If you use Kärcher's online platform, Kärcher collects various data from you. In some cases this will also be so-called ‘personal data’ i.e. information that relates to an identified or identifiable individual (known as the ‘data subject’).
1. Visiting the Kärcher websites in general
When visiting Kärcher websites, you transmit data to our web server via your Internet browser (due to technical necessity). The following data is recorded during a running connection for communication between your Internet browser and our web server:
- Date and time of the request
- Name of the requested file
- Page from which the file was requested
- Access status (file transferred, file not found, etc.)
- Web browser and operating system used
- Complete IP address of the requesting computer
- Volume of data transferred
We temporarily store this data for reasons of technical security, in particular to prevent attempts to attack our web server. It is not possible for us to draw conclusions about individual persons on the basis of this data.
The legal basis of the storage is Legitimate Interest for security of our websites, apps, products and IT systems.
Further personal information is only collected if you provide it voluntarily, for example as part of an inquiry or registration. Depending on the area concerned, Kärcher uses the personal data you provide to answer your enquiries, to process your order and for the purpose of technical administration of the websites. Specifically, the use in the respective areas of the site is as follows:
2. Onlineshop
If you visit our online shop, we store the following information in order to fulfil the contract between you and Kärcher or to carry out pre-contractual measures in accordance with Article 6 lit. b) GDPR:
a) Order without setting up a customer account
When placing an order in the online shop, all data necessary for the implementation and processing is requested through the mandatory fields: Your full name, your e-mail address, your address (billing address and, if applicable, different delivery address). Your data will only be used to process your order.
b) Customer account / Registration
It is also possible when purchasing to register for a Kärcher account. To do this, you can choose a password together with your e-mail address, both of which will make it easier for you to log in later without having to re-enter your data. Kärcher stores the data entered by you to set up a customer account, via which your orders are recorded, implemented and processed. Kärcher will keep your data for further orders as long as you maintain your registration. You have the right to access, correct and/or have your registration data deleted by Kärcher at any time.
c) Storage of order data
If you transfer data to Kärcher for an order, your data will be stored for as long as necessary to complete the purchase and in accordance with statutory retention periods. Extended storage to fulfil the retention obligations is carried out in accordance with Article 6 lit. c) GDPR.
d) Visiting another dealer’s shop
If you visit another dealer shop when making your purchase (by clicking on a link on the Kärcher website to access the web shop of one of our specialist dealers) and continue the order process there, Kärcher will not collect any order data from you as you are continuing the purchasing process in the other dealer’s shop. In this case, please note the data protection information of the relevant merchant’s shop.
3. Contact forms
If you contact Kärcher via a contact form on the Kärcher website, the data you provide will be stored so that your message can be forwarded to the correct contact person. This is done in accordance with Article 6 lit b) GDPR for processing your request. Your data provided via a contact form will not be used for any other purposes, especially not for advertising. After answering your inquiry we will delete your inquiry and the related personal data.
4. Market research (e.g. Register&Win)
Within the statutory framework Kärcher uses your data for market research purposes and if you have expressly consented to this by ticking the checkbox next to the following text:
"I am interested in further surveys in the context of Kärcher market research!"
As part of "Register&Win" or other market research activities, Kärcher stores your form of address, your name, your address, your e-mail address, your telephone number, the area to which you assign yourself (end user or business) and - if you have filled in these fields or ticked the box - your year of birth as well as the part number, the product name, the date of purchase of your Kärcher product and that you are interested in further market research surveys. Kärcher will only use your data for market research in accordance with Article 6 lit a) GDPR if you have given your consent by ticking the appropriate box. Otherwise, your data will be used exclusively for your information in the event of a win pursuant to Article 6 lit b) GDPR.
5. Competitions
In the case of competition campaigns, Kärcher only stores the data necessary for the respective competition (e.g. your name, your address, your e-mail address) for the implementation of the competition in accordance with Article 6 lit b) GDPR. Only if you have ticked the box explicitly giving your consent to the use of your data for further purposes, will we also use your data for market research or for sending newsletters in accordance with Article 6 lit a) GDPR.
6. Warranty extension campaign
Our warranty extension campaigns are only aimed at Kärcher's commercial customers. If you participate, you must enter your name, address, e-mail address and product details for the device for which you wish to extend the warranty period in the form (required fields). This data is required for handling the warranty claim and the accompanying need to be able to assign the device to you and is collected in accordance with Article 6 lit b) GDPR for the execution of warranty processing. Filling in the other fields is optional. We therefore collect this data in accordance with your consent under Article 6 lit a) GDPR.
7. my Kärcher
The creation of a password-protected user area (myKärcher account) enables or simplifies the use of our provided services, e.g. online shop and online repair processing.
The following data will be stored: first and last name, e-mail address, password and date of birth as mandatory data. Form of address, title, telephone and mobile phone number as optional data.
If a purchase (online shop or repair order) is made via the password-protected user area, the address data is also stored.
The password-protected user area can be deleted at any time by the user themselves using the "Delete account" function.
This my Kärcher data is stored with our cloud provider Amazon Web Service in Ireland and / or Frankfurt.
8. Online repair process
If you use the online repair process on myKärcher or on the Kärcher Infonet, we will collect your name, address and the type of device you specify, in order to carry out your repair order in accordance with Article 6 lit b) GDPR.
After completion of the repair order, your data will be stored for as long as required by the statutory retention periods. Extended storage to fulfil the retention obligations is carried out in accordance with Article 6 lit. c) GDPR.
9. Newsletter / Kärcher Club
You can subscribe to the Kärcher Club e-mail newsletter - without giving your name - by registering with an e-mail address and expressly agreeing to receive it by ticking the checkbox next to the following text:
"I would like to subscribe to the Kärcher newsletter and accept the data protection regulations."
After your consent, which is requested by sending a confirmation e-mail, Kärcher will then use your e-mail address as the recipient address for newsletter e-mails, through which you will be regularly informed about current offers and Kärcher products. This data processing is carried out on the basis of your consent in accordance with Article 6 a) GDPR. You can unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time.
10. Customer Satisfaction Survey
10.1. Description and Scope of Data Processing
Kärcher (U.K.) Limited provides you with a questionnaire to conduct customer
satisfaction surveys and to optimize customer satisfaction. We only collect the information
you have provided to us via the form, as well as your email address for the purpose of
associating it with the customer satisfaction survey. Within our company, only those persons
and departments responsible for the customer satisfaction surveys, or technical service
providers with whom we have concluded a data processing agreement (Article 28 GDPR),
will have access to the data.
10.2. Legal Basis for Data Processing
The legal basis for processing the data is your consent in accordance with Article 6(1)(f)
GDPR; otherwise, it is based on our legitimate interest (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR).
10.3. Duration of Storage
We will delete the data you have provided no later than two years after the completion of the
customer satisfaction surveys.
