Privacy policy
Last updated: 21 October 2026
Controller
Gundula Brötz, Volakota Paws & Home, Richard-Wagner-Straße 3, 61250 Usingen, Germany.
Email: contact@volakota.de · Phone: +49 176 73200261.
This notice covers our website and communications while we develop our first collection.
Website services
We use Shopify to operate our website. Our service provider is Shopify International Limited, The Sidings, 4th Floor, Grand Canal Quay, Dublin D02 E7K8, Ireland. Shopify processes technical access and usage information, such as IP address, device and browser details, pages visited and settings selected. This enables the website to function and helps secure it. Our basis for necessary processing is our legitimate interest in a secure, functional website under Article 6(1)(f) GDPR.
Shopify acts as a processor for website services and as a controller for certain additional services. Further information: Shopify Data Processing Addendum and Shopify Consumer Privacy Policy.
Contacting us
When you contact us by email, phone or form, we process your contact details, message and information needed to transmit it to respond to your enquiry. Where your enquiry concerns a contract with you or pre-contractual steps you request, the basis is Article 6(1)(b) GDPR. For other enquiries, the basis is Article 6(1)(f) GDPR, reflecting our legitimate interest in responding. Contacting us is voluntary. We need a way to reach you to reply; without it, we cannot respond to you directly.
Shopify provides the contact form. Our business email provider is netcup GmbH, Emmy-Noether-Straße 10, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany. A data processing agreement is in place with Netcup.
Optional customer accounts
If you use a customer account, Shopify processes your email address and profile information for sign-in and account management. You can sign in with a one-time code sent by email or through Shop. Signing in with an email address not yet associated with a customer profile creates a profile. The basis for providing the account function you request is Article 6(1)(b) GDPR. Shopify's own processing through Shop is also described in its Consumer Privacy Policy.
Cookies and your choices
The website uses cookies and similar technologies for its functions and, depending on your choices, for personalization, analytics and marketing. Non-essential access to your device requires consent under section 25(1) TDDDG; associated personal data processing relies on Article 6(1)(a) GDPR. Section 25(2) TDDDG provides the exception for strictly necessary functions.
You can reject optional purposes or select your preferences. Use Cookie preferences in the footer to reopen and change your selection. Withdrawal applies to future processing and does not affect the lawfulness of earlier processing. Shopify describes its technologies, purposes and durations in its merchant storefront cookie overview. Their use depends on the functions you use and your choices.
Additional Shopify services
Shopify Network Intelligence is enabled. Shopify may combine information from your interactions with our website, other merchants and Shopify to provide additional services such as personalization, improvements and advertising. Shopify is a controller for this processing. Information is shared with Shopify and, where applicable, other service providers; processing may take place outside your country. Where consent is required, this use depends on your choices. Further information and rights: Shopify Consumer Privacy Policy and Shopify privacy portal.
Processing outside the EEA
Shopify may process data outside the European Economic Area. For relevant transfers as a processor, Appendix C of its Data Processing Addendum describes binding corporate rules and, where applicable, standard contractual clauses. An EU hosting location does not mean all processing takes place exclusively within the EU.
Retention
Retention depends on the type of data and its purpose. Shopify cookie durations are described in the provider overview linked above. That overview is not a complete inventory of the technologies used during every visit.
For enquiries, retention depends on whether the matter is resolved, further correspondence is needed, or legal obligations or legal claims require continued retention. Customer profile data is kept to provide and manage the account you request. When the account function is no longer needed or you ask for erasure, we assess which data can be erased and which data is still needed to meet legal obligations or establish, exercise or defend legal claims. Signing out ends the relevant sign-in session; it does not automatically erase the customer profile. You can request erasure at contact@volakota.de.
Information about your cookie choices is used to respect your preferences and document required consent. Continued retention depends on those purposes and applicable evidence requirements. Withdrawal stops future processing based on that consent; it does not automatically erase necessary records.
For processing for which Shopify is a controller, Shopify determines retention using the criteria in section 7 of its Consumer Privacy Policy. These include the duration of service use, changes or erasure within accounts, and necessary legal and security purposes. These criteria are distinct from individual cookie lifetimes and the storage of our business emails.
Your rights
Subject to the legal conditions, you may request access, rectification, erasure, restriction and portability under Articles 15–20 GDPR. You can withdraw consent for future processing under Article 7(3) GDPR.
You may object to processing based on legitimate interests on grounds relating to your particular situation. You may object to processing for direct marketing at any time under Article 21 GDPR. Please contact contact@volakota.de.
You may complain to a supervisory authority under Article 77 GDPR, particularly where you live, work or believe an infringement occurred. The Hessian Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information is one contact for our business.