Privacy Policy

Introduction

SIPS GROUND SCREWS LIMITED ("we", "us", "our", or "Company") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website at sipsgroundscrews.cyou and use our products and services.

We are a UK-registered company providing professional ground screws and installation tools to builders, contractors, and landscapers. All processing of personal data is conducted in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), UK GDPR, and other applicable privacy laws.

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our website or services.

1. Information We Collect

We collect various types of information in connection with the services we provide:

• Full Name: Collected via contact forms, account registration, and order submissions.
• Email Address: Used for account creation, order confirmations, support responses, and marketing communications.
• Phone Number: Collected to contact you regarding enquiries, quotes, and delivery updates.
• IP Address: Automatically logged by our web server for security and analytics purposes.
• Browser Type and Version: Collected via analytics tools to understand site compatibility.
• Device Type and Operating System: Helps us optimise mobile and desktop experiences.
• Cookies and Tracking Identifiers: First-party and third-party cookies enable analytics, advertising personalisation, and conversion tracking.
• Usage Data: Pages visited, time on site, click paths, button interactions, and form completions.
• Form Submission Content: Project details, product enquiries, and custom requests submitted through contact forms.
• Conversion Events: Form submissions, calls initiated, account creations, and purchases.

2. Cookie Policy – Three Categories

2.1 Essential Cookies

Purpose: Core site functionality, security, session management, and preference storage.

Examples: session_id, csrf_token, cookie_consent_status, authentication tokens.

Consent Required: No. Essential cookies are activated automatically and are necessary for the website to function.

Retention: Session duration or up to 12 months for preference storage.

2.2 Analytics Cookies

Purpose: Measuring website traffic, user behaviour, page performance, and engagement metrics.

Tool Used: Google Analytics 4 (GA4).

Examples: _ga, _ga_XXXXXXX, _gid, _gat.

Consent Required: Yes. Analytics cookies activate only after explicit user consent via the cookie banner.

Retention: Up to 14 months.

Opt-out: You may opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

2.3 Marketing and Advertising Cookies

Purpose: Remarketing, personalised ad delivery, conversion tracking, and audience segmentation.

Consent Required: Yes. Marketing cookies activate only after explicit consent.

Retention: Up to 540 days (Google Ads default).

Platforms Used: Google Ads, Meta Pixel (Facebook/Instagram).

3. Marketing Cookies – Mandatory Disclosures

Third-Party Ad Serving: Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user's previous visits to this website and other sites on the internet.

Advertising Partners: We work with advertising partners such as Google and Meta to deliver advertisements tailored to your interests across various websites, apps, and platforms you visit.

Remarketing: We use remarketing services to advertise to previous visitors of our website. After visiting our site, you may see our ads on other websites, apps, or platforms you visit.

YouTube and Display Network: Advertisements may appear across Google services including YouTube, Gmail, and the Google Display Network.

Tracking Technologies in Use: We use the following tracking technologies on this website:

• Cookies (first-party and third-party)
• Tracking pixels (Google Ads tag / gtag.js, Meta Pixel)
• Device identifiers (browser fingerprint, IP address)
• Conversion event tags

Advertising Measurement: We use conversion tracking to understand which advertisements lead to actions on our website—such as form submissions, phone calls, or purchases. This allows us to measure campaign effectiveness and allocate budget appropriately. Conversion data may be shared with Google Ads and Meta.

Advertising Technologies Active on This Site:

• Google Ads (gtag.js / Google Tag Manager)
• Google Analytics 4
• Google Remarketing Tag
• Meta Pixel (Facebook / Instagram)

Opt-Out from Personalised Advertising: You may opt out of personalised advertising at any time:

• Google Ads Settings
• Your Online Choices (EU)
• Network Advertising Initiative
• Digital Advertising Alliance

Opting out does not remove ads entirely—you will continue to see non-personalised advertisements.

4. Cookie Consent and Management

Consent Banner

When you first visit our website, you will see a cookie consent banner. This banner offers three options:

• Accept All: Consents to all cookie categories, including analytics and marketing cookies.
• Reject Non-Essential: Declines marketing and analytics cookies; only essential cookies are activated.
• Manage Preferences: Opens a detailed panel where you can toggle each category independently.

The banner is non-intrusive and does not block content. Essential cookies are activated automatically regardless of your choice.

Consent Recording and Storage

Your consent choice is recorded in your browser's local storage for 12 months. This allows us to respect your preferences on repeat visits.

GDPR and UK GDPR Compliance

For users in the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom, this consent notice is provided in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and UK GDPR. Marketing and analytics cookies are activated solely after explicit, informed, freely given consent under GDPR Article 6(1)(a). Consent is recorded with a timestamp and may be audited upon request.

Withdrawal of Consent

You may withdraw consent at any time by clicking "Manage Cookie Preferences" in the website footer, or by clearing cookies via your browser settings. Withdrawal does not affect processing that occurred while consent was valid.

5. Data Sharing with Advertising Partners

We share certain data with advertising partners for campaign delivery and measurement. Recipients and the data categories shared include:

Google LLC: Cookie identifiers, conversion events, anonymised behavioural data, and remarketing lists. Governed by Google's Privacy Policy.

Meta Platforms, Inc.: Pixel events, conversion data, and custom audiences. Governed by Meta's Data Policy.

We do not sell personal data. All transfers to Google and Meta operate under Standard Contractual Clauses where applicable. Data is processed for ad targeting and campaign measurement only—not resold to unaffiliated third parties.

Google and Meta may use this data across their own platforms in accordance with their respective policies. We encourage users to review those policies directly.

6. Lead Forms and Contact Requests

When you submit a contact form, request a quote, or register interest in our services, we collect the information you provide. This typically includes: full name, email address, phone number, and your message or project details.

Legal Basis: Consent (GDPR Article 6.1.a) and, where a service relationship exists, performance of a contract (GDPR Article 6.1.b).

Retention: Form submission data is retained for up to 2 years from the date of submission, unless a longer period is required by applicable law.

Data Deletion: You may request deletion of your data at any time by contacting us at [email protected].

A link to this Privacy Policy appears adjacent to every submission button on this site. Submitting a form constitutes acknowledgement of this policy.

7. Google Services and Advertising

This website uses the following Google services:

Google Analytics 4: Collects anonymised usage data, device information, and behavioural signals. IP anonymisation is enabled. Data retention is set to 14 months. Users may opt out via the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

Google Ads Conversion Tracking: Records when a user completes a defined action (form submission, call, purchase) after clicking one of our ads. This data is used solely for measuring ad campaign performance.

Google Remarketing: Allows us to show ads to previous visitors across Google's network. Remarketing lists are not created from sensitive data categories (health, finance, religion, sexual orientation).

Google Tag Manager: Deploys tracking tags on our behalf. No personal data is collected by GTM itself; it acts as a container for the tags listed above.

Google's advertising products are governed by https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads.

8. Meta Advertising Services

This website uses the Meta Pixel to measure the effectiveness of our advertising on Facebook and Instagram. The pixel may record:

• Page views and time on site
• Specific conversion events (form submissions, purchases)
• Custom audience membership for retargeting purposes

We do not use the Meta Pixel to collect sensitive personal data, nor to target users based on health status, financial situation, religion, political views, sexual orientation, or any other special-category attribute prohibited under Meta's advertising policies.

Meta acts as an independent data controller for data collected via its Pixel and processed within its own platform. Refer to Meta's Data Policy.

To manage your ad preferences on Meta platforms, visit https://www.facebook.com/adpreferences/.

9. Prohibited Content and Compliance

This website does not promote, sell, or facilitate access to prohibited product or service categories including but not limited to: weapons, controlled substances, counterfeit goods, unlicensed gambling services, adult content, or services that make misleading health or financial claims. All advertising conducted through Google Ads and Meta Ads complies with the respective platform policies in full.

10. Landing Page Integrity

The content of this website accurately represents the products and services advertised. No bait-and-switch practices are employed. The experience delivered to users arriving from paid advertisements is identical to the experience for all other visitors. Cloaking, automatic redirects, and content variation by traffic source are not used on this website.

11. Children's Privacy

This website is not directed at individuals under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from minors. If we discover that data has been collected from a person under 16 without verifiable parental consent, we will delete it promptly. Contact us at [email protected] if you believe we have received data from a minor.

12. International Data Transfers

Personal data collected through this website may be transferred to and processed in countries outside the European Economic Area, including the United States, where Google LLC and Meta Platforms, Inc. are based.

These transfers are conducted under Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission, which provide appropriate safeguards for personal data. A copy of the applicable SCCs can be requested by contacting us directly.

13. Your Rights Under GDPR

If you are located in the EEA or UK, you have the following rights:

• Right of Access (Article 15): Request a copy of data we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification (Article 16): Correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Right to Erasure (Article 17): Request deletion ('right to be forgotten').
• Right to Restrict Processing (Article 18): Limit how we process your data.
• Right to Data Portability (Article 20): Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Right to Object (Article 21): Object to processing based on legitimate interest.
• Right to Withdraw Consent (Article 7.3): Revoke consent at any time without penalty.

To exercise any right, email us at [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority:

• EU users: European Data Protection Board
• UK users: Information Commissioner's Office

14. Data Retention Periods

We retain personal data for specific periods depending on the data category:

• Contact Form Submissions: 2 years from submission date
• Analytics Data (GA4): 14 months
• Marketing Cookies (Google Ads): Up to 540 days
• Email Communications: Duration of relationship plus 1 year
• Server Logs: 90 days
• Cookie Consent Records: 3 years (for audit compliance)

15. Contact Information

For any questions about this Privacy Policy, to exercise your rights, or to request a copy of your personal data:

SIPS GROUND SCREWS LIMITED
Unit B2, Stratton View Business Park
Bude, England, EX23 9NR
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +44 (0)1840 123 456
Company Registration Number: 13847291
VAT Number: GB 398 672 145