Privacy Policy

Miele about privacy

Effective Date of this Privacy Policy: 21 July 2020

This Privacy Policy explains how Miele Hong Kong Limited (“Miele”) handles the personal information that you provide to us by various means including but not limited to the following:

  1. via the Web Sites or App owned and controlled by Miele which link to this Privacy Policy (together referred to as "Miele Web Site(s);
  2. member, warranty registration forms (whether completed via Miele Web Site or physical channels);
  3. event or activities enrolment forms (whether completed via Miele Web Site or physical channels);
  4. order forms (whether completed via Miele Web Site or physical channels);
  5. enquiry forms (whether completed via Miele Web Site or physical channels);
  6. forms for repair and maintenance services, contests, surveys, or special offers (whether completed via Miele Web Site or physical channels)

Unless otherwise specifically noted, this Privacy Policy does not apply to: (i) Any web sites that do not link or connect to this Privacy Policy; or (ii) third-party web sites to which Miele Web Sites may link-up with but have no control of them.

 

Your use of Miele Web Sites is subject to this Privacy Policy and the Online Terms and Condition. Please read this Privacy Policy before using Miele Web Sites or submitting any personal information to us through any channels.

What is "personal information" as used in this Privacy Policy?

"Personal information" means information that identifies you or could be used to identify you. Examples of personal information include your name, your e-mail address and your telephone number, gender, age, date of birth, and shopping preferences.

 

How does Miele collect information?

Miele collects information in two ways:

  • Personal Information You Submit:

Miele collects personal information that you enter into data fields on Miele Web Sites or through real physical channels. For example, you may submit your name, postal address, e-mail address, and/or other information in order to receive information about various subjects, register for Miele programs, contact Miele customer service, or respond to Miele surveys. To protect your privacy, you should not provide Miele with any information that is not specifically requested.

  • Passive Collection of Unidentifiable Information:

Miele Web Sites may collect information about your visits to Miele Web Sites without you actively submitting such information. Unidentifiable information may be collected using various technologies, such as cookies, and web beacons. Cookies are small text files that are transferred to your computer’s hard disk by a website. Web beacons (also referred to as GIF files, pixels or Internet tags) help Miele recognize a unique cookie on your browser. Your Internet browser automatically transmits to Miele Web Sites some of this unidentifiable information, such as the URL of the web site you just visited and the browser version your computer is operating. Passive information collection technologies can make your use of Miele Web Sites easier by allowing Miele to provide better service, customize Miele Web Sites based on consumer preferences, compile statistics, analyze trends, and otherwise administer and improve Miele Web Sites. Certain features of Miele Web Sites may not work without use of passive information collection technologies. Information collected by these technologies cannot be used to identify you without additional identifiable information and Miele will not connect additional identifiable information with information collected through the use of such tracking technologies. With respect to limiting or disabling tracking technology please see below “What choices do I have about how Miele collects and uses personal information about me?”.

In what circumstances and for what purposes might Miele collect and use personal information?

Miele will use your provided personal information to respond to your questions, to process your applications as a registered customer, to provide you with products and services which you have requested, to process your orders purchased at our real physical channels and web sites, to carry out prize draws, games or competitions you have entered, to provide you with efficient customer service and to prevent or detect of crime. Miele may use certain identifying technologies to allow that Miele Web Site to "remember" your personal preferences (based on the personal information that you entered, such as sections of that Miele Web Site that you visit frequently and, if you choose, your user ID). We may use your personal information for other business purposes, such as to offer you the opportunity to receive notices regarding Miele’s products or services, to invite you to participate in surveys about our products, or to notify you about special promotions if you provided us with your prior opt-in for such purposes:

 

Does Miele consolidate personal information?

Miele may consolidate the personal information of customers who use Miele Web Sites. In addition, we may consolidate information in a non-identifiable form (aggregate/anonymous data) to help us better design Miele Web Sites and Miele products, to enhance our research activities, and to facilitate other business functions.

What choices do I have about how Miele collects and uses personal information about me?

You may always limit the amount and type of personal information that Miele receives about you by choosing not to provide any personal information into forms or data fields on Miele Web Sites or physical channels . Some of our online services can only be provided to you if you provide us with appropriate personal information. Other parts of Miele Web Sites or forms may ask whether you wish to opt into our contact lists for offers, promotions and additional services that may be of interest to you. You may also be provided with preference questions or preference boxes allowing you to indicate that you do not want Miele Web Sites to use tracking technologies, such as cookies, to "remember" your personal information, such as user IDs or mailing addresses, on return visits. However, Miele Web Sites that use tracking technologies to collect unidentifiable information do not generally provide you with the ability to opt out of the tracking technologies. Some Internet browsers allow you to limit or disable the use of tracking technologies that collect unidentifiable information.

Who will have access to personal information about me?

Personal information can be accessed by a restricted number of authorized Miele employees, by certain designated companies with which Miele may conduct joint programs, and by authorized third parties with whom Miele contracts to carry out business activities for Miele. We always conduct training for our employees about the importance of privacy and how to handle and manage customer data appropriately and securely. Also, it is Miele’s practice to seek your consent where required by applicable law if you are registering for a program which is conducted in conjunction with another company that may require access to your personal information. In addition, Miele’s practice is to require its contractors to keep your personal information confidential and to use your personal information only to perform functions for Miele.

Does Miele share personal information with third parties?

Except as otherwise stated in this Section, Miele will not transfer your personal information to third parties unless you have been provided with an opportunity to opt into this disclosure. Miele may disclose your personal information without your opt-in to third party service providers which assist us with our business activities. It is Miele’s practice to require such third party service providers to keep your personal information confidential and to use your personal information only to perform functions for Miele and in accordance with Miele’s instructions. Miele further reserves the right to disclose your personal information to respond to authorized information requests from government authorities or when otherwise required by law. In the event Miele sells one of its product lines or divisions, Miele will only transfer your personal information to the buyer subject to your consent where required by applicable law so that the buyer can continue to provide you with information and services.

How does Miele secure personal information?

It is Miele’s practice to secure each Miele Web Site that collects personal information; however, the confidentiality of personal information transmitted over the Internet cannot be guaranteed. We urge you to exercise caution when transmitting personal information over the Internet. Miele cannot guarantee that unauthorized third parties will not gain access to your personal information; therefore, when submitting personal information to Miele Web Sites, you must weigh both the benefits and the risks. In addition, Miele Web Sites covered by this Privacy Policy will display a warning whenever you link to a web site that is not controlled by Miele; you should check the privacy policies of such third-party web sites before submitting personal information.

How may I correct personal information or delete it from current customer records?

With your support Miele will keep personal information accurate and up-to-date. You may request to remove, amend or correct your personal information. Please notify us of your wishes by contacting us in one of the ways specified below.

How long will Miele store personal information?

In general, Miele will only store your personal information for as long as it is needed to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, subject to applicable data retention periods imposed upon Miele by applicable laws.

How can I contact Miele?

If you have questions about the scope, use, amendment, or deletion of personal information that you have provided to us, or if you would like to opt out of future communications from an Miele business or a particular Miele program, please contact us by clicking on the "Contact Us" link on the Miele Web Site you are visiting.

In all communications to Miele, please include the e-mail address used for registration (if applicable), the Miele Web Site address on which you provided any personal information about which you have questions or concerns, and a detailed explanation of your request. If you would like to delete, amend or correct your personal information and are contacting us by e-mail, please put "Deletion Request" or "Amendment/Correction Request", as applicable, in the subject line of the e-mail. We will do our best to respond to all reasonable requests in a timely manner.

How will I know whether Miele has updated this Privacy Policy?

If Miele changes its privacy practices, an updated version of this Privacy Policy will reflect those changes and we will notify you of such changes by updating the effective date at the top of this Privacy Policy. Without prejudice to your rights under applicable law, Miele reserves the right to amend this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect technological advancements, legal and regulatory changes and good business practices.

Privacy Policy on Google ReCAPTCHA service

We use Google ReCAPTCHA service provided by Google Inc. to ensure adequate data protection when users submit electronic forms (e.g. signing up for a newsletter). The purpose of using Google ReCAPTCHA service is to ensure that the submission is made by a real person, not unintentionally or by automated machine processing.  Google ReCAPTCHA service will implement a variety of security measures by assessing your IP address and other data and such information will pass it to Google Inc. for their handling. As such, Data Protection Policies from Google Inc. apply herein. (For further information about Data Protection Policy of Google Inc., please go to https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/privacy/).

By using Google ReCAPTCHA service in our website, you confirm that you read and understand the above Statement, and you declare that you act voluntarily and consent to pass the data used/generated to be accessible by us and Google Inc.


Cookie Policy

Last updated: 2021/07/11

Miele Hong Kong Ltd. uses so-called cookies on this website. In this policy we explain in detail what types of cookies Miele uses, what data is processed by them, cookie lifespan and your rights in relation to cookies.

Your current settings with regard to cookies that require consent are:

Analysis Cookies      [ENABLED]      [DISABLED]

Marketing Cookies    [ENABLED]      [DISABLED]

You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time, with effect for the future, by changing the settings above.

 

1. General Explanation

Cookies are small text files that are stored on your computer or end device when you use our websites. When you visit the Miele website, cookies may be stored on your system. This contains an individual string of characters that can be used to identify your browser the next time you visit the website. There are two basic types of cookies:

  • Temporary cookies: These cookies, also called session cookies, are temporarily stored on your computer or terminal device during your visit to our website and then deleted.
  • Persistent cookies: These cookies remain on your computer for a longer period of time.

 

In general, Miele uses various Internet technologies (e.g. cookies, Java-Script) to make it easier for you to use the Miele Internet applications and to optimise them. This means these technologies may be used for the following purposes:

  • To identify you when you log in to our web shop and to ensure that valid security standards, optimized for you, are observed. 
  • To help us remember products that you have added to your shopping cart or notepad. 
  • To show you the quantity of products you have added to your shopping cart or notepad on the website. 
  • To remind us of your chosen language during the session, so that you can navigate our pages more easily.
  • To analyse data, such as the evaluation of the number of visitors to our website or the most frequently visited websites. We use the analysis results for the purpose of optimizing our website. 
  • For the purpose of retargeting/remarketing and for the placement of online advertisements.

 

By changing the cookie settings of your Internet browser, you can deactivate or restrict the transmission of cookies. You can delete already stored cookies at any time. Further browser specific information on how to delete cookies can be found here: 

 

Please note, however, that if you deactivate cookies, not all features of the website may operate as intended. In the menu of most browsers you will find setting options for the use of cookies. Typically, a browser has the following setting options: 

  • View cookies, 
  • Allow cookies, 
  • Disable all or certain cookies, 
  • Disable all cookies when closing the browser, 
  • Blocking cookies, 
  • Notify when a cookie is to be set, 
  • Objection to tracking web analysis (opt-out). 

When you visit our website, a banner informs you about the use of cookies and asks for your consent to cookies requiring consent. You can withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future, by changing the settings at the top of this policy. 

To the extent any personal data is collected through cookies, our Privacy Policyapplies and complements this Cookie Policy.

 

2. Technically necessary cookies (essential cookies) 

Essential cookies are required for navigation of the websites and for the use of their functions, such as access to the registration part of the website or the use of our chat tool. Without these cookies certain functions of the website are not possible. 

The legal basis for the processing of personal data using technically necessary cookies is legitimate interests under Article 6(1)(f) GDPR. These legitimate interests are our carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network and/or of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by you. The data collected by technically necessary cookies is not used to create user profiles. 

Essential cookies cannot be deactivated. The essential cookies we use are generally so-called session cookies, which are generally automatically deleted after the browser session has ended. 

Some essential cookies are provided and/or accessed by third parties. Details of the third parties and their tools that we use essential cookies for are explained below.

 

2.1 Google

On our website we use various essential cookies provided and/or used by Google Ireland Limited ("Google"), a company incorporated and regulated under Irish law (registration number: 368047) with its registered office at Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland ("Google").

 

Google Tag Manager

Google Tag Manager is a tag management system (TMS) that allows websites to quickly and easily update measurement codes and related code fragments collectively known as tags on their websites or mobile apps. Once the small segment of Tag Manager code has been added to a project, the website can safely and easily deploy analytics and measurement tag configurations from a web-based user interface.

 

2.2 Further details 

Further details about each of the individual essential cookies we use can be found in the following table:

 

Name

Third Party

Purpose

Retention Period

 

NID

 

 


Google

 

 

 

Google Tag Manager (further explanation above)  

 

6 months

gtm_auth

 


Session

 

gtm_debug

gtm_preview

 

3. Analysis and Marketing cookies

In addition, we use cookies on our website for the following purposes::

1. An analysis of your usage behavior ('Analysis purposes'). 

2. Retargeting/remarketing and the placement of online advertisements ('Marketing purposes').

We have classified these cookies as both Analysis and Marketing cookies as they may be used for both purposes rather than just Analysis or Marketing.

The legal basis for the placing of these cookies and the processing of personal data from them is consent under Article 6(1)(a) GDPR. You can revoke your consent at any time with effect for the future, by managing your settings at the very top of this Policy.

 

3.1 Analysis Purposes

For analysis purposes we collect and store the following data:

  • Frequency of page visits
  • Search Keywords
  • Use of website functions

The processing of data from cookies for analysis purposes enables us to improve the quality of our website and its content.

Your data collected by means of the cookies is pseudonymised, so that it is no longer possible to assign the data to the respective user without additional data.

 

3.2 Marketing Purposes

Marketing purposes (often also called retargeting or remarketing) refers to technologies that allow users who have previously visited a certain website to see suitable advertisements even after they have left the website. For this purpose, it is necessary to recognize Internet users beyond their own website, for which cookies from the corresponding service providers are used. In addition, the previous usage behaviour is taken into account. For example, if a user looks at certain products, these or similar products can later be displayed as advertisements on other websites. These are personalised advertisements that are adapted to the needs of individual users. For this personalised advertising, it is not necessary for the user to be identified beyond recognition. The data used for retargeting or remarketing is therefore not merged with other data.

Marketing cookies may also track user engagement with the ads ultimately shown. This is in order to avoid unwanted duplicate advertising and to track the amount of times ads result in some form of ad conversion (e.g. an ad being clicked on or an actual sale).

We use such technologies for the placement of online advertisements. For the placement of the advertisements we use third party providers. Details of the third parties (and their tools) who provide and/or access cookies for marketing purposes are explained below.

 

3.3 Third Parties

The cookies that are used for analysis and/or marketing purposes are provided and/or accessed by third parties. Further details are below about the third parties whose cookies we use for analysis and/or marketing purposes and who may have access to data from cookies used for analysis and/or marketing purposes.

 

3.4 Google

On our website we use various cookies for analysis and/or marketing purposes that are provided and/or used by Google Ireland Limited ("Google"), a company incorporated and regulated under Irish law (registration number: 368047) with its registered office at Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland ("Google"). Further information about these Google Services can be found below and at https://www.google.com/privacy/ads/.

3.4.1 Google Analytics

Our website uses Google Analytics to design and improve the website in line with demand. Google Analytics uses so-called cookies, which are stored on your end device and which enable an analysis of your use of the website. The information generated by the cookie is usually transferred to a Google server in the USA and stored there. On this website, we use the extension of IP masking (so-called IP masking), i.e. your IP address is shortened by Google within member states of the European Union or in other contracting states of the Agreement on the European Economic Area before being transferred to, and stored in, the USA. Only in exceptional cases will the full IP address be transferred to a Google server in the USA and shortened there.

On behalf of the operator of this website, Google will use this information to evaluate your use of the website, to compile reports on the website activities and to provide further services to the website operator in connection with the use of the website and the Internet.

If you are a Google account holder and have consented to the personalization of advertising ("Ads Personalization") then Google's services also include reports on the effectiveness of our advertising measures (including cross-device reports), demographics and the interests of our users, as well as functions for cross-device delivery of online advertising. In this case, the legal basis for data processing is your consent to Google (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR).

You can object to the collection or evaluation of your data by Google Analytics by downloading and installing the browser plugin available at the following link: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

The data sent by us and linked to cookies, user IDs or advertising IDs are automatically deleted after 14 months.


3.4.2 Google Optimize

Google Optimize is an A/B testing tool provided by Google. Optimize enables us to experiment with different ways of delivering your content. For this purpose, Optimize utilizes cookies to target content variants to a user and a content experiment cookie to determine a user’s participation in an experiment. Furthermore, Optimize can map user activities to specific Google Ads in order to evaluate marketing campaigns.

For more information about Google Optimize, please visit https://support.google.com/optimize/answer/6292487?hl=en

 

3.4.3 Google Remarketing function

Google's remarketing function allows us to serve ads to our users on other sites within the Google Ads network (called "Google ads" or ads on other sites) based on their interests. To this end, we analyse user interaction on our website in order to be able to display targeted advertising to users on other sites even after they have visited our website. For this purpose, Google stores a number in the browsers of users who visit certain Google services or websites in the Google display network. This number, known as a "cookie," is used to track the visits of these users. This number is used to uniquely identify a web browser on a particular computer, not to identify an individual, and no personal data is stored.

You can deactivate the use of cookies by Google by installing the plug-in provided under the following link: www.google.com/settings/ads/plugin.


3.4.4 Google Conversion Tracking

We also use Google's conversion tracking in this context. When you click on an ad placed by Google, a 30-day conversion tracking cookie is placed on your device. This cookie is not used for personal identification. The information collected using the conversion cookie is used to compile conversion statistics for Google Ads customers.

You can disable interest-based Google ads on Google in your browser by clicking the "Off" button at https://adssettings.google.de/authenticated or by opting out at http://www.aboutads.info/choices/.

3.4.5 Other Google Marketing Platform services (Google Campaign Manager 360)

Our website also uses other services of the Google Marketing Platform (formerly "Google Doubleclick"). These services use cookies to deliver ads that are relevant to users, to improve campaign performance reports, or to prevent a user from receiving ads more than once.

Google uses a cookie ID to determine which ads are served in which browser and can thus prevent them from being shown more than once. Google may also use cookie IDs to track conversions, which is whether a user sees an ad and later visits the advertiser's website to make a purchase. These cookies contain no personal information.

Your browser automatically establishes a direct connection with the Google server. According to Google, the integration of these services provides Google with the information that you have viewed the corresponding part of our website or clicked on an advertisement from us. If you are registered with a Google service, Google can assign the visit to your user account. Even if you are not registered with Google or have not logged in, it is possible that the provider will find out your IP address and save it.

In addition, cookies enable us to understand whether you perform certain actions on our website after you have viewed or clicked on one of our ads on Google or on another platform (conversion tracking) ("floodlight"). Google uses this cookie to understand the content that you have interacted with on our sites so that we can later send you targeted advertising.

You can prevent tracking by changing your browser software settings (e.g., disabling third party cookies), disabling conversion tracking cookies by blocking cookies from the http://www.google.com/settings/ads/ domain in your browser settings, with respect to interest-based ads from providers that are part of the About Ads self-regulatory campaign, by clicking on the http://www.aboutads.info/choices link or by clicking on the www.googleadservices.com link. We would like to point out that in this case you may not be able to use all functions of the website to their full extent.

Further information about the Google Marketing Platform is available at https://marketingplatform.google.com/. You can also find further information at the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) at http://www.networkadvertising.org/.

 

3.5 Facebook Analytics and/or Marketing

On our website we use marketing cookie(s) provided and/or used by Facebook Ireland Ltd. (“Facebook”), 4 Grand Canal Square, Grand Canal Harbour, Dublin 2, Ireland.

Facebook cookies are used if you have a Facebook account, use the Facebook Products, including the Facebook website and apps, or visit other websites and apps that use the Facebook Products (including the Like button or other Facebook Technologies). The Facebook cookies allow us to track your activities on our website in order analyse the effectiveness of our conversion funnel and to regularly improve our website and marketing activities. Furthermore, the Facebook cookies allow us to use the “Custom Audiences” remarketing feature of Facebook. This allows users of the website to be shown interest-based advertisements ("Facebook Ads") as part of their visit to the social network Facebook or other websites that also use the process.

In addition, the Facebook cookies enable Facebook to offer the Facebook Products to you and to understand the information they receive about you, including information about your use of other websites and apps, whether or not you are registered or logged in.

The Facebook cookies receives the following types of data: Http Headers, Pixel specific Data, Button Click Data, Optional Values and Form Field Names. Further information about Facebook's cookies can be found here.

3.6 Microsoft Analytics and/or Marketing

On our website we use various cookies for analysis and/or marketing purposes that are provided and/or used by Microsoft. Further information about Microsofts use of cookies can be found here.

 

3.7 Further Details

You can deactivate cookies used for analysis and marketing purposes by changing your settings at the top of this policy. Further details about all of the individual cookies used for analysis and marketing purposes can be found in the following table:

Name

Third Party

Purpose

Retention Period

 

_ga

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Google, Media Agency, Carat Media

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

Google Analytics, Google Marketing Platform and/or Google Ads

 

2 years

_gid

 

24 hours

 

_gat

1 minute

 

 

AMP_Token

 

30 seconds to 1 year

 

 

_gac_<UA-46987841-1>

90 days

_gcl_au

90 days

_gac_UA-46987841-1

Persistent

_gcl_aw

Persistent

_sm_au_c

Persistent

_dc_gtm_UA-46987841-1

Persistent

_fbp

Facebook

 

 

 

cookie is used to  identify browsers for the purposes of providing advertising and site analytics

90 days

fr

cookie is used to deliver, measure and improve the relevancy of Facebook Ads

90 days

wd

cookie is used to deliver an optimal experience for your device’s screen

7 days

datr

cookie is used to identify the web browser being used to connect to Facebook independent of the logged in user

2 years

_fbq

 

Facebook, Media Agencies

Facebook Analytics and/or Marketing

Persistent

_fbc

Minimum 90 days

_fbp

Minimum 3 months

_uetmsclkid

Microsoft, Media Agencies

Microsoft Analytics and/or Marketing

 

90 days

_gaexp

Google

Used to determine a user’s inclusion in an experiment and the expiry of experiments a user has been included in

90 days

_opt_awcid

Google

Used for campaigns mapped to Google Ads Customer IDs

24 hours

_opt_awmid

Used for campaigns mapped to Google Ads Customer IDs

24 hours

_opt_awgid

Used for campaigns mapped to Google Ads Customer IDs

24 hours

_opt_awkid

Used for campaigns mapped to Google Ads Customer IDs

24 hours

_opt_utmc

Used for campaigns mapped to Google Ads Customer IDs

24 hours

Doubleclick_spotlight

Google

Tags for analyzing advertising and learning which ads, campaigns or products generate the best sales.

540 days

Doubleclick

 

540 days

 

5. Changes to this Cookie Policy

We may change this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes to the cookies we use or for other operational, legal or regulatory reasons. Please therefore re-visit this Cookie Policy regularly to stay informed about our use of cookies and related technologies. You can see when this Cookie Policy was last updated by checking the “last updated” date displayed at the top of this Cookie Policy.

 

6. To get further information

If you have any questions or comments about this Cookie Policy, contact us at info@miele.com.hk.