Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how MarketGenie ("we", "us", "our") collects, uses, and protects your personal data when you visit our website at marketgenie.uk or engage our services. We are committed to handling your data responsibly and in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

2. Who we are

MarketGenie is a web design agency based in Richmond, London. For the purposes of UK data protection law, we are the data controller for personal data collected through our website and services.

You can contact us at geno@marketgenie.uk.

3. What data we collect

We collect personal data only when you provide it to us, such as when you:

• Submit our contact form (name, email, phone number, business name, project details)
• Subscribe to our newsletter (email address)
• Contact us by email or phone
• Engage our services as a client (contact details, billing information, project content)

We may also collect basic technical data when you visit the website (such as approximate location, browser type, and pages viewed) through privacy-friendly analytics. We do not use cookies that track you across other websites.

4. How we use your data

We use your personal data to:

• Respond to enquiries and provide quotes
• Deliver the services you've engaged us for
• Send invoices and manage payments
• Send occasional updates if you've subscribed to our newsletter
• Improve our services and website
• Comply with legal and regulatory obligations

5. Legal basis for processing

We process your data under one or more of the following lawful bases:

• Consent — for marketing communications (you can withdraw consent at any time)
• Contract — to deliver services you've engaged us for
• Legitimate interests — to respond to enquiries, improve our services, and run our business
• Legal obligation — to comply with tax, accounting, and other regulatory requirements

6. Sharing your data

We do not sell your personal data. We may share your data with trusted third-party service providers who help us deliver our services, including:

• Hosting providers (e.g. Cloudflare)
• Form and email services (e.g. Formspree, Google Workspace)
• Accounting and invoicing software

These providers are bound by their own data protection obligations and only process data on our behalf or as required for their services.

7. Data retention

We keep your personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected:

• Enquiry messages: up to 2 years from last contact
• Client records and project files: up to 7 years (for legal and tax purposes)
• Newsletter subscriptions: until you unsubscribe

8. Your rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate data
• Request deletion of your data ("right to be forgotten")
• Object to or restrict processing of your data
• Request portability of your data
• Withdraw consent for marketing at any time
• Lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)

To exercise any of these rights, email us at geno@marketgenie.uk.

9. Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data, including encrypted communications, secure password management, and limited access to personal data on a need-to-know basis. No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, but we do our best to protect your data.

10. Cookies

This website uses minimal cookies. We do not use third-party tracking cookies for advertising. Where analytics are used, they are privacy-friendly and do not identify individuals.

11. International transfers

Some of our service providers may be based outside the UK. Where this is the case, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place (such as Standard Contractual Clauses or adequacy decisions).

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The most current version will always be available at this URL.

13. Contact and complaints

If you have any questions or concerns about how we handle your data, please contact us at geno@marketgenie.uk.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if you believe your data has been mishandled. Visit ico.org.uk for more information.