This Privacy Policy explains how Mercatique Consultant LLP ("Mercatique", "we", "us") collects, uses and protects personal data when you use mercatiqueconsultant.com (the "Website"), contact us, subscribe to our newsletter, book a call or apply for a role. Data we handle for clients under a signed agreement is governed by that agreement.
1. Who we are
Mercatique Consultant LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in India. For the purposes of India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023, we are the Data Fiduciary for the data described here; under the GDPR and UK GDPR we are the controller. You can reach us at hello@mercatiqueconsultant.com.
2. Data we collect
Data you give us:
- Project form: full name, email, phone number, desired services, preferred communication channel, your project brief and any file you attach.
- Newsletter: your email address and your consent choice.
- Discovery calls booked through Calendly: name, email and the details you enter when booking.
- Job applications sent to hr@mercatiqueconsultant.com: your resume, portfolio, LinkedIn profile and anything else you include.
- Billing, for clients under a signed agreement: name, company, billing email, GSTIN and invoice details.
Data collected automatically:
- Server logs: IP address, browser type, pages requested and time of request.
- Analytics, only if you accept analytics cookies: pages visited, time on page, device type and approximate location (country or city), collected through Google Analytics 4.
Please do not include sensitive personal data (such as health, financial account or government ID details) in your brief or attachments. We don't need it to respond.
3. Why we use your data
| Purpose | Data used | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Responding to your inquiry and preparing a proposal | Form data, attachments | Your consent; steps before entering a contract |
| Running discovery calls | Calendly booking data | Your consent; steps before entering a contract |
| Delivering services and billing | Contact and billing data | Performance of a contract; legal obligation (tax records) |
| Sending our newsletter | Email address | Your consent, which you can withdraw at any time |
| Reviewing job applications | Application materials | Your consent; steps before entering a contract |
| Keeping the Website secure and working | Server logs, spam protection signals | Legitimate interests (GDPR); legitimate uses (DPDP Act) |
| Understanding how the Website is used | Analytics data | Your consent |
4. Cookies
We use necessary cookies to remember your cookie choice and keep the Website secure. Analytics cookies (Google Analytics 4) are set only after you accept them. You can change your choice at any time through "Cookie settings" in the footer. Calendly sets its own cookies only after you click "Book a discovery call".
5. Who we share data with
We do not sell personal data. We share it only with:
- Service providers that run parts of our business for us: Hostinger (hosting), HubSpot (CRM, forms, newsletter), Google (analytics and email), Calendly (scheduling) and Cloudflare (spam protection). Each processes data under its own terms and security controls.
- Professional advisers such as lawyers and accountants, under confidentiality.
- Authorities, when the law requires it or to protect our rights, our users or the public.
- A buyer or successor, if our business is merged, sold or restructured. We will tell you before your data becomes subject to a different privacy policy.
6. International transfers
We are based in India, and our service providers may store data in other countries, including the United States and the European Union. Where the law requires, we rely on contractual safeguards (such as Standard Contractual Clauses) for these transfers.
7. How long we keep data
| Data | Kept for |
|---|---|
| Inquiries that don't become engagements | 24 months after our last contact |
| Newsletter subscription | Until you unsubscribe |
| Job applications | 12 months after the application, unless you join us |
| Client and billing records | As long as Indian tax and accounting law requires |
| Server logs | 90 days |
| Analytics data | 14 months |
8. Security
We protect data with encryption in transit (HTTPS), access controls, two-factor authentication on our accounts and private storage for uploaded files. No system is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security. If a breach affects your data, we will notify you and the relevant authorities as the law requires.
9. Your rights
Depending on where you live, you can ask us to:
- Give you a summary of the personal data we hold about you and how we use it.
- Correct, complete or update it.
- Delete it, unless we must keep it by law.
- Withdraw a consent you gave, at any time. This doesn't affect anything we did before.
- Nominate another person to exercise your rights if you die or become incapacitated (India).
- Receive your data in a portable format, or object to or restrict how we use it (EU and UK).
Email hello@mercatiqueconsultant.com to use any of these rights. We reply within 30 days. If you are not satisfied, you can complain to the Data Protection Board of India (after contacting us first), your local EU or UK data protection authority, or the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.
10. Marketing emails
We send marketing emails only if you opt in. Every email has an unsubscribe link, and unsubscribing takes effect immediately.
11. Children
The Website is not directed at anyone under 18, and we do not knowingly collect their personal data. If you believe a child has sent us personal data, contact us and we will delete it.
12. Links to other websites
The Website links to sites we don't control, such as LinkedIn and Instagram. Their privacy policies apply when you visit them.
13. Changes to this policy
When we update this policy, we change the "Last updated" date above. For significant changes, we will also show a notice on the Website and email newsletter subscribers before the change takes effect.
14. Contact and grievances
Email: hello@mercatiqueconsultant.com
Grievance Officer: [name and title, to be added]
We acknowledge grievances within 7 days and aim to resolve them within 30 days.