Privacy Policy Realchems

1. Who we are (Controller)

Contact for privacy requests: [email protected] or via the website contact form (please include “Privacy Request” in the subject/message).

2. Personal data we collect

Depending on how you use the website, we may collect:

A) Account and order data

• Name
• Email address
• Billing and shipping address
• Country
• Order details (products, quantities, timestamps, order status)
• Payment status and transaction references (we do not store full payment card details)
• Communications related to your order (support messages)

B) Support and communications

• Messages you send via contact forms, chat, or email
• Attachments you provide (e.g., photos of a parcel label or packaging for issue investigation)

C) Newsletter and marketing (opt-in)

• Email address
• Optional: name and country (only if you provide it)

D) Website usage data (cookies / similar technologies)

• Device and browser information
• IP address (may be processed in shortened or full form depending on configuration)
• Pages viewed and interaction data
• Referral/source information

3. Why we process your data (purposes and legal bases)

We process personal data only when we have a valid legal basis.

3.1 To provide the website and complete orders (Contract)

• Create and manage your account (if available)
• Process and fulfill orders
• Provide order updates and service messages
• Provide customer support related to your order
  Legal basis: performance of a contract / steps prior to entering into a contract.

3.2 To comply with legal obligations (Legal obligation)

• Financial administration and tax requirements
• Compliance with applicable laws and lawful requests from authorities
  Legal basis: legal obligation.

3.3 To protect our business and prevent misuse (Legitimate interests)

• Fraud prevention and payment abuse prevention
• Security monitoring and protecting our systems
• Handling disputes, chargebacks, and claim assessment
  Legal basis: legitimate interests (security, fraud prevention, business continuity).

3.4 Marketing communications (Consent)

• Sending newsletters or promotional updates when you opt in
• Measuring basic newsletter performance (e.g., deliveries, opens, clicks) where enabled by the mailing provider and your settings
  Legal basis: consent (you can withdraw at any time).

3.5 Analytics and improvement (Consent and/or legitimate interests depending on setup)

Understanding how the website is used to improve performance and usability
Legal basis: depends on the cookie category and your consent settings. Where required, we process analytics only after consent.

4. Age requirement

Our website and services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from individuals under 18. If you believe a minor has provided data, contact us so we can take appropriate steps.

5. Sharing your data (recipients)

We share personal data only when necessary for the purposes described above, including with:

• Payment service providers (to process payments and handle payment verification and chargebacks)
• Shipping and logistics providers (to deliver orders and provide tracking where applicable)
• IT and hosting providers (website hosting, security, infrastructure)
• Customer support tools (contact form, chat systems, ticketing tools)
• Email/newsletter providers (only for subscribers and related communications)
• Professional advisers (e.g., accounting, legal) where necessary

These providers process data under appropriate contractual safeguards where required (e.g., data processing agreements).

We do not sell personal data.

6. International transfers

Some service providers may process data outside the European Economic Area (EEA). Where this occurs, we use appropriate safeguards required under GDPR (e.g., Standard Contractual Clauses) and apply additional measures where necessary.

7. Data retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes set out in this Policy, including:

• Order and accounting records: retained as required by applicable financial and tax laws.
• Customer support correspondence: retained as long as needed to handle your request and for reasonable follow-up and dispute handling.
• Account data (if account functionality exists): retained while your account remains active; if you request deletion, we will delete or anonymise data where possible, except where we must retain certain records for legal or legitimate purposes (e.g., accounting, fraud prevention, disputes).
• Newsletter data: retained until you unsubscribe or withdraw consent, after which we will stop marketing communications and remove or suppress your email address as appropriate.

Retention periods may vary depending on legal requirements and the nature of the data.

8. Your rights

Depending on your location and applicable law (including GDPR), you may have the right to:

• Access your personal data
• Rectify inaccurate data
• Request deletion (where applicable)
• Restrict or object to processing (where applicable)
• Data portability (in certain cases)
• Withdraw consent at any time (where processing is based on consent)

To exercise your rights, contact us via the details in Section 1. We may ask for information to verify your identity and protect against unauthorised requests.

9. Cookies and similar technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies for essential website functionality and, where enabled, for analytics and marketing.

For details on the cookies we use and your choices, please refer to our Cookie Policy and/or the cookie consent banner on the website (where available). You can also adjust browser settings to block or delete cookies, but some website features may stop working properly.

10. Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. Access to personal data is restricted to authorised personnel and service providers who need it for their role.

No method of transmission or storage is completely secure; therefore we cannot guarantee absolute security.

11. Third-party links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites or services. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third parties. We recommend reviewing their privacy policies before providing personal data.

12. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our operations, legal requirements, or services. The updated version will be published on the website with a new “Last updated” date.

13. Complaints

If you have concerns about how we process your personal data, please contact us first so we can address your request.

Where applicable, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority. In the Netherlands, this is the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens.