Privacy Policy.

1. Privacy at a Glance

General Information

The following information provides a brief overview of what happens to your personal data when you visit this website. Personal data refers to any information that can be used to personally identify you. For detailed information on data protection, please refer to our Privacy Policy listed below.

Data Collection on This Website

Who is responsible for data collection on this website?

Data processing on this website is carried out by the website operator. You can find the operator’s contact information in the “Information on the Data Controller” section of this Privacy Policy.

How do we collect your data?

Your data is collected, in part, because you provide it to us. This may include, for example, data that you enter into a contact form.

Other data is collected automatically or with your consent when you visit the website through our IT systems. This primarily consists of technical data (e.g., internet browser, operating system, or the time the page was accessed). This data is collected automatically as soon as you access this website.

What do we use your data for?

Some of the data is collected to ensure that the website functions properly. Other data may be used to analyze your user behavior.

What rights do you have regarding your data?

You have the right at any time to obtain, free of charge, information about the source, recipients, and purpose of your stored personal data. You also have the right to request the correction or deletion of this data. If you have given consent to the processing of your data, you may revoke this consent at any time with future effect. In addition, you have the right to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data under certain circumstances. Furthermore, you have the right to file a complaint with the competent supervisory authority.

Please feel free to contact us at any time regarding this matter or any other questions you may have about data protection.

Analytics tools and third-party tools

When you visit this website, your browsing behavior may be analyzed for statistical purposes. This is primarily done using so-called analytics tools.

You can find detailed information about these analytics programs in the following privacy policy.

2. Hosting and Content Delivery Networks (CDN)

We host our website's content with the following provider:

External Hosting

This website is hosted externally. The personal data collected on this website is stored on the host’s servers. This may include, in particular, IP addresses, contact requests, metadata and communication data, contract data, contact information, names, website visits, and other data generated through the website.

External hosting is carried out for the purpose of fulfilling our contractual obligations to our potential and existing customers (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR) and in the interest of ensuring the secure, fast, and efficient provision of our online services by a professional provider (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR). If consent has been obtained, processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and § 25(1) TTDSG, insofar as the consent covers the storage of cookies or access to information on the user’s device (e.g., device fingerprinting) within the meaning of the TTDSG. Consent may be revoked at any time.

Our hosting provider(s) will process your data only to the extent necessary to fulfill its service obligations and will follow our instructions regarding this data.

We use the following hosting providers:

RAPYD – FZCO

Order Processing

We have entered into a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) for the use of the aforementioned service. This is a contract required under data protection law that ensures the service provider processes the personal data of our website visitors only in accordance with our instructions and in compliance with the GDPR.

Cloudflare

We use the "Cloudflare" service. The provider is Cloudflare Inc., 101 Townsend St., San Francisco, CA 94107, USA (hereinafter "Cloudflare").

Cloudflare offers a globally distributed content delivery network with DNS. Technically, this means that data is routed between your browser and our website via Cloudflare’s network. This enables Cloudflare to analyze the data traffic between your browser and our website and to act as a filter between our servers and potentially malicious traffic from the internet. In doing so, Cloudflare may also use cookies or other technologies to recognize internet users, but these are used solely for the purpose described here.

The use of Cloudflare is based on our legitimate interest in providing our website as error-free and secure as possible (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR).

Data transfers to the United States are based on the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses. For more details, please visit: https://www.cloudflare.com/privacypolicy/.

For more information on security and data protection at Cloudflare, please visit: https://www.cloudflare.com/privacypolicy/.

The company is certified under the “EU-US Data Privacy Framework” (DPF). The DPF is an agreement between the European Union and the United States designed to ensure compliance with European data protection standards when processing data in the United States. Every company certified under the DPF commits to adhering to these data protection standards. For more information, please visit the provider’s website at the following link: https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/s/participant-search/participant-detail?contact=true&id=a2zt0000000GnZKAA0&status=Active

Order Processing

We have entered into a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) for the use of the aforementioned service. This is a contract required under data protection law that ensures the service provider processes the personal data of our website visitors only in accordance with our instructions and in compliance with the GDPR.

3. General Information and Mandatory Disclosures

Privacy Policy

The operators of this website take the protection of your personal data very seriously. We treat your personal data confidentially and in accordance with applicable data protection laws and this Privacy Policy.

When you use this website, various types of personal data are collected. Personal data is information that can be used to identify you personally. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect and how we use it. It also explains how and for what purpose this is done.

Please note that data transmission over the Internet (e.g., when communicating via email) may be subject to security risks. It is not possible to completely protect data from access by third parties.

Information about the responsible entity

The entity responsible for data processing on this website is:

VELLESTA Cologne
Maarweg 30
50933 Cologne

Phone: +49 1514 2463618
Email: office@vellesta-cologne.de

The controller is the natural or legal person who, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data (e.g., names, email addresses, etc.).

Retention period

Unless a more specific retention period is stated in this Privacy Policy, we will retain your personal data until the purpose for processing the data no longer applies. If you submit a valid request for deletion or revoke your consent to data processing, your data will be deleted unless we have other legally permissible grounds for storing your personal data (e.g., retention periods under tax or commercial law); in the latter case, the data will be deleted once these grounds no longer apply.

General Information on the Legal Basis for Data Processing on This Website

If you have consented to the processing of your data, we process your personal data on the basis of Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR or Article 9(2)(a) of the GDPR, provided that special categories of data as defined in Article 9(1) of the GDPR are being processed. In the event of explicit consent to the transfer of personal data to third countries, data processing is also carried out on the basis of Article 49(1)(a) of the GDPR. If you have consented to the storage of cookies or to access to information on your device (e.g., via device fingerprinting), data processing is additionally based on Section 25(1) of the German Teleservices Data Protection Act (TTDSG). Consent may be revoked at any time. If your data is necessary for the performance of a contract or for the implementation of pre-contractual measures, we process your data on the basis of Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR. Furthermore, we process your data if it is necessary to comply with a legal obligation on the basis of Article 6(1)(c) of the GDPR. Data processing may also be carried out on the basis of our legitimate interest pursuant to Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR. The legal bases applicable in each individual case are described in the following sections of this Privacy Policy.

Notice regarding the transfer of data to third countries that do not meet data protection standards, as well as the transfer of data to U.S. companies that are not DPF-certified

Among other things, we use tools from companies based in third countries that do not meet EU data protection standards, as well as U.S. tools whose providers are not certified under the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (DPF). When these tools are active, your personal data may be transferred to and processed in these countries. Please note that third countries that do not meet EU data protection standards cannot guarantee a level of data protection comparable to that of the EU.

Please note that, as a safe third country, the United States generally maintains a level of data protection comparable to that of the EU. Data transfers to the United States are therefore permitted if the recipient is certified under the “EU-US Data Privacy Framework” (DPF) or has appropriate additional safeguards in place. Information regarding transfers to third countries, including the recipients of the data, can be found in this Privacy Policy.

Recipients of personal data

As part of our business operations, we collaborate with various external parties. In some cases, this requires the transfer of personal data to these external parties. We only disclose personal data to external parties if this is necessary for the performance of a contract, if we are legally obligated to do so (e.g., disclosure of data to tax authorities), if we have a legitimate interest in the disclosure pursuant to Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR, or if another legal basis permits the disclosure of data. When using data processors, we only disclose our customers’ personal data on the basis of a valid data processing agreement. In the case of joint processing, a joint processing agreement is concluded.

Withdrawal of Your Consent to Data Processing

Many data processing operations are only possible with your explicit consent. You may withdraw any consent you have already given at any time. The lawfulness of the data processing carried out prior to the withdrawal remains unaffected by the withdrawal.

Right to object to data collection in specific cases and to direct marketing (Art. 21 GDPR)

IF DATA PROCESSING IS BASED ON ART. 6(1)( E OR F OF THE GDPR, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT AT ANY TIME TO OBJECT TO THE PROCESSING OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA ON GROUNDS RELATING TO YOUR PARTICULAR SITUATION; THIS ALSO APPLIES TO PROFILING BASED ON THESE PROVISIONS. YOU CAN FIND THE SPECIFIC LEGAL BASIS ON WHICH PROCESSING IS BASED IN THIS PRIVACY POLICY. IF YOU OBJECT, WE WILL NO LONGER PROCESS YOUR PERSONAL DATA, UNLESS WE CAN DEMONSTRATE COMPELLING LEGITIMATE GROUNDS FOR THE PROCESSING THAT OVERRIDE YOUR INTERESTS, RIGHTS, AND FREEDOMS, OR THE PROCESSING IS NECESSARY FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT, , exercise, or defense of legal claims (objection pursuant to Art. 21(1) GDPR).

IF YOUR PERSONAL DATA IS BEING PROCESSED FOR THE PURPOSE OF DIRECT MARKETING, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT AT ANY TIME TO THE PROCESSING OF YOUR PERSONAL DATA FOR SUCH MARKETING PURPOSES; THIS ALSO APPLIES TO PROFILING, TO THE EXTENT THAT IT IS RELATED TO SUCH DIRECT MARKETING. IF YOU OBJECT, YOUR PERSONAL DATA WILL NO LONGER BE USED FOR DIRECT MARKETING PURPOSES (OBJECTION PURSUANT TO ART. 21(2) GDPR).

Right to file a complaint with the competent supervisory authority

In the event of a breach of the GDPR, data subjects have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of their habitual residence, their place of work, or the place where the alleged breach occurred. This right to lodge a complaint is without prejudice to any other administrative or judicial remedies.

Right to data portability

You have the right to receive data that we process automatically based on your consent or in fulfillment of a contract, either for yourself or for a third party, in a commonly used, machine-readable format. If you request that the data be transferred directly to another controller, this will only be done to the extent that it is technically feasible.

Access, Correction, and Deletion

In accordance with applicable legal provisions, you have the right at any time to request, free of charge, information about your stored personal data, its source and recipients, and the purpose of the data processing, as well as the right to have this data corrected or deleted, if applicable. You may contact us at any time regarding this matter or any other questions you may have about personal data.

Right to restriction of processing

You have the right to request that the processing of your personal data be restricted. You may contact us at any time to do so. The right to restriction of processing applies in the following cases:

  • If you dispute the accuracy of your personal data stored by us, we generally need time to verify this. For the duration of the verification process, you have the right to request that the processing of your personal data be restricted.
  • If the processing of your personal data was or is unlawful, you may request that the processing be restricted instead of having the data erased.
  • If we no longer need your personal data, but you need it to exercise, defend, or assert legal claims, you have the right to request that the processing of your personal data be restricted instead of deleted.
  • If you have lodged an objection under Article 21(1) of the GDPR, a balancing of your interests against ours must be carried out. Until it is determined whose interests prevail, you have the right to request that the processing of your personal data be restricted.

If you have restricted the processing of your personal data, such data may—apart from storage—be processed only with your consent, or for the purpose of establishing, exercising, or defending legal claims, or to protect the rights of another natural or legal person, or for reasons of substantial public interest of the European Union or a Member State.

SSL or TLS encryption

This site uses SSL or TLS encryption for security reasons and to protect the transmission of confidential information, such as orders or inquiries that you send to us as the site operator. You can recognize an encrypted connection by the fact that the address bar of your browser changes from “http://” to “https://” and by the lock icon in your browser’s address bar.

When SSL or TLS encryption is enabled, the data you send to us cannot be intercepted by third parties.

Secure online payments on this website

If, after entering into a paid contract, you are required to provide us with your payment information (e.g., account number for direct debit authorization), this information is necessary for processing the payment.

Payments made using standard payment methods (Visa/MasterCard, direct debit) are processed exclusively via an encrypted SSL or TLS connection. You can recognize an encrypted connection by the fact that the browser’s address bar changes from “http://” to “https://” and by the padlock icon in your browser’s address bar.

With encrypted communication, the payment information you send to us cannot be intercepted by third parties.

Objection to promotional emails

We hereby object to the use of contact information published in accordance with legal disclosure requirements for the purpose of sending unsolicited advertising and informational materials. The operators of this website expressly reserve the right to take legal action in the event of the unsolicited transmission of advertising information, such as through spam emails.

4. Data Collection on This Website

Cookies

Our website uses so-called “cookies.” Cookies are small data packets that do not cause any harm to your device. They are stored on your device either temporarily for the duration of a session (session cookies) or permanently (persistent cookies). Session cookies are automatically deleted at the end of your visit. Persistent cookies remain stored on your device until you delete them yourself or your web browser automatically deletes them.

Cookies may be set by us (first-party cookies) or by third-party companies (so-called third-party cookies). Third-party cookies enable the integration of certain third-party services into websites (e.g., cookies used to process payment transactions).

Cookies serve various purposes. Many cookies are technically necessary, as certain website features would not work without them (e.g., the shopping cart feature or the display of videos). Other cookies may be used to analyze user behavior or for advertising purposes.

Cookies that are necessary for the electronic communication process, for providing specific functions you have requested (e.g., the shopping cart function), or for optimizing the website (e.g., cookies for measuring website traffic) are stored on the basis of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR, unless another legal basis is specified. The website operator has a legitimate interest in storing necessary cookies to ensure the technically flawless and optimized provision of its services. If consent to the storage of cookies and similar recognition technologies has been requested, processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of this consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and § 25(1) TTDSG); consent may be revoked at any time.

You can configure your browser to notify you when cookies are set and to allow cookies only on a case-by-case basis, to block cookies in certain cases or generally, and to enable the automatic deletion of cookies when you close your browser. Disabling cookies may limit the functionality of this website.

You can find out which cookies and services are used on this website in this Privacy Policy.

Consent with Usercentrics

This website uses Usercentrics’ consent technology to obtain your consent to the storage of certain cookies on your device or to the use of certain technologies, and to document this in compliance with data protection regulations. The provider of this technology is Usercentrics GmbH, Sendlinger Straße 7, 80331 Munich, website: https://usercentrics.com/de/ (hereinafter “Usercentrics”).

When you visit our website, the following personal data is transmitted to Usercentrics:

  • Your consent(s) or the withdrawal of your consent(s)
  • Your IP address
  • Information about your browser
  • Information about your device
  • The time of your visit to the website
  • Geolocation

In addition, Usercentrics stores a cookie in your browser to track the consents you have given and any revocations thereof. The data collected in this manner is stored until you request that we delete it, delete the Usercentrics cookie yourself, or the purpose for storing the data no longer applies. Mandatory legal retention requirements remain unaffected.

Usercentrics is used to obtain the legally required consent for the use of certain technologies. The legal basis for this is Article 6(1)(c) of the GDPR.

Order Processing

We have entered into a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) for the use of the aforementioned service. This is a contract required under data protection law that ensures the service provider processes the personal data of our website visitors only in accordance with our instructions and in compliance with the GDPR.

Consent via Cookiebot

Our website uses Cookiebot’s consent technology to obtain your consent to the storage of certain cookies on your device or to the use of certain technologies, and to document this in compliance with data protection regulations. The provider of this technology is Cybot A/S, Havnegade 39, 1058 Copenhagen, Denmark (hereinafter “Cookiebot”).

When you visit our website, a connection is established with Cookiebot’s servers to obtain your consent and other declarations regarding the use of cookies. Cookiebot then stores a cookie in your browser to associate the consents you have given or their revocation with your session. The data collected in this way is stored until you request its deletion, delete the Cookiebot cookie yourself, or the purpose for storing the data no longer applies. Mandatory legal retention obligations remain unaffected.

Cookiebot is used to obtain the legally required consent for the use of cookies. The legal basis for this is Article 6(1)(c) of the GDPR.

Order Processing

We have entered into a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) for the use of the aforementioned service. This is a contract required under data protection law that ensures the service provider processes the personal data of our website visitors only in accordance with our instructions and in compliance with the GDPR.

Server log files

The website provider automatically collects and stores information in so-called server log files, which your browser automatically transmits to us. This information includes:

  • Browser type and browser version
  • operating system used
  • Referrer URL
  • Hostname of the connecting computer
  • Time of the server request
  • IP address

This data is not combined with other data sources.

This data is collected on the basis of Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in ensuring that the website functions properly and in optimizing it—to this end, server log files must be collected.

Contact Form

If you submit an inquiry to us via the contact form, we will store the information you provide in the form—including the contact details you enter there—for the purpose of processing your inquiry and in case we have any follow-up questions. We will not share this information without your consent.

The processing of this data is based on Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR, provided that your inquiry relates to the performance of a contract or is necessary for the implementation of pre-contractual measures. In all other cases, processing is based on our legitimate interest in the effective handling of inquiries directed to us (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR) or on your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR) if such consent was requested; consent may be revoked at any time.

The data you enter in the contact form will remain with us until you request that we delete it, revoke your consent to its storage, or the purpose for storing the data no longer applies (e.g., once your inquiry has been processed). Mandatory legal provisions—in particular retention periods—remain unaffected.

Inquiries by email, phone, or fax

If you contact us by email, phone, or fax, your inquiry—including all personal data contained therein (name, inquiry)—will be stored and processed by us for the purpose of handling your request. We will not disclose this information without your consent.

The processing of this data is based on Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR, provided that your inquiry relates to the performance of a contract or is necessary for the implementation of pre-contractual measures. In all other cases, processing is based on our legitimate interest in the effective handling of inquiries directed to us (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR) or on your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR) if such consent was requested; consent may be revoked at any time.

The data you send us via contact requests will remain with us until you ask us to delete it, revoke your consent to its storage, or the purpose for storing the data no longer applies (e.g., once your request has been processed). Mandatory legal provisions—in particular statutory retention periods—remain unaffected.

Communication via WhatsApp

We use the instant messaging service WhatsApp, among other tools, to communicate with our customers and other third parties. The provider is WhatsApp Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland.

Communication takes place via end-to-end encryption (peer-to-peer), which prevents WhatsApp or any other third parties from accessing the content of the communication. However, WhatsApp does have access to metadata generated during the communication process (e.g., sender, recipient, and time). We also note that, according to its own statements, WhatsApp shares its users’ personal data with its parent company Meta, which is based in the United States. Further details on data processing can be found in WhatsApp’s Privacy Policy at: https://www.whatsapp.com/legal/#privacy-policy.

We use WhatsApp based on our legitimate interest in communicating as quickly and effectively as possible with customers, prospective customers, and other business and contractual partners (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR). If consent has been obtained, data processing is based solely on that consent, which may be revoked at any time with future effect.

The content of communications exchanged between you and us on WhatsApp will remain with us until you request that we delete it, revoke your consent to its storage, or the purpose for storing the data no longer applies (e.g., once your inquiry has been fully processed). Mandatory legal provisions—in particular retention periods—remain unaffected.

The company is certified under the “EU-US Data Privacy Framework” (DPF). The DPF is an agreement between the European Union and the United States designed to ensure compliance with European data protection standards when processing data in the United States. Every company certified under the DPF commits to adhering to these data protection standards. For more information, please visit the provider’s website at the following link: https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/s/participant-search/participant-detail?contact=true&id=a2zt00000011sfnAAA&status=Active

We use the "WhatsApp Business" version of WhatsApp.

Data transfers to the United States are based on the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses. For more details, please visit: https://www.whatsapp.com/legal/business-data-transfer-addendum.

We have configured our WhatsApp accounts so that they do not automatically sync data with the address book on the smartphones we use.

We have entered into a data processing agreement (DPA) with the aforementioned provider.

Use of chatbots

We use chatbots to communicate with you. Chatbots are capable of responding to your questions and other inputs without human assistance. To do this, the chatbots analyze your inputs along with other data to provide appropriate responses (e.g., names, email addresses, and other contact information; customer numbers and other identifiers; orders; and chat histories). Furthermore, the chatbot may collect your IP address, log files, location information, and other metadata. This data is stored on the chatbot provider’s servers.

User profiles can be created based on the collected data. In addition, the data may be used to display targeted advertising, provided that the other legal requirements (in particular consent) are met. To this end, the chatbots can be linked to analytics and advertising tools.

The data collected can also be used to improve our chatbots and their response patterns (machine learning).

The data you provide during communication will remain with us or the chatbot operator until you request that we delete it, revoke your consent to its storage, or the purpose for storing the data no longer applies (e.g., once your inquiry has been processed). Mandatory legal provisions—in particular retention periods—remain unaffected.

The legal basis for the use of chatbots is Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR, provided that the chatbot is used for the purpose of entering into a contract or in the course of fulfilling a contract. If consent has been obtained, processing is carried out exclusively on the basis of Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR and Section 25(1) of the TTDSG, provided that the consent covers the storage of cookies or access to information on the user’s device (e.g., device fingerprinting) within the meaning of the TTDSG. Consent may be revoked at any time. In all other cases, the use is based on our legitimate interest in the most effective customer communication possible (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR).

Comment feature on this website

In addition to your comment, the comment feature on this page also stores information about the time the comment was posted, your email address, and—if you are not posting anonymously—the username you have chosen.

Storage of IP addresses

Our comment feature stores the IP addresses of users who post comments. Since we do not moderate comments on this website before they are published, we need this information so that we can take action against the author in the event of legal violations, such as insults or propaganda.

Subscribe to comments

As a user of this site, you can subscribe to comments after logging in. You will receive a confirmation email to verify that you are the owner of the email address provided. You can unsubscribe from this feature at any time via a link in the informational emails. In this case, the data entered when subscribing to comments will be deleted; however, if you have provided this data to us for other purposes and in other contexts (e.g., newsletter subscription), we will retain this data.

How long comments are stored

Comments and the associated data are stored and remain on this website until the content to which they refer has been completely deleted or the comments must be deleted for legal reasons (e.g., offensive comments).

Legal basis

Comments are stored based on your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). You may withdraw your consent at any time. To do so, simply send us an informal email. The lawfulness of any data processing that has already taken place remains unaffected by the withdrawal.

5. Analytics Tools and Advertising

Clarity

This website uses Clarity. The provider is Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited, One Microsoft Place, South County Business Park, Leopardstown, Dublin 18, Ireland, https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/clarity/ (hereinafter “Clarity”).

Clarity is a tool used to analyze user behavior on this website. In particular, Clarity tracks mouse movements and creates visual representations of the areas of the website that users scroll to most frequently (heat maps). Clarity can also record sessions, allowing us to view page usage in the form of videos. Additionally, we receive information about general user behavior on our website.

Clarity uses technologies that enable user recognition for the purpose of analyzing user behavior (e.g., cookies or device fingerprinting). Your personal data is stored on Microsoft’s servers (Microsoft Azure Cloud Service) in the United States.

Where consent has been obtained, the use of the aforementioned service is based exclusively on Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR and Section 25 of the TTDSG. Consent may be revoked at any time. Where consent has not been obtained, the use of this service is based on Article 6(1)(f) of the GDPR; the website operator has a legitimate interest in effective user analysis.

For more details on Clarity's privacy policy, please visit: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/clarity/faq.

The company is certified under the “EU-US Data Privacy Framework” (DPF). The DPF is an agreement between the European Union and the United States designed to ensure compliance with European data protection standards when processing data in the United States. Every company certified under the DPF commits to adhering to these data protection standards. For more information, please visit the provider’s website at the following link: https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/s/participant-search/participant-detail?contact=true&id=a2zt0000000KzNaAAK&status=Active

Order Processing

We have entered into a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) for the use of the aforementioned service. This is a contract required under data protection law that ensures the service provider processes the personal data of our website visitors only in accordance with our instructions and in compliance with the GDPR.

6. Newsletter

Newsletter data

If you would like to subscribe to the newsletter offered on the website, we need your email address as well as information that allows us to verify that you are the owner of the email address provided and that you consent to receiving the newsletter. No other data is collected, or is collected only on a voluntary basis. We use newsletter service providers, which are described below, to manage the newsletter.

MailPoet

This website uses MailPoet to send newsletters. The provider is Aut O’Mattic A8C Ireland Ltd., Business Centre, No. 1 Lower Mayor Street, International Financial Services Centre, Dublin 1, Ireland, whose parent company is based in the United States (hereinafter “MailPoet”).

MailPoet is a service that can be used, among other things, to organize and analyze the distribution of newsletters. The data you provide to subscribe to the newsletter is stored on our servers but sent via MailPoet’s servers, meaning that MailPoet processes your newsletter-related data (MailPoet Sending Service). For more details, please visit: https://account.mailpoet.com/.

Data Analysis by MailPoet

With the help of MailPoet, we can analyze our newsletter campaigns. For example, we can see whether a newsletter message was opened and which links were clicked, if any. This allows us to determine, among other things, which links were clicked on particularly often.

We can also track whether certain predefined actions were taken after the newsletter was opened or clicked (conversion rate). For example, we can see whether you made a purchase after clicking on the newsletter.

MailPoet also allows us to segment newsletter recipients into different categories (“cluster” them). For example, recipients can be grouped by age, gender, or location. This allows us to better tailor the newsletters to the respective target groups. If you do not want MailPoet to analyze your data, you must unsubscribe from the newsletter. We provide a link for this purpose in every newsletter message.

For detailed information about MailPoet's features, please visit the following links: https://account.mailpoet.com/ and https://www.mailpoet.com/mailpoet-features/.

You can find MailPoet's privacy policy at: https://www.mailpoet.com/privacy-notice/.

Legal basis

Data processing is based on your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). You may withdraw this consent at any time with future effect.

Data transfers to the United States are based on the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses. For more details, please visit: https://automattic.com/de/privacy/.

Retention period

The data you provide to us for the purpose of subscribing to our newsletter will be stored by us until you unsubscribe from the newsletter and will be deleted after you unsubscribe from the newsletter distribution list or once the purpose for which it was collected no longer applies. We reserve the right to delete or block email addresses from our newsletter distribution list at our discretion within the scope of our legitimate interest pursuant to Art. 6(1)(f) of the GDPR. Data stored by us for other purposes remains unaffected by this.

After you unsubscribe from the newsletter mailing list, your email address may be stored in a blacklist if necessary to prevent future mailings. The data from the blacklist is used solely for this purpose and is not combined with other data. This serves both your interest and our interest in complying with legal requirements regarding the sending of newsletters (legitimate interest within the meaning of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR). Storage on the blacklist is not time-limited. You may object to the storage if your interests outweigh our legitimate interest.

The company is certified under the “EU-US Data Privacy Framework” (DPF). The DPF is an agreement between the European Union and the United States designed to ensure compliance with European data protection standards when processing data in the United States. Every company certified under the DPF commits to complying with these data protection standards. For more information, please visit the provider’s website at the following link: https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/s/participant-search/participant-detail?id=a2zt0000000CbqcAAC&status=Active

Order Processing

We have entered into a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) for the use of the aforementioned service. This is a contract required under data protection law that ensures the service provider processes the personal data of our website visitors only in accordance with our instructions and in compliance with the GDPR.

7. Plugins and Tools

Google Fonts (locally hosted)

This site uses Google Fonts, provided by Google, to ensure consistent font display. The Google Fonts are installed locally. No connection is made to Google's servers.

For more information about Google Fonts, visit https://developers.google.com/fonts/faq and Google’s Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=de.

Font Awesome (local hosting)

This site uses Font Awesome to ensure consistent font styling. Font Awesome is installed locally. No connection is made to servers operated by Fonticons, Inc.

For more information about Font Awesome, please see the Font Awesome Privacy Policy at: https://fontawesome.com/privacy.

8. E-commerce and Payment Providers

Processing of Customer and Contract Data

We collect, process, and use personal customer and contract data to establish, define the terms of, and modify our contractual relationships. We collect, process, and use personal data regarding the use of this website (usage data) only to the extent necessary to enable the user to access the service or to bill for it. The legal basis for this is Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR.

The customer data collected will be deleted once the order has been completed or the business relationship has ended, and any applicable statutory retention periods have expired. Statutory retention periods remain unaffected.

Data Transmission Upon Contract Conclusion for Online Stores, Retailers, and Merchandise Shipping

When you order goods from us, we share your personal data with the shipping company responsible for delivery and with the payment service provider handling the payment processing. We only disclose the data that the respective service provider needs to fulfill its task. The legal basis for this is Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR, which permits the processing of data for the performance of a contract or pre-contractual measures. If you have given your consent in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) of the GDPR, we will provide your email address to the shipping company responsible for delivery so that it can inform you via email about the shipping status of your order; you may revoke your consent at any time.

Data transmission upon conclusion of a contract for services and digital content

We disclose personal data to third parties only when necessary for the fulfillment of the contract, such as to the financial institution responsible for processing payments.

Your data will not be disclosed to third parties, or will only be disclosed if you have expressly consented to such disclosure. Your data will not be disclosed to third parties without your express consent, for example for advertising purposes.

The legal basis for data processing is Article 6(1)(b) of the GDPR, which permits the processing of data for the performance of a contract or for the implementation of pre-contractual measures.

Payment services

We integrate third-party payment services into our website. When you make a purchase from us, your payment information (e.g., name, payment amount, bank account details, credit card number) is processed by the payment service provider for the purpose of processing the payment. The respective terms and conditions and privacy policies of the respective providers apply to these transactions. The use of payment service providers is based on Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR (contract fulfillment) as well as in the interest of ensuring a payment process that is as smooth, convenient, and secure as possible (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR). To the extent that your consent is requested for certain actions, Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR serves as the legal basis for data processing; consent may be revoked at any time with future effect.

We use the following payment services / payment service providers on this website:

PayPal

The provider of this payment service is PayPal (Europe) S.à.r.l. et Cie, S.C.A., 22-24 Boulevard Royal, L-2449 Luxembourg (hereinafter “PayPal”).

Data transfers to the United States are based on the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses. For more details, please visit: https://www.paypal.com/de/webapps/mpp/ua/pocpsa-full.

For more details, please refer to PayPal's Privacy Policy: https://www.paypal.com/de/webapps/mpp/ua/privacy-full.

Stripe

The service provider for customers within the EU is Stripe Payments Europe, Ltd., 1 Grand Canal Street Lower, Grand Canal Dock, Dublin, Ireland (hereinafter “Stripe”).

Data transfers to the United States are based on the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses. For more details, please visit: https://stripe.com/de/privacy and https://stripe.com/de/guides/general-data-protection-regulation.

You can find more details in Stripe’s Privacy Policy at the following link: https://stripe.com/de/privacy.

9. Audio and video conferences

Data Processing

We use online conferencing tools, among other methods, to communicate with our customers. The specific tools we use are listed below. When you communicate with us via video or audio conference over the internet, your personal data is collected and processed by us and by the provider of the respective conferencing tool.

The conferencing tools collect all data that you provide or use in connection with the tools (email address and/or phone number). In addition, the conferencing tools process the duration of the conference, the start and end times of your participation in the conference, the number of participants, and other “contextual information” related to the communication process (metadata).

In addition, the tool provider processes all technical data necessary for handling online communication. This includes, in particular, IP addresses, MAC addresses, device IDs, device type, operating system type and version, client version, camera type, microphone or speaker, and the type of connection.

If content is exchanged, uploaded, or otherwise made available within the tool, it is also stored on the tool provider’s servers. Such content includes, in particular, cloud recordings, chat/instant messages, voicemails, uploaded photos and videos, files, whiteboards, and other information shared while using the service.

Please note that we do not have full control over the data processing activities of the tools we use. Our ability to influence these activities depends largely on the corporate policies of the respective providers. For further information on data processing by the conference tools, please refer to the privacy policies of the respective tools, which we have listed below.

Purpose and Legal Basis

The conference tools are used to communicate with prospective or existing contractual partners or to offer specific services to our customers (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR). Furthermore, the use of these tools serves to generally simplify and expedite communication with us or our company (legitimate interest within the meaning of Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR). Where consent has been requested, the use of the relevant tools is based on this consent; consent may be revoked at any time with future effect.

Retention period

Data that we collect directly through our video and conferencing tools will be deleted from our systems as soon as you request that we delete it, revoke your consent to its storage, or the purpose for storing the data no longer applies. Stored cookies will remain on your device until you delete them. Mandatory legal retention periods remain unaffected.

We have no control over how long your data is stored by the operators of the conferencing tools for their own purposes. For more details, please contact the operators of the conferencing tools directly.

Conference tools used

We use the following conferencing tools:

Zoom

We use Zoom. The provider of this service is Zoom Communications Inc., San Jose, 55 Almaden Boulevard, 6th Floor, San Jose, CA 95113, USA. For details on data processing, please refer to Zoom’s Privacy Policy: https://explore.zoom.us/de/privacy/.

Data transfers to the United States are based on the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses. For more details, please visit: https://explore.zoom.us/de/privacy/.

Order Processing

We have entered into a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) for the use of the aforementioned service. This is a contract required under data protection law that ensures the service provider processes the personal data of our website visitors only in accordance with our instructions and in compliance with the GDPR.

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