Privacy policy

Who this policy covers

The Buyer’s Shelf is the publication operating at buyersshelf.com. For questions about this policy or a request concerning your information, email [email protected]. This policy covers our website and correspondence with us. Other websites have their own policies.

Information you send us

If you email us, your message may include your name, email address, the page you're asking about and any other details you choose to provide. We use that information to handle the enquiry, investigate a correction or respond to a privacy or business request.

Messages and attachments are handled by the email services used to send and receive them. Please share only what's needed. We don't need your retailer password, full card number or identity documents to discuss an article.

Website delivery and security

Cloudflare hosts and delivers this site and protects its administration area. Serving a page can involve technical request information such as an IP address, request time, requested URL, browser information and security signals. Service providers may process or retain operational records to deliver and protect their services.

Public readers don't need to create an account. The restricted admin area uses Cloudflare Access sign-in and session information. Those authentication features are separate from public readership analytics.

Cloudflare Web Analytics

We use Cloudflare Web Analytics to understand page views, visits and page performance. Reports can include information such as the pages visited, referring sites, device or browser categories, approximate country and loading measurements. These reports help us find technical problems and understand which content gets read.

Cloudflare describes Web Analytics as not using cookies or browser local storage for analytics tracking, and not fingerprinting people to follow them over time. That doesn't mean that no technical information is processed while a page loads. Hosting and security processing are separate from analytics.

Read Cloudflare's Web Analytics explanation and Cloudflare's privacy policy for the provider's practices. Aggregate traffic summaries are used in the site's private operational reports.

Cookies, storage and external content

The public site's article search filters the articles already loaded in your browser. It doesn't send your search text to a separate search service. We haven't installed Google Analytics, an advertising pixel or a newsletter registration form as part of the current site.

Cloudflare security or admin sign-in may use cookies when those features apply. Your browser lets you inspect and manage site data. Blocking necessary security or sign-in features can affect access. If we add tools with different tracking or consent needs, this policy and any required controls need updating before those tools are used.

An article may load an image or video from an external host. Your browser contacts that host to retrieve the media, and the host may receive technical request information under its own policy. Following a retailer or source link also takes you to another service.

Affiliate and retailer links

Our affiliate disclosure explains commercial links. When you follow an affiliate link, a retailer or affiliate provider may use tracking information or cookies to attribute a purchase. Those providers operate under their own policies and controls. We don't receive your card details or process your order through this site.

Sharing, retention and international processing

We use hosting, security, analytics and email services where needed to operate the site and handle messages. Information may also need to be disclosed where required by law or reasonably needed to address fraud, security or a legal dispute. We don't run a business selling readers' enquiry details to data brokers.

Correspondence may remain in our email records while an enquiry is handled and afterwards where needed for follow-up, security or legal requirements. Service providers have their own retention practices. We don't promise that every backup or provider log can be erased immediately. You can ask us to review information we hold about your enquiry.

Providers may process information in countries other than yours. The protections and rights that apply depend on your location, the service and applicable law.

Your choices and requests

Depending on applicable law, you may have rights to access, correct, delete or restrict the use of personal information, object to certain processing, withdraw consent where it is used, or raise a concern with a relevant authority. Email [email protected] to make a request. We may need enough information to verify and locate the request without collecting unnecessary details.

Where a legal basis is required, the relevant basis depends on the activity: responding to a request, operating and protecting the site, meeting a legal obligation, or consent where required. Not every right applies to every record or situation.

Children and policy updates

The site provides general buying information for adult readers and isn't directed at children. If you believe a child sent us personal information, contact us so we can assess it.

Changes to site features or practices may require a revised policy. The date on this page records when this text was updated. For questions, use our contact page.