Privacy Policy

Direct Channel Support Systems Limited (“Direct Channel”, “we”, “us” or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information.

This policy explains how we collect, use, store and share personal information when you visit directchannel.uk.com, place an order, use our product configurators, apply for a trade account, subscribe to marketing communications or contact us.

1. Who We Are

Direct Channel Support Systems Limited is the data controller responsible for the personal information described in this policy.

For questions about privacy or to exercise your data protection rights, please contact us:

Email: sales@directchannel.uk.com
Telephone: 0121 270 8507
Address: Units 34 & 35, Bridge Road, Great Bridge Industrial Estate, Great Bridge, Tipton, West Midlands, DY4 0HR

Please mark privacy enquiries “Privacy Request” so we can direct them to the appropriate person.

2. Personal Information We Collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:

• Contact details: your name, email address, telephone number, billing address and delivery address.
• Business details: company name, business contact details and information supplied in a trade account application.
• Account details: information associated with your website account and account preferences.
• Order details: products purchased, quotations, order history, delivery instructions, returns and refunds.
• Payment details: payment status, transaction references and information needed to process payments and refunds.
• Communications: enquiries, correspondence, feedback and information provided when requesting support.
• Marketing preferences: subscription details, consent records and communication preferences.
• Technical information: IP address, browser type, device information, website activity and information collected through server logs, cookies or similar technologies.

Please avoid including sensitive personal information in order notes or enquiries unless it is necessary for us to assist you.

3. How We Collect Information

We collect personal information directly from you when you:

• Place an order or request a quotation.
• Create or manage a website account.
• Use our product configurators or submit a configuration enquiry.
• Apply for a trade account.
• Contact us by telephone, email, website form or another channel.
• Subscribe to marketing communications.
• Request a return, refund or assistance with an order.

We may also receive information from payment providers and delivery companies, including payment confirmations, tracking updates and proof of delivery.

Some technical information is collected automatically when you visit our website.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use personal information to:

• Process orders, payments, deliveries, returns and refunds.
• Prepare quotations and respond to product enquiries.
• Manage website accounts and customer relationships.
• Administer trade accounts.
• Provide customer service and resolve complaints.
• Send order confirmations, delivery updates and other service communications.
• Send marketing communications where permitted.
• Maintain accounting and other legally required records.
• Protect our website, prevent fraud and investigate misuse.
• Understand website performance and measure marketing activity where permitted.

5. Our Lawful Bases for Processing

We process personal information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and applicable UK data protection legislation.

The lawful basis depends on the purpose:

• Contract: processing information necessary to fulfil a contract with you or take steps you request before entering into a contract, such as preparing a quotation.
• Legal obligation: maintaining records or providing information where required by law.
• Legitimate interests: supporting business customer relationships, responding to general enquiries, administering our business and protecting customers and systems. We consider your rights and interests before relying on this basis.
• Consent: processing where you have given permission, including optional cookies and marketing activities that require consent.

For business customers, we may process employees’ and representatives’ contact details under our legitimate interests in communicating with and providing services to their organisation.

If you do not provide information necessary to process an order or provide a requested service, we may be unable to fulfil your request.

6. Payments

Payments are processed through the payment provider selected at checkout.

Payment providers handle payment information under their own privacy terms. We receive information needed to confirm payment, manage your order and deal with refunds or payment disputes.

Please do not send full payment card details by email or through website enquiry forms.

7. Marketing Communications

We may send product news, offers and other marketing communications where you have subscribed or where applicable law otherwise permits us to do so.

You can unsubscribe at any time using the unsubscribe link in our marketing emails or by contacting us.

You have the right to object to the use of your personal information for direct marketing at any time.

Unsubscribing from marketing does not prevent us from sending necessary order confirmations, delivery updates or other service communications.

We may retain a limited record of your unsubscribe request to ensure that your preferences continue to be respected.

8. Who We Share Information With

Where necessary for the purposes described in this policy, we may share relevant personal information with:

• Payment providers, to process payments, refunds and payment disputes.
• Couriers and transport providers, to deliver orders and provide tracking updates.
• Website hosting, IT support and security providers, to operate and protect our systems.
• Order management, accounting and administration providers, to manage business operations.
• Email and marketing providers, to send communications and manage subscriptions.
• Analytics and advertising providers, where these services are used and applicable legal requirements are met.
• Professional advisers, including accountants, legal advisers and insurers.
• Public authorities and other organisations, where disclosure is required by law or necessary to establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

We limit the information shared to what is necessary for the relevant purpose. Where a provider processes information on our behalf, we require appropriate contractual protections.

9. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to support features such as basket contents, checkout, account access and website security.

We use Cookiebot to manage cookie consent. Through Cookiebot, you can review information about the cookies used on our website and choose whether to allow optional cookies.

Where consent is required, optional cookies and similar technologies will only be used after you have given your consent. You can review, change or withdraw your choices through the website’s Cookiebot controls.

Where enabled and permitted by your choices, analytics and advertising technologies help us understand website use and measure marketing performance.

You can also manage cookies through your browser settings. Blocking necessary cookies may affect features such as your basket, account access or checkout.

10. Where We Store Information

We store personal information in the United Kingdom.

We use service providers to support our website and business operations, as described in this policy. If an arrangement involves transferring personal information outside the UK, including allowing access from another country, we will ensure that applicable UK data protection requirements are met and update this policy accordingly.

You can contact us with questions about where your information is stored or processed.

11. How Long We Keep Information

We retain personal information for as long as it is needed for the purposes described in this policy.

We determine retention periods by considering:

• Whether information is needed to fulfil an order or maintain a customer relationship.
• Outstanding transactions, enquiries, returns, complaints or disputes.
• Tax, accounting and other legal record-keeping requirements.
• Relevant legal limitation periods.
• Security needs and the sensitivity of the information.
• Your marketing preferences.

We review the information we hold and securely delete or anonymise information that is no longer required.

Requesting Deletion

You can ask us to delete your personal information at any time by emailing sales@directchannel.uk.com.

We will assess your request and delete information where the right to erasure applies. Some records may need to be retained to meet legal obligations, complete outstanding transactions or establish, exercise or defend legal claims. Where this applies, we will explain the reason.

Closing your account or unsubscribing from marketing does not automatically require us to delete records that we must retain for these purposes.

12. How We Protect Information

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse or disclosure.

Access is restricted to people and service providers who need the information for their work.

No website or transmission method can be guaranteed completely secure. Please keep your account credentials confidential and contact us promptly if you suspect unauthorised access to your account.

13. Your Data Protection Rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to:

• Request access to your personal information.
• Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Request deletion of your information.
• Ask us to restrict how we use your information.
• Object to processing based on legitimate interests.
• Request transfer of certain information in a portable format.
• Withdraw consent where we rely on it.

Your right to object: You can object to processing based on legitimate interests for reasons relating to your circumstances. You can object to direct marketing at any time.

These rights are subject to legal conditions and exceptions. For example, we may need to retain certain records to meet legal obligations.

Withdrawing consent does not affect processing that was lawful before consent was withdrawn.

To exercise your rights, email sales@directchannel.uk.com. We may request information reasonably necessary to verify your identity.

14. Complaints

If you have concerns about how we handle your personal information, please contact us so we can investigate.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK data protection regulator.

Website: ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint
Telephone: 0303 123 1113

15. External Websites

Our website may contain links to other websites. Those websites are responsible for their own handling of personal information.

Please review their privacy policies before providing personal information to them.

16. Children’s Information

Our products and services are intended for adults and business customers. We do not intentionally collect personal information from children.

If you believe a child has provided personal information to us, please contact us so we can investigate and take appropriate action.

17. Changes to This Policy

We review this Privacy Policy and update it when necessary. The latest version will be available on this page.

Where required, we will notify you of significant changes to how we use your personal information.