Data Laws and GDPR

Museum Selection Ltd is committed to protecting your privacy. We will only use the information that we collect about you lawfully (in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003, the updated General Data Protection Act 25th May 2018 and Eprivacy policy 2018).

Museum Selection Ltd is a registered data processor under the Data Protection Act.

There are a several different reasons for which a company may collect and process your personal data under data protection law, including:

  • Consent - In specific situations, we can collect and process your data with your consent. For example, when you request to receive an email newsletter.
  • Contractual obligations - In certain circumstances, we need your personal data to comply with our contractual obligations. For example, if you order an item from us for delivery to you or a direct to a recipient, we will collect your address details, phone number and email address to deliver your purchase and pass them to our courier.
  • Legitimate interest - In specific situations, we require your data to pursue our legitimate interests in a way which might reasonably be expected as part of running our business and which does not materially impact your rights, freedom, or interests. For example, we will use your purchase history to send you personalised offers. We also combine the shopping history of many customers to identify trends and ensure we can keep up with demand. We will also use your address details to send you direct marketing information by post, telling you about products and services that we think might interest you.
  • Legal compliance - We may need to collect and process your data for legal reasons, for example, we can pass on details of people involved in any criminal activity affecting Museum Selection to law enforcement.

How we protect your data

We are committed to safeguarding the privacy and personal data of our customers and users whilst providing the highest possible quality of service.

Access to your personal data is password-protected, and sensitive data such as payment card information is secured and tokenised to ensure it is protected.

When you place orders or access your account information, our secure server software uses Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology which encrypts all information you input before it is sent to us. This encryption makes it virtually impossible for unauthorised parties to read any information that you send us.

Our website is hosted by Rackspace who regularly monitor our system for possible vulnerabilities and attacks, and we carry out penetration testing to identify ways to further strengthen security.

We follow strict security procedures in the storage and disclosure of information which you have given us, to prevent unauthorised access. Our security procedures mean that we may occasionally request proof of identity before we are able to disclose sensitive information to you.

Only designated staff may access your data.

The information we may collect from you and how we use it

Under the terms of the Data Protection legislation, we are required to explain how Museum Selection collects personal data from you, why we collect it, how we process it and where we may disclose it to other entities.

How we collect data

  • Our systems collect address and buying information at the point of order so that we may process your order and provide you with the best possible service.

We may also collect your data in any of the following circumstances:

  • When you create an account with us on our website
  • When you visit our website and use your account to buy products
  • When you visit our website and check out as a guest
  • When you engage with us on social media.
  • When you comment on or review our products and service via Feefo or otherwise.
  • When you contact us by any means with queries, complaints etc.
  • When you enter prize draws or competitions.
  • When you choose to complete any surveys we send you.
  • When you’ve given a 3rd party permission to share with us the information they hold about you.
  • When you click submit or place an item in your basket we may have the ability to retain some of your information, even if you don’t complete your registration. Such contact details and data may be used to contact you to enquire why you did not complete your registration/transaction, ie an abandoned basket email.
  • When you place an order via phone or coupon

The information we collect

  • Your Title
  • Your name
  • Email address – so we can email your order confirmations, delivery delays, offers etc.
  • Billing & Delivery address
  • Telephone number or mobile number – we will only call if we have a delivery problem or to talk to you about your order
  • Credit card details – we only ask for these when you place an order, and do not retain the details
  • Your marketing contact preferences (mailing preferences)
  • Products purchased

Why we collect data

We use this information to make your shopping experience as easy and enjoyable as possible. We need it to process your order, inform you of any delays or problems and occasionally to send you special offers and promotions. You can manage your marketing communication preferences at any time (see below).

We also collect data because it is necessary for the pursuit of our legitimate interests:

  • Improving our service and our products
  • Understanding our customers' wishes and shopping preferences
  • Direct Marketing

How long we keep your data for

At Museum Selection we are fortunate to have loyal customers who purchase our products over many years. To serve our customers in the best possible manner and to continue to inform them about new products we currently retain customer data for 15 years after the last purchase date, but this period is currently being reviewed.

How we use your information for Direct Marketing

Marketing from Museum Selection

Our communications are designed to tell you about the benefits we can offer so that you have access to our best deals. We use the information we have about you to tailor the content and try to ensure that the offers are as relevant to you as possible. Under the Data Protection Legislation, this might qualify as profiling. If at any time you decide you would prefer not to receive Museum Selection catalogues or marketing emails, please call us on 0333 240 6038 or email us at [email protected].

Direct Marketing by other companies and data sharing

In addition to the information that we share in order to comply with our legal obligations, we also may share or disclose the information:

  • To our sister brands; Culture Vulture & Pia Jewellery
  • To third parties that process data on our behalf such as data bureaus, credit card, fulfilment and postal/courier companies
  • To a small number of direct despatch companies who may send your order directly to you rather than via our warehouse
  • To companies we work with to provide our online service and marketing such as Paraspar, Nosto, Conversant, Upland Adestra, Receptional, Feefo
  • To carefully selected retail companies in the clothing, collectables, food & wine, gardening, gadgets & entertainment, health & beauty, household goods, and home interiors categories. who we feel may be of interest to you. We will only do this if you have given consent for us to share your data with 3rd parties by not opting out of receiving mailings and offers from 3rd party companies and charities when you placed your first order. We do not share email addresses or telephone numbers. If data is shared it is done so on a one-time only basis and the company or organisation are not entitled to store your data for further use unless you engage with them.
  • To responsible charities in the Animal, Arts & Culture, Community, Environmental, Elderly, Disability, Housing, Medical, Overseas Aid, Public Service & Military fields. We believe that there is a societal benefit in supporting organisations who do good causes and we wish to support the activities of charities with whom we believe our customers have a high affinity. We are careful who we approve and avoid any charities we perceive to be aggressive or using the wrong tone. We will only do this if you have given consent for us to share your data with 3rd parties and charities by not opting out of receiving mailings and offers from 3rd party companies and charities when you placed your first order. We do not share email addresses or telephone numbers. If data is shared it is done so on a one-time only basis and the charity is not entitled to store your data for further use unless you engage with them.
  • To data pools such as the Abacus Alliance, Club Canvasse and I-Behaviour.

Data pools are members-only groups of retailers including brands active in the clothing, collectables, food & wine, gardening, gadgets & entertainment, health & beauty, household goods, and home interiors categories. We all share information on what our customers buy which helps us plan what catalogues and promotions we send you, based on what you like to buy. This pooled information is also analysed to understand a consumer's wider buying patterns. From this information, customers are sent tailored communications containing suitable offers that should be of interest to them based on what they like to buy. You will not be sent these communications unless you have given consent for us or another member of the data pool to share your data with 3rd parties by not opting out of receiving mailings and offers from 3rd party companies and charities when you placed your first order.

Museum Selection is a member of three data pools:

  • Epsilon Abacus (registered as Epsilon International UK Ltd), a company that manages the Abacus Alliance on behalf of UK retailers. Please note that Epsilon Abacus may transfer data outside the EEA in which case the transfer will take place in the presence of appropriate safeguards, including standard data protection clauses adopted by the EU Commission.
  • Experian Ltd. a company that manages the Club Canvasse home shopping and direct retailer data co-operative.
  • Conexance MD (part of the Wunderman Network) who manages the I-Behaviour home shopping data pool.

Data sharing for Online Reviews

We work with Feefo, who manage our online reviews. A feedback request is considered market research rather than marketing communication so if you have given us your details as part of an order, we are permitted to contact you regarding a review as long as it relates to that transaction. Feefo hold very little of your personal data and securely keep the review and associated data, but only for the purposes of replying to you in the event of a Subject Access Request.

How to manage your marketing contact (mailing) preferences:

To give you the best customer experience, we try to get the most complete picture we can of who you are by combining the data we have about you.
We then use this to offer you promotions and products that are most likely to interest you.
Data privacy law allows this as part of our legitimate interest in understanding our customers and providing the best possible level of service.
If you decide not to share your personal data with us, or refuse certain contact permissions, it may compromise the level of service we are able to offer, including the fulfilment of services you may have requested.
Please note that you may continue to receive communications for a short period after changing your preferences while our systems are fully updated.

If you would like to stop or start Museum Selection marketing email communications from us:

  • Click the ‘unsubscribe’ link in any email communication that we send you. We will then stop any further emails.
  • Call us on 0333 240 6038 or email us at [email protected].
  • Write to Customer Services, Museum Selection Ltd, Woodview Road, Paignton, Devon TQ4 7SR

If you would like to stop or start receiving the Museum Selection catalogue or other Museum Selection postal mailings:

  • Call us on 0333 240 6038 or email us at [email protected].
  • Write to Customer Services, Museum Selection Ltd, Woodview Road, Paignton, Devon TQ4 7SR

If you would like to stop receiving 3rd Party & Charity mailings:

When you first made contact with us you were asked if you were happy to receive mailings and offers from third party companies and charities whose products and services we thought might interest you. If you did not object at the time but have now changed your mind and would like to stop receiving these mailings:

  • Call us on 0333 240 6038 or email us at [email protected].
  • Write to Customer Services, Museum Selection Ltd, Woodview Road, Paignton, Devon TQ4 7SR

If you would like to stop all unsolicited postal communications, we suggest that you register with the Mailing Preference Service (MPS). MPS is a free service set up in 1983 and funded by the direct mail industry to enable consumers to have their names and home addresses in the UK removed from lists used by the industry. It is actively supported by the Royal Mail and all directly involved trade associations and fully supported by The Information Commissioners Office (ICO). For more information or if you wish to register with the MPS please visit their website www.mpsonline.org.uk

Your Rights over your personal data

To protect your privacy and security we may need to verify your identity before discussing data change requests with you. If you have authorised a third party to submit a request on your behalf, we will ask them to prove they have your permission to act.

You have the following rights:

  • You have the right to ask us to update or amend any out of date or incorrect data

To exercise this right you can contact us on 0333 240 6038 or email us at [email protected].

  • You have the right to ask us what personal data we hold about you, known as a Subject Access Request.
  • You have the right to ask us to delete the data we hold about you. Please note that if you are requesting we delete your record, we may out of necessity still hold one file with a note of your request for administration purposes.

To exercise either of these rights you must contact us by mail:
Data Protection Officer, Museum Selection Ltd, Woodview Road, Paignton, Devon TQ4 7SR
Your request will be acknowledged upon receipt and we will come back to you within 30 working days.
We will uphold requests for data amendment, disclosure or deletion as quickly as possible, but it can take up to 6 weeks for any changes to become effective. The nature of catalogue printing and providing data in advance for mailings means that you may receive a final mailing within this period.

  • You have the right to complain

We hope that you will contact us in the first instance if you are concerned but if you are unhappy with our response to your request or feel that we have not used your personal data in accordance with data protection law, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissions Office (ICO), the UK’s independent body set up to uphold information rights:

Information Commissioners Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF

Our Website Cookie Policy

We may obtain information about your general internet usage by using a cookie file which is stored on the hard drive of your computer. Cookies and other such software on our website contain information that is transferred to your computer's hard drive. They help us to improve the website and to deliver a better and more personalised service to you. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Your IP address
  • Your operating system
  • Your browser type
  • The name of your internet service provider
  • The date, time and duration of your visit
  • The name and URL of pages you access

The purpose of this is for system administration and to report aggregate information to our advertisers. This contains statistical data about our users' browsing actions and patterns and does not identify any individual.
The website may, from time to time, contain links to and from the websites of our partner networks, advertisers and affiliates. If you follow a link to any of these websites, please note that these websites have their own privacy policies and that we do not accept any responsibility or liability for these policies. Please check these policies before you submit any personal data to these websites.
You may refuse to accept cookies by activating the setting on your browser which allows you to refuse the setting of cookies. However, if you select this setting you may be unable to access certain parts of the website. Unless you have adjusted your browser setting so that it will refuse cookies, our system will issue cookies when you access the website. See about cookies.

How to contact us

We wish to be as clear and transparent as possible regarding our data collection, security and how we use it. If at any time you have any questions or comments regarding this, you can call us on 0333 240 6038 or email us at [email protected]

Alternatively, you can write to us at:
Museum Selection Ltd, Woodview Road, Paignton, Devon TQ4 7SR

Updated January 2023.