Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

Podium Cards is a trading name of PODIUM APPS LIMITED, a company registered in Northern Ireland under company number NI630987. Our registered office is Opus House, 137 York Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT15 3GZ.

We provide online gift card storefronts and related account, payment, delivery, and redemption tools to businesses ("merchants").

You can contact us about this policy or your personal data at hello@podium.cards.

2. When this policy applies

This policy applies when you visit podium.cards, use a merchant storefront, create or manage a merchant account, buy or receive a gift card, check a balance, or contact us.

For merchant account, support, security, and website analytics data, Podium Cards usually acts as the data controller. For gift card customer and recipient data, the merchant is usually the controller and Podium Cards processes the data for that merchant. A merchant may provide its own privacy notice for that processing.

3. Data we collect

Depending on how you use the service, we may collect:

• Merchant and account data: your name, business name, email address, phone number, account settings, and sign-in data.
• Gift card data: buyer and recipient names, email addresses, personal messages, delivery dates, gift card values, codes, balances, and redemption records.
• Order and payment data: order values, currency, status, Stripe references, and billing or delivery addresses where provided. Stripe handles full payment card details. We do not store full card details.
• Technical data: IP address, browser, device, network information, pages viewed, cookie identifiers, and security events.
• Support data: messages, attachments, and other information you give us when you request help.

We receive data from you, merchants, gift card buyers, Stripe, and the devices used to access our service.

4. How and why we use data

We use personal data to:

• create and manage merchant accounts;
• process orders, payments, gift card delivery, balance checks, and redemption;
• send order, gift card, account, and service messages;
• provide support and respond to requests;
• prevent fraud, abuse, and security incidents;
• maintain, measure, and improve our websites and services;
• keep financial and business records; and
• meet legal, tax, regulatory, and enforcement duties.

Our legal bases include performing a contract, complying with legal duties, and our legitimate interests in operating, securing, supporting, and improving the service. We use consent where the law requires it. You can withdraw consent at any time, without affecting earlier lawful processing.

You may need to provide certain data so we or a merchant can supply the requested service. Without it, an account, purchase, delivery, or support request may not be possible.

5. How we share data

We may share relevant data with:

• the merchant that sold or issued the gift card;
• Stripe for payment processing, settlement, and fraud prevention;
• Microsoft Clarity for website analytics;
• Cloudflare Turnstile for security checks;
• email, hosting, storage, monitoring, and technical service providers;
• professional advisers, insurers, auditors, and potential business buyers; and
• courts, regulators, law enforcement, or other authorities when required.

We require service providers to protect personal data and use it only for the agreed service. We do not sell personal data. We do not use merchant customer data to market our services independently to those customers.

6. Cookies and analytics

We use necessary cookies to keep carts, language choices, and service functions working. We also use Microsoft Clarity to understand how visitors use our website and to improve it. These tools may collect device, browser, page, interaction, and cookie data.

You can control cookies through your browser and any consent controls that we make available. Blocking necessary cookies can stop parts of the service from working.

7. International transfers

Some service providers may process data outside the United Kingdom or European Economic Area. Where required, we use an adequacy decision, approved contractual terms, or another lawful safeguard. Contact us to ask about the safeguards used for a transfer.

8. How long we keep data

We keep personal data only as long as needed for the purposes described here. We consider the account or merchant relationship, gift card validity, support needs, security, disputes, and legal, tax, and accounting duties.

When Podium Cards processes customer data for a merchant, the merchant usually sets the retention period. We may keep limited records after an account closes when law or legitimate business needs require it.

9. Your rights

UK and EEA data protection law may give you rights to access, correct, erase, restrict, transfer, or object to the use of your personal data. You may also withdraw consent where processing relies on consent.

Email hello@podium.cards to exercise a right. We may need to verify your identity. If your request concerns a merchant's gift card service, contact that merchant first. We will help the merchant respond where required.

You can also complain to the UK Information Commissioner's Office through ico.org.uk. EEA residents may complain to their local data protection authority.

10. Security and children

We use technical and organisational safeguards designed to protect personal data. No online service can guarantee complete security.

Our merchant service is for adults acting for a business. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children who cannot lawfully provide it. A buyer should only provide a recipient's details when they have a lawful reason to do so.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when our service, practices, or legal duties change. We will post the current version here and change the date above. We will give further notice when a material change requires it.