PRIVACY POLICY
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Mara Candles ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and what rights you have under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Our webshop is intended for customers residing in the European Union.
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1. WHO WE ARE
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Data controller: Mara Candles
Website: www.marahandmade.nl
Email: info@marahandmade.nl
Address: Fnidsen 45 1811ND Alkmaar
If you have any questions about this policy or about how we handle your data, please contact us at the email address above.
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2. WHAT DATA WE COLLECT
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When you place an order or interact with our website, we may collect the following personal data:
Full name
Delivery address and billing address
Email address
Order history and purchase details
IP address and basic browser/device information (collected automatically by our website platform, Squarespace)
We do not collect payment card details directly. Payments are processed securely by Squarespace's integrated payment providers, and we never have access to your full card information.
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3. WHY WE COLLECT YOUR DATA (LEGAL BASES)
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We only process your personal data when we have a valid legal basis to do so under the GDPR:
Performance of a contract (Article 6(1)(b))
We need your name, address, and email to process and deliver your order, send order confirmations, and handle any issues with your purchase.Legal obligation (Article 6(1)(c))
We are required to retain certain transaction records for tax and accounting purposes under Dutch/EU law.Legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f))
We may use basic website analytics (provided by Squarespace) to understand how our site is used and to improve it. We have assessed that this does not override your privacy rights.
Consent (Article 6(1)(a))
If you opt in to receive our newsletter or marketing emails, we will process your email address for that purpose. You may withdraw your consent at any time by clicking "unsubscribe" in any email or by contacting us directly.
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4. HOW WE USE YOUR DATA
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We use your personal data to:
Process and fulfil your orders
Send order confirmations and shipping updates
Respond to your questions or complaints
Meet our legal and tax obligations
Send marketing emails, if you have opted in (you can unsubscribe at any time)
Improve our website and understand how visitors use it
We will never sell your personal data to third parties.
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5. WHO WE SHARE YOUR DATA WITH
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We share your data only where necessary, with the following categories of third parties:
Squarespace, Inc. — our website and e-commerce platform (data processor). Squarespace hosts our store and processes payments. Their privacy policy is available at squarespace.com/privacy.
Shipping carriers — we share your name and delivery address with the courier or postal service fulfilling your order.
Email marketing providers — if and when we send newsletters, your email address will be shared with our chosen email marketing tool (we will update this policy when this service is activated).
Accountants or legal advisors — where required to meet our legal obligations.
All third parties we work with are required to handle your data securely and in accordance with GDPR.
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6. INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS
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Squarespace is a US-based company. When your data is transferred to or stored in the United States, Squarespace relies on standard contractual clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission to ensure your data remains protected. For more details, please refer to Squarespace's privacy policy.
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7. HOW LONG WE KEEP YOUR DATA
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We retain your data only for as long as necessary for the purposes described above:
Order data: retained for 7 years to comply with Dutch tax and accounting obligations.
Marketing data (email): retained until you withdraw your consent or unsubscribe.
Website analytics: as set by Squarespace's data retention settings.
After these periods, your data is securely deleted or anonymised.
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8. YOUR RIGHTS UNDER THE GDPR
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As an EU resident, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:
Right of access — you can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification — you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure — you can ask us to delete your data, subject to legal retention obligations.
Right to restrict processing — you can ask us to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
Right to data portability — you can request your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
Right to object — you can object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes.
Right to withdraw consent — where processing is based on consent (e.g. marketing emails), you can withdraw at any time.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@marahandmade.nl. We will respond within 30 days.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your national data protection authority. In the Netherlands, this is the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (autoriteitpersoonsgegevens.nl).
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9. COOKIES
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Our website is built on Squarespace, which uses cookies for essential site functionality and analytics. When you first visit our site, you will be asked for your consent for non-essential cookies in accordance with the EU ePrivacy Directive.
For full details on the cookies used, please refer to our Cookie Policy [link if applicable] or Squarespace's cookie policy.
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10. CHANGES TO THIS POLICY
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We may update this policy from time to time to take account of any new business activity or to reflect any changes in law or best practice in relation to data protection. For significant changes, we will notify you if we do so by, for example, placing a notice on our websites and/or by sending you an email (if you have registered your e-mail details with us). You can see when this Privacy Policy was last updated by checking the date below. You are responsible for periodically reviewing this Privacy Policy.
This policy was last updated on 3rd May 2026.
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11. CONTACT
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Mara Candles
Fnidsen 45 1811ND Alkmaar