We don’t use a lock and key for starters. But all Boden online purchases are safe and secure thanks to sophisticated technology designed to protect everything you’re kind enough to share with us.

Our IT team cleverly encrypt your credit card information before it travels over the internet, ensuring your transactions with us are private and protected. In addition, we only accept orders from web browsers that allow communication through SSL technology (that’s Secure Socket Layer), meaning you won’t inadvertently place an order through a dodgy connection. Most web browsers support this security.

This is serious stuff, so your payment details stay encrypted until we process your order and, when we do that, it’s on computers that aren’t connected to the internet (yes, they do exist). This encryption makes it virtually impossible for anyone without permission to read the information you’ve given us. We believe you deserve the best, whether that’s clothes, customer service or internet security, so the encryption technique we use is the highest standard available for e-commerce and certified by VeriSign, the world’s most respected certification body for internet firms. Think of it as a safe with a combination that no one is likely to work out. We know it’s a complicated business so, if you do have any more burning questions about our credit card security policies, feel free to drop us a line on 0330 333 0000 and we’ll be happy to talk them through with you.

If you want to wear Boden but shopping online still brings you out in a nervous sweat, there’s the option of ordering on the good, old-fashioned telephone. Our team are always extremely friendly and you can place an order on 0330 333 0000 any time from Monday to Saturday 8am-10pm or on Sunday 10am-6pm.

The information we collect via our website or through other correspondence makes shopping with Boden an easier/happier/more stylish experience. We promise that your details will only be used for:

• Dealing with the boring nitty-gritty of orders and accounts, which help the supply of our goods and services.
• Planning and managing Boden’s business activities – and what we do next. How can we continue to go beyond your expectations? By getting to know you better. We do this by analysing your shopping habits and preferences.
• Research (we love an Excel document).
• Giving YOU the information you need about the products and services we offer. It’s crucial, for example, to know if those petite Richmonds are going to fit.
• Keeping you up to date about offers from other companies that might interest you – although you can ask us not to do this.
• Beautiful clothes don’t grow on trees and we need to get paid for the products we provide. We may make enquiries about you, including searching the records held on you by organisations such as Equifax and credit reference agencies. It goes without saying that, where we do use or disclose your information, it will remain secure and in good hands.

We never pass on credit card details to anyone, because that would just be crazy. In fact, we can count on one hand the circumstances where we may share some of your data with others.

1. With agents (think credit card reference agencies, credit card clearing agencies – Barclays Merchant Services in the UK and Payment Tech in the USA – and fraud prevention and detection agencies). We use these very reliable, very trustworthy companies to process the orders you place with us or help us in the services we provide to you. We couldn’t do what we do without them but, even so, we only give them the information they need to get the job done.
2. In the unlikely event that our business assets are sold or purchased by another company, our data records will be sold too as part of our business.
3. We care what you think so we sometimes ask outside research companies to contact you directly for opinions on our products and services (again, we’ll only give them the information they need to get this done).
4. We work with Epsilon Abacus (registered as Epsilon International UK Ltd), Sub2, Experian and Data Locator Group that manage prospect pools on behalf of UK retailers. This members-only club includes shops active in the clothing, collectables, food and wine, gardening, gadgets and entertainment, health and beauty, household goods, and home interiors categories. As we’re all among friends, we share information on what our customers buy and this information is analysed to help us understand your buying patterns. This helps us plan what we send you, based on what you like to buy, whether it’s a reminder to stock up on shorts in May or 20% off partywear in November (because we know you like to sparkle over Christmas). We won’t be offended if you don’t want us to hold this information about you. You can change your preferences at any time by updating them here or by emailing mailingoptout@boden.co.uk with your account number (found above your address on you latest catalogue).

The internet is called the ‘world wide web’ for a reason and, despite not having a passport, your data can travel internationally to places inside and outside the European Union. We like to be straight with you, so we want you to know that when you visit or shop with Boden, you’re not objecting to us processing data in this way. We’ll be careful with it, we promise.