Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Gear Thrust Ltd ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website gear-thrust.com, use our services, or interact with us.

This policy applies to all information collected by Gear Thrust through our website, phone calls, emails, and in-person interactions at our Manchester location.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information

We may collect the following types of personal information:

• Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number, postal address
• Vehicle Information: Make, model, year, and other vehicle specifications
• Service Information: Service preferences, installation history, warranty details
• Payment Information: Billing address, payment method details (processed securely through third-party payment processors)
• Communication Records: Records of phone calls, emails, and messages you send to us

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

• Website Usage Data: IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, time spent on pages
• Cookies and Tracking Technologies: Information collected through cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies
• Location Data: General location information based on IP address

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

3.1 Service Provision

• Processing your orders and providing requested services
• Installing and maintaining car accessories
• Providing customer support and technical assistance
• Managing warranties and service agreements

3.2 Communication

• Responding to your inquiries and requests
• Sending service updates and appointment confirmations
• Providing newsletters and marketing communications (with your consent)
• Sending important notices about our services or policies

3.3 Business Operations

• Improving our website and services
• Conducting market research and analysis
• Preventing fraud and ensuring security
• Complying with legal obligations

4. Legal Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we process your personal information based on the following legal grounds:

• Contractual Necessity: Processing necessary to perform our services contract with you
• Legitimate Interests: Processing necessary for our legitimate business interests, such as improving our services
• Consent: Where you have explicitly consented to processing, such as for marketing communications
• Legal Obligation: Processing required to comply with legal requirements

5. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

5.1 Service Providers

• Payment processors for secure transaction processing
• Shipping and delivery companies for product delivery
• IT service providers for website hosting and maintenance
• Professional service providers (accountants, lawyers) as needed

5.2 Legal Requirements

• When required by law or court order
• To protect our rights and property
• To prevent fraud or illegal activities
• To protect the safety of our customers and employees

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against:

• Unauthorized access or disclosure
• Accidental loss or destruction
• Malicious attacks and data breaches
• Unauthorized alteration or misuse

Our security measures include encryption, secure servers, access controls, and regular security assessments. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy or as required by law. Typical retention periods include:

• Customer Records: 7 years after last interaction for tax and legal purposes
• Service Records: Duration of warranty period plus 2 years
• Marketing Communications: Until you unsubscribe or withdraw consent
• Website Data: 2 years for analytics purposes

8. Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

8.1 Access and Portability

• Right to access your personal data
• Right to receive a copy of your data in a portable format

8.2 Correction and Deletion

• Right to correct inaccurate personal data
• Right to request deletion of your personal data

8.3 Processing Rights

• Right to restrict processing of your data
• Right to object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent

To exercise these rights, contact us at [email protected] or call +44 161 196 0954.

9. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience. For detailed information about our cookie usage, please refer to our Cookie Policy.

10. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. This Privacy Policy does not apply to these external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit.

11. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to individuals under 16 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 16, we will take steps to delete such information.

12. International Data Transfers

We primarily operate within the United Kingdom. If we transfer your personal information outside the UK, we will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data in accordance with UK GDPR requirements.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of any material changes by:

• Posting the updated policy on our website
• Sending email notifications to registered users
• Displaying notices on our website

Your continued use of our services after such changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

14. Contact Information

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

If you are not satisfied with our response to your privacy concerns, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's data protection authority.