The Trace respects your privacy and handles your personal data with care and in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR / AVG). This policy explains what personal data we collect, why, on what legal basis, how long we keep it, and the rights you have.
Who we are (data controller)
THE TRACE
Zinkstraat 5, 4823 AD Breda, The Netherlands
Website: https://thetrace.eu
Email: contact@thetrace.eu
What data we collect
- Order and account data: name, email address, shipping and billing address, phone number (if provided), order history.
- Payment data: handled by our payment provider. We do not store full card details.
- Communication data: messages you send us and marketing preferences.
- Website and device data: IP address, browser type, pages visited and interaction data, collected through cookies and analytics tools.
Why we use your data and our legal basis
| Purpose | Legal basis (GDPR Art. 6) |
|---|---|
| Processing and delivering your order, customer service | Performance of a contract |
| Marketing emails and messages | Consent (you can withdraw at any time) |
| Website analytics and improving our shop | Consent (cookies) / legitimate interest |
| Fraud prevention and security | Legitimate interest |
| Accounting and legal obligations | Legal obligation |
Marketing and text messages
If you subscribe to our emails, you can unsubscribe at any time through the link in the email or by contacting us. If you opt in to text or WhatsApp messages, you can opt out at any time by replying “STOP”. Transactional messages, such as order confirmations and shipping updates, are necessary to fulfil your order and cannot be unsubscribed from.
Cookies and analytics
We use cookies and similar technologies to run the website, remember your preferences and understand how the site is used. Non-essential cookies (such as analytics and marketing cookies) are only placed with your consent, which you give through the cookie banner and can change or withdraw at any time. We use tools including Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity, which collect behavioural data such as pages visited, clicks and scrolling. This data is used to analyse and improve our website and is not used to personally identify you.
Who we share your data with (processors)
We only share personal data with third parties that help us operate our business, under a data processing agreement. These include:
- Our hosting and shop platform provider (website and WooCommerce hosting)
- Our email and marketing platform (Klaviyo)
- Our order fulfilment and shipping partners (including Promio and carriers)
- Our payment provider (Mollie), which processes payments such as iDEAL, credit card, Bancontact and PayPal
- Analytics providers (Google, Microsoft Clarity)
- Advertising platforms where you have consented (such as Meta)
International data transfers
Some of our providers are based outside the European Economic Area, for example in the United States. Where personal data is transferred outside the EEA, we rely on appropriate safeguards such as the EU Standard Contractual Clauses or an adequacy decision, so that your data remains protected.
How long we keep your data
We keep your personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes described above. Order and invoice data is kept for the period required by tax and accounting law (generally 7 years in the Netherlands). Marketing data is kept until you unsubscribe or object. Account data is kept for as long as your account is active.
Your rights
Under the GDPR you have the right to:
- access the personal data we hold about you;
- have inaccurate data corrected (rectification);
- have your data erased (right to be forgotten);
- restrict or object to processing;
- data portability;
- withdraw your consent at any time, without affecting processing already carried out.
To exercise any of these rights, email us at contact@thetrace.eu. We may ask you to verify your identity before we act on the request. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens) via autoriteitpersoonsgegevens.nl.
Security
We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data. No system is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security. In the event of a data breach that is likely to result in a high risk to your rights, we will inform you and the supervisory authority as required by law.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The current version is always published on this page. We recommend reviewing it periodically.
Contact
For any question about this privacy policy or your personal data, contact us at contact@thetrace.eu.
Last updated: 11 July 2026