Privacy Policy
This privacy policy explains how Wise Ranker ("we", "us", "our") collects, uses, and protects your personal data when you use our website and services. We are committed to handling your data responsibly and in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR).
Data controller: Wise Ranker, contactable at hello@wiseranker.co.uk
ICO Registration: Not required — we process personal data only for the purposes listed below. Please confirm with a legal professional that this exemption applies to your specific circumstances.
What data we collect
We collect the following personal data:
- Email address — provided when you make a purchase via Stripe, used to deliver your report.
- Website URL — provided after purchase, used to run your audit.
- Payment information — processed by Stripe. We do not store card details; Stripe handles all payment data under their own privacy policy.
- Analytics data — if you accept cookies, Google Analytics 4 collects anonymised usage data including pages visited, time on site, and general location (country/region). This is only collected with your explicit consent.
Why we collect it and our legal basis
- To deliver your report — we process your email address and website URL to perform the service you have purchased. Legal basis: performance of a contract.
- To process payment — Stripe processes payment on our behalf. Legal basis: performance of a contract.
- To understand how our site is used — Google Analytics helps us improve the site. Legal basis: consent. You can withdraw consent at any time by clearing your browser's local storage for this site.
Lawful bases for processing
Under UK GDPR we are required to identify a specific lawful basis for each processing activity. The table below sets out each activity and the basis on which we rely.
| Processing activity | Lawful basis |
|---|---|
| Processing your order and payment | Performance of a contract Article 6(1)(b) UK GDPR |
| Delivering the audit report by email | Performance of a contract Article 6(1)(b) UK GDPR |
| Website analytics (Google Analytics 4) | Consent Article 6(1)(a) UK GDPR — only where you have accepted cookies |
| Responding to enquiries sent to us directly | Legitimate interests Article 6(1)(f) UK GDPR — our legitimate interest in responding to people who contact us |
| Maintaining transaction records for tax and accounting purposes | Legal obligation Article 6(1)(c) UK GDPR — HMRC record-keeping requirements |
| Infrastructure security cookies (Cloudflare) | Legitimate interests Article 6(1)(f) UK GDPR — exempt from consent under PECR as strictly necessary for security |
Data retention
We retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purpose it was collected, or as required by law. The schedule below sets out specific retention periods for each category of data we hold.
| Data category | Retention period | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Order and payment records | 6 years | Legal obligation — HMRC tax and accounting requirements |
| Email address (used to deliver your report) | 30 days after delivery, then deleted | Service fulfilment |
| Website URL (submitted for audit) | 30 days after report delivery, then deleted | Service fulfilment |
| Analytics data (Google Analytics 4) | 26 months | Website improvement and traffic analysis |
| Report delivery records | 3 years | Service delivery records and refund period coverage |
| Customer enquiry emails | 2 years from last contact | Customer service follow-up |
Third parties we share data with
- Stripe — payment processing. Data is shared only to the extent necessary to process your payment. See Stripe's privacy policy.
- Google Analytics — website analytics, only if you have given consent. See Google's privacy policy.
We do not sell your personal data to any third party.
International data transfers
Some of the third parties listed above are based outside the United Kingdom and process personal data in the United States:
- Google LLC (Google Analytics 4) — personal data, including analytics data you consent to, is transferred to Google LLC in the United States. This transfer is safeguarded by the UK Addendum to the EU Commission Standard Contractual Clauses (as contemplated by Article 46(2)(c) UK GDPR), which Google incorporates into its Data Processing Addendum.
- Stripe, Inc. (payment processing) — payment data is processed by Stripe, Inc. in the United States. This transfer is safeguarded by the UK Addendum to the EU Commission Standard Contractual Clauses (Article 46(2)(c) UK GDPR), as set out in Stripe's Data Processing Agreement.
In each case we have conducted a transfer risk assessment (TRA) and verified that appropriate Article 46 safeguards are in place before transferring personal data outside the UK. Copies of the relevant transfer mechanisms are available on request at hello@wiseranker.co.uk.
Cookies
We use two categories of cookies:
- Strictly necessary cookies (Cloudflare) — set automatically by our hosting provider, Cloudflare, for security and bot protection (
__cf_bmand related cookies). These are essential for the site to operate securely and are set at the infrastructure level before your cookie preference is applied. They do not track you for analytics or marketing purposes and are exempt from consent requirements under PECR. - Analytics cookies (Google Analytics 4) — only set if you click "Accept cookies" on our cookie banner. These help us understand how visitors use the site. You can decline these and the site will work identically.
Our cookie consent banner exists to comply with PECR, which requires your consent before non-essential cookies are set. Your analytics cookie choice is stored in your browser's local storage. You can change your preference at any time by clearing your browser data for this site.
Your data protection rights
Under UK GDPR you have the following rights:
- Right of access — you can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- Right to rectification — you can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
- Right to erasure — you can ask us to delete your personal data where there is no compelling reason to continue processing it.
- Right to restrict processing — you can ask us to pause processing of your data in certain circumstances.
- Right to data portability — you can request your data in a structured, machine-readable format to transfer to another service.
- Right to object — you can object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes.
- Rights related to automated decision-making and profiling — you have the right not to be subject to decisions made solely by automated processing that significantly affect you. We do not carry out such processing.
- Right to withdraw consent — where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at hello@wiseranker.co.uk. We will respond within one month.
Complaints
If you believe we have handled your data incorrectly, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK's data protection authority, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO): ico.org.uk.
Changes to this policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. The date at the top of this page will reflect the most recent revision. Continued use of the service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact
For any privacy-related questions: hello@wiseranker.co.uk