GTC

Status: March 2023

Version:1.4

1. Scope of application

The General Terms and Conditions (hereinafter referred to as "GTC") apply to all legal transactions concluded via the online store www.dievase.ch. The online store is operated by Silveralp Trade GmbH (hereinafter referred to as "Silveralp").

Silveralp reserves the right to change these GTC at any time. The version of these GTC applicable at the time of the order is authoritative and cannot be changed unilaterally for this order. Any terms and conditions of the customer that conflict with or deviate from these GTC shall not be recognized.

The offer of products and services in the online store (hereinafter referred to as "offer") is aimed exclusively at customers with their place of residence or registered office in Switzerland or Liechtenstein.

Deliveries are made exclusively to addresses in Switzerland or Liechtenstein. Deliveries outside Switzerland and Liechtenstein are only made on request and the additional costs are covered by the recipient.

The offer is valid as long as the product can be found via the search engine in the online store and/or stocks last.

Orders in quantities not customary for households may be refused without justification or additional charges may be levied.

2. Product information

2.1 Product and price

2.1.1 Product and cleaning

Images of products in advertising, brochures, online store etc. are for illustrative purposes only and are non-binding.

The product images have not been retouched using Photoshop or other programs. However, it is difficult to reproduce the true colors of a product. Please also note that color reproduction may vary depending on the screen.

Accessories and decorative items shown in product images or the majority of items are not part of the product range unless they are expressly included and/or described as a set. Therefore, it is one item - one piece.

These are almost exclusively handmade, hand-glazed and hand-painted products, unique items. Slight differences within the product (compared to the presented photo), such as color, drawing or figure expression are possible. Such as small natural discolorations, bubbles or structural changes, glaze structure differences, color contours can occur and are part of handwork. We do not strive for machine perfection of the article.

The ceramic vases, decorative vases, porcelain vases are generally only suitable for dry arrangements or artificial flowers, unless explicitly mentioned in the product description "suitable for cut flowers" or "for water".

Room fragrances/ fragrance diffusers/ scented candles - Place the sticks in the liquid - more sticks used, more intensity - then turn the sticks weekly and use a paper towel to hold the sticks. Avoid direct skin or eye contact with the fragrance liquid. Keep out of reach of children and animals.

The products contain natural flowers and plant substances/oils and may therefore cause allergic skin or eye reactions. In case of contact with eyes, rinse carefully with water for a few minutes. Remove contact lenses. If skin rash occurs, seek medical advice; if eye irritation persists, seek medical advice. Dispose of product in an approved waste disposal facility.

The information on products in the online store is compiled as customer-friendly as possible, but is not binding. The information provided by the manufacturer (e.g. manufacturer's guarantee) is authoritative, provided it is valid in Switzerland.

Note on cleaning:

Ceramic, fine ceramic and porcelain products - Dab with a dry or very slightly damp cloth/ feather/dust magnet cloth without detergent, without water. Not suitable for dishwasher cleaning. Products only suitable for dry decoration. Not weatherproof, only suitable for indoor decoration.

Crystal products - If not explicitly mentioned in the product description, the crystal products should be wiped with a damp cloth or rinsed under lukewarm water without detergent or only with very gentle detergents intended for crystals, are not suitable for dishwasher cleaning. The crystal products are not suitable for hot/boiling water/hot tea. We advise against the use of acidic agents and lemon juice for crystal cleaning. You can find more information on cleaning and using crystal/glass products at: https://dievase.ch/de/rechtliches/kristall-glas-pflege-und-verwendung

Crystal and glass products from the tableware category (water glasses, wine glasses, etc.) are suitable for dishwasher cleaning but with a glass program (low temperature program/"hand wash program" of max. 40°C). This is mentioned in the product description. The dishwasher detergents must be suitable for the glass/crystal in question. Further information on cleaning and using crystal/glass products can be found at: https://dievase.ch/de/rechtliches/kristall-glas-pflege-und-verwendung

Metal products - Dab with a dry or slightly damp cloth/ feather/dust magnet cloth without detergent. Not suitable for dishwasher cleaning. Metal vases are only suitable for dry arrangements or artificial flowers and only as interior decoration.

Synthetic resin, polyester resin and the like - Dab with a dry or only slightly damp cloth/ feather/dust magnet cloth without detergent. Not suitable for dishwasher cleaning. Vases made of these materials are only suitable for dry arrangements or artificial flowers. Not weatherproof, to be used as indoor decoration.

Wooden products - Dab with a dry or slightly damp cloth/ feather/dust magnet cloth without detergent. Not suitable for dishwasher cleaning. Wooden vases suitable for dried arrangements or artificial flowers. Not completely weatherproof, to avoid discoloration and moisture we recommend to use only as an indoor decoration.

Artificial flowers/artificial rose bears, hearts etc. - Dab with a dry cloth/ feather/ dust magnet cloth without detergent, without water, not suitable for washing machine cleaning and not suitable for dishwasher cleaning. Products only suitable for indoor use, not completely weatherproof. The articles may weather and the adhesive may peel off with constant humidity and temperature changes.

Room fragrances/ scented diffusers/ scented candles - Avoid direct skin contact with the scented liquid. Keep out of reach of children and animals.

2.1.2 Price

All sales prices published in the online store for deliveries in Switzerland and Liechtenstein are final prices per unit (unless explicitly mentioned as a set), which include all taxes (in particular VAT), costs for packaging and all other possible charges, customs duties or costs. The only exception to this are the delivery costs for orders up to 40CHF or foreign orders. For deliveries up to 40CHF in Switzerland and Lichtenstein, a small quantity surcharge/postage costs of 12CHF will be added. The costs, if applicable, are shown separately in the shopping cart and on the invoice.

Silveralp reserves the right to change the prices of the products and services offered at any time. The price in the online store at the time of the order is decisive for the conclusion of the purchase contract.

Ordered additional services subject to a charge, such as delivery to the house/apartment, disposal, insurance, etc. will be invoiced separately and communicated accordingly by e-mail.

Deliveries outside Switzerland (except Lichtenstein), by arrangement, are carried out according to Incoterms 2000 DDU. The corresponding DDU delivery costs will be invoiced separately or you will immediately receive a lump sum for a foreign delivery on the order confirmation.

Invoices for deliveries abroad do not include Swiss VAT, if applicable. VAT and customs duty, if applicable, will be charged in the country of arrival.

2.2 Availability and delivery time

Silveralp attaches great importance to providing up-to-date and accurate information on availability and delivery times in the online store. However, due to production or delivery bottlenecks in particular, Silveralp may experience delays in delivery. All information on availability and delivery times is therefore without guarantee and may change at any time. In the event of delays, customers will be informed immediately.

Deliveries: Switzerland/Lichtenstein: max 2-3 working days (Mon-Fri) from receipt of payment

Deliveries abroad: Delivery time for deliveries abroad varies greatly depending on the destination, on request if the country is not already listed with us with a delivery fee.

Deliveries for products "not in stock - on request" or "not in stock, delivery time approx. 00 days": Delivery time is described directly in the article, if the time is delayed due to the current production capacity utilization or factory vacations, will be communicated separately to the customer. The delivery time only applies from receipt of payment.

2.3 Additional services: Delivery to the house/apartment and disposal (chargeable - additional service)

Delivery to the house/apartment includes the entry, unpacking and return of the packaging material.

Disposal includes the acceptance and environmentally friendly disposal of the items indicated by the customer when placing the order. These must correspond approximately in type and quantity to the product ordered. The items to be disposed of must be provided by the customer in a manner suitable for transportation and on the agreed delivery date of the ordered products.

The costs for delivery to the house/apartment and disposal will be communicated separately and shown separately on the invoice.

This service must be registered at info@dievase.ch.

3. Conclusion of contract

The products and prices in the online store are deemed to be an offer. However, this offer is always subject to the condition that the contract is dissolved if delivery is not possible or if the price is incorrect.

The purchase contract for Silveralp products or services is concluded as soon as the customer places an order in the online store, by telephone or e-mail (hereinafter referred to as the "purchase contract").

The customer can see this in the online store and on the invoice.

The arrival of an online order is indicated to the customer by means of an automatically generated order confirmation from Silveralp to the e-mail address provided by the customer. Receipt of the automatically generated order confirmation does not constitute a promise that the product can actually be delivered. It merely indicates to the customer that the order placed has been received by the online store and that the contract with Silveralp has been concluded on the condition that delivery is possible and the price is correct. Any delivery costs and/or additional services as well as any delays in delivery will be communicated to you by e-mail.

4. Delivery date

With the order confirmation, the customer will be informed of a provisional delivery date (postal delivery) or the customer will be contacted and an individual delivery date agreed (courier delivery).

If Silveralp is in default of delivery, the customer has the right to withdraw from the contract from the 60th calendar day after the originally announced delivery date (except in the case of special orders). (condition subsequent). In this case, Silveralp will refund the customer any amounts already paid in advance. There are no further claims against Silveralp.

5. Delivery

For Silveralp products and services, all delivery and pick-up options are available to the customer, which are noted in the online store under "Payment and shipping".

The customer's delivery address must be in Switzerland or Liechtenstein and easily accessible by truck or postal bus. If this is not the case, the customer shall bear any costs incurred.

Most deliveries are made by post (2-3 working days). The postal staff deliver the parcel to the letterbox or door. If the recipient cannot be reached, the parcel will be deposited in a protected place if possible. (letterbox/door/entrance).

Confirmation of postal delivery is considered by Silveralp Trade GmbH to be the end of the order. There is no entitlement to replacement of goods or refund of money if a parcel that has already been delivered is lost.

Where an extraordinary courier appointment has been agreed separately (particularly heavy and bulky items), the customer is responsible for ensuring that access to the place of use is possible and guaranteed. The customer must check that the product fits through the access points (e.g. stairwell, doors, etc.). If the product cannot be transported to the place of use, the customer shall bear any additional costs.

If the customer does not accept the ordered products on the agreed or indicated delivery date, Silveralp may terminate (cancel) the contract and charge the customer for the delivery costs incurred and any loss of value.

Self-collection in Sursee with "Click & Collect", the ordered items can be collected at the desired time in Sursee at "inspire" Unterstadt 5. Please note the current opening hours: https://dievase.ch/de/infos/verkaufsladen-inspire-sursee.

If you wish to collect your order outside of these times, you must send a separate e-mail to notify us and confirm the collection. Items that have not been paid for will be held in reserve for a maximum of 10 days, unless otherwise agreed. After that, the order will be automatically canceled.

"Click & Collect " gives the customer the opportunity to view the goods in the store without obligation, if the article does not meet expectations, there is no obligation to buy. "Click & Collect" gives the customer the opportunity to inspect several items on site and, if necessary, to decide on the best possible choice.

Shipping packaging:

Out of concern for the environment, we always reuse filling material/packaging material from our suppliers.

Cardboard/styrofoam/foil is reused several times and upcycled by us. Shipping carton is made from recycled cardboard. What may sometimes be "unsightly" "used" has been recycled, upcycled or reused.

6. Obligation to inspect

Customers must check delivered or collected products immediately for correctness, completeness and delivery damage.

In the case of forwarding deliveries, any delivery damage must be noted on the delivery bill.

Delivery damage, incorrect and incomplete deliveries must be reported to Silveralp via e-mail to info@dievase.ch within 5 calendar days from the time of collection or delivery.

The customer may not use such a product. They must keep it undamaged in the original packaging as received and follow the instructions given by e-mail.

7. Warranty

7.1 Basic provisions

There is no manufacturer's warranty for handmade crystal, glass, ceramic, porcelain, artificial flowers, rose bears and similar products. Silveralp accepts no responsibility.

Products of the same type may differ from one another, and the product shape, color/color tone, lines, small bubbles, various distortions may appear irregular or "imperfect" because they are handmade.

All further and, in particular, statutory warranty provisions are excluded.

7.2 Additional provisions for exhibition products

Other provisions apply to discounted products that are marked as "demonstration product", "refurbished" or "display product" in the online store. They may have slight visual defects or be refurbished products and are mentioned in the item details.

Customers are aware that they are purchasing a used product and that Silveralp accepts no liability in this regard. Returns will not be accepted for such products.

8. Liability and exclusion of liability

Liability is governed by the applicable statutory provisions. However, Silveralp shall in no event be liable for

(i) slight negligence,

(ii) indirect and consequential damages and loss of profit,

(iii) unrealized savings,

(iv) damages for delay in delivery; and

(v) any acts and omissions of Silveralp's auxiliary persons, whether contractual or non-contractual.

Silveralp shall not be liable for damages resulting from any of the following causes:

improper, non-contractual or unlawful storage, adjustment or use of the products; improper cleaning of the products; improper modification or repair of the products by the customer or a third party; force majeure, in particular damage caused by the elements, moisture, falling and impact, etc., which Silveralp is not responsible for, and official orders; untraceable parcels/goods which have been delivered confirmed at the post office (placed in front of the door/mailbox in the absence of the recipient), transport damage in the case of deliveries abroad (correct handling of the goods cannot be guaranteed abroad).

The domestic service provider commissioned with the delivery is liable for defects and damage that occur during or on delivery within Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The delivery service provider is liable for defects and damage that occur during delivery abroad.

9. Payment

9.1 Payment options

All payment claims for products and services purchased via Silveralp's online stores are made directly to the customer.

Payments must be made in Swiss francs. EUR prices/payment only on request.

Cash payment is excluded, unless otherwise agreed.

Customers can use the payment methods offered in the online store under "Payment options".

The current fees can be seen under "Payment options" and are shown in detail during the ordering process.

In the case of payment by credit card or other instant payment methods, the charge is made when an order is placed.

In the case of prepayment, delivery will only be made once payment has been received. All new customers are requested to pay in advance. The products in Silveralp's warehouse are reserved until the payment period of 10 calendar days has expired. The customer will receive a payment reminder and information about the rejection of the order if it has still not been paid in advance.

In the case of chargeable purchase on account, the customer is obliged to pay the invoice amount within 10 to 30 calendar days after receipt of the delivery at the latest without any (discount) deduction. In the event of a partial return of the delivered products, the invoice amount may be reduced accordingly. Each written reminder is subject to a charge; additional costs are shown separately on the invoice.

Deliveries for products "not in stock - order possible" will only be carried out and ordered after full payment has been made.

"Click & Collect" - payment on collection (cash, Visa, Maestro, Postkartli, EC, Twint). The items are held in reserve for 10 days. Thereafter, unless otherwise agreed, the "click & collect" order will be canceled.

9.2 Default of payment

If the customer fails to meet its payment obligations in whole or in part, all outstanding amounts owed by the customer to Silveralp under any title shall become due immediately (in the case of advance payment within 10 calendar days of the 1st reminder) and Silveralp may demand immediate payment and suspend further deliveries of products to the customer.

Silveralp charges a collection fee of CHF 10 for the 1st reminder and an additional CHF 20 for the 2nd reminder.

In the event of unsuccessful reminders:

- the invoiced amounts can be assigned to a debt collection agency. In this case, an additional effective annual interest rate of up to 15% may be charged on the invoice amount owed from the due date. The company entrusted with the collection will claim the outstanding amounts in its own name and for its own account and may charge additional processing fees.

- the debt collection company may also send a debt enforcement notice as a last opportunity to pay, together with an additional CHF 20 fee. Legal debt collection proceedings will then be initiated.

9.3 Retention of title

Ordered products remain the property of Silveralp until full payment has been made to Silveralp. Silveralp is entitled to make a corresponding entry in the retention of title register. Prior to the transfer of ownership, pledging, transfer by way of security, processing or transformation is not permitted without the express consent of Silveralp.

10. Modification of the order or cancellation (revocation)

In Switzerland, there is no legal right to withdraw from the purchase contract.

An order (purchase contract) obliges the customer to accept the products and services. Regardless of whether the order value has been paid or is still owed.

Silveralp/dieVase.ch can accept subsequent changes or cancelations of customer orders, at most within 10 days, at its own discretion*.

*A handling fee of 20% of the canceled order value, but at least CHF 60.-, as well as any loss in value of the canceled products since their order may be charged.

*Purchase on account/advance payment - unpaid amount of an order with the payment method "purchase on account/advance payment" does not release the customer from the payment obligations. Possible reminder costs may be incurred.

If a (partial) delivery impossibility (resolutory condition) occurs after an order or the conclusion of a contract in accordance with section 4 of the GTC, the customer will be informed immediately by e-mail. If the customer has already paid, this amount will be refunded. If no payment has yet been made, the customer shall be released from the obligation to pay. Further claims for late delivery or non-delivery are excluded.

11. Return policy

In Switzerland you have no legal right to exchange or return goods.

Silveralp/dieVase.ch may, at its own discretion, accept the return of flawless items in original packaging, if supplied. However, the purchase price will be refunded in shopping vouchers

The right of return exists if:

-on receipt of a completely different item than ordered

-on receipt of an item not ordered

-on receipt of an incomplete product

-if you receive an item that has been damaged in transit (only deliveries to Switzerland and Liechtenstein)

If the customer makes use of their right of return in accordance with the above-mentioned return conditions, Silveralp will refund the entire purchase price with the exception of any delivery surcharge paid. In the above-mentioned cases, Silveralp Trade GmbH will also bear the return costs. If product packaging is returned damaged, flat-rate costs for the damaged packaging up to CHF 10 will be charged.

If the items in the return shipment are returned damaged, the sender of the return shipment is liable for this and no purchase price can be refunded. (the delivery service commissioned by the sender, such as the post office, is responsible for this damage)

Unfortunately, we cannot offer returns in the following cases:

-Damage in transit for deliveries abroad (correct handling of the goods cannot be guaranteed abroad)

-if the original packaging is not present, if it was supplied.

-for opened items or items with visible traces of use for items with visible traces of cleaning

-for goods marked as "exhibition items" and "demonstration models" (any defects, if present, are described in the text)

-for goods sold in "Sale"/"Exhibition model", with reduced price. (the possible defects, if any, are described in the text)

In Switzerland you have no legal right to exchange or return.

Silveralp/dieVase.ch may, at its own discretion, accept the return of items in perfect condition in the original packaging, if supplied.

Returns may be sent back by A-Post or B-Post normal parcel service, with the exception of glass, crystal, ceramic, porcelain items ("fragile goods") where these are recommended to be returned to us with "Fragile" postal service. Our "Fragile" label does not work on its own, the additional service must be booked with Swiss Post.

Since in Switzerland you have no legal right to exchange or return. Silveralp/dieVase.ch may, at its own discretion, accept the return of items in perfect condition in the original packaging, if this is included. However, the purchase price will be refunded in shopping vouchers.

12. Repair

Repairs are excluded.

13. Further conditions

13.1 Damaged delivery in Switzerland and Liechtenstein

13.2 Delivery arrived damaged International

https://www.post.ch/de/pakete-versenden/schaden-oder-verlust

13.3 Unassignable and deliverable returns

Returns that cannot be assigned to a customer or cannot be returned to the customer will be kept by Silveralp for six months and then disposed of.

13.4 Data protection

The privacy policy under Privacy Policy is an integral part of these GTC. By accepting these GTCs, the customer also agrees to the data protection declaration.

13.5 Partial invalidity

Should individual provisions of these GTC be invalid or ineffective, this shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions and these GTC as a whole.

13.6 Place of jurisdiction and applicable law

All legal relationships between Silveralp and the customer are subject to substantive Swiss law. The Vienna Sales Convention is not applicable.

The following exclusive places of jurisdiction apply:

For all claims arising from sales contracts to which Silveralp is a party:

For actions brought by consumers, Zurich or their place of residence shall be the place of jurisdiction. In all other cases, Zurich is the exclusive place of jurisdiction.

13.7 Copyright notice

All rights, in particular copyrights, to these GTC are held by Silveralp.

Any reproduction, distribution or other use is prohibited and only permitted with the express written consent of Silveralp. Silveralp reserves the right to take all legal action in the event of a breach of this provision.

This privacy policy applies to Silveralp Trade GmbH.

Status: August 2020

Version: 1.1

Should there be any contradictions between this data protection declaration and the otherwise applicable contractual or business conditions of Silveralp Trade GmbH, the provisions of this data protection declaration shall take precedence.

Data protection is a matter of trust and your trust is important to us. We respect your personality and privacy. We also want to ensure that your personal data is protected and processed in accordance with the law.

It is important to us that you consent to the processing of your personal data. This privacy policy provides you with comprehensive information about our data processing methods. And you decide whether you wish your personal data to be processed.

This privacy policy covers both historical and future personal data. If you consent to the processing of your personal data, we will not only process the personal data collected from you in the future in accordance with this privacy policy, but also your personal data already stored by us.

When we refer to the processing of your personal data in this privacy policy, we mean any handling of your personal data. This includes, for example:

We collect personal data in order to provide better services to our customers. We are convinced that focusing our activities on the wishes and needs of our customers should make the tasks of daily life easier for you. Better services can be:

1. How do we protect your personal data?

We have technical and organizational security procedures in place to maintain the security of your personal data and to protect your session data and personal data against unauthorized or unlawful processing and/or accidental loss, alteration, disclosure or access. However, you should always be aware that the transmission of information via the Internet and other electronic means involves certain security risks and that we cannot guarantee the security of information transmitted in this way.

2. How long do we keep data?

We will retain your personal data for as long as we deem necessary or appropriate to comply with applicable laws or for as long as it is necessary for the purposes for which it was collected. We will delete your personal data as soon as it is no longer required and in any case after the maximum retention period prescribed by law.

3. What rights do you have in relation to your personal data?

You have the right to assert your data protection rights at any time and to obtain information about your stored personal data, to correct or supplement your personal data, to object to the processing of your personal data or to request the deletion of your personal data. You will find the contact options in section 4 below. We reserve the right to correspond with you electronically (in particular by e-mail) in this context.

4. How can you contact us?

If you wish to exercise your rights in relation to your personal data or have questions or concerns regarding the processing of our personal data, you can contact us as follows: silveralp@bluewin.ch. We will endeavor to respond to your questions or concerns as soon as we receive them.

5. Who is the data controller?

We are required by law to notify you of the data controller of your personal data. The data controller is Silveralp Trade GmbH.

6. When do we collect personal data?

We collect your personal data whenever we have contact with you. The situations in which we have contact with you are varied. For example, we collect your personal data in the following circumstances:

7. What personal data do we collect?

The personal data we collect is just as varied. On the one hand, we collect personal data that you provide to us. On the other hand, we collect personal data that is collected automatically or manually when you contact us, such as

Personal data

Data on customer activity

8. Why do we process personal data?

We process your personal data for various purposes. These purposes can be summarized in different groups. In particular, we may process your personal data in whole or in part for one or more of the following purposes:

8.1 Processing purposes in connection with our range of goods and services

8.2 Processing purposes in connection with customer communication

8.3 Processing purposes in connection with special activities and events

8.4 Processing purposes in connection with the analysis of customer behavior

8.5 Processing purposes in connection with direct marketing

9. Who do we share your personal data with?

We may disclose your personal data or to third parties in order to make use of technical or organizational services that we require in order to fulfil the aforementioned purposes or for our other business activities.

Our service providers are contractually obliged to process personal data exclusively on our behalf and in accordance with our instructions. We also oblige our service providers to comply with technical and organizational measures that ensure the protection of personal data. If the service providers are located in countries in which the applicable laws do not provide for a level of protection of personal data comparable to Swiss law, we will contractually ensure that the service providers concerned comply with the Swiss level of data protection.

We may also disclose your personal data if we consider this necessary to comply with applicable laws and regulations, in legal proceedings, at the request of the competent courts and authorities or due to other legal obligations in order to protect and defend our rights or property.

10. How do we use cookies?

We also use so-called cookies on our Internet pages. These are small files that are stored on your computer or mobile device when you use one of our websites. We would also like to provide you with comprehensive information about our use of cookies.

10.1 Why do we use cookies?

The cookies we use initially serve to ensure the functions of our website - such as the shopping cart functionality. In addition, we use cookies to adapt our website to your customer requirements and to make your surfing experience with us as convenient as possible. We also use cookies to optimize our advertising. Cookies enable us to present you with advertisements and/or special goods and services that may be of particular interest to you based on your use of our website. Our aim is to make our website as attractive as possible for you and to present you with advertising that matches your areas of interest.

10.2 Which cookies do we use?

Most of the cookies we use are automatically deleted from your computer or mobile device at the end of the browser session (so-called session cookies). For example, we use session cookies to save your country and language preferences and your shopping cart across different pages of an internet session.

We also use temporary or permanent cookies. These remain stored on your computer or mobile device after the end of the browser session. When you visit one of our websites again, they automatically recognize which entries and settings you prefer. Depending on the type of cookie, these temporary or permanent cookies remain stored on your computer or mobile device for between one month and ten years and are automatically deactivated after the programmed time has expired. They are used to make our website more user-friendly, effective and secure. Thanks to these cookies, for example, you will be shown information on the site that is specifically tailored to your interests.

The cookies stored on your computer or mobile device may also originate from partner companies. These cookies enable our partner companies to target you with advertising that may actually be of interest to you. The cookies of the partner companies remain stored on your computer or mobile device for between one month and ten years and are automatically deactivated after the programmed time has expired.

10.3 What data is stored in the cookies?

No personal data is stored in the cookies we use. The cookies we use cannot be assigned to a specific person. When a cookie is activated, it is assigned an identification number.

10.4 How can you prevent the storage of cookies?

Most Internet browsers accept cookies automatically. However, you can instruct your browser not to accept cookies or to prompt you before accepting a cookie from a website you visit. You can also delete cookies on your computer or mobile device by using the appropriate function of your browser. If you decide not to accept our cookies or the cookies of our partner companies, you will not be able to see certain information on our websites and you will not be able to use some functions that are intended to improve your visit.

11. How do we use log files?

Every time you access our website, certain usage data is transmitted to us by your Internet browser for technical reasons and stored in log files. This involves the following usage data: Date and time our website was accessed; name of the website accessed; IP address of your computer or mobile device; address of the website from which you came to our website; amount of data transferred, as well as the name and version of your browser.

The analysis of the log files helps us to further improve our website and make it more user-friendly, to find and rectify errors more quickly and to manage server capacities. We can use the log files to determine, for example, at which times our Internet services are particularly popular and provide the corresponding data volume to ensure the best possible user experience.

12. How do we use web analysis tools?

In order to constantly improve and optimize our website, we use so-called tracking technologies. Web analysis tools provide us with statistics and graphics that give us information about the use of our Internet pages. The data on the use of a website is transmitted to the server used for this purpose. Depending on the provider of a web analysis tool, these servers may be located abroad. For the most frequently used web analysis tool, Google Analytics, this data is transmitted including abbreviated IP addresses, which prevents the identification of individual devices. Google complies with the data protection provisions of the "Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield" agreement and has registered with the U.S. Department of Commerce for the "Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield" (information on the Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield can be found at https://www.privacyshield.gov/Swiss-US-Privacy-Shield-FAQs). The IP address transmitted by your browser as part of Google Analytics will not be merged with other Google data. A transfer of this data by Google to third parties only takes place on the basis of legal regulations or in the context of order data processing.

You can prevent the collection of data generated by cookies and related to your use of the website (including your IP address) to Google and the processing of this data by Google by downloading and installing the browser plugin available at the following link (http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout). You can find more information on Google Analytics and data protection at http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout or http://www.google.com/intl/de/analytics/privacyoverview.html.

13. How do we use social plugins?

Our Internet pages use social plugins, e.g. from Facebook, Twitter or Google+. The plugins are marked with the provider's logo and can be, for example, "Like" buttons or a Twitter button or Google+ button.

When you access our web pages that contain such a plugin, your browser establishes a direct connection with the provider's computers. The content of the plugin is transmitted directly to your browser by the provider site and integrated into the website. By integrating the plugins, the provider receives the information that you have accessed our website. If you are logged in to the provider at the same time, the provider can assign the visit to your profile. If you interact with the plugins - for example by clicking the "Like" button or leaving a comment - the corresponding information is transmitted directly from your browser to the provider and stored there.

If you do not want the provider to collect data about you via our website, you must log out from the provider before visiting our website. Even when you are logged out, the providers collect anonymized data via the social plugins and set you a cookie. This data can be assigned to your profile if you log in to the provider at a later time.

If a login is offered via a social login service - e.g. Facebook Connect - data is exchanged between the provider and our website. In the case of Facebook Connect, this may be data from your public Facebook profile, for example. By using such login services, you consent to the transfer of data.

The purpose and scope of the data collection and the further processing of your data by the provider as well as your rights in this regard and setting options to protect your privacy can be found in the provider's data protection information.

If you do not want the providers to collect data about you via these cookies, you can select the "Block third-party cookies" function in your browser settings. The browser will then not send any cookies to the server for embedded content from other providers. With this setting, other functions of our website may no longer work.