Privacy Policy

1. Privacy at a glance
GENERAL INFORMATION
The following notes provide a simple overview of what happens to your personal data when you visit our website. Personal data is all data with which you can be personally identified. Detailed information on the subject of data protection can be found in our data protection declaration listed under this text.

DATA COLLECTION ON OUR WEBSITE
Who is responsible for data collection on this website?

The data processing on this website is carried out by the website operator. You can find their contact details in the imprint of this website.

How do we collect your data?

On the one hand, your data is collected when you communicate it to us. This can, for example, be data that you enter in a contact form.

Other data is automatically recorded by our IT systems when you visit the website. This is primarily technical data (e.g. internet browser, operating system or time of the page call). This data is collected automatically as soon as you enter our website.

What do we use your data for?

Part of the data is collected to ensure that the website is provided without errors. Other data can be used to analyze your user behavior.

What rights do you have regarding your data?

You have the right to receive information about the origin, recipient and purpose of your stored personal data free of charge at any time. You also have the right to request the correction, blocking or deletion of this data. You can contact us at any time at the address given in the imprint if you have any further questions on the subject of data protection. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority.

ANALYSIS TOOLS AND THIRD PARTY TOOLS
When you visit our website, your surfing behavior can be statistically evaluated. This is mainly done with cookies and so-called analysis programs. The analysis of your surfing behavior is usually anonymous; surfing behavior cannot be traced back to you. You can object to this analysis or prevent it by not using certain tools. You will find detailed information on this in the following data protection declaration.

You can object to this analysis. We will inform you about the possibilities of objection in this data protection declaration.

2. General information and mandatory information
PRIVACY
The operators of these pages take the protection of your personal data very seriously. We treat your personal data confidentially and in accordance with the statutory data protection regulations and this data protection declaration.

If you use this website, various personal data will be collected. Personal data is data with which you can be personally identified. This data protection declaration explains what data we collect and what we use it for. It also explains how and for what purpose this happens.

We would like to point out that data transmission on the Internet (e.g. when communicating by e-mail) can have security gaps. A complete protection of the data against access by third parties is not possible.

NOTICE REGARDING RESPONSIBLE AGENCY
The responsible body for data processing on this website is:

ETA Grading Service GbR
Otto-Hahn-Str. 7a
50997 Cologne

Email: info@eta-gs.com

The responsible body is the natural or legal person who alone or together with others decides on the purposes and means of processing personal data (e.g. names, e-mail addresses, etc.).

WITHDRAWAL OF YOUR CONSENT TO DATA PROCESSING
Many data processing operations are only possible with your express consent. You can revoke consent that you have already given at any time. An informal message by e-mail to us is sufficient. The legality of the data processing that took place up until the revocation remains unaffected by the revocation.

RIGHT OF APPEAL TO THE RELEVANT REGULATORY AUTHORITY
In the event of violations of data protection law, the person concerned has the right to lodge a complaint with the responsible supervisory authority. The competent supervisory authority for data protection issues is the state data protection officer of the federal state in which our company is based. A list of data protection officers and their contact details can be found at the following link: https://www.bfdi.bund.de/DE/Infothek/Anschriften_Links/anschriften_links-node.html.

Data Protection Officer
ETA Grading Service GbR
Otto-Hahn-Str. 7a
50997 Cologne
Email: info@eta-gs.com

RIGHT TO DATA PORTABILITY
You have the right to have data that we process automatically on the basis of your consent or in fulfillment of a contract handed over to you or to a third party in a common, machine-readable format. If you request the direct transfer of the data to another person responsible, this will only be done to the extent that it is technically feasible.

SSL resp. TLS ENCRYPTION
For security reasons and to protect the transmission of confidential content, such as orders or inquiries that you send to us as the site operator, this site uses an SSL or TLS encryption. You can recognize an encrypted connection by the fact that the address line of the browser changes from "http://" to "https://" and by the lock symbol in your browser line.

If SSL or TLS encryption is activated, the data that you transmit to us cannot be read by third parties.

ENCRYPTED PAYMENT TRANSACTIONS ON THIS WEBSITE
If, after the conclusion of a fee-based contract, there is an obligation to send us your payment data (e.g. account number for direct debit authorization), this data is required for payment processing.

Payment transactions using the usual means of payment (Visa/MasterCard, direct debit) are carried out exclusively via an encrypted SSL or TLS connection. You can recognize an encrypted connection by the fact that the address line of the browser changes from "http://" to "https://" and by the lock symbol in your browser line.

With encrypted communication, your payment data that you transmit to us cannot be read by third parties.

INFORMATION, BLOCKING, DELETION
Within the framework of the applicable legal provisions, you have the right to free information about your stored personal data, its origin and recipient and the purpose of the data processing and, if necessary, a right to correction, blocking or deletion of this data at any time. You can contact us at any time at the address given in the imprint if you have any further questions on the subject of personal data.

OBJECTION TO ADVERTISING EMAILS
We hereby object to the use of contact data published as part of the imprint obligation to send unsolicited advertising and information material. The site operators expressly reserve the right to take legal action in the event of unsolicited advertising being sent, such as spam e-mails.

3. Data collection on our website
COOKIES
Some of the websites use so-called cookies. Cookies do not damage your computer and do not contain viruses. Cookies serve to make our offer more user-friendly, effective and secure. Cookies are small text files that are stored on your computer and saved by your browser.

Most of the cookies we use are so-called “session cookies”. They are automatically deleted after your visit. Other cookies remain stored on your end device until you delete them. These cookies enable us to recognize your browser on your next visit.

You can set your browser so that you are informed about the setting of cookies and only allow cookies in individual cases, exclude the acceptance of cookies for certain cases or in general and activate the automatic deletion of cookies when the browser is closed. If cookies are deactivated, the functionality of this website may be restricted.

Cookies that are required to carry out the electronic communication process or to provide certain functions you want (e.g. shopping cart function) are stored on the basis of Article 6 Paragraph 1 Letter f GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in the storage of cookies for the technically error-free and optimized provision of its services. Insofar as other cookies (e.g. cookies for analyzing your surfing behavior) are stored, these are treated separately in this data protection declaration.

CONTACT FORM
If you send us inquiries via the contact form, your details from the inquiry form, including the contact details you provided there, will be stored by us for the purpose of processing the inquiry and in the event of follow-up questions. We do not pass on this data without your consent.

The processing of the data entered in the contact form is therefore exclusively based on your consent (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR). You can revoke this consent at any time. An informal message by e-mail to us is sufficient. The legality of the data processing operations that took place up until the revocation remains unaffected by the revocation.

The data you enter in the contact form will remain with us until you ask us to delete it, revoke your consent to storage or the purpose for data storage no longer applies (e.g. after your request has been processed). Mandatory legal provisions - in particular retention periods - remain unaffected.

DATA TRANSMISSION WHEN CONCLUSION OF CONTRACT FOR ONLINE SHOPS, DEALERS AND GOODS DISPATCH
We only transmit personal data to third parties if this is necessary in the context of contract processing, for example to the company entrusted with the delivery of the goods or the bank responsible for processing the payment. Any further transmission of the data does not take place or only if you have expressly consented to the transmission. Your data will not be passed on to third parties without your express consent, for example for advertising purposes.

The basis for data processing is Art. 6 Paragraph 1 lit. b GDPR, which allows the processing of data to fulfill a contract or pre-contractual measures.

DATA TRANSMISSION WHEN CONCLUSION OF CONTRACT FOR SERVICES AND DIGITAL CONTENT
We only transmit personal data to third parties if this is necessary within the framework of contract processing, for example to the bank responsible for processing payments.

Any further transmission of the data does not take place or only if you have expressly consented to the transmission. Your data will not be passed on to third parties without your express consent, for example for advertising purposes.

The basis for data processing is Art. 6 Paragraph 1 lit. b GDPR, which allows the processing of data to fulfill a contract or pre-contractual measures.

4. Analytics Tools and Advertising
GOOGLE ANALYTICS
This website uses functions of the web analysis service Google Analytics. The provider is Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheater Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.

Google Analytics uses so-called "cookies". These are text files that are stored on your computer and that enable an analysis of your use of the website. The information generated by the cookie about your use of this website is usually transmitted to a Google server in the USA and stored there.

Google Analytics cookies are stored on the basis of Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in analyzing user behavior in order to optimize both its website and its advertising.

IP anonymization

We have activated the IP anonymization function on this website. As a result, your IP address will be shortened by Google within member states of the European Union or in other contracting states of the Agreement on the European Economic Area before it is transmitted to the USA. Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be sent to a Google server in the USA and shortened there. On behalf of the operator of this website, Google will use this information to evaluate your use of the website, to compile reports on website activity and to provide other services related to website activity and internet usage to the website operator. The IP address transmitted by your browser as part of Google Analytics will not be merged with other Google data.

browser plug-in

You can prevent the storage of cookies by setting your browser software accordingly; we would like to point out to you however that in this case you will if applicable not be able to use all functions of this website in full. You can also prevent Google from collecting the data generated by the cookie and related to your use of the website (including your IP address) and from processing this data by Google by downloading the browser plug-in available under the following link and install: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=de.

Objection against data collection

You can prevent Google Analytics from collecting your data by clicking on the following link. An opt-out cookie will be set to prevent your data from being collected on future visits to this website: Disable Google Analytics.

You can find more information on how Google Analytics handles user data in the Google data protection declaration: https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245?hl=de.

Order data processing

We have concluded an order data processing contract with Google and fully implement the strict requirements of the German data protection authorities when using Google Analytics.

Demographic characteristics in Google Analytics

This website uses the "demographic characteristics" function of Google Analytics. This allows reports to be created that contain statements about the age, gender and interests of the site visitors. This data comes from interest-based advertising from Google and visitor data from third-party providers. This data cannot be assigned to a specific person. You can deactivate this function at any time via the ad settings in your Google account or generally prohibit the collection of your data by Google Analytics as described in the point "Objection to data collection".

GOOGLE ADSENSE
This website uses Google AdSense, a service for integrating advertisements from Google Inc. ("Google"). The provider is Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheater Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.

Google AdSense uses so-called "cookies", text files that are stored on your computer and enable an analysis of the use of the website. Google AdSense also uses so-called web beacons (invisible graphics). These web beacons can be used to evaluate information such as visitor traffic on these pages.

The information generated by cookies and web beacons about the use of this website (including your IP address) and the delivery of advertising formats is transmitted to a Google server in the USA and stored there. This information may be passed on by Google to Google's contractual partners. However, Google will not merge your IP address with other data stored by you.

AdSense cookies are stored on the basis of Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in analyzing user behavior in order to optimize both its website and its advertising.

You can prevent the installation of cookies by setting your browser software accordingly; we would like to point out to you however that in this case you can if applicable not use all functions of this website in full. By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above.

GOOGLE ANALYTICS REMARKETING
Our websites use the functions of Google Analytics Remarketing in connection with the cross-device functions of Google AdWords and Google DoubleClick. The provider is Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheater Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.

This function makes it possible to link the advertising target groups created with Google Analytics Remarketing to the cross-device functions of Google AdWords and Google DoubleClick. In this way, interest-related, personalized advertising messages that have been adapted to you depending on your previous usage and surfing behavior on one end device (e.g. mobile phone) can also be displayed on another of your end devices (e.g. tablet or PC).

If you have given your consent, Google will link your web and app browser history to your Google account for this purpose. In this way, the same personalized advertising messages can be placed on every device on which you log in with your Google account.

To support this feature, Google Analytics collects Google-authenticated user IDs, which are temporarily linked to our Google Analytics data to define and create audiences for cross-device advertising.

You can permanently object to cross-device remarketing/targeting by deactivating personalized advertising in your Google account; follow this link: https://www.google.com/settings/ads/onweb/.

The summary of the recorded data in your Google account is based solely on your consent, which you can give or revoke with Google (Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR). In the case of data collection processes that are not merged in your Google account (e.g. because you do not have a Google account or have objected to the merger), the collection of data is based on Article 6 Paragraph 1 lit. f GDPR. The legitimate interest results from the fact that the website operator has an interest in the anonymous analysis of website visitors for advertising purposes.

Further information and the data protection regulations can be found in Google's data protection declaration at: https://www.google.com/policies/technologies/ads/.

GOOGLE ADWORDS AND GOOGLE CONVERSION TRACKING
This website uses Google AdWords. AdWords is an online advertising program from Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheater Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States ("Google").

As part of Google AdWords, we use so-called conversion tracking. If you click on an ad placed by Google, a cookie will be set for conversion tracking. Cookies are small text files that the Internet browser stores on the user's computer. These cookies lose their validity after 30 days and are not used to personally identify users. If the user visits certain pages of this website and the cookie has not yet expired, we and Google can recognize that the user clicked on the ad and was redirected to this page.

Each Google AdWords customer receives a different cookie. The cookies cannot be tracked through AdWords advertisers' websites. The information obtained using the conversion cookie is used to create conversion statistics for AdWords customers who have opted for conversion tracking. Customers find out the total number of users who clicked on their ad and were redirected to a page with a conversion tracking tag. However, they do not receive any information with which users can be personally identified. If you do not wish to participate in the tracking, you can object to this use by easily deactivating the Google conversion tracking cookie in your Internet browser under user settings. You will then not be included in the conversion tracking statistics.

"Conversion cookies" are stored on the basis of Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in analyzing user behavior in order to optimize both its website and its advertising.

You can find more information about Google AdWords and Google Conversion Tracking in Google's data protection regulations: https://www.google.de/policies/privacy/.

You can set your browser so that you are informed about the setting of cookies and only allow cookies in individual cases, exclude the acceptance of cookies for certain cases or in general and activate the automatic deletion of cookies when the browser is closed. If cookies are deactivated, the functionality of this website may be restricted.

FACEBOOK PIXELS
Our website uses the visitor action pixel from Facebook, Facebook Inc., 1601 S. California Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA ("Facebook") to measure conversion.

In this way, the behavior of site visitors can be tracked after they have been redirected to the provider's website by clicking on a Facebook ad. This allows the effectiveness of the Facebook ads to be evaluated for statistical and market research purposes and future advertising measures to be optimized.

The data collected is anonymous to us as the operator of this website, we cannot draw any conclusions about the identity of the user. However, the data is stored and processed by Facebook so that a connection to the respective user profile is possible and Facebook can use the data for its own advertising purposes in accordance with the Facebook data usage guidelines. This enables Facebook to place advertisements on Facebook pages and outside of Facebook. This use of the data cannot be influenced by us as the site operator.

You will find further information on protecting your privacy in Facebook's data protection information: https://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/.

You can also deactivate the “Custom Audiences” remarketing function in the Ad Settings section at https://www.facebook.com/ads/preferences/?entry_product=ad_settings_screen. To do this, you must be logged in to Facebook.

If you do not have a Facebook account, you can deactivate usage-based advertising from Facebook on the website of the European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance: http://www.youronlinechoices.com/de/praferenzmanagement/.

5. Newsletters
NEWSLETTER DATA
If you would like to receive the newsletter offered on the website, we need an e-mail address from you as well as information that allows us to verify that you are the owner of the e-mail address provided and that you agree to receive the newsletter . Further data is not collected or only collected on a voluntary basis. We use this data exclusively for sending the requested information and do not pass it on to third parties.

The processing of the data entered in the newsletter registration form takes place exclusively on the basis of your consent (Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. a DSGVO). You can revoke your consent to the storage of the data, the e-mail address and their use for sending the newsletter at any time, for example via the "unsubscribe" link in the newsletter. The legality of the data processing operations that have already taken place remains unaffected by the revocation.

The data you have stored with us for the purpose of subscribing to the newsletter will be stored by us until you unsubscribe from the newsletter and deleted after you have canceled the newsletter. Data stored by us for other purposes (e.g. e-mail addresses for the members' area) remain unaffected.

MAILCHIMP
This website uses the services of MailChimp to send newsletters. The provider is Rocket Science Group LLC, 675 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Suite 5000, Atlanta, GA 30308, USA.

MailChimp is a service with which, among other things, the sending of newsletters can be organized and analyzed. If you enter data for the purpose of subscribing to the newsletter (e.g. e-mail address), this will be stored on the MailChimp servers in the USA.

MailChimp is certified according to the "EU-US Privacy Shield". The "Privacy Shield" is an agreement between the European Union (EU) and the USA, which is intended to ensure compliance with European data protection standards in the USA.

With the help of MailChimp we can analyze our newsletter campaigns. When you open an email sent with MailChimp, a file contained in the email (so-called web beacon) connects to the MailChimp servers in the USA. In this way it can be determined whether a newsletter message has been opened and which links have been clicked on. Technical information is also recorded (e.g. time of retrieval, IP address, browser type and operating system). This information cannot be assigned to the respective newsletter recipient. They are used exclusively for the statistical analysis of newsletter campaigns. The results of these analyzes can be used to better adapt future newsletters to the interests of the recipients.

If you do not want an analysis by MailChimp, you must unsubscribe from the newsletter. For this purpose, we provide a corresponding link in every newsletter message. You can also unsubscribe from the newsletter directly on the website.

The data processing takes place on the basis of your consent (Art. 6 Para. 1 lit. a DSGVO). You can revoke this consent at any time by unsubscribing from the newsletter. The legality of the data processing operations that have already taken place remains unaffected by the revocation.

The data you have stored with us for the purpose of subscribing to the newsletter will be stored by us until you unsubscribe from the newsletter and will be deleted both from our servers and from the servers of MailChimp after you have canceled the newsletter. Data stored by us for other purposes (e.g. e-mail addresses for the members' area) remain unaffected.

For more information, see MailChimp's privacy policy at: https://mailchimp.com/legal/terms/.

Conclusion of a data processing agreement

We have concluded a so-called "Data Processing Agreement" with MailChimp, in which we oblige MailChimp to protect our customers' data and not to pass it on to third parties. This agreement can be viewed at the following link: https://mailchimp.com/legal/forms/data-processing-agreement/sample-agreement/.

6. Online Marketing and Affiliate Programs
AMAZON PARTNER PROGRAM
The site operators participate in the Amazon EU partner program. Amazon advertisements and links to the Amazon.de website are integrated on our pages, from which we can earn money through reimbursement of advertising costs. Amazon uses cookies to be able to trace the origin of the orders. This allows Amazon to recognize that you have clicked the partner link on our website.

"Amazon cookies" are stored on the basis of Art. 6 lit. f GDPR. The website operator has a legitimate interest in this, since the amount of his affiliate remuneration can only be determined through the cookies.

For more information on how Amazon uses data, see Amazon's privacy policy: https://www.amazon.de/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=footer_privacy?ie=UTF8&nodeId=3312401.

7. Payment Provider
PAYPAL
On our website we offer, among other things, payment via PayPal. The provider of this payment service is PayPal (Europe) S.à.rl et Cie, SCA, 22-24 Boulevard Royal, L-2449 Luxembourg (hereinafter “PayPal”).

If you choose to pay via PayPal, the payment details you enter will be sent to PayPal.

Your data is transmitted to PayPal on the basis of Article 6 (1) (a) GDPR (consent) and Article 6 (1) (b) GDPR (processing to fulfill a contract). You have the option to revoke your consent to data processing at any time. A revocation does not affect the effectiveness of past data processing operations.

8. Plugins and Tools
GOOGLE WEB FONTS
This site uses so-called web fonts provided by Google for the uniform display of fonts. When you call up a page, your browser loads the required web fonts into your browser cache in order to display text and fonts correctly.

For this purpose, the browser you are using must connect to the Google servers. This gives Google knowledge that our website was accessed via your IP address. Google Web Fonts are used in the interest of a uniform and appealing presentation of our online offering. This represents a legitimate interest within the meaning of Article 6 (1) (f) GDPR.

If your browser does not support web fonts, a standard font will be used by your computer.

You can find more information about Google Web Fonts at https://developers.google.com/fonts/faq and in Google's privacy policy: https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/.