PRIVACY POLICY

1. Introduction

Bristol Auction Rooms takes your privacy seriously. This privacy policy describes how and why we obtain, store and process data which can identify you. We may update this policy from time to time and shall indicate on the web site when changes have been made.

2. The Information we collect

What information do we store?

We store personal data on individuals and companies with whom we have dealings; including customers, partners, suppliers, valuation and other clients, and buyers and sellers both trade and private individuals. The information includes names, addresses, post codes, phone numbers, email addresses, and in some cases bank account and taxation details (limited to employees and partners), details of proof of identity, ownership of goods offered for sale including descriptions, provenance, images of goods offered for sale.

3. Reasons for holding information

Record keeping for Taxation;

Provision against money laundering to confirm our compliance with cash limits and to enable us to assist authorities in relation to tax, money laundering and theft investigations where asked to provide information;

To combat fraud and forgery unlimited by time;

Details of goods sold for accounting purposes and for CGT, Inheritance tax, DACS and VAT;

We have to retain details of clients and valuations for our insurers in the event of claims for professional negligence;

Ownership details. Required for retention for an unlimited period (ie against title claims;

Details of and images of goods required for transactional record purposes to go in catalogues and on line on our web-site and other third party auction platforms;

Marketing and advising buyers of goods coming up for sale which they may be interested in as traders or collectors;

Bank details of customers, partners, suppliers, buyers and sellers for recurring payments.

4. Where is information held and who has access to it

All main contact details, lot descriptions and images are held in GAP Office (a service provided by i-Bidder) for ease of access, accessible to selected staff (password protected).

Our web platform securely holds data relating to customer email addresses, encrypted passwords, bidding history and billing and shipping addresses. These are all stored behind a secure socket layer certificate (SSL) and can only be accessed by individuals to view their own information and by selected staff administrators (password protected).

Certain details such as bank information are accessed only by key members of staff (including payroll officer, accountant and partners. Password protected)

Email addresses are also held in GAP Office and our secure MailChimp and SendGrid email marketing accounts accessible to selected staff (password protected).

5. Protection

All staff computers are password protected to the individual user.

6. Access

It is essential for the efficient running of the business for all staff to have free and quick access to computers where data is stored in the office.

In consultation with our IT consultants we are constantly reviewing and monitoring the security of our data and protection to our business level server. All computers have anti-virus software installed.

7. Marketing

All data collected for marketing purposes is through an opt in process only, customers who create an account online on our website have the option to tick a box to receive marketing emails and to select specific marketing emails on certain areas. Clients who sell goods are provided with the option to tick a box on their receipt to receive marketing emails from us. Bidders in person also tick a box on sale registration forms should they wish to receive marketing communication from us.

Information is collected from you when you register with us, or when you contribute to or use some of the advanced features on the site. The information we collect is clearly set out on the web page on which we collect it.

See for example our registration page. In addition, we may collect your IP address and use cookies unless you configure your web browser not to accept them. Disabling cookies or javascript may restrict some of the functionality of our web site.

We only collect credit card information in order to process transactions using our third party solution from Paypal, Global and Stripe. BCVA do not retain any customer credit card information.

We may collect mobile phone numbers for the purpose of verifying an individual, we do not use them for any other purpose.

We collect email address information at the point of registration and explain fully how we may use that in future to communicate with you on bidding, invoicing, payment and relevant marketing communications. You can opt out of these communications at any time.

8. Cookies

A cookie is a text file sent by a web server - a device where one or more websites are stored - to a web browser, and stored by the browser. The text file is then sent back to the web server each time the web browser requests a page from the web server. This enables the web server to identify and track the web browser and provide richer user experiences for visitors to a web site.

By default, our website automatically installs a cookie into your web browser as soon as you visit this website. Below, this cookie is referred to as a "session" cookie; that means, the cookie lasts only as long as your current session when using our website.

Currently, we use cookies on this website to count the numbers of visitors and understand how to serve our visitors and customers better.

We may install and use various plugins or extensions that help enrich the experience of using this website, and which may also use additional cookies, to, for example, monitor how successful each plugin or extension is, or further count the number of times a plugin or extension is used. In this way, those providers can measure the effectiveness of their solutions and make changes to improve their products.

We use Google Analytics to analyse the use of this website. Google Analytics generates anonymous statistical and other information about website use by means of cookies, which are stored on users' computers. The information generated relating to our website is used to create reports about the use of the website. Google will store this information. Google's privacy policy is available at: http://www.google.com/privacypolicy.html

If you choose not to accept cookies, then only the standard session cookie will load and be active until you close your web browser, the website will not function as intended and some facilities will be unavailable.

Most browsers allow you to refuse to accept cookies. For example, in Internet Explorer you can refuse all cookies by clicking: "Tools" > "Internet Options" > "Privacy", and selecting "Block all cookies" using the sliding selector. This choice will, however, have a negative impact upon the usability of many websites, including this one.

Most browser companies provide instructions on disabling cookies on their web sites. The most popular browser companies are listed below:

Google Chrome
Microsoft Internet Explorer
Mozilla Firefox
Apple Safari (OS X) (Apple Mac, etc)
Apple Safari (IOS) (iPhone, iPad)
Google Android
You can learn more about cookies at AboutCookies.org

9. Summary

The information above is believed to be true at the time of writing this update and is provided in good faith.

If you have any questions about this privacy statement, the practices of this site, or your dealings with this Web site, you can contact us at the address below;

BCVA
Unit 2, Bonville Trading Estate
off Bonville Road
Bristol
BS4 5QU