Personal Data Protection

 

Privacy Statement

Privacy Policy

This statement aims to inform you about how KOTSINAS uses your personal data in compliance with the applicable national legislation, as well as Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament on the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data (General Data Protection Regulation - GDPR).

 

KOTSINAS is committed to fully comply with the current legislation and European regulations, taking into account the adoption of appropriate technical and organizational measures for the protection of personal data.

 

This policy applies to the personal data collected through the website:

 

https://kotsinas.gr

Data Controller

The Data Controller for your personal data on this website is the company named "A. KOTSINA LTD" (trading as KOTSINAS-GARDENING AGRICULTURAL TOOLS), headquartered in Thessaloniki (Pyritsa Ionias , Zip Code 57008, telephone +30 2310781500, email: kotsinas@otenet.gr), hereinafter referred to as "KOTSINAS."

 

Purpose of this Policy

The purpose of our policy is to clearly, understandably, and concisely outline the following:

 

·         What data we process through our website, for what purpose, and on what legal basis

·         How long we store your data

·         Who may be recipients of your data

·         What are your rights and how you can exercise them

·         What legitimate interests we pursue

·         What applies to your consent when required

·         What applies to personal data collected through cookies

·         Hyperlinks (links)

When do you need to provide us with your personal data

Information that is automatically collected when you visit our website: (IP Address, URL, Browser, OS)

KOTSINAS may detect the IP address through which your computer or any other electronic device accesses the Internet and subsequently our website. This is due to the way the internet works and aims to secure networks against malicious activities. For the same reason, this functionality collects information about the type of browser and operating system of the user in order to display the website according to the system specifications. This information cannot directly identify you and is stored for the minimum necessary period for the security and proper functioning of the networks. These specific pieces of information do not require your prior consent before their collection, as they are necessary for the safe and proper operation of each website.

 

The legal basis for the initial collection of this information is Article 4, paragraph 5, section g of Law 3471/2006, which allows for the technical storage or access, the exclusive purpose of which is to carry out the transmission of a communication via an electronic communications network or which is necessary for the provision of an information society service explicitly requested by the user. The legal basis for the retention of this information is our legitimate interest in the proper and secure functioning of our website. You have the right to object to the retention of this information for reasons related to your particular situation, provided that your rights and freedoms prevail over our legitimate interests or the necessity of collecting the data to establish, exercise, or support our legal claims. For the exercise of this right, please refer to the section on "Rights" below.

Automatically stored information - Cookie policy

Cookies are small data/text files that are stored on your computer's hard drive by your web browser.

 

Cookies are divided into various categories depending on the purpose they serve and how they function, such as facilitating your navigation from one website to another, storing your preferences, and generally improving your browsing experience.

 

Cookies and other similar tracking technologies are governed by the e-privacy Directive 2002/58, which was incorporated into Greek law by Law 3471/2006, and supplemented by EU Regulation 2016/679 on the protection of personal data (GDPR) and Law 4624/2019.

 

On our website, we use cookies from three categories:

·         Necessary

By necessary cookies, we mean those that have been assessed as necessary from a technical or functional perspective, as without them, it is not possible to establish a (secure or any) connection to the website for the requested internet service (e.g., adding products to the shopping cart). For cookies in this category, your prior consent is not required by law. For all other categories of cookies, and in accordance with Law 3471/2006, Article 4, Paragraph 5, the installation of "cookies" is only permitted if the subscriber or user has given their consent after clear and comprehensive information.

·         Performance (Statistical Analysis)

If you provide your consent, KOTSINAS uses cookies for statistical analysis of the website's performance, measuring visitation, and certain other elements of the page's effectiveness. These data are provided to us in a format that cannot directly identify you.

·         Marketing (Advertising)

Marketing cookies are used to track visitors on websites. Their purpose is to display advertisements that are relevant and engaging to the user. They are installed only if the user has given prior consent by actively opting in.

You can change your cookie settings installed by our website at any time by clicking on the "COOKIE SETTINGS" tab, located at the bottom of our webpage.

For detailed information about the cookies used, their functions by category, duration, and recipients, you can refer to this link.

 

When you send us messages through the contact form or the return form of our online store:

You can submit your message to our website through the contact form or request a product return through the return form. For this purpose, you will need to provide your full name and email address so that we can communicate with you and respond to your message. In the case of completing the return form, you will also need to provide additional information about your order in order for us to locate it and process the return, if it is in accordance with the terms and conditions of our online store.

 

The legal basis for using your information is our legitimate interest in responding to the messages of visitors to our website and, in case your message requests the establishment of a contract (such as collaboration or product purchase) or requires us to take action regarding a previous purchase (such as correction or return), our legal basis is to take pre-contractual measures at your request or to perform a contract we have with you.

 

If you choose to contact us using this form, none of the data you provide will be stored by this website or transmitted/processed by anyone else. Instead, the data will be recorded in an email message and sent to us. The content of the email is encrypted before being sent over the internet for secure transmission and decrypted by our local computers and devices upon receipt.

 

We will keep your message in our email inbox for 12 months from the last communication unless it contains information related to a contract with you. In that case, it will be retained for up to 5 years after the completion of our collaboration, for the purpose of transactional evidence and the establishment/exercise of legal claims that may arise between us within the statutory limitation period.

 

When you create a user account on our website as an individual customer:

 

If you wish to create a user account on our website as an individual customer in order to place orders in our online store, you will need to provide your first name and last name, an email account for receiving order notifications, and a contact phone number. If you proceed with placing an order, you will be required to provide your delivery address as well. Additionally, to create your account, you will need to set a personal login password, which you should keep confidential and secure from third-party access.

 

During the account creation process, you have the option to choose not to subscribe to our newsletter by deselecting the checkbox, so that we do not send you promotional newsletters about new offers, products, events, and activities that may interest you.

 

The above-mentioned personal data is necessary for us to fulfill your order, communicate with you regarding your order when necessary, and issue the required tax documents (receipt or invoice).

 

The legal basis for our use of your data is, first and foremost, your contractual consent, which refers to the service we provide to you as a member of our website, facilitating the submission and tracking of orders. If you proceed to place an order, the legal basis for our use of your data is the fulfillment of the sales contract we enter into with you when we accept your order, or taking measures at your request (your order) before the contract is concluded. For example, we may need to check the product availability and respond to you whether your order can be fulfilled or if any product is unavailable. Specifically for your tax information, which is necessary when requesting an invoice, our legal basis is our legal obligation to issue the tax document and submit relevant tax declarations. For your registration in the newsletter, which will be done if you do not deselect the respective checkbox at the end of the order form, our legal basis is our legitimate interest to promote offers and news about similar products, events, and activities to our customers, in accordance with Article 11(3) of Law 3471/2006.

The order details you submit to us will be retained for 5 years from the completion of our transaction for the purpose of substantiating and supporting legal claims within the prescribed statute of limitations. Specifically, for tax-related data, they will be retained for the period required by the applicable law (currently 10 years).

 

If you do not provide any of the above-mentioned details, it will not be possible to create a user account, as we will be unable to recognize you among other users and respond to your requests and orders.

 

When placing an order through our online store as a guest, you can make a purchase without necessarily creating a user account.

 

If you place an order through our online store as a guest, you will need to provide us with your full name, the delivery address for your products, a contact telephone number, and an email address. All the personal data mentioned above is necessary for us to process your order, communicate with you if needed, and issue the necessary tax documents (receipt or invoice).

 

During the order submission, you can choose not to subscribe to our newsletter by deselecting the checkbox, thereby opting out of receiving informational newsletters about new offers, products, events, and promotions that may be of interest to you.

 

The legal basis for us to use this information is the fulfillment of the sales contract we enter into with you when we accept your order or take measures upon your request (your order), such as informing you that a certain product is unavailable. Specifically, for your tax details, which are necessary when requesting an invoice, the legal basis is our legal obligation to issue the tax document and submit the relevant tax declarations. Regarding your subscription to the newsletter, which will be processed unless you deselect the corresponding checkbox at the end of the order form, our legal basis is our legitimate interest to promote offers, news, and events related to similar products to our customers, in accordance with Article 11(3) of Law No. 3471/2006.

 

The order details you submit will be retained for 5 years from their submission for the purpose of substantiating the transaction and supporting legal claims within the prescribed statute of limitations. Specifically, for tax-related data, they will be retained for the period required by the applicable law (currently 10 years).

 

If you do not provide any of the above-mentioned details, it will not be possible to complete your order.

 

When creating a user account on our website as a business (B2B):

 

If you wish to create a user account on our website as a business in order to place orders in our online store, you will need to submit a relevant request. In this request, you will need to provide us with your email account to receive notifications related to your orders, your full name, your VAT number for registration as a professional, and a contact telephone number. Once you place an order, you will also be asked to provide a delivery address. The KOTSINAS team will create your account and notify you of your personal access code, which you should change upon your first login and keep safe from third-party access.

 

The aforementioned personal data is necessary for us to process your order, communicate with you regarding it if necessary, and issue the necessary tax documents (invoice).

 

The legal basis for our use of this information is, in the first instance, your contractual fulfillment request, i.e., the service provided by us to serve you as a member of the website, as part of facilitating order placement. If you subsequently place an order, the legal basis for our use of your information is the fulfillment of the sales contract we enter into with you when we accept your order or take measures upon your request (your order) prior to the conclusion of the contract, for example, to check the stock availability of the requested products and inform you if the order can be fulfilled or if a product is unavailable. Specifically, for your tax details, which are necessary for issuing an invoice, the legal basis is our legal obligation to issue the tax document and submit the relevant tax declarations.

 

The order details you submit will be retained for 5 years from their submission for the purpose of substantiating the transaction and supporting legal claims within the prescribed statute of limitations. Specifically, for tax-related data, they will be retained for the period required by the applicable law (currently 10 years).

 

If you do not provide any of the above-mentioned details, it will not be possible to create a user account for you, as we will not be able to identify you among other users and respond to your requests and orders.

 

When you subscribe to our newsletter service on our website:

 

If you wish to subscribe to our newsletter service and be the first to learn about our offers and new products, you can do so by providing us with your explicit consent for this purpose, indicating your email address.

 

You can revoke this consent at any time by sending an email to kotsinas@otenet.gr or by clicking the "unsubscribe" button at the end of each promotional email.

 

If you are already registered as a user on our website or have purchased products from our online store, we may send you such promotional emails without the need for prior subscription to the newsletter service, based on our legitimate interest to send you updates about similar products that may be of interest to you (Article 11, paragraph 3 of Law 3471/2006). In this case, you will also have the option to unsubscribe from the beginning by deselecting the newsletter subscription box at the end of your registration or order form, or at any time in the future by sending an email to kotsinas@otenet.gr or by clicking the "unsubscribe" button at the end of each promotional email.

 

Your information will be retained by us for the purpose of sending you newsletters for as long as you maintain your consent and do not revoke it.

 

 

Your credit or debit card information or payment account details.

Our website does not collect or store your credit card or payment account information. If you choose to make a payment using your credit, debit, or prepaid card, you will be redirected to a secure banking environment provided by our partner bank. We only receive automated notifications from the bank regarding the success of the payment in order to complete the processing of your order. [ΜΣ4]

 

Automated decision-making

We do not use your personal data for automated decision-making that may have legal or other significant consequences for you, nor do we create profiles based on your personal data.

 

According to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you have the following rights:

RIGHT OF ACCESS AND RECTIFICATION

You have the right to know whether personal data concerning you have been or will be processed and, in any case, to request from KOTSINAS the rectification of your personal data if they are inaccurate or the completion of any incomplete personal data. When updating your personal information, you may be asked to verify your identity before we can fulfill your request.

RIGHT TO DATA PORTABILITY

You have the right to receive the personal data concerning you in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, and to transmit those data to another controller, where:

 

A) you have provided the data yourself,

 

B) the processing is based on your consent, or

 

C) the processing is carried out by automated means.

 

You can receive the data in a format that is widely used and easily readable by common software. You also have the right to request the direct transmission of your data from us to another controller, provided it does not adversely affect the rights and freedoms of others.

 

RIGHT TO ERASURE

Under the conditions of the law, you have the right to request the erasure of your personal data, as well as in specific cases, the restriction of the processing of such data. Personal data that we are obligated to retain due to legal obligations cannot be erased. The deletion of personal data that is necessary for the performance of a contract may lead to the cancellation of the contract or the inability to fulfill it.

RIGHT TO OBJECT

You have the right to object at any time to the processing of your personal data.

 

This right applies when the processing is based on our legitimate interests and you have grounds for objection based on your particular situation (for personal, professional, or social reasons).

 

This applies to the data collected automatically during your internet browsing and on our website, as well as when we send you newsletters because you are our customer or a registered user of our online store.

RIGHT TO RESTRICTION OF PROCESSING

You have the right to request the restriction of processing of your data.

 

This will apply when you contest the accuracy of your data and until we verify its accuracy, when you consider the processing to be unlawful, when we no longer need the data but you require it for the establishment, exercise, or defense of legal claims, or when you have exercised your right to object.

RIGHT TO WITHDRAW CONSENT

When we process your personal data based on the consent you have provided, you have the right to freely withdraw that consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal. The withdrawal of consent will not have any retroactive effect and will not affect the provision of other services that we offer to you for different reasons (e.g., based on a sales contract of our products).

RIGHT TO LODGE A COMPLAINT

You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Hellenic Data Protection Authority if you believe that your personal data is being processed unlawfully. The Authority recommends that you first contact us to submit any complaints or requests you may have. You can do so free of charge by emailing us at kotsinas@otenet.gr. We will make every effort to address your request. If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the option to lodge your complaint with the Authority (1-3 Kifisias Avenue, 115 23 Athens, Greece, tel. 210-6475600, www.dpa.gr, email: complaints@dpa.gr).

 

Exercise of the above rights:

To exercise your rights and obtain any information regarding the processing of your personal data, you can submit a request to kotsinas@otenet.gr.

 

It is possible that we may need to request identification details from you before responding, in order to verify that no one else is exercising your rights.

 

As a general rule, your request will be fulfilled within one month from the date of receipt. However, if it is particularly complex, you will be informed of any delay within one month, taking into account the complexity of the request.

 

The provision of information and all related actions taken in response to your requests are provided free of charge, unless they are excessive or repetitive.

Retention period of your personal data:

Your personal data is retained only for as long as it is necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, as specified in the above mentioned use cases.

 

Who can be recipients of your personal data:

Access to your data is limited to authorized collaborators of KOTSINAS, only when necessary. In certain cases, we may grant access to your data to our partners who provide services to us (such as website hosting providers, website management companies, IT support providers, transportation companies, etc.) if their services are necessary for our operation and to serve you. All our partners are contractually obligated to protect your personal data and are committed not to disclose it to any other party.

 

In any case, your personal data will not be transmitted, sold, or disclosed to anyone for marketing purposes without your explicit consent.

 

Transfers to third countries:

Your personal data is not transferred to third countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA) or to international organizations, unless it complies with the legal requirements for ensuring the protection of personal data.

Security of your personal data:

KOTSINAS implements appropriate technical and organizational measures to ensure the adequate level of security of your data against risks. However, no information system can be 100% secure. In any case, KOTSINAS has prepared a plan to address any potential data breach incidents in order to eliminate or minimize their impact. If there is a high risk to your rights or freedoms, you will be promptly informed.

Hyperlinks:

Our website may contain links to other websites. This privacy statement does not apply to your access to other websites. Please consult the privacy policy of the website you are visiting.

 

If the hyperlinks on our website lead to websites that present protected works of intellectual property to the public, we are not responsible if those websites present such works without the authorization of the rights holders. In any case, KOTSINAS does not place hyperlinks for profit purposes and, as far as possible, checks these hyperlinks regarding the websites they lead to, in order to avoid presenting protected works without the authorization of the rights holder of their intellectual or related rights.

Updates and Amendments:

KOTSINAS reserves the right to modify/update individual sections of this Policy without any obligation to provide prior notification. Please make sure to regularly read the Privacy Policy before using our website to stay informed about the current version of the Policy in case any modifications or updates have been made.

 

Last updated version of this Policy: July 2023.