Privacy policy.

This policy explains what personal data BuyMertra collects when you visit the site, how we use it, who we share it with, and what rights you have under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. If you are in the European Economic Area, EU GDPR also applies.

1. Who we are

BuyMertra is an independent online magazine about London streetwear, operated by an editorial team based in London, United Kingdom. For the purposes of UK GDPR, BuyMertra is the “data controller” of the personal data described in this policy.

You can reach the editorial team at hello@buymertra.com for any privacy-related question.

2. What we collect

We try to collect as little personal data as we need to run the site. The categories below cover the main types of data we handle.

Data you give us directly

• Email address when you sign up to the Sunday Dispatch newsletter.
• Email content when you contact us at hello@buymertra.com, drops@buymertra.com or press@buymertra.com.
• Brand information if you pitch a drop or a story, including product images and release details.

Data collected automatically

• Device and browser information such as IP address, browser type and version, operating system, screen size and referring page.
• Usage data such as the pages you visit on BuyMertra, the time spent on each page and the links you click.
• Cookie identifiers set by us, by Google AdSense and by analytics tools, as described under “Cookies and tracking” below.

3. Why we collect it

We rely on the following legal bases to process your personal data:

• Legitimate interests to run, secure and improve BuyMertra, prevent abuse, and understand how readers use the site at an aggregate level.
• Consent for non-essential cookies (including advertising and analytics cookies) and for the newsletter. You can withdraw consent at any time.
• Performance of a contract when you sign up for the newsletter, in order to deliver the emails you have asked for.
• Legal obligation where we have to keep records to comply with UK law.

4. Cookies and tracking

A cookie is a small text file a website asks your browser to store. We use cookies, plus similar technologies such as localStorage and pixel tags, for the following purposes:

• Essential cookies that keep the site working, including the cookie that remembers your consent choice.
• Analytics cookies that help us understand site traffic on an aggregate level.
• Advertising cookies set by Google AdSense and its advertising partners to personalise ads and measure ad performance.

When you first visit BuyMertra you will see a cookie banner. You can accept all cookies, reject non-essential cookies, or change your mind later from our cookie policy page.

5. Google AdSense

BuyMertra uses Google AdSense to show ads. Google AdSense is operated by Google Ireland Limited for users in the UK and EEA, and by Google LLC elsewhere. AdSense uses cookies and similar technologies to:

• Serve ads based on your prior visits to BuyMertra and other websites.
• Measure ad performance and prevent fraud.
• Personalise ads where you have given consent.

Google may use the DoubleClick DART cookie and other identifiers as described in the Google advertising policies. You can opt out of personalised advertising at any time:

• By rejecting non-essential cookies on the BuyMertra cookie banner.
• By visiting Google’s Ads Settings at adssettings.google.com.
• By visiting youronlinechoices.eu (EU) or optout.aboutads.info (US) to opt out of third-party vendor cookies.

Google’s own privacy policy, which describes how Google uses information from sites that use its services, is available at policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites.

6. Analytics

We use privacy-conscious analytics to understand how many people read BuyMertra and which stories they spend time with. Where analytics tools rely on non-essential cookies, they are only loaded after you accept them in the cookie banner.

7. Sharing with third parties

We do not sell your personal data. We share limited data with:

• Google AdSense for ad serving and measurement, as described above.
• Email service providers that deliver the Sunday Dispatch newsletter on our behalf.
• Hosting and infrastructure providers that store the site files and serve them to your browser.
• Law enforcement or regulators where we are required to do so by UK law.

Some of these providers may be based outside the UK or EEA. Where that is the case, we rely on the UK and EU Standard Contractual Clauses or another lawful transfer mechanism.

8. How long we keep data

• Newsletter sign-ups: until you unsubscribe or ask us to delete your record.
• Email correspondence: up to 3 years, then deleted unless we still need it.
• Cookie identifiers: for the period set by each cookie, listed in the cookie policy.
• Server logs: typically 30 days for security and debugging.

9. Your rights

Under UK GDPR you have the following rights over your personal data:

• The right to access a copy of your data.
• The right to ask us to correct inaccurate data.
• The right to ask us to delete your data, in some circumstances.
• The right to ask us to restrict or object to certain processing.
• The right to data portability.
• The right to withdraw consent, where we rely on it.
• The right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk.

To exercise any of these rights, email hello@buymertra.com. We will respond within one month.

10. Children

BuyMertra is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, contact us and we will delete it.

11. Security

We use industry-standard measures to protect personal data, including HTTPS, access controls and limited data retention. No system is perfect, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. If we become aware of a breach affecting your personal data, we will notify you and the relevant regulator where required by law.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The “Last updated” date at the top of the page reflects the most recent version. Material changes will be highlighted on the home page or by email if you are subscribed to the newsletter.

13. Contact

If you have any questions about this policy or your personal data, get in touch: