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Who We Are
Ethio Souvenirs Ltd is the data controller responsible for your personal data collected through this website. We operate www.ethiosouvenir.com and sell authentic handmade Ethiopian products worldwide, dispatching all orders from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
If you have any questions about how we handle your personal data, please contact us through the contact form at www.ethiosouvenir.com. We aim to respond within 5 business days.
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What Personal Data We Collect
- 2.1 Data You Provide Directly
When you place an order, create an account, or contact us, we may collect the following:
- Full name
- Delivery address and billing address
- Email address
- Phone number (if provided)
- Order details and purchase history
- Communications you send to us (enquiry forms, emails)
- 2.2 Data Collected Automatically
When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain technical data, including:
- IP address
- Browser type and version
- Device type and operating system
- Pages visited and time spent on each page
- Referring website or search terms used to find us
- Cookie identifiers (see Section 7)
- 2.3 Payment Data
We do not store your full payment card details. Payment transactions are processed securely by our third-party payment providers, Stripe and PayPal. Please refer to their respective privacy policies for details of how they handle your payment data:
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How We Use Your Personal Data
We use your personal data only for the purposes for which it was collected and on the legal bases set out below.
| Purpose | Legal Basis | Data Used |
| Processing and fulfilling your order | Contract performance | Name, address, email, order details |
| Sending order confirmations and dispatch notifications | Contract performance | Email address, order details |
| Responding to your enquiries and customer service requests | Contract performance / Legitimate interests | Name, email, message content |
| Preventing fraud and ensuring website security | Legitimate interests | IP address, device data, order data |
| Improving website performance and user experience | Legitimate interests | Analytics data (anonymised) |
| Sending marketing emails and newsletters (with your consent) | Consent | Email address, name |
| Complying with legal and regulatory obligations | Legal obligation | Order and financial records |
- Marketing Communications
We intend to offer a newsletter and promotional email service in the future. We will only send you marketing communications if you have explicitly opted in to receive them.
You can withdraw your consent to receive marketing emails at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any marketing email we send, or by contacting us directly through our website. Withdrawing consent will not affect the lawfulness of any processing carried out before you withdrew it.
We will never sell or share your email address with third parties for their own marketing purposes.
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Sharing Your Personal Data
We do not sell your personal data. We share your data only where necessary to provide our services, as follows:
- 5.1 Shipping and Fulfilment
Your name and delivery address are shared with our shipping and postal partners in Ethiopia and, where applicable, international courier services, solely for the purpose of delivering your order.
- 5.2 Payment Processors
Order and payment data is shared with Stripe and PayPal to process your payment. These providers operate under their own privacy policies and security frameworks.
- 5.3 Website and Technology Providers
We use WordPress and WooCommerce to operate our website. These platforms may process limited technical data as part of website hosting and functionality.
- 5.4 Analytics
We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our website. Google Analytics collects anonymised data about your browsing behaviour. For more information, see Google’s Privacy Policy at https://policies.google.com/privacy. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking using the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.
- 5.5 Etsy
We also sell through Etsy. Purchases made through Etsy are subject to Etsy’s own privacy policy. We may receive limited customer data from Etsy in connection with orders placed on that platform.
- 5.6 Legal Requirements
We may disclose your personal data to law enforcement or regulatory authorities if we are legally required to do so, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Ethio Souvenirs Ltd, our customers, or others.
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International Data Transfers
As our business is based in Ethiopia, your personal data may be transferred to and processed in Ethiopia, which is outside the United Kingdom and the European Economic Area (EEA). Ethiopia may not have data protection laws equivalent to those in the UK or EU.
Where we transfer your data internationally, we take appropriate steps to ensure that your data is protected to a standard consistent with UK GDPR. This may include relying on standard contractual clauses or other lawful transfer mechanisms. By placing an order or submitting your data through our website, you acknowledge that your data may be transferred in this way.
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Cookies
- 7.1 What Are Cookies
Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. We use cookies to make our website function correctly, to understand how visitors use our site, and (in future) to support marketing activities.
- 7.2 Types of Cookies We Use
| Cookie Type | Purpose | Examples |
| Essential | Required for the website to function (e.g. shopping cart, login sessions) | WooCommerce session, WordPress login |
| Analytics | Help us understand how visitors use the site (anonymised data) | Google Analytics (_ga, _gid) |
| Payment | Facilitate secure payment processing | Stripe, PayPal session cookies |
| Marketing (future) | Used to support promotional communications when consent is given | To be implemented |
7.3 Managing Cookies
You can control and manage cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website, including the ability to complete a purchase. For more information on managing cookies, visit www.allaboutcookies.org.
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Data Retention
We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. Our standard retention periods are as follows:
| Data Type | Retention Period |
| Order and transaction records | 7 years (legal and tax obligations) |
| Customer account data | Duration of account, plus 2 years after last login |
| Marketing consent records | Until consent is withdrawn, plus 2 years |
| Customer service communications | 3 years from date of enquiry |
| Website analytics data | 26 months (Google Analytics default) |
- Your Rights
Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data:
- Right of access: You may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- Right to rectification: You may request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
- Right to erasure: You may request that we delete your personal data in certain circumstances.
- Right to restrict processing: You may request that we limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
- Right to data portability: You may request a copy of your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
- Right to object: You may object to our processing of your data where we rely on legitimate interests as our legal basis.
- Right to withdraw consent: Where we process your data based on consent (e.g. marketing emails), you may withdraw that consent at any time.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us through our website at www.ethiosouvenir.com. We will respond to your request within one calendar month. We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.
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Security
We take the security of your personal data seriously. We use industry-standard measures to protect your data from unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These measures include secure HTTPS connections, access controls, and secure payment processing through Stripe and PayPal.
However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. While we strive to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.
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Children’s Privacy
Our website and services are not directed at children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a child, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.
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Links to Third-Party Websites
Our website may contain links to third-party websites, including Etsy, social media platforms, and payment providers. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those websites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.
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Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The updated version will be published on this page with a revised date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Where changes are significant, we will take reasonable steps to notify you.
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How to Complain
If you have concerns about how we handle your personal data and are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the relevant supervisory authority.
For customers in the United Kingdom, the supervisory authority is the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):
- Website: www.ico.org.uk
- Helpline: 0303 123 1113
For customers in the European Union, you may contact the data protection authority in your country of residence.
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Contact Us
For any questions, requests, or concerns relating to this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us through the contact form on our website:
- Website: www.ethiosouvenir.com
- We aim to respond to all data-related enquiries within 5 business days.