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Privacy Policy of Independent Sheffield

Effective Date: 1st October, 2023

1. Introduction

Independent Sheffield ("we", "our", or "us") operates the https://www.independent-sheffield.co.uk website. Our primary goal is to promote local independent businesses in Sheffield, offering a card that provides discounts at these establishments. We also provide profiles for each associated business and feature news articles and other relevant content. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, and protect your personal data when you interact with our website.

2. Data We Collect

When you interact with our website, we may collect the following information:

  • Membership Purchases: Your name, email address, and shipping information.

  • User Accounts: For creating and managing an account, we collect your email address, chosen password, and any profile information you provide. Passwords are encrypted and not accessible to our team.

  • Shopping Behavior: We monitor and store data related to your shopping activities, such as items added to the cart. If you begin the checkout process but do not complete it, we retain this "abandoned cart" data along with any provided information.

  • Website Interaction: Our website uses cookies, analytics tools, and other tracking technologies, including Google Analytics and Google Signals, to gather data on website usage, user behavior, and other interactions.

3. How We Use Your Data

  • User Accounts & Purchases: To provide you with account management capabilities, process your orders, and communicate with you.

  • Website Experience: To analyze user behavior on our site, which helps us improve user experience and our service offerings.

  • Abandoned Carts: To possibly remind you of incomplete transactions or offer assistance.

4. Data Storage and Protection

Your personal data is securely stored on our platform and third-party services like Stripe. We employ a range of technical and organizational measures to ensure your data is safe from unauthorized access, theft, or loss.

5. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and other tracking technologies on our website for authentication purposes, to track user behavior, and to provide personalized user experiences. We utilize tools like Google Analytics with Google Signals to understand user demographics, interests, and cross-device behaviors. You can disable cookies in your browser settings, but be aware that some features of the website may not function properly without them.

6. Third-Party Sharing

  • Payment Processing: We use Stripe for payment processing. While we do not store your credit card details, Stripe may retain certain transaction data. Please refer to Stripe’s privacy policy for more information.

  • Analytics: We may use third-party analytics tools that have access to aggregated, non-personally identifiable data for service improvement purposes.

7. User Rights

You have the right to: Request access to the personal data we hold about you. Ask us to update or correct any out-of-date or incorrect personal data we hold about you. Ask us to delete the personal data we hold about you. To exercise any of these rights, please get in touch with us through our contact form.

8. Children's Privacy

Our website is not intended for or targeted at children under the age of 16, and we do not knowingly or intentionally collect personal information about children.

9. Changes to this Privacy Policy

If we make any significant changes to this Privacy Policy, we will inform registered users via email. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy regularly to stay informed.

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us through our contact page.