by following the unsubscribe instructions or contacting us directly.

We will not make receiving marketing messages a condition of purchasing our products.

12. Children's Privacy

Our online shop is intended for customers purchasing products for themselves or others. We do not knowingly seek to collect personal information directly from children for marketing purposes.

Where information about a child is provided to fulfil an order, we will only use it where necessary and appropriate for that purpose.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our business, the services we use or applicable data protection requirements.

The latest version will be made available through our website or relevant online selling platform, with the date of the latest update shown at the top.

14. How to Make a Complaint

If you have concerns about how we handle your personal information, please contact us first so that we can try to resolve the matter.

You also have the right to complain to the UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

Website: https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/

Thank You for Supporting Our Small Business

At Beads of Light Norfolk, every order matters. We appreciate your support for our handmade wire and bead suncatchers and are committed to treating your personal information with care, respect and transparency.