Importer and distributor of high quality meads in switzerland

Privacy Policy

We appreciate your visit to the Melody Meads online store. The purpose of this Privacy Policy is to provide details regarding the management of your personal information while you are using our website. Personal information refers to any data that can be used to identify you personally.

1. Data Controller Information

The person responsible for data processing on this website within the meaning of the Swiss Data Protection Act (DSG) is Melody Meads GmbH, Schwarzseestrasse 16, 1712 Tafers, Switzerland, Email: info@melodymeads.ch. The person responsible for the processing of personal data is the natural or legal person who, alone or jointly with others, decides on the purposes and means of processing personal data.

2. Purpose of Data Processing

We handle personal information for a range of purposes and under various contexts. This Privacy Policy is relevant to everyone whose personal information we handle irrespective of the medium through which you interact with us. We process personal data for the purpose of communicating with you, especially with regard to responding to inquiries, contacting you in the event of questions or problems with an order, customer service, general product recalls, quality assurance, or other purposes for which we may need to communicate with you that are not specifically stated here.

We also process data for maintaining our contractual relationship, for example, to confirm an order, verify payment details, deliver goods, and other aspects required to maintain a business relationship with you. For this purpose, we make use of basic data, contract data, and communications data, among others.

3. Types of Data Collected

When you visit our online shop solely for browsing and do not register or submit any information, we collect only the data that your browser sends to our server, known as “server log files”. This data collection occurs automatically when you access our website, as it is essential for the technical display of the website to you. This data includes details such as the date and time of access, browser used, your operating system, and IP address.

When you register on our online shop, execute a contract, or submit any information to us, we collect essential details about you, such as your title, name, contact information, and date of birth. This information is primarily gathered when you set up a customer account with Melody Meads. It is also acquired in instances like signing up for newsletters, if applicable.

Some typical examples of this information include:

• Title, first and last name, gender, date of birth
• Physical and email addresses, phone number, and other contact information
• Payment details, such as preferred payment methods, banking information, billing address
• Username and your profile picture if you choose to provide us with it
• Usage data of our online services, like registration status with Melody Meads
• Information related to your social media profiles and websites
• Your interests, language choices, and other preferences
• Your preferences for marketing materials, and newsletter subscriptions
• Status with us, such as inactive or blocked accounts, or entry bans
• Government-issued documents featuring your details (for example, for age verification purposes, if required)
• Dates and times of registrations

Whenever you contact us by email, telephone, contact form, or physically via a written letter, we handle the content of these interactions and information related to the form, timing, and location of the communication. In some cases, we might request identity verification. The data collected may include:

• Your name and contact information, such as your mailing address, email address, and phone number
• The content of your emails, letters, chat messages, social media interactions, comments on our website, phone calls, and more
• Your feedback in customer satisfaction surveys
• Information about the nature, time, and sometimes the location of the communication
• Identity verification documents, like copies of official IDs
• Additional minor details related to the communication

4. Cookies

Our website utilizes cookies to enhance your visit and provide access to certain features. There are two types of cookies we use: session cookies, which are deleted once you close your browser, and persistent cookies, which stay on your device to recognize your browser during subsequent visits. These cookies gather and process user-specific information like browser details, location, and IP address. Persistent cookies have varying lifespans and are deleted automatically after their designated period.

Cookies also play a role in streamlining processes like order placement by saving preferences (for example, maintaining the items in your virtual shopping cart for future visits).

To make our website more appealing, we sometimes collaborate with advertising partners who use cookies. These third-party cookies, stored on your hard drive, help tailor the website experience. If we engage with such partners, we’ll provide detailed, separate information about these cookies and the extent of information collected.

You have the ability to configure your browser to alert you about cookie settings, allowing you to accept or reject them on a case-by-case basis or altogether. Each browser has a different method for managing cookies, detailed in their respective help menus.

You can also adjust your cookie preferences directly on our website.

Be aware that disabling cookies might limit the functionality of our website.

5. Data Processing Activities

Handling of Data for Account Creation and Contract Fulfillment

We collect and process your personal information when you supply it for the purpose of fulfilling a contract or during the creation of a customer account. The specific data collected is indicated on the respective input forms. You can request the deletion of your customer account at any time by contacting us at our provided address or contact information below. The information you provide is used for managing the contractual agreement. Once your account is terminated, your data is initially blocked and later erased following the expiration of legal obligations under tax and commercial laws, provided there’s no substantial reason for continued processing as per Article 31, Paragraph 2 of the DSG, or a legal basis that necessitates further handling of the data.

In general, account creation and contract fulfillment will include, but not be limited to, the following types of data:

• Details related to the initiation and finalization of contracts, such as contract signing dates, information from the application process, and specific contract details (like type, duration, or identity verification documents, including copies of official IDs)
• Information pertaining to contract management and execution, for example, contact information, delivery addresses, records of successful or failed deliveries, and payment method details
• Data associated with customer service interactions and technical support
• Records of our interactions with you, potentially including a history log with relevant entries
• Information on receivables, rights, and benefits acquired, such as vouchers
• Records of product or service defects, complaints, and any changes to contracts
• Data collected through customer satisfaction surveys
• Financial information relevant to determining creditworthiness, which helps infer the likelihood of settling receivables, along with details of payment reminders, collection processes, and claim enforcement
• Information submitted during job applications, such as resumes, references, qualifications, certificates, and meeting notes, which may also include personal data of third parties
• Data related to your role as a contact or representative of a business partner
• Information gathered during security checks (like fraud detection on orders) and other evaluations essential for starting or continuing a business relationship

Transfer of Personal Data to Shipping Service Providers – Post CH

Melody Meads primarily uses Post CH (Swiss Post AG, Switzerland, Wankdorfallee 4, 3030 Bern) as the shipping service provider. We may provide your email address to Post CH before the delivery of the goods for the purpose of agreeing on a delivery date or for delivery notification. We will also pass on the name of the recipient and the delivery address to Post CH for delivery purposes. The data will only be passed on to the extent that this is necessary for the delivery of the goods. In this case, it is not possible to coordinate the delivery date with Post CH in advance or to transmit status information about the shipment delivery.

Transfer of Personal Data to Payment Service Providers

• Post Finance

Melody Meads works with payment service providers such as Post Finance to process advance payments (for example, credit card payments, TWINT payments, etc.). If you choose to pay with an advanced form of payment, we will record the data that you provide to us and forward it to the payment provider in accordance with Article 6 Paragraph 1 of the GDPR to the extent that it is required to complete the purchase.

• Apple Pay

If you choose the “Apple Pay” payment method from Apple Distribution International (Apple), Hollyhill Industrial Estate, Hollyhill, Cork, Ireland, the payment will be processed using the “Apple Pay” function of your device running iOS, watchOS, or macOS by debiting a payment card stored with “Apple Pay”. Apple Pay uses security features built into your device’s hardware and software to protect your transactions. In order to approve a payment, you must enter a code previously specified by you and verify it using the “Face ID” or “Touch ID” function of your device. Further information on data protection with Apple Pay can be found at the following internet address: Apple Pay Data Protection.

Web Analytics Service Providers

At present, Melody Meads does not use third-party web analytics service providers such as Google Ads, Matomo cloud solutions, or similar service providers. In the event that we do engage such third-party service providers, this change will be updated in this Privacy Policy.

E-Mail Advertising

If we receive your email address in connection with the sale of a product or service and you have not objected to this, we reserve the right to regularly send you offers for similar products, such as those already purchased, from our range by email. You can object to this use of your email address at any time by sending a message to the contact option described below or via a link provided for this purpose in the advertising email, without incurring any costs other than the transmission costs according to the basic rates.

6. Source of Data

Very often, data is disclosed to us by you directly, for instance, when communicating with us via email or other mediums, or when setting up a customer account, and so on. You often also disclose preference data.

We collect certain data about you ourselves or automatically. This is related to you shopping with us, making use of our offers, or procuring any services from us. Most often, this data is technical in nature (such as the use of cookies, or server log files).

7. User Rights

Under the relevant Swiss data protection legislation, you are endowed with specific rights as a data subject. These rights pertain to how your personal data is processed by the responsible entity, and they are exercised based on the legal framework outlined for each specific requirement. Specifically, these include:

• Right to access information as per Article 25 of the Data Protection Act.
• Right to data portability or transfer in line with Article 28 of the Data Protection Act.
• Right to rectification according to Article 32, Paragraph 1 of the Data Protection Act.

8. Data Retention

The length of time personal data is kept depends on the legal grounds for its processing, its intended use, and, where applicable, specific legal retention periods.

In cases where personal data is processed based on your explicit consent, the data in question will be stored until such consent is withdrawn by you.

Should there be any legal requirements for retaining data, such data will be kept for the duration mandated by law.

Additionally, personal data will continue to be processed unless you explicitly object to such processing. This is subject to our ability to show a compelling interest in continuing the processing as per Article 31, Paragraph 2 of the Data Protection Act, or if it can be justified under legal provisions.

We maintain and store your personal data under the following conditions:

• For the duration necessary for processing and related purposes, typically for at least the term of any contract in the case of contractual relationships
• As long as there is a justified interest on our part in retaining it. This is often relevant when we require personal data for asserting or defending legal claims, for archival purposes, or to maintain IT security
• For the period mandated by legal retention obligations. For instance, specific data types are subject to a ten-year retention period, while others, like certain online process logs (log data), have shorter retention spans.

Our typical retention periods, subject to case-by-case deviations, include:

• Customer accounts: Data is retained as long as the account is active. Following a deletion request, data is removed after resolving any pending issues that might delay immediate erasure, typically within 30 days.
• Contracts: Basic and contractual data are generally kept for ten years from the last contract activity or its termination. This duration may extend due to evidential needs, legal or contractual requirements, or technical reasons. Transaction data linked to contracts are also usually retained for ten years.
• Technical data: Cookies are stored from a few days up to two years unless they are deleted at the end of the session.
• Communication data: Emails, messages via contact forms, and written communications are typically kept for ten years.

9. Data Security

The Melody Meads online shop is SSL encrypted for security reasons and to protect the transmission of personal data. We also take great care to ensure careful record-keeping and maintain data backups. Even with these measures in place, it is important to understand that no organization can guarantee the absolute elimination of data security risks; a minimal level of inherent risk is always present.

10. Consent and Your Rights

You have the right to free information about your personal data stored by Melody Meads, and to challenge the processing of your personal data, especially when it is based on legitimate interest, provided certain conditions are met. This includes objecting to data processing for direct marketing purposes (such as advertising emails) at any time, as well as to profiling related to such direct marketing.

If the relevant criteria are satisfied and no legal exceptions apply, you are also entitled to the following rights:

• Requesting information about your personal data that we hold
• Correcting any inaccurate or incomplete personal data
• Asking for the deletion or anonymization of your personal data
• Requesting a restriction on the processing of your personal data
• Receiving your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format
• Revoking previously given consent for data processing, affecting future activities if the processing is consent-based

Be aware that these rights may be limited or not applicable in certain situations, such as when identity verification is in doubt, or to protect other individuals, uphold significant interests, or comply with legal obligations.

You can manage key rights through your customer account or by contacting us directly. In your customer account, you can update your primary data (like your address). You can also request to deactivate your account or delete your personal data entirely. To unsubscribe from newsletters and other marketing emails, simply click the unsubscribe link provided in the email. For exercising any rights or for queries about your personal data processing, refer to the contact details presented at the bottom of this Privacy Policy.

Furthermore, you are entitled to file a complaint with a relevant supervisory authority if you believe your personal data processing violates applicable laws. In Switzerland, the competent authority is the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC) (FDPIC Contact).

11. Contact or Inquiries

Should you have inquiries or issues regarding this Privacy Policy or how your personal data is handled, please get in touch with us through the contact information provided on our website, or:

Melody Meads GmbH
Schwarzseestrasse 16
1712 Tafers
Email: info@melodymeads.ch

This Privacy Policy is subject to updates and revisions, particularly in response to changes in our data handling practices or when new legal requirements are introduced. We commit to notifying individuals whose contact information we have about any significant modifications, as long as doing so does not require unreasonable effort. Typically, the Privacy Policy version that is valid at the start of any data processing activity will be the one applicable.