Privacy Policy

Preamble

With the following privacy policy, we would like to inform you about the types of your personal data (hereinafter also referred to as “data”) that we process, for what purposes, and to what extent. The privacy policy applies to all processing of personal data carried out by us, both within the framework of providing our services and in particular on our websites, in mobile applications, and within external online presences, such as our social media profiles (hereinafter collectively referred to as “Online Offer”).

The terms used are not gender-specific.

Status: November 24, 2025

Controller

Ahoiart Represented by Stefanie Düll Krayenkamp 10-11 20459 Hamburg, Germany E-mail address: Info@ahoiart.com

Overview of Processing

The following overview summarizes the types of data processed and the purposes of their processing and refers to the data subjects.

Types of Data Processed

• Inventory data.

• Employee data.

• Payment data.

• Location data.

• Contact data.

• Content data.

• Contract data.

• Usage data.

• Meta, communication, and procedural data.

• Log data.

Categories of Data Subjects

• Service recipients and clients.

• Employees.

• Interested parties.

• Communication partners.

• Users.

• Participants in sweepstakes and contests.

• Business and contractual partners.

• Third parties.

• Whistleblowers.

Purposes of Processing

• Provision of contractual services and fulfillment of contractual obligations.

• Communication.

• Security measures.

• Direct marketing.

• Reach measurement.

• Tracking.

• Office and organizational procedures.

• Conversion measurement.

• Target group formation.

• Organizational and administrative procedures.

• Execution of sweepstakes and contests.

• Feedback.

• Marketing.

• Profiles with user-related information.

• Provision of our online offer and user-friendliness.

• Information technology infrastructure.

• Whistleblower protection.

• Public relations.

• Sales promotion.

• Business processes and business management procedures.

Relevant Legal Bases

Relevant legal bases according to the GDPR: The following is an overview of the legal bases of the GDPR on which we process personal data. Please note that in addition to the regulations of the GDPR, national data protection regulations may apply in your or our country of residence or domicile. If, in individual cases, more specific legal bases are relevant, we will inform you of these in the privacy policy.

• Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR) – The data subject has given consent to the processing of his or her personal data for one or more specific purposes.

• Performance of a contract and prior requests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR) – Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is party or in order to take steps at the request of the data subject prior to entering into a contract.

• Legal obligation (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. c) GDPR) – Processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the controller is subject.

• Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR) – Processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by the controller or by a third party, except where such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject which require protection of personal data.

National data protection regulations in Germany: In addition to the data protection regulations of the GDPR, national regulations on data protection apply in Germany. This includes, in particular, the Act on Protection against Misuse of Personal Data in Data Processing (Federal Data Protection Act – BDSG). The BDSG contains, in particular, special regulations on the right to information, the right to deletion, the right to object, the processing of special categories of personal data, processing for other purposes, and transmission as well as automated decision-making in individual cases, including profiling. Furthermore, state data protection laws of the individual federal states may apply.

Security Measures

We take appropriate technical and organizational measures in accordance with the legal requirements, taking into account the state of the art, the costs of implementation and the nature, scope, context and purposes of processing as well as the risk of varying likelihood and severity for the rights and freedoms of natural persons, in order to ensure a level of security appropriate to the risk.

The measures include, in particular, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data by controlling physical and electronic access to the data as well as access to, input, transmission, securing of availability, and separation of the data. Furthermore, we have established procedures to ensure the exercise of data subjects’ rights, the deletion of data, and reactions to data threats. Furthermore, we take the protection of personal data into account as early as the development or selection of hardware, software, and procedures in accordance with the principle of data protection, through technology design and through data protection-friendly default settings.

Securing online connections through TLS/SSL encryption technology (HTTPS): To protect the data of users transmitted via our online services from unauthorized access, we use TLS/SSL encryption technology. Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and Transport Layer Security (TLS) are the cornerstones of secure data transmission on the Internet. These technologies encrypt the information transmitted between the website or app and the user’s browser (or between two servers), protecting the data from unauthorized access. TLS, as the advanced and more secure version of SSL, ensures that all data transmissions meet the highest security standards. If a website is secured by an SSL/TLS certificate, this is indicated by the display of HTTPS in the URL. This serves as an indicator to users that their data is being transmitted securely and encrypted.

Wordfence: We use the security plugin Wordfence on this website. The provider is Defiant Inc., 800 5th Ave., Suite 4100, Seattle, WA 98104, USA. Wordfence serves to protect our website from cyber attacks (e.g., brute force attacks or malware). For this purpose, the plugin processes technical data such as your IP address, browser type, and information about your access to detect malicious activity. IP addresses are compared with a database of known attackers.

• Legal basis: The use is based on our legitimate interest in the security of our online offer (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR).

   

• Third country transfer: The data is transferred to Defiant Inc. servers in the USA. The security of the transmission is guaranteed by standard contractual clauses and participation in the Data Privacy Framework (DPF).

   

• Website: https://www.wordfence.com

• Privacy Policy: https://www.wordfence.com/privacy-policy/

Rights of Data Subjects

Rights of data subjects under the GDPR: As a data subject, you are entitled to various rights under the GDPR, which arise in particular from Art. 15 to 21 GDPR:

• Right to object: You have the right to object, on grounds relating to your particular situation, at any time to processing of personal data concerning you which is based on Art. 6 para. 1 lit. e or f GDPR; this also applies to profiling based on those provisions. If the personal data concerning you are processed for direct marketing purposes, you have the right to object at any time to processing of personal data concerning you for such marketing; this includes profiling to the extent that it is related to such direct marketing.

   

• Right to withdraw consent: You have the right to withdraw consents granted at any time.

   

• Right of access: You have the right to request confirmation as to whether the data in question is being processed and to be informed about this data and to receive further information and a copy of the data in accordance with the legal requirements.

   

• Right to rectification: In accordance with the legal requirements, you have the right to request the completion of the data concerning you or the rectification of incorrect data concerning you.

• Right to erasure and restriction of processing: In accordance with the statutory provisions, you have the right to demand that data concerning you be erased immediately, or alternatively, in accordance with the statutory provisions, to demand a restriction of the processing of the data.

• Right to data portability: You have the right to receive data concerning you, which you have provided to us, in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format in accordance with the legal requirements, or to request its transmission to another controller.

• Complaint to the supervisory authority: Without prejudice to any other administrative or judicial remedy, you have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of your habitual residence, place of work or place of the alleged infringement if you consider that the processing of personal data relating to you infringes the GDPR.

Business Services

We process data of our contractual and business partners, e.g., customers and interested parties (collectively referred to as “contractual partners”), within the framework of contractual and comparable legal relationships as well as related measures and with regard to communication with the contractual partners (or pre-contractual), e.g., to answer inquiries.

We use this data to fulfill our contractual obligations. This includes, in particular, the obligations to provide the agreed services, any update obligations, and remedies for warranty and other service disruptions. In addition, we use the data to safeguard our rights and for the purpose of administrative tasks associated with these obligations and corporate organization. Furthermore, we process the data on the basis of our legitimate interests in proper and business management as well as security measures to protect our contractual partners and our business operations from misuse, endangerment of their data, secrets, information, and rights (e.g., for the involvement of telecommunications, transport, and other auxiliary services as well as subcontractors, banks, tax and legal advisors, payment service providers, or tax authorities). Within the framework of applicable law, we only pass on the data of contractual partners to third parties insofar as this is necessary for the aforementioned purposes or to fulfill legal obligations. Contractual partners will be informed about other forms of processing, e.g., for marketing purposes, within the framework of this privacy policy.

We inform the contractual partners which data is required for the aforementioned purposes before or within the framework of data collection, e.g., in online forms, by special marking (e.g., colors) or symbols (e.g., asterisks or similar), or personally.

We delete the data after the expiry of statutory warranty and comparable obligations, i.e., generally after four years, unless the data is stored in a customer account, e.g., as long as they must be kept for legal reasons of archiving (e.g., for tax purposes generally ten years). We delete data disclosed to us by the contractual partner within the framework of an order in accordance with the specifications and generally after the end of the order.

• Processed data types: Inventory data (e.g., full name, residential address, contact information, customer number, etc.); Payment data (e.g., bank details, invoices, payment history); Contact data (e.g., postal and email addresses or telephone numbers); Contract data (e.g., subject matter of the contract, term, customer category).

• Data subjects: Service recipients and clients; Interested parties; Business and contractual partners.

• Purposes of processing: Provision of contractual services and fulfillment of contractual obligations; Communication; Office and organizational procedures; Organizational and administrative procedures; Business processes and business management procedures.

• Retention and deletion: Deletion according to information in the section “General information on data storage and deletion”.

   

• Legal bases: Performance of a contract and prior requests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR); Legal obligation (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. c) GDPR); Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

   

Further information on processing processes, procedures, and services:

• Event management: We process the data of the participants of the events, functions, and similar activities offered or hosted by us (hereinafter uniformly referred to as “participants” and “events”) in order to enable them to participate in the events and to make use of the services or promotions associated with participation. If we process health-related data, religious, political, or other special categories of data in this context, this is done within the scope of obviousness (e.g., in the case of thematically oriented events or serves health care, security, or takes place with the consent of the data subjects). The required information is marked as such within the context of the order, purchase order, or comparable conclusion of contract and includes the information required for service provision and billing as well as contact information in order to be able to hold any consultations. Insofar as we receive access to information of end customers, employees, or other persons, we process this in accordance with legal and contractual requirements.

   

  • Legal bases: Performance of a contract and prior requests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).

Provision of the Online Offer and Web Hosting

We process user data to provide them with our online services. For this purpose, we process the user’s IP address, which is necessary to transmit the content and functions of our online services to the user’s browser or terminal device.

• Processed data types: Usage data (e.g., page views and dwell time, click paths, usage intensity and frequency, device types and operating systems used, interactions with content and functions); Meta, communication, and procedural data (e.g., IP addresses, time data, identification numbers, persons involved); Log data (e.g., log files concerning logins or the retrieval of data or access times); Content data (e.g., textual or pictorial messages and contributions as well as information concerning them, such as authorship or time of creation).

   

• Data subjects: Users (e.g., website visitors, users of online services).

• Purposes of processing: Provision of our online offer and user-friendliness; Information technology infrastructure (operation and provision of information systems and technical devices (computers, servers, etc.)); Security measures.

• Retention and deletion: Deletion according to information in the section “General information on data storage and deletion”.

• Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Further information on processing processes, procedures, and services:

• Provision of online offer on rented storage space: For the provision of our online offer, we use storage space, computing capacity, and software that we rent or otherwise obtain from a corresponding server provider (also called “web host”); Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

• Collection of access data and log files: Access to our online offer is logged in the form of so-called “server log files”. Server log files may include the address and name of the retrieved websites and files, date and time of retrieval, transferred data volumes, notification of successful retrieval, browser type and version, the user’s operating system, referrer URL (the previously visited page), and generally IP addresses and the requesting provider. The server log files can be used for security purposes, e.g., to avoid overloading the servers (especially in the case of abusive attacks, so-called DDoS attacks), and to ensure the utilization of the servers and their stability; Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR). Deletion of data: Log file information is stored for a maximum of 30 days and then deleted or anonymized. Data whose further retention is required for evidentiary purposes is exempt from deletion until the final clarification of the respective incident.

• Email sending and hosting: The web hosting services we use also include the sending, receiving, and storage of emails. For these purposes, the addresses of the recipients and senders as well as further information concerning the email dispatch (e.g., the providers involved) as well as the contents of the respective emails are processed. The aforementioned data may also be processed for SPAM detection purposes. We ask you to note that emails on the Internet are generally not sent encrypted. As a rule, emails are encrypted in transit, but (unless a so-called end-to-end encryption method is used) not on the servers from which they are sent and received. We can therefore accept no responsibility for the transmission path of emails between the sender and the reception on our server; Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

• STRATO: Services in the field of providing information technology infrastructure and related services (e.g., storage space and/or computing capacities); Service provider: STRATO AG, Pascalstraße 10, 10587 Berlin, Germany; Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://www.strato.de; Privacy Policy: https://www.strato.de/datenschutz/. Data Processing Agreement: Provided by the service provider.

   

• Strato Assistant: We use the Strato Assistant from STRATO AG, Pascalstraße 10, 10587 Berlin, on our website. This tool supports us in the technical administration and optimization of our website. In doing so, technical log data may be processed to analyze website performance. Legal basis: Legitimate interest in the technical optimization of our website (Art. 6 Abs. 1 lit. f GDPR).

   

• WordPress.com: (Hinweis: Diesen Abschnitt ggf. löschen, wenn die Seite bei Strato gehostet wird) Hosting and software for the creation, provision, and operation of websites, blogs, and other online offers; Service provider: Aut O’Mattic A8C Ireland Ltd., Grand Canal Dock, 25 Herbert Pl, Dublin, D02 AY86, Ireland; Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://wordpress.com; Privacy Policy: https://automattic.com/de/privacy/; Data Processing Agreement: https://wordpress.com/support/data-processing-agreements/. Basis for third country transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Standard Contractual Clauses (Provided by the service provider).

   

Contact and Inquiry Management

When contacting us (e.g., by post, contact form, email, telephone, or via social media) as well as within the framework of existing user and business relationships, the information of the inquiring persons is processed insofar as this is necessary to answer the contact inquiries and any requested measures.

• Processed data types: Inventory data (e.g., full name, residential address, contact information, customer number, etc.); Contact data (e.g., postal and email addresses or telephone numbers); Content data (e.g., textual or pictorial messages and contributions as well as information concerning them, such as authorship or time of creation); Usage data (e.g., page views and dwell time, click paths, usage intensity and frequency, device types and operating systems used, interactions with content and functions); Meta, communication, and procedural data (e.g., IP addresses, time data, identification numbers, persons involved).

   

• Data subjects: Communication partners.

   

• Purposes of processing: Communication; Organizational and administrative procedures; Feedback (e.g., collecting feedback via online form); Provision of our online offer and user-friendliness.

   

• Retention and deletion: Deletion according to information in the section “General information on data storage and deletion”.

• Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Performance of a contract and prior requests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR).

Further information on processing processes, procedures, and services:

• Contact form: When contacting us via our contact form, by email, or other communication channels, we process the personal data transmitted to us to answer and process the respective request. This usually includes information such as name, contact information, and, if applicable, further information provided to us and required for appropriate processing. We use this data exclusively for the stated purpose of contact and communication; Legal bases: Performance of a contract and prior requests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR), Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

   

• WPForms: To provide our contact forms, we use the plugin WPForms. Provider is WPForms, LLC, 2701 Okeechobee Blvd, West Palm Beach, FL 33409, USA. When you fill out a form, the data you enter (e.g., name, email address, message text) is stored on our server and forwarded to us by email to process your request. WPForms itself does not store data on its own servers unless corresponding cloud add-ons are activated. Legal basis: Contract fulfillment and pre-contractual inquiries (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR) as well as our legitimate interest in efficient customer communication (Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR).

Newsletter and Electronic Notifications

We send newsletters, emails, and other electronic notifications (hereinafter “newsletter”) only with the consent of the recipients or based on a legal basis. If the contents of the newsletter are specifically described within the scope of registration, they are decisive for the consent of the users. For registration for our newsletter, it is normally sufficient to provide your email address. However, to provide you with a personalized service, we may ask you to provide your name for personal addressing in the newsletter or other information if this is necessary for the purpose of the newsletter.

Deletion and restriction of processing: We may store the unsubscribed email addresses for up to three years on the basis of our legitimate interests before deleting them in order to be able to prove a previously given consent. The processing of this data is limited to the purpose of a potential defense against claims. An individual deletion request is possible at any time, provided that the former existence of a consent is confirmed at the same time. In the case of obligations to permanently observe objections, we reserve the right to store the email address solely for this purpose in a blocklist.

The logging of the registration process is based on our legitimate interests for the purpose of proving its proper procedure. Insofar as we commission a service provider with the sending of emails, this is done on the basis of our legitimate interests in an efficient and secure sending system.

Contents: Information about us, our services, promotions, and offers.

• Processed data types: Inventory data; Contact data; Meta, communication, and procedural data; Usage data.

• Data subjects: Communication partners.

• Purposes of processing: Direct marketing (e.g., by email or post).

• Legal bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR).

• Right to object (Opt-Out): You can cancel the receipt of our newsletter at any time, i.e., revoke your consents or object to further receipt. A link to cancel the newsletter can be found either at the end of each newsletter, or you can use one of the contact options specified above, preferably email, for this purpose.

Further information on processing processes, procedures, and services:

• Measurement of opening and click rates: The newsletters contain a so-called “web beacon”, i.e., a pixel-sized file that is retrieved from our server or that of our shipping service provider when the newsletter is opened. Within the scope of this retrieval, technical information, such as information about the browser and your system, as well as your IP address and time of retrieval, are initially collected. This information is used for the technical improvement of our newsletter based on the technical data or the target groups and their reading behavior based on their retrieval locations (which can be determined using the IP address) or access times. This analysis also includes determining whether and when the newsletters are opened and which links are clicked. The information is assigned to the individual newsletter recipients and stored in their profiles until deletion. The evaluations serve to recognize the reading habits of our users and to adapt our content to them or to send different content according to the interests of our users. Legal bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR).

Promotional Communication via Email, Post, Fax, or Telephone

We process personal data for purposes of promotional communication, which may take place via various channels, such as email, telephone, post, or fax, in accordance with legal requirements.

Recipients have the right to revoke given consents at any time or to object to promotional communication at any time free of charge using the contact options mentioned above.

After revocation or objection, we store the data required to prove the previous authorization for contact or sending for up to three years after the end of the year of revocation or objection on the basis of our legitimate interests. The processing of this data is limited to the purpose of a possible defense against claims. Based on the legitimate interest in permanently observing the user’s revocation or objection, we also store the data required to avoid renewed contact (e.g., depending on the communication channel, the email address, telephone number, name).

• Processed data types: Inventory data; Contact data; Content data.

• Data subjects: Communication partners.

• Purposes of processing: Direct marketing; Marketing; Sales promotion.

• Legal bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR); Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

   

Sweepstakes and Contests

We process personal data of participants in sweepstakes and contests only in compliance with the relevant data protection regulations, insofar as the processing is contractually necessary for the provision, execution, and handling of the sweepstakes, the participants have consented to the processing, or the processing serves our legitimate interests (e.g., in the security of the sweepstakes or the protection of our interests against misuse by possibly recording IP addresses when submitting sweepstakes entries).

If participants’ contributions are published within the framework of the sweepstakes (e.g., within the framework of a vote or presentation of the sweepstakes entries or the winners or reporting on the sweepstakes), we point out that the names of the participants may also be published in this context. Participants can object to this at any time.

If the sweepstakes takes place within an online platform or a social network (e.g., Facebook or Instagram, hereinafter referred to as “Online Platform”), the terms of use and data protection provisions of the respective platforms also apply. In these cases, we point out that we are responsible for the information provided by the participants within the framework of the sweepstakes and inquiries regarding the sweepstakes are to be directed to us.

The data of the participants will be deleted as soon as the sweepstakes or the competition has ended and the data is no longer required to inform the winners or because inquiries about the sweepstakes are no longer to be expected. Generally, the data of the participants will be deleted no later than 6 months after the end of the sweepstakes. Winners’ data may be retained longer, e.g., to answer questions about prizes or to fulfill prize services; in this case, the retention period depends on the type of prize and is, for example, up to three years for goods or services in order to be able to process warranty cases. Furthermore, the data of the participants may be stored longer, e.g., in the form of reporting on the sweepstakes in online and offline media.

Insofar as data was also collected for other purposes within the framework of the sweepstakes, their processing and the retention period are governed by the data protection information on this use (e.g., in the case of registration for the newsletter within the framework of a sweepstakes).

• Processed data types: Inventory data; Contact data; Content data.

• Data subjects: Participants in sweepstakes and contests.

• Purposes of processing: Execution of sweepstakes and contests.

• Legal bases: Performance of a contract and prior requests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. b) GDPR); Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Online Marketing

We process personal data for the purpose of online marketing, which may include, in particular, the marketing of advertising space or the display of advertising and other content (collectively referred to as “content”) based on the potential interests of users and the measurement of their effectiveness.

For these purposes, so-called user profiles are created and stored in a file (the so-called “cookie”) or similar procedures are used, by means of which the information about the user relevant for the display of the aforementioned content is stored. This may include, for example, viewed content, visited websites, used online networks, but also communication partners and technical information, such as the browser used, the computer system used, and information on usage times and functions used. If users have consented to the collection of their location data, this can also be processed.

In addition, the IP addresses of users are stored. However, we use available IP masking procedures (i.e., pseudonymization by shortening the IP address) for user protection. generally, no clear data of users (such as email addresses or names) is stored within the framework of the online marketing process, but pseudonyms. This means that neither we nor the providers of the online marketing procedures know the actual user identity, but only the information stored in their profiles.

The statements in the profiles are generally stored in the cookies or by means of similar procedures. These cookies can later generally also be read on other websites that use the same online marketing procedure and analyzed for the purpose of displaying content as well as supplemented with further data and stored on the server of the online marketing procedure provider.

Exceptionally, it is possible to assign clear data to the profiles, primarily if the users are, for example, members of a social network whose online marketing procedure we use and the network connects the user profiles with the aforementioned information. We ask you to note that users can make additional agreements with the providers, e.g., by consent within the scope of registration.

We generally only receive access to summarized information about the success of our advertisements. However, within the framework of so-called conversion measurements, we can check which of our online marketing procedures have led to a so-called conversion, i.e., for example, to a conclusion of a contract with us. The conversion measurement is used solely for the success analysis of our marketing measures.

Unless otherwise stated, we ask you to assume that cookies used are stored for a period of two years.

Notes on legal bases: If we ask users for their consent to the use of third-party providers, the legal basis for data processing is permission. Otherwise, user data is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests (i.e., interest in efficient, economic, and recipient-friendly services). In this context, we would also like to refer you to the information on the use of cookies in this privacy policy.

Notes on revocation and objection: We refer to the data protection notices of the respective providers and the objection options specified for the providers (so-called “Opt-Out”). If no explicit opt-out option has been specified, there is the possibility that you switch off cookies in your browser settings. However, this may restrict functions of our online offer. We therefore additionally recommend the following opt-out options, which are offered summarily for respective areas: a) Europe: https://www.youronlinechoices.eu. b) Canada: https://youradchoices.ca/. c) USA: https://optout.aboutads.info/. d) Cross-territory: https://optout.aboutads.info.

• Processed data types: Usage data; Meta, communication, and procedural data.

• Data subjects: Users.

• Purposes of processing: Reach measurement; Tracking; Target group formation; Marketing; Profiles with user-related information; Conversion measurement.

• Legal bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR); Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Further information on processing processes, procedures, and services:

• Google Ads and conversion measurement: Online marketing procedure for the purpose of placing content and advertisements within the advertising network of the service provider (e.g., in search results, in videos, on websites, etc.) so that they are displayed to users who have a presumed interest in the advertisements. In addition, we measure the conversion of the advertisements, i.e., whether the users have taken them as an opportunity to interact with the advertisements and use the advertised offers (so-called conversions). However, we only receive anonymous information and no personal information about individual users. Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR), Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://marketingplatform.google.com; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Basis for third country transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF).

   

Customer Reviews and Rating Procedures

We participate in review and rating procedures to evaluate, optimize, and promote our services. If users rate us via the participating rating platforms or procedures or otherwise provide feedback, the General Terms and Conditions or Terms of Use and the data protection notices of the providers apply in addition. Generally, the rating also requires registration with the respective providers.

To ensure that the rating persons have actually used our services, we transmit the necessary data with regard to the customer and the service used to the respective rating platform (including name, email address, and order number or article number) with the consent of the customers. This data is used solely to verify the authenticity of the user.

• Processed data types: Contract data; Usage data; Meta, communication, and procedural data.

   

• Data subjects: Service recipients and clients; Users.

   

• Purposes of processing: Feedback; Marketing.

   

• Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR).

   

Further information on processing processes, procedures, and services:

• Rating Widget: We integrate so-called “rating widgets” into our online offer. A widget is a function and content element integrated into our online offer that displays variable information. It can be displayed, for example, in the form of a seal or comparable element, sometimes also called a “badge”. In this case, the corresponding content of the widget is displayed within our online offer, but at that moment it is retrieved from the servers of the respective widget provider. Only in this way can the current content always be shown, especially the current rating. For this purpose, a data connection must be established from the website called up within our online offer to the server of the widget provider, and the widget provider receives certain technical data (access data, including IP address) that are necessary so that the content of the widget can be delivered to the user’s browser. Furthermore, the widget provider receives information that users have visited our online offer. This information can be stored in a cookie and used by the widget provider to recognize which online offers participating in the rating process have been visited by the user. The information can be stored in a user profile and used for advertising or market research purposes; Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

   

• ProvenExpert: Rating platform; Service provider: Expert Systems AG, Quedlinburger Strasse 1, 10589 Berlin, Germany; Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://www.provenexpert.com/de-de/. Privacy Policy: https://www.provenexpert.com/de-de/datenschutzbestimmungen/.

• Trusted Shops (Trustedbadge): Rating platform – Within the framework of the joint controllership existing between us and Trusted Shops, please prefer to contact Trusted Shops regarding data protection questions and to assert your rights using the contact options specified in the data protection information. Irrespective of this, you can always contact the controller of your choice. Your inquiry will then, if necessary, be forwarded to the other controller for answering. The Trustbadge is provided by a US CDN provider (Content Delivery Network). An adequate level of data protection is ensured by standard data protection clauses and further contractual measures. When calling up the Trustbadge, the web server automatically saves a so-called server log file, which also contains your IP address, date and time of retrieval, transferred data volume, and the requesting provider (access data) and documents the retrieval. The IP address is anonymized immediately after collection so that the stored data cannot be assigned to your person. The anonymized data is used in particular for statistical purposes and for error analysis. If you have given your consent, the Trustbadge accesses order information stored in your terminal device (order total, order number, if applicable purchased product) as well as email address after order completion, and your email address is hashed using a cryptological one-way function. The hash value is then transmitted to Trusted Shops with the order information in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a GDPR. This serves to check whether you are already registered for Trusted Shops services. If this is the case, further processing takes place in accordance with the contractual agreement made between you and Trusted Shops. If you are not yet registered for the services or do not give your consent to automatic recognition via the Trustbadge, you will subsequently be given the opportunity to register manually for the use of the services or to conclude the protection within the framework of your possibly already existing user contract. For this purpose, the Trustbadge accesses the following information stored in the terminal device used by you after completion of your order: order total, order number, and email address. This is necessary so that we can offer you buyer protection. Data is only transmitted to Trusted Shops if you actively decide to conclude buyer protection by clicking on the appropriately designated button in the so-called Trustcard. If you decide to use the services, further processing is governed by the contractual agreement with Trusted Shops in accordance with Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b GDPR in order to be able to complete your registration for buyer protection and secure the order as well as, if applicable, to be able to send you rating invitations by email subsequently. Trusted Shops uses service providers in the areas of hosting, monitoring, and logging. The legal basis is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f GDPR for the purpose of ensuring trouble-free operation. Processing may take place in third countries (USA and Israel). An adequate level of data protection is ensured in the case of the USA by standard data protection clauses and further contractual measures as well as in the case of Israel by an adequacy decision. Service provider: Trusted Shops GmbH, Subbelrather Str. 15C, 50823 Cologne, Germany; Legal bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR), Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://www.trustedshops.de; Privacy Policy: https://www.trustedshops.de/impressum-datenschutz/.

   

• Yelp: Rating platform; Service provider: Yelp Inc., 140 New Montgomery Street, 9th Floor, San Francisco, Ca 94105, USA; Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://www.yelp.de; Privacy Policy: https://www.yelp.de/static?p=privacy. Right to object (Opt-Out): https://www.yelp.com/tos/privacy_en_us_20190329#third-parties.

Presence in Social Networks (Social Media)

We maintain online presences within social networks and process user data in this context in order to communicate with the users active there or to offer information about us.

We point out that user data may be processed outside the European Union. This may result in risks for users because, for example, the enforcement of user rights could be made more difficult.

Furthermore, the data of users within social networks is generally processed for market research and advertising purposes. For example, usage profiles can be created based on usage behavior and resulting interests of users. The latter may in turn be used to place advertisements within and outside the networks that presumably correspond to the interests of the users. Therefore, cookies are generally stored on the computers of the users, in which the usage behavior and the interests of the users are stored. In addition, data independent of the devices used by the users may also be stored in the usage profiles (especially if they are members of the respective platforms and logged in there).

For a detailed presentation of the respective processing forms and the possibilities of objection (opt-out), we refer to the data protection declarations and information provided by the operators of the respective networks.

Also in the case of requests for information and the assertion of data subject rights, we point out that these can be asserted most effectively with the providers. Only the latter have access to the user data and can take appropriate measures and provide information directly. Should you nevertheless need help, you can contact us.

• Processed data types: Contact data; Content data; Usage data.

• Data subjects: Users.

• Purposes of processing: Communication; Feedback; Public relations.

• Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Further information on processing processes, procedures, and services:

• Instagram: Social network; Service provider: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 X2K5, Ireland; Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://www.instagram.com; Privacy Policy: https://privacycenter.instagram.com/policy/. Basis for third country transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF).

• Facebook Pages: Profiles within the social network Facebook – The controller is jointly responsible with Meta Platforms Ireland Limited for the collection and transmission of data of visitors to our Facebook page (“Fanpage”). … (standard legal text for FB Joint Control translated) … Service provider: Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, Merrion Road, Dublin 4, D04 X2K5, Ireland; Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://www.facebook.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy/. Basis for third country transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Standard Contractual Clauses.

   

• LinkedIn: Social network – We are jointly responsible with LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company for the collection (but not the further processing) of data of visitors used to create the “Page Insights” (statistics) of our LinkedIn profiles. … Service provider: LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland; Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Website: https://www.linkedin.com; Privacy Policy: https://www.linkedin.com/legal/privacy-policy; Basis for third country transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF), Standard Contractual Clauses. Right to object (Opt-Out): https://www.linkedin.com/psettings/guest-controls/retargeting-opt-out.

• YouTube: Social network and video platform; Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal bases: Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR); Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Basis for third country transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF). Right to object (Opt-Out): https://myadcenter.google.com/personalizationoff.

Plug-ins and Embedded Functions and Content

We integrate functional and content elements into our online offer that are obtained from the servers of their respective providers (hereinafter referred to as “third-party providers”). This may be, for example, graphics, videos, or city maps (hereinafter uniformly referred to as “content”).

The integration always presupposes that the third-party providers of this content process the IP address of the users, since they could not send the content to their browser without the IP address. The IP address is therefore necessary for the display of this content or functions. We endeavor to only use such content whose respective providers use the IP address only to deliver the content. Third-party providers may also use so-called pixel tags (invisible graphics, also referred to as “web beacons”) for statistical or marketing purposes. Through the “pixel tags”, information such as visitor traffic on the pages of this website can be evaluated. The pseudonymous information can also be stored in cookies on the user’s device and may contain, among other things, technical information about the browser and operating system, referring websites, visit time, and other information about the use of our online offer, but can also be linked to such information from other sources.

• Processed data types: Usage data; Meta, communication, and procedural data; Location data.

• Data subjects: Users.

• Purposes of processing: Provision of our online offer and user-friendliness; Reach measurement; Tracking; Target group formation; Marketing.

• Legal bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR). Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Further information on processing processes, procedures, and services:

• Google Maps: Service provider: Google Cloud EMEA Limited, 70 Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Dublin 2, Ireland; Legal bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR); Website: https://mapsplatform.google.com/; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy. Basis for third country transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF).

• YouTube Videos: Service provider: Google Ireland Limited, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland; Legal bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR); Website: https://www.youtube.com; Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy; Basis for third country transfers: Data Privacy Framework (DPF).

Data Protection Information for Whistleblowers

(Hinweis: Diesen Abschnitt ggf. löschen, falls keine gesetzliche Verpflichtung besteht – siehe vorherige Diskussion)

In this section you will find information on how we handle data from persons who provide information (whistleblowers), as well as from data subjects and involved parties within the framework of our whistleblower procedure. Our goal is to provide an uncomplicated and safe way to report possible misconduct by us, our employees, or service providers, especially for actions that violate laws.

Legal bases (Germany): Insofar as we process data to fulfill our legal obligations in accordance with the Whistleblower Protection Act (HinSchG), the legal basis for processing is Article 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. c) GDPR and in the case of special categories of personal data Art. 9 para. 2 lit. g) GDPR, § 22 BDSG, each in conjunction with § 10 HinSchG. … (Der restliche Text dieses Abschnitts wurde ebenfalls übersetzt, sollte aber nur verwendet werden, wenn tatsächlich ein Hinweisgebersystem existiert).

• Processed data types: Inventory data; Employee data; Contact data; Content data; Usage data.

• Data subjects: Employees; Applicants; Temporary workers and other whistleblowers.

• Purposes of processing: Whistleblower protection.

• Legal bases: Consent (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. a) GDPR); Legal obligation (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. c) GDPR); Legitimate interests (Art. 6 para. 1 sentence 1 lit. f) GDPR).

Change and Update

We ask you to inform yourself regularly about the content of our privacy policy. We adapt the privacy policy as soon as the changes to the data processing carried out by us make this necessary. We will inform you as soon as the changes require an act of cooperation on your part (e.g., consent) or other individual notification.