Privacy

Privacy Policy

Controller responsible for data processing:
Protected GmbH
Wreedenschlag 2-4
25488 Holm
Email: mail@protected.de
Phone: 04120-708010

We appreciate your interest in our website. Protecting your privacy is very important to us. Below, we provide detailed information about how we handle your data.

1. Access data and hosting

You can visit our websites without providing any personal information. Each time a webpage is accessed, the web server automatically stores a so-called server log file, which contains, for example, the name of the requested file, your IP address, date and time of access, data volume transferred, and the requesting provider (access data), and documents the access. This access data is evaluated exclusively for the purpose of ensuring trouble-free operation of the site and improving our offering. This serves to safeguard our legitimate interests, which prevail within the scope of a balancing of interests, in a correct presentation of our offering pursuant to Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR.
All access data is deleted no later than seven days after the end of your visit to the site.
All access data is processed only for as long as is necessary to achieve the processing purposes stated above.

Hosting

The services for hosting and displaying the website are provided in part by our service providers as part of processing on our behalf. Unless otherwise explained in this privacy policy, all access data as well as all data collected in forms provided on this website are processed on their servers. If you have any questions about our service providers and the basis of our cooperation with them, please contact us using the contact option described in this privacy policy.

2. Data processing for contract performance and for contacting us

2.1 Data processing for contract performance

For the purpose of contract performance (including inquiries and handling of any warranty and performance disruption claims as well as any statutory update obligations) pursuant to Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. b GDPR, we collect personal data if you voluntarily provide it to us as part of your order. Mandatory fields are marked as such, as we need this data to process the contract and cannot ship the order without it. Which data is collected can be seen from the respective input forms.

Further information on the processing of your data, in particular on the transfer to our service providers for the purpose of order, payment, and shipping processing, can be found in the following sections of this privacy policy. After complete performance of the contract, your data will be restricted for further processing and deleted after expiry of the retention periods under tax and commercial law pursuant to Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. c GDPR, unless you have expressly consented to further use of your data pursuant to Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. a GDPR or we reserve the right to use data beyond this, which is permitted by law and about which we inform you in this policy.

Merchandise management system

We use merchandise management systems of external service providers for order and contract processing. Our service providers act as processors on our behalf. If you have any questions about our service providers and the basis of our cooperation with them, please contact us using the contact option described in this privacy policy.

Our service providers are located and/or use servers in countries outside the EU and the EEA for which the European Commission has determined an adequate level of data protection by decision.
Our service providers are located and/or use servers in countries outside the EU and the EEA. For these countries, there is no adequacy decision by the European Commission. Our cooperation with them is based on the Standard Contractual Clauses of the European Commission.

2.2 Customer account

We collect personal data when you voluntarily provide it to us when creating a customer account. Mandatory fields are marked as such, as we need this data to create the customer account and you cannot complete the registration without it. Which data is collected can be seen from the respective input forms. We use the data you provide for contract performance and to process your inquiries pursuant to Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. b GDPR. You can delete your customer account at any time either by sending a message to the contact option described in this privacy policy or via a function provided in the customer account. After deletion of your customer account, your data will be deleted unless you have expressly consented to further use of your data pursuant to Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. a GDPR or we reserve the right to use data beyond this, which is permitted by law and about which we inform you in this policy.

2.3 Contacting us

As part of customer communication, we collect personal data to process your inquiries pursuant to Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. b GDPR if you voluntarily provide it to us when contacting us (e.g., via contact form, live chat tool, or email). Mandatory fields are marked as such, as we need this data to process your request. Which data is collected can be seen from the respective input forms. After your request has been fully processed, your data will be deleted unless you have expressly consented to further use of your data pursuant to Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. a GDPR or we reserve the right to use data beyond this, which is permitted by law and about which we inform you in this policy.

3. Data processing for the purpose of shipping

For contract performance pursuant to Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. b GDPR, we pass your data on to the shipping service provider commissioned with delivery, insofar as this is necessary for delivery of ordered goods. If you have any questions about our service providers and the basis of our cooperation with them, please contact us using the contact option described in this privacy policy.

Transfer of data to shipping service providers for shipment notification

If you have given us your express consent during or after your order, we will, on the basis of this consent pursuant to Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. a GDPR, pass your email address and phone number on to the selected shipping service provider so that they can contact you prior to delivery for the purpose of delivery notification and/or coordination. You can revoke your consent at any time by sending a message to the contact option described in this privacy policy. After revocation, we will delete the data you provided for this purpose unless you have expressly consented to further use of your data or we reserve the right to use data beyond this, which is permitted by law and about which we inform you in this policy.

4. Data processing for payment processing

When processing payments in our online shop, we work with the following partners: technical service providers, credit institutions, payment service providers.

4.1 Data processing for transaction processing

Depending on the selected payment method, we pass the data required for processing the payment transaction on to our technical service providers, to the commissioned credit institutions, or to the selected payment service provider insofar as this is necessary for processing the payment. This serves contract performance pursuant to Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. b GDPR. In some cases, payment service providers collect the data required for processing the payment themselves, e.g., on their own website or via technical integration in the ordering process. In this respect, the privacy policy of the respective payment service provider applies.

Depending on the selected payment method, data may be transferred to third countries outside the EU/EEA for which the European Commission has determined an adequate level of data protection by decision. Where data is transferred to third countries outside the EU/EEA for which the European Commission has not issued an adequacy decision, our cooperation is based on the Standard Contractual Clauses of the European Commission.

If you have questions about our partners for payment processing or the basis of our cooperation with them, please contact us using the contact option described in this privacy policy.

4.2 Data processing for fraud prevention and optimization of our payment processes

Where applicable, we provide the service providers mentioned above with additional data, which they use together with the data required for processing the payment for the purpose of fraud prevention and optimization of our payment processes (e.g., invoicing, handling disputed payments, supporting accounting). This serves, pursuant to Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR, to safeguard our legitimate interests, which prevail within the scope of a balancing of interests, in protecting ourselves against fraud and in efficient payment management.

4.3 Identity and creditworthiness check when selecting Klarna payment services

Klarna direct debit, purchase on account via Klarna, Klarna installment purchase
If you choose payment services of Klarna Bank AB (publ), Sveavägen 46, 111 34 Stockholm, Sweden ("Klarna"), we ask for your consent pursuant to Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. a GDPR so that we may transmit the data required for payment processing and an identity and creditworthiness check to Klarna. In Germany, the credit agencies named in Klarna’s privacy policy may be used for identity and creditworthiness checks. Klarna uses the information received about the statistical probability of a payment default for a balanced decision on the establishment, execution, or termination of the contractual relationship. You can revoke your consent at any time by sending a message to the contact option described in this privacy policy. This may result in us no longer being able to offer you certain payment options. You can also revoke your consent to this use of personal data at any time directly with Klarna.

4.4 Identity and creditworthiness check when selecting purchase on account via PayPal and Ratepay

If you choose the payment method purchase on account (offered via Ratepay GmbH, Franklinstraße 28-29, 10587 Berlin, Germany ("Ratepay") and PayPal (Europe) S.à r.l. et Cie, S.C.A., 22-24 Boulevard Royal, 2449 Luxembourg ("PayPal")), we ask for your consent pursuant to Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. a GDPR so that we may transmit the data required for payment processing and an identity and creditworthiness check to Ratepay. In Germany, the credit agencies named in Ratepay’s privacy policy may be used for identity and creditworthiness checks. Ratepay uses the information received about the statistical probability of a payment default for a balanced decision on the establishment, execution, or termination of the contractual relationship. You can revoke your consent at any time by sending a message to the contact option described in this privacy policy. This may result in us no longer being able to offer you certain payment options. Additional information on data protection at PayPal can be found here.

5. Advertising by email

5.1 Email newsletter with subscription and newsletter tracking

If you subscribe to our newsletter, we use the data required for this purpose or provided separately by you to send you our email newsletter regularly based on your consent pursuant to Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. a GDPR.
You can unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time either by sending a message to the contact option described below or via a link provided in the newsletter.
After unsubscribing, we will delete your email address from the recipients list unless you have expressly consented to further use of your data or we reserve the right to use data beyond this, which is permitted by law and about which we inform you in this policy.

We would like to point out that we evaluate your user behavior when sending the newsletter. For this purpose, we analyze your interaction with our newsletter by measuring, storing, and evaluating open rates and click rates for the purpose of designing future newsletter campaigns ("newsletter tracking"). For this analysis, the emails sent include one-pixel technologies (e.g., web beacons, tracking pixels) that are stored on our website.
For the evaluations, we link in particular the following "newsletter data":
- the page from which the page was requested (referrer URL)
- the date and time of access
- the description of the type of web browser used
- the IP address of the requesting computer
- the email address
- the date and time of subscription and confirmation
and the one-pixel technologies with your email address or your IP address and, if applicable, an individual ID. Links contained in the newsletter may also contain this ID.

If you do not want newsletter tracking, you can unsubscribe at any time as described above. The information is stored for as long as you are subscribed to the newsletter.

5.2 Newsletter dispatch

The newsletter and the newsletter tracking described above may also be sent by our service providers as part of processing on our behalf. If you have questions about our service providers and the basis of our cooperation with them, please contact us using the contact option described in this privacy policy.

5.3 Sending review requests by email

If you have given us your express consent during or after your order pursuant to Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. a GDPR, we will use your email address to ask you to submit a review of your order via the review system we use. You can revoke this consent at any time by sending a message to the contact option described in this privacy policy or via a link provided in the review request. After revocation, we will delete your email address from the recipients list unless you have expressly consented to further use of your data or we reserve the right to use data beyond this, which is permitted by law and about which we inform you in this policy.

Review requests may also be sent by our service provider Trusted Shops SE, Subbelrather Str. 15C, 50823 Cologne, Germany ("Trusted Shops"). In the course of sending review requests, we receive information from Trusted Shops about the respective status (e.g., whether the review request was sent and whether it was delivered). This is done pursuant to Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR to safeguard our legitimate interest in receiving information about review invitations in order to make optimizations based on this and to safeguard Trusted Shops’ legitimate interest in providing this service. We and Trusted Shops are jointly responsible for the sending of review requests and for the collection and display of review/status information. For data protection inquiries and to assert your rights, please preferably contact Trusted Shops; their contact details can be found here. Further information on data protection can be found here. Regardless of this, you can always contact us using the contact option described in this privacy policy. If necessary, your request will then be forwarded to the other controller for answering.

6. Cookies and other technologies

General information

To make visiting our website attractive and to enable the use of certain functions, we use technologies on various pages including so-called cookies. Cookies are small text files that are automatically stored on your device. Some of the cookies we use are deleted after the end of the browser session, i.e., after you close your browser (session cookies). Other cookies remain on your device and enable us to recognize your browser during your next visit (persistent cookies). You can find the storage duration in the overview of cookie settings in your web browser.

Protection of privacy on end devices

When using our online offering, we use strictly necessary technologies to be able to provide the telemedia service expressly requested by you. Storing information on your device or accessing information already stored on your device does not require consent in this respect.
For functions that are not strictly necessary, storing information on your device or accessing information already stored on your device requires your consent. We would like to point out that if you do not give consent, parts of the website may not be fully usable. Any consents you have given remain valid until you adjust or reset the respective settings on your device.

Downstream data processing by cookies and other technologies

We use such technologies that are strictly necessary for the use of certain functions of our website. Through these technologies, the IP address, time of visit, device and browser information as well as information about your use of our website are collected and processed. This serves, within the scope of a balancing of interests, to safeguard our legitimate interests that prevail in an optimized presentation of our offering pursuant to Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. f GDPR.

In addition, we use technologies to fulfill legal obligations to which we are subject (e.g., to be able to prove consents to the processing of your personal data) as well as for web analytics and online marketing. Further information on this, including the respective legal basis for data processing, can be found in the following sections of this privacy policy.

Cookie settings

You can find cookie settings for your browser under the following links:
Microsoft Edge™ / Safari™ / Chrome™ / Firefox™ / Opera™

If you have consented to the use of technologies pursuant to Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. a GDPR, you can revoke your consent at any time by sending a message to the contact option described in this privacy policy.

7. Use of cookies and other technologies

We use cookies and other technologies from third-party providers on our website. Unless otherwise stated for the individual technologies, this takes place on the basis of your consent pursuant to Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. a GDPR. After the purpose has been fulfilled and we have ended the use of the respective technology, the data collected in this context will be deleted. You can revoke your consent at any time with effect for the future. Further information on revocation options can be found in the section "Cookies and other technologies". Further information, including the basis of our cooperation with the individual providers, can be found with the respective technologies. If you have questions about the providers and the basis of our cooperation with them, please contact us using the contact option described in this privacy policy.

Use of Google services

We use the technologies described below from Google Ireland Ltd., Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland ("Google"). The information automatically collected by Google technologies about your use of our website is generally transferred to and stored on a server of Google LLC, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. Unless otherwise stated for the individual technologies, data processing takes place on the basis of an agreement concluded for the respective technology between joint controllers pursuant to Art. 26 GDPR. Further information on data processing by Google can be found in Google's privacy policy.

Our service providers are located and/or use servers in countries outside the EU and the EEA for which the European Commission has determined an adequate level of data protection by decision. Our service providers are located and/or use servers in countries outside the EU and the EEA. For these countries, there is no adequacy decision by the European Commission. Our cooperation with them is based on the Standard Contractual Clauses of the European Commission.

YouTube video plugin

To integrate third-party content, the YouTube video plugin in the extended privacy mode we use collects data (IP address, time of visit, device and browser information), transmits it to Google, and it is then processed by Google only when you play a video.

8. Integration of the Trusted Shops Trustbadge / other widgets

If you have given your consent pursuant to Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. a GDPR, Trusted Shops widgets are integrated on this website to display Trusted Shops services (e.g., trust seal, collected reviews) and to offer Trusted Shops products for buyers after an order.

The Trustbadge and the services advertised with it are an offer of Trusted Shops SE, Subbelrather Str. 15C, 50823 Cologne, Germany ("Trusted Shops"), with whom we are jointly responsible for data protection matters pursuant to Art. 26 GDPR. We inform you below about the essential contractual contents pursuant to Art. 26(2) GDPR.

In the context of the joint responsibility between us and Trusted Shops SE, for data protection inquiries and to assert your rights, please preferably contact Trusted Shops using the contact details provided in the data protection information. Regardless of this, you can always contact the controller of your choice. If necessary, your request will then be forwarded to the other controller for answering.

Data processing when integrating the Trustbadge / other widgets

The Trustbadge is provided by a US-based CDN provider (content delivery network). An adequate level of data protection is ensured in each case by an adequacy decision of the European Commission, which can be accessed for the USA here. Service providers in the USA are generally certified under the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (DPF). Further information is available here. If service providers are not certified under the DPF, Standard Contractual Clauses have been concluded as an appropriate safeguard.

When the Trustbadge is accessed, the web server automatically stores a so-called server log file, which also contains your IP address, date and time of access, data volume transferred, and the requesting provider (access data) and documents the access. The IP address is anonymized immediately after collection so that the stored data cannot be attributed to your person. The anonymized data is used in particular for statistical purposes and for error analysis.

Data processing after completion of an order

If you have given your consent, the Trustbadge accesses order information stored on your device after completion of the order (order amount, order number, if applicable purchased product) as well as your email address, and your email address is hashed using a cryptographic one-way function. The hash value is then transmitted to Trusted Shops together with the order information pursuant to Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. a GDPR. This serves to check whether you are already registered for Trusted Shops services. If so, further processing is carried out in accordance with the contractual agreement between you and Trusted Shops. If you are not yet registered or do not give consent to automatic recognition via the Trustbadge, you will subsequently be given the option to register manually for the use of the services and/or to take out protection under your existing user contract, if applicable.

For this purpose, the Trustbadge accesses the following information stored on your device after completion of your order: order amount, order number, and email address. This is necessary so that we can offer you buyer protection. Data will only be transmitted to Trusted Shops if you actively choose to take out buyer protection by clicking the corresponding button in the so-called Trustcard. If you choose to use the services, further processing is based on the contractual agreement with Trusted Shops pursuant to Art. 6(1) lit. b GDPR in order to complete your registration for buyer protection and to secure the order, and, if applicable, to subsequently send you review invitations by email.

Trusted Shops uses service providers in the areas of hosting, monitoring, and logging. The legal basis is Art. 6(1) lit. f GDPR for the purpose of ensuring trouble-free operation. Processing may take place in third countries (USA, United Kingdom, and Israel). An adequate level of data protection is ensured by adequacy decisions of the European Commission.

9. Social media

Our online presence on Facebook (by Meta), Instagram (by Meta), YouTube

If you have given your consent to the respective social media operator pursuant to Art. 6(1) sentence 1 lit. a GDPR, your data will be automatically collected and stored for market research and advertising purposes when visiting our online presences on the social networks mentioned above, from which usage profiles are created using pseudonyms. These may be used, for example, to place advertisements within and outside the platforms that presumably correspond to your interests. Cookies are generally used for this purpose. Please refer to the data protection notices of the providers linked below for detailed information on the processing and use of data by the respective social media operator, as well as contact options and your rights and settings options to protect your privacy. If you need assistance in this regard, you can contact us.

Facebook (by Meta): privacy information
Instagram (by Meta): privacy information
YouTube / Google: privacy information

10. Contact options and your rights

10.1 Your rights

As a data subject, you have the following rights:
- pursuant to Art. 15 GDPR, the right to request information about your personal data processed by us to the extent specified therein;
- pursuant to Art. 16 GDPR, the right to request without undue delay the rectification of inaccurate personal data or completion of your personal data stored by us;
- pursuant to Art. 17 GDPR, the right to request the erasure of your personal data stored by us, unless further processing is required for exercising the right of freedom of expression and information; for compliance with a legal obligation; for reasons of public interest; or for the establishment, exercise, or defense of legal claims;
- pursuant to Art. 18 GDPR, the right to request restriction of processing of your personal data if you contest the accuracy of the data; the processing is unlawful but you oppose erasure; we no longer need the data but you need it to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims; or you have objected to the processing pursuant to Art. 21 GDPR;
- pursuant to Art. 20 GDPR, the right to receive your personal data that you provided to us in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format or to request its transmission to another controller;
- pursuant to Art. 77 GDPR, the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority. As a rule, you can contact the supervisory authority of your habitual residence or place of work or our company’s registered office.

Right to object

Where we process personal data as described above to safeguard our legitimate interests that prevail within the scope of a balancing of interests, you may object to this processing with effect for the future. If processing is carried out for direct marketing purposes, you may exercise this right at any time as described above. If processing is carried out for other purposes, you only have a right to object on grounds relating to your particular situation.

After you have exercised your right to object, we will no longer process your personal data for these purposes unless we can demonstrate compelling legitimate grounds for the processing which override your interests, rights and freedoms, or if the processing serves the establishment, exercise, or defense of legal claims. This does not apply if processing is carried out for direct marketing purposes. In that case, we will no longer process your personal data for this purpose.

10.2 Contact options

If you have questions about the collection, processing, or use of your personal data, or about information, rectification, restriction, or deletion of data, as well as revocation of consents granted or objection to a specific use of data, please contact us directly using the contact details in our legal notice (imprint).