Privacy notice

Last updated: 20 October 2026

Who is responsible for your information?

Essex Sofa Outlet is responsible for the customer information used to manage your enquiries and orders. Contact us at orders@essexsofaoutlet.co.uk or write to Essex Sofa Outlet, Unit 8a Orchard Business Units, Cockaynes Lane, Arlesford, CO7 8BZ.

What we collect and why

We collect the details needed to fulfil and track your order: your name, email address, telephone number, delivery address, chosen products and colours, order number, prices, payment status and references, delivery or collection arrangements, and relevant access instructions. We also keep relevant enquiries, customer emails and order notes so our team can follow the progress of your purchase and respond consistently.

Emails exchanged with our business inbox may be copied into your order’s conversation history in our staff dashboard, including relevant messages you send us and replies we send you. We use this history for order management, delivery updates and after-sales support. Please avoid sending sensitive personal information that is not needed for your order.

We use this information for your purchase and related service, not for advertising or unrelated marketing. We do not sell your customer information. We may also retain records needed for accounting, legal obligations, returns, warranties or disputes, and use necessary technical information to protect the website against misuse.

Our lawful reasons for using your information

We use information to take steps you request before a purchase and to carry out our contract with you, including processing your order and arranging delivery. We retain required financial records to meet legal obligations. Where necessary, we rely on our legitimate interests in protecting the service and keeping appropriate records to handle enquiries, complaints and legal claims. We balance those interests against your privacy rights.

We need the relevant contact, payment and delivery details to complete your order. Without them, we may be unable to accept the order, arrange delivery or keep you informed.

Where information is stored and who receives it

Order records and related email history are stored in the website’s hosted database and accessed through our staff dashboard. Business email correspondence and copies of emails sent from the dashboard are also held in our business Gmail account.

We use service providers where needed to operate your order: OpenAI Sites and Cloudflare for website hosting and database services; SumUp for online card payments; Resend for order and customer emails; and Google Gmail and Apps Script for business correspondence and email-history synchronisation. Payment records for cash, bank transfers and in-store card payments may be entered by our team. Delivery teams or suppliers receive the details needed to fulfil your order, where applicable. We may disclose information where the law requires it.

Online card details are entered through SumUp’s hosted payment service. Our order database stores payment status and transaction references, not your full card number or card security code.

Some providers may process information outside the UK. The protection required depends on the destination and the applicable service arrangements, including any UK adequacy decision or approved contractual safeguards. Contact us for information about the locations and safeguards relevant to your information.

How the website protects information

• HTTPS encrypts information while it travels between your browser and the website.
• The staff dashboard requires authorised sign-in, and access to order-management services is checked on the server.
• Staff passwords are stored as salted password hashes rather than readable passwords. Repeated sign-in attempts are limited.
• Staff sessions expire and use secure cookies designed to reduce access by browser scripts. Website checks also help protect changes to order records against requests from other websites.
• Payment and email service credentials are kept on the server rather than included in public website code.

These measures reduce risk, but no website, email service or method of storing information can guarantee absolute security.

How long we keep information

We keep information for as long as it is needed for the purpose described above. Relevant factors include whether an enquiry or order is still open, delivery and after-sales requirements, applicable accounting and tax record-keeping duties, warranty periods, and the time needed to resolve complaints or legal claims. Records needed for a continuing legal obligation or dispute may be kept after an order is completed.

Removing an order from the active staff dashboard is a recoverable action: it does not immediately erase the underlying order record or its emails. This helps us recover mistakes and retain necessary records. To request erasure of your personal information, please contact us; we will assess the request and explain any information we are required or entitled to retain.

Your privacy rights

Depending on the circumstances and our lawful reason for using the information, you may ask to access your personal information, correct it, erase it, restrict its use or receive a portable copy. You also have the right to object to use based on our legitimate interests. These rights are subject to the conditions and exceptions in UK data protection law. Send requests to orders@essexsofaoutlet.co.uk.

If you are unhappy with how we handle your information, you can contact us and you also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office: ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint.

Website visit counts

We keep daily totals of main website page views to understand website usage. These counts do not store IP addresses, visitor identifiers, browsing histories or personal details, and do not use cookies or browser storage. Repeat views count separately. Signed-in staff visits and recognised automated browsers are excluded.

Browser storage and changes to this notice

The website uses browser storage to remember your basket and maintain checkout progress, including details temporarily held during a checkout attempt. The staff dashboard uses a sign-in cookie. You can remove browser storage through your browser settings, although this may clear your basket or interrupt checkout. This notice does not provide consent for advertising or tracking technologies.

We will update this notice when the way we handle customer information changes. The date above shows when this version was updated.