Privacy policy

Last updated: 19 August 2025

Essential Online Traders Ltd (“we”, “us”, “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and share your personal information when you use our website or make a purchase. It is designed in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR).

 

1. Information We Collect

  • Contact details: name, billing/shipping address, phone number, email address.
  • Payment details: payment card information (processed securely via Shopify and payment providers; we do not store card details).
  • Account details: login details, preferences, saved items if you create an account.
  • Order and transaction details: products purchased, returns, refunds, or exchanges.
  • Communications: emails, messages, or customer service interactions.
  • Device and usage data: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers, browsing activity.
  • Cookies and tracking data: collected automatically when you browse (see section 7).

 

2. How We Use Your Information

  • To process and fulfil your orders and payments.
  • To provide customer support and respond to your queries.
  • To deliver marketing communications (where permitted by law or with your consent).
  • To personalise your shopping experience.
  • To improve our website, services, and security.
  • To comply with legal and regulatory obligations.

 

3. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal information under the following legal bases:

  • Contract: where processing is necessary to perform our contract with you (e.g. fulfilling orders, processing payments, providing customer service).
  • Legal obligation: where we must comply with applicable law (e.g. tax and accounting obligations, consumer protection).
  • Legitimate interests: where processing is necessary for our business purposes and your rights are not overridden (e.g. fraud prevention, site security and improvement, limited direct marketing for similar products you’ve purchased—“soft opt-in” under PECR).
  • Consent: where you have clearly agreed (e.g. receiving marketing emails or accepting non-essential cookies). You can withdraw consent at any time.

 

4. Sharing Your Information

We only share your personal information where necessary and lawful, including with:

  • Shopify (our e-commerce platform).
  • Payment providers to securely process payments.
  • Delivery and logistics partners to fulfil your orders.
  • IT and service providers that help us operate securely.
  • Regulators, law enforcement or courts where required by law.

We never sell your personal information to third parties.

 

5. International Transfers

Shopify and some service providers may transfer your personal information outside the UK/EEA. Where this occurs, we use safeguards such as the UK International Data Transfer Agreement (IDTA), the UK Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses, or adequacy decisions.

 

6. Data Retention

We keep your personal information only for as long as necessary to provide our services and comply with legal obligations (e.g. financial record-keeping). Data no longer required will be securely deleted or anonymised.

 

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Like most websites, our Services use cookies and similar technologies (such as pixels and tags) to provide functionality, improve performance, and deliver a more tailored shopping experience. Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit our site. Some are strictly necessary for the site to function, while others are used for analytics, marketing, or preference settings.

Types of Cookies We Use

  • Strictly Necessary Cookies – Required for the operation of our store (e.g. navigation, secure areas, checkout).
    Examples: Shopify session cookies, cart and checkout cookies.
  • Performance & Analytics Cookies – Help us understand how visitors use the site (e.g. pages visited, time spent, errors) so we can improve performance.
    Examples: Google Analytics cookies (e.g. _ga, _gid), Shopify analytics cookies.
  • Functional Cookies – Enable enhanced functionality and personalisation (e.g. remembering login, preferences, or localisation such as currency/region).
  • Advertising & Targeting Cookies – Used to deliver relevant ads and measure campaign effectiveness.
    Examples: Facebook Pixel (_fbp), Google Ads cookies, TikTok Pixel.

Your Choices

When you first visit our website, you will be asked whether you wish to accept non-essential cookies. You can change your preferences at any time via your browser settings to block or delete cookies. Please note that blocking certain cookies may affect the functionality of the Services. For more information about cookies, including how to manage or disable them, visit www.allaboutcookies.org.

 

8. Children’s Data

Our Services are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 13 years of age (or under 16 where parental consent is required). If we discover that we have collected information from a child without appropriate consent, we will delete it promptly.

 

9. Your Data Protection Rights

You have the right to:

  • Request access to the personal information we hold about you.
  • Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
  • Request deletion of your data where there is no legal reason for us to keep it.
  • Request restriction of processing.
  • Request data portability (transfer to another provider).
  • Object to processing for direct marketing or legitimate interests.
  • Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

To exercise your rights, please contact us (see section 13). We may need to verify your identity before responding.

 

10. Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data. However, no system is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

 

11. Complaints

If you are unhappy with how we handle your personal information, please contact us first so we can try to resolve it. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO): www.ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint.

 

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law or how we operate. Updates will be posted on this page with a new effective date.

 

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we use your data, you can contact us at:

Essential Online Traders Ltd
Merrivale Road, Exeter Road Industrial Estate
Okehampton, Devon, EX20 1UD, UK
Email: shopify@eotrader.co.uk
Company number: 11901044
VAT: GB350667201