Privacy Policy

The Palm Centre Store (“we”, “us”, “our”) is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal data when you visit our website www.thepalmcentrestore.com, make a purchase, or interact with our services.

Inspired by our core principles of Curated Excellence and Sustainability at Heart, we extend our care and responsibility to the management of your personal information. Just as we meticulously select each Japanese Acer, Aroid, and handcrafted ceramic pot, we handle your data with the utmost integrity and security.

Please read this policy carefully. By using our site and services, you agree to the practices described herein.

1. Data We Collect

To provide you with a seamless shopping experience and our global delivery service, we collect several types of information:

• Identity & Contact Data: Name, billing and shipping address, email address, telephone number.
• Transaction & Financial Data: Details of purchases you make (e.g., product type such as Indoor Plants, Ceramic pots, Fertilisers), payment method selection (e.g., Visa, MasterCard, PayPal). Please note: We do not store your full payment card details. This information is processed directly by our secure, certified payment gateways.
• Technical & Usage Data: Internet protocol (IP) address, browser type and version, time zone setting, browser plug-in types, operating system, and information about your visit (pages viewed, navigation paths).
• Marketing & Communications Data: Your preferences in receiving marketing from us, and your communication history with our customer service team (e.g., via [email protected]).

2. How We Use Your Data

We use your personal data only for lawful purposes, primarily to fulfil our contract with you and to pursue our legitimate interests in improving our service, while ensuring your rights are protected.

• To Process & Deliver Your Order: To manage payment, shipping (via partners like DHL, FedEx, EMS), returns, and send you order confirmations and tracking information.
• To Communicate With You: To respond to your enquiries, provide customer support, and send necessary service messages (e.g., order updates).
• To Improve Our Website & Products: To analyse how customers interact with our site (e.g., which collections like Bamboo or Aroids are browsed) to improve our website, products, and marketing.
• To Send Marketing Communications (with your consent): To inform you about new collections, offers, or gardening tips. You can opt-out at any time.
• For Security & Fraud Prevention: To protect our website, business, and customers.

3. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We treat your data with the same care as we do packaging a rare Garden Palm Tree. We only share it when necessary and with trusted partners:

• Service Providers: Trusted third parties who perform services on our behalf, such as payment processing, order fulfilment, courier services (DHL, FedEx, EMS), IT infrastructure, and marketing assistance. These partners are contractually obligated to handle your data securely and only for the purposes we specify.
• Legal Obligations: We may disclose your data if required by law, regulation, or legal process.
• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your data may be transferred as part of that transaction.
• We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data to third parties for their marketing purposes.

4. International Data Transfers

As a global store serving an international community of plant enthusiasts, your data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside the UK and European Economic Area (EEA), such as to our courier partners or cloud service providers. We ensure all such transfers are protected by appropriate safeguards, such as Standard Contractual Clauses approved by relevant authorities.

5. Data Storage and Security

Your trust is paramount. We implement robust technical and organisational measures to protect your data against unauthorised access, alteration, or destruction.

• Encryption: We use industry-standard encryption (SSL/TLS) on our website, especially during the checkout process.
• Secure Partners: We partner with leading, certified payment gateways for financial transactions.
• Data Minimisation: We only retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including for legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.
• No Stored Payment Details: In line with our principle of data responsibility, we do not store your full payment card details on our servers.

6. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have rights under data protection laws such as the UK GDPR, including the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you.
• Rectify inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Erase your personal data (“right to be forgotten”) in certain circumstances.
• Restrict or object to our processing of your data.
• Data Portability – to receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Withdraw Consent at any time, where processing is based on consent.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details below.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to distinguish you from other users, enhance your browsing experience, analyse site traffic, and personalise content. Cookies are small data files stored on your device.

• Essential Cookies: Required for the website to function, such as enabling you to add items to your basket and checkout.
• Analytical/Performance Cookies: Allow us to recognise and count visitors and see how they move around our site. This helps us improve the way our site works.
• Functionality & Targeting Cookies: Used to recognise you when you return and to personalise content for you.

You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or for legal reasons. The “Last Updated” date at the bottom of this page will indicate when revisions were made. We encourage you to review this page occasionally.