Last Updated: February 2026
1. Introduction
Synthesise (“we”, “us”, “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you use our website and purchase our books.
Data Controller: Synthesise
Contact Email: contact@journeyofthestone.com
Location: United Kingdom
This policy complies with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Information You Provide to Us
When you place an order or interact with our website, we collect:
- Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number (if provided)
- Delivery Information: Shipping address
- Payment Information: Processed securely by our payment provider (we do not store your full card details)
- Order Information: Details of books purchased, order history
- Marketing Preferences: Whether you consent to receive marketing emails (opt-in only)
- Correspondence: Any messages or queries you send us
2.2 Information Automatically Collected
When you visit our website, we automatically collect:
- Technical Information: IP address, browser type, device type, operating system
- Usage Information: Pages visited, time spent on pages, click patterns, referring website
- Cookies and Similar Technologies: See Section 8 below for details
3. How We Use Your Information
| Purpose | Legal Basis |
|---|---|
| Processing and fulfilling your orders | Performance of a contract |
| Communicating with you about your order (order confirmations, shipping updates) | Performance of a contract |
| Providing customer support and responding to your queries | Performance of a contract / Legitimate interests |
| Sending marketing emails about our books and offers | Consent (opt-in only) |
| Improving our website and understanding how visitors use it | Legitimate interests |
| Preventing fraud and ensuring website security | Legitimate interests / Legal obligation |
| Complying with legal obligations (e.g., tax, accounting) | Legal obligation |
4. Sharing Your Information
We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We only share your information with trusted partners who help us operate our business:
4.1 Service Providers
- BookVault: Our print-on-demand and fulfillment partner. We share your name, delivery address, and order details so they can print and ship your books.
- Payment Processors: To process your payments securely (they handle payment card information directly; we do not store it).
- Email Service Providers: To send order confirmations and marketing emails (if you’ve opted in).
- Analytics Providers: Such as Google Analytics, to understand website usage and improve our services.
- Advertising Platforms: Such as Facebook, to show relevant advertisements (see Section 8 on Cookies).
4.2 Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or to protect our rights, property, or safety.
5. International Transfers
Some of our service providers may be located outside the UK or European Economic Area (EEA). When we transfer your data internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as:
- Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
- Adequacy decisions recognizing the recipient country has adequate data protection
- The provider’s certification under recognized data protection frameworks
6. Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy:
- Order Information: Retained for 7 years to comply with tax and accounting requirements
- Marketing Consent: Until you withdraw consent or we no longer send marketing emails
- Website Analytics: Typically retained for 26 months (Google Analytics default)
- Customer Support: Retained for as long as necessary to resolve your query, typically up to 2 years
7. Your Rights
Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights:
7.1 Right to Access
You can request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
7.2 Right to Rectification
You can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
7.3 Right to Erasure (“Right to be Forgotten”)
You can request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain legal exceptions (e.g., we must retain order data for tax purposes).
7.4 Right to Restrict Processing
You can ask us to limit how we use your information in certain circumstances.
7.5 Right to Data Portability
You can request your data in a structured, commonly used format to transfer to another service.
7.6 Right to Object
You can object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes.
7.7 Right to Withdraw Consent
Where we rely on consent (e.g., marketing emails), you can withdraw it at any time by clicking “unsubscribe” in our emails or contacting us.
7.8 How to Exercise Your Rights
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at: contact@journeyofthestone.com
We will respond to your request within one month. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you’re unhappy with how we handle your data: www.ico.org.uk
8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
8.1 What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit our website. They help us provide a better user experience and understand how our website is used.
8.2 Types of Cookies We Use
Essential Cookies (Always Active)
These are necessary for the website to function and cannot be disabled. They include:
- Session cookies to maintain your shopping cart
- Security cookies to prevent fraud
Analytics Cookies (Requires Consent)
We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our website, including:
- Pages visited and time spent
- Traffic sources and user demographics
- Device and browser information
Google Analytics data is anonymized where possible. Learn more: Google Privacy Policy
Advertising Cookies (Requires Consent)
We use pixels and cookies from platforms like Facebook to:
- Show you relevant advertisements on social media
- Measure the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns
- Create audiences for targeted advertising
8.3 Managing Cookies
When you first visit our website, you’ll see a cookie banner where you can accept or reject non-essential cookies. You can change your preferences at any time through:
- Our cookie settings (usually accessible in the website footer)
- Your browser settings (most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies)
Note: Blocking cookies may affect your experience on our website.
9. Marketing Communications
9.1 Opt-In
We will only send you marketing emails if you have explicitly opted in (e.g., by ticking a box during checkout or signing up for our newsletter). Marketing emails may include:
- New book releases and announcements
- Special offers and discounts
- Content related to our books and authors
9.2 Opt-Out
You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time by:
- Clicking the “unsubscribe” link in any marketing email
- Contacting us at contact@journeyofthestone.com
Note: Even if you unsubscribe from marketing, we will still send you transactional emails about your orders (order confirmations, shipping updates, etc.).
10. Children’s Privacy
Our website and services are not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us immediately.
11. Security
We take appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, loss, or misuse. These include:
- Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption for data transmitted on our website
- Secure storage of data with trusted service providers
- Regular security assessments and updates
- Limited access to personal data by authorized personnel only
However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
12. Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., social media platforms, payment providers). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these websites. Please review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.
13. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated “Last Updated” date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.
If we make significant changes, we may notify you by email (if you’ve provided your email address) or through a prominent notice on our website.
14. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact us:
Email: contact@journeyofthestone.com
We will respond to your inquiry as soon as possible, typically within 2-3 business days.
Compliance Note: This Privacy Policy is designed to comply with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. If you have concerns about how your data is being handled, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at www.ico.org.uk or call their helpline at 0303 123 1113.