Privacy Policy

Template note: seek legal review before relying on this document.

Last updated: 8 July 2026

This privacy policy explains how SellMacBooks collects, uses and protects your personal data when you use sellmacbooks.co.uk, request a quote, or sell a device to us. We are committed to handling your data lawfully, transparently and securely, in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who we are (data controller)

The data controller responsible for your personal data is SellMacBooks. If you have any questions about this policy or how we handle your data, contact us at info@sellmacbooks.co.uk.

2. What we collect and why

We only collect the personal data we need to give you a quote, buy your device and pay you. Specifically:

Quote form details — your name, email address, phone number, postcode and the details of the device you want to sell. Lawful basis: taking steps at your request before entering into a contract (Article 6(1)(b) UK GDPR).
Contact form messages — your name, email address and the content of your message. Lawful basis: our legitimate interest in responding to enquiries (Article 6(1)(f)).
Quote photos and serial numbers — the value checker lets you add up to four photos of your Mac and your Mac's serial number. Both are optional. Photos are resized inside your browser before they are sent, which removes the EXIF metadata a camera adds — including GPS coordinates — so we receive the picture only, never where it was taken. Lawful basis: taking steps at your request before entering into a contract (Article 6(1)(b)).
Transaction details — if you sell to us, we collect your bank details to pay you, plus a record of the device purchased. Lawful bases: performance of our contract with you (Article 6(1)(b)) and compliance with our legal obligations, including accounting and record-keeping rules (Article 6(1)(c)).
Correspondence — emails we exchange with you about your quote, shipment, inspection or payment. Lawful basis: performance of our contract (Article 6(1)(b)).

Quote photos and serial numbers are used for one purpose: pricing and identifying the Mac you want to sell. They are delivered to our quoting team as attachments and text inside the quote email sent through Resend, our transactional email provider, and are held in that mailbox. They are not published, not used for marketing and not shared with anyone outside the quoting and inspection process. A serial number is checked by hand against Apple's records to confirm the model — nothing is decoded automatically, and a serial on its own does not identify you.

Photos attached to a quote that does not proceed are deleted along with the rest of that quote request (see section 5). Where a sale completes, the serial number forms part of the purchase record we are required to keep. Photos are held only for as long as they are needed to quote, inspect and settle your sale, and are deleted from the quotes mailbox once the sale is complete or the quote lapses.

We do not use your data for automated decision-making or profiling, and we never sell your personal data to third parties. The live price range shown by the value checker is an indicative calculation from the published price list, not a decision about you.

3. Cookies and analytics

We do not use cookies for tracking or advertising. Our website analytics are provided by Plausible Analytics, a privacy-first, cookieless service that does not collect personal data, does not use cookies and does not track you across websites. Because no personal data is collected and no cookies are set, no consent banner is required.

4. Who we share your data with (processors)

We use a small number of trusted service providers who process data on our behalf under contract:

Resend — our transactional email provider, used to send quote emails, shipping labels and updates about your sale.
Plausible Analytics — cookieless, aggregate website analytics (no personal data collected).
Our courier and hosting providers — to arrange insured shipping of your device and to operate this website.

We may also disclose personal data where we are legally required to do so, for example to law enforcement in connection with a suspected stolen device, or to our professional advisers where necessary.

5. How long we keep your data

Quote requests that don't proceed — deleted within 12 months of your quote expiring, including any photos and serial number you attached.
Contact form enquiries — deleted within 12 months of the enquiry being resolved.
Completed purchase records (including payment details and device serial numbers) — kept for 6 years after the end of the financial year of the transaction, as required for tax, accounting and fraud-prevention purposes.

6. Data on devices we buy

When we purchase your MacBook or Mac, any personal data remaining on the device is securely and permanently erased in accordance with the NIST Special Publication 800-88 media sanitisation guidelines before the device is resold, refurbished or recycled. We do not access, copy or retain any files, photos, accounts or other content stored on your device. We still strongly recommend that you sign out of iCloud, disable Find My, and erase your device yourself before posting it to us.

7. Your rights under UK GDPR

You have the following rights over your personal data:

Right of access — request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification — ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure — ask us to delete your data where we no longer need it.
Right to restrict processing — ask us to limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
Right to data portability — receive the data you gave us in a structured, machine-readable format.
Right to object — object to processing based on our legitimate interests.
Right to withdraw consent — where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, email info@sellmacbooks.co.uk. We will respond within one month. Exercising your rights is free of charge in almost all cases.

8. Complaints to the ICO

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's data protection regulator, at ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint or by calling 0303 123 1113. We would appreciate the chance to resolve your concern first, so please contact us before going to the ICO if you can.

9. Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data, including encrypted connections (HTTPS) across the whole site, access controls limiting who can view your data, and the secure erasure procedures described above for purchased devices. No system is completely secure, but we work to keep the data we hold to a minimum and protect what we do hold.

10. Children

Our service is not aimed at children. You must be at least 18 years old (or have the involvement of a parent or guardian) to sell a device to us, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 18. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, contact us and we will delete it.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time, for example if we change service providers or the law changes. The latest version will always be published on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. If we make significant changes that affect how we use data you have already given us, we will take reasonable steps to bring them to your attention.

12. Contact us

Questions about this policy or your personal data should be sent by email to info@sellmacbooks.co.uk.