Privacy policy
Last updated: 28 October 2025
1. Who we are
The Linen Vase (“we”, “us”, “our”) is a premium homewares brand based in the United Arab Emirates. We are the controller of personal data collected via our website and related channels.
2. Scope and changes to policy
This privacy policy (“Policy”) explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect information when you browse our site, place an order, contact us (including via WhatsApp/Instagram), or subscribe to our marketing. We may update this Policy from time to time; the latest version is effective when posted.
3. What we collect
• Identity and contact details: name, email, phone, billing and shipping addresses.
• Orders and payments: order details, payment method, partial card tokens (we do not store full card numbers).
• Technical/usage: IP address, device/browser type, pages viewed, session data, and cookie/pixel identifiers.
• Marketing preferences: newsletter and SMS/WhatsApp choices.
• Communications: messages sent via email, forms, DMs, or WhatsApp Business.
• Account data (optional): username, saved addresses, order history.
4. How we collect data
• Directly from you: checkout, account creation, forms, support, WhatsApp/DMs.
• Automatically: cookies and similar technologies (e.g., Shopify, Google Analytics, Meta Pixel).
• From partners: payment providers (Shopify Payments, Stripe, Tabby), couriers (DHL), and email/SMS platforms for status updates and fraud checks.
5. How we use data
• To process and deliver orders, returns, and refunds; provide customer service.
• To take/reconcile payments; prevent fraud; maintain site security.
• To send transactional updates (order confirmations, shipping notifications).
• To send marketing if you have opted in (unsubscribe any time).
• To improve our site, products, and advertising performance.
• To comply with legal, tax, and regulatory obligations.
6. Lawful bases (UK/EU customers) of data use:
• Contract: fulfil your order.
• Legal obligation: accounting/compliance.
• Legitimate interests: running our business, site security, limited analytics, fraud prevention (balanced against your rights).
• Consent: for non-essential cookies/marketing where required by local law.
7. Cookies and similar technologies
We use cookies and similar technologies to operate our site (e.g., cart, checkout), remember preferences, analyse performance, and measure/serve advertising. We do not use a cookie banner on our UAE site. You can control cookies and trackers using your browser or device settings and via platform-level tools. Disabling certain cookies may affect site features (for example, cart and checkout).
8. Types of cookies we use:
• Essential (always on): for core functions such as navigation, cart, checkout (Shopify platform cookies).
• Analytics: to understand site performance (e.g., Google Analytics).
• Functional: to remember choices like region/currency.
• Advertising: to personalise and measure ads (e.g., Meta Pixel, Google Ads).
9. Examples and typical durations:
• Shopify cart/session: keeps items in your cart, enables checkout (up to 2 years).
• _ga, _gid (Google Analytics): analytics and page metrics (24 hours to 2 years).
• _fbp, _fbc (Meta): ad measurement and retargeting (up to 2 years).
• Currency/locale cookies: saves your country/currency (up to 1 year).
10. How to control cookies and tracking:
• Browser/device controls: block, delete, or limit cookies and reset advertising IDs in your browser/device settings.
• Google Analytics: use Google’s browser add-on or your Google account ad settings to limit analytics/ads personalisation.
• Meta (Facebook/Instagram): set advertising preferences in your Meta account and device privacy settings.
• Other ad platforms: manage preferences in each platform’s account settings or your device’s “Limit Ad Tracking” options.
UK/EU visitors: where local law requires consent for non-essential cookies, your browser/device-level choices and platform tools serve as your consent or refusal. We do not intentionally set non-essential cookies if your settings indicate refusal.
11. Disclosures (who we share with)
We share minimal personal data with trusted providers under appropriate safeguards:
• E-commerce & hosting: Shopify and installed Shopify apps.
• Payments: Shopify Payments, Stripe, Tabby (BNPL), banks and fraud-screening providers.
• Delivery/logistics: couriers/postal partners (e.g., DHL) for shipping and tracking.
• Marketing and analytics: email/SMS platforms, Google Analytics, Meta tools, and ad platforms.
• Professional services and authorities: accountants, auditors, insurers, and government authorities as required by law.
We do not sell your personal data.
12. Types of data and who receives it
In practice, this means that basic identifiers such as your name, contact details and order or account information are used by our e-commerce platform, payment providers, delivery partners, customer support tools and analytics services so that we can process your orders and run our business. Information about your purchases, cart or wishlist and customer service interactions is used to manage your orders, arrange delivery, understand what customers are buying and, where permitted, to send relevant marketing. Technical and usage information such as IP address, device details and pages visited is used to keep the site secure, to detect and prevent fraud, to understand how visitors use the website and, where advertising services are enabled, to measure and improve advertising.
13. User-Generated Content (UGC)
If you post reviews or other user-generated content on public areas of the site, that content becomes public and may be read or collected by others. Please avoid sharing sensitive personal data in public posts.
14. International transfers
As a UAE-based brand using global providers, your data may be processed outside your country (including in the UK or EU). Where required, we rely on safeguards such as the EU Standard Contractual Clauses, the UK International Data Transfer Addendum or equivalent mechanisms.
15. Security
We use administrative, technical and physical safeguards appropriate to the data we hold, such as encryption in transit, access controls and secure payment processing. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, but we work to protect your information.
16. Retention
We keep personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes described in this Policy, typically for the life of your account or up to 7 years after your last transaction to meet tax and accounting requirements, resolve disputes and enforce our agreements.
17. Your rights
Depending on your location, you may have rights to access, correct, delete or port your data, to object to or restrict certain processing, and to withdraw consent (for example, for marketing) at any time. You may also have the right to complain to your local data protection authority.
Depending on where you live (for example, in the UAE, UK, EU, Australia or certain US states), you may have additional privacy rights under your local laws. We aim to honour those rights and will explain if any legal exemptions apply when you contact us.
18. Data Subject Requests
To exercise your privacy rights, email info@thelinenvase.com with the subject “Data Request” and tell us which right you wish to exercise, along with the email address and order details you used on our site (to help us verify your identity). We aim to respond within 30 days. Where permitted, we may extend this once by a further 30 days for complex requests, and we will let you know if we need more time.
19. Children
Our site is not intended for children under 13. If you believe a child has provided personal data to us, please contact us so that we can delete it.
20. UAE, UK & EU compliance
We aim to comply with applicable data protection laws, including the UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 (PDPL) and, where relevant, the UK GDPR, EU GDPR and e-privacy rules on cookies and marketing.
21. Marketing choices
You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time using the link in our messages or by contacting us. For SMS or WhatsApp marketing, you can reply STOP (where supported) or contact us to opt out. If you have an account, you may also be able to update your preferences in your account settings.
22. Third-party links
Our site may contain links to third-party websites or apps that have their own privacy policies. We are not responsible for their content or privacy practices.
23. Contact
The Linen Vase
Email: info@thelinenvase.com
