Customer data safe in Europe: GDPR for e-commerce
As an e-commerce entrepreneur, you work with sensitive customer information every day: e-mail addresses, purchase behavior, preferences and personal interests. It is your responsibility to handle this carefully. But how can you be sure that your customer data is stored safely and that you comply with e-commerce privacy laws?
The GDPR has been around for years and you're used to the strict rules around privacy. You ask permission for the collection and use of data from every website visitor, and you immediately comply with every request to remove data. This is how you neatly comply with the GDPR and work GDPR-proof. Right?
Things get risky once customer data is stored outside of Europe. And this happens more often than you’d think, especially when using American software. More and more European companies are becoming aware of this. Ongoing developments around privacy are a wake-up call, prompting businesses to increasingly seek out European alternatives to U.S. software.
Our advice: take data security seriously. Store your webshop data safely within Europe and stay compliant with the GDPR. Read on to discover why it’s more important than ever to be mindful of data storage outside the EU.
Less certainty with American software
While shopping online, your webshop collects a lot of personal data. When placing an order, visitors share their personal and address details, as well as their preferences and, after accepting cookies, their on-site behavior. As a smart e-commerce marketer, you use all this data to encourage visitors to return and buy more.
Much of the marketing software you use for this is developed outside of Europe. At first glance, this may not seem like a problem. But it has serious implications. The moment you start using American software, your data is stored outside the EU. That means it immediately falls under different legislation laws that don’t always align with the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). In practice, this leads to less control, less transparency, and less certainty for both you and your customers.
The false sense of security in U.S. standard contracts
American software companies use Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) from the European Commission to appear compliant with the GDPR. This creates the illusion that your data is safe in the U.S.
But as soon as privacy laws in the U.S. or Europe change, those same companies suddenly claim they’re no longer ultimately responsible for secure data storage. The fine print always states that you are responsible for where your data is stored. More on data storage in the U.S., and what you need to know about it, later.
The GDPR: a quick recap
In 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into effect. This law was introduced to protect consumers and their privacy. Its main goal is to safeguard the personal data of EU citizens. The GDPR imposes strict rules on all organizations that process personal data.
In summary: what is allowed under the GDPR?
- Personal data may only be processed if there is a valid legal basis. This could be, for example, the user’s consent or a contractual obligation.
- Users have the right to access, correct, or delete their personal data.
- Organizations must take appropriate measures to protect personal data from loss or theft.
What is not allowed under the GDPR?
- Collecting and/or processing personal data without consent is not permitted.
- Data may not be stored longer than necessary for the purpose for which it was collected.
- Personal data may not be transferred to third countries (outside the EU) without appropriate safeguards, such as Standard Contractual Clauses or an adequacy decision by the EU. This also applies to data transfers to the United States.
Read more about the impact of the GDPR on email marketing
Storing data in the United States: is this allowed?
Transferring personal data to third countries poses a major risk for e-commerce. And chances are you’re using American software, think email marketing tools, cloud services, or CRM systems. By using these tools, your customer data is transferred to servers in the U.S. And while American companies do their best to comply with European privacy laws, there is always some level of risk as long as data is stored in the U.S.
As of the time of writing (April 2025), it is allowed to transfer and store data in the United States, provided the receiving organization participates in the DPF.
What is the DPF?
Since 2023, there has been an adequacy decision with the United States called the Data Privacy Framework (DPF). Software vendors (and other data processors) can join the DPF to demonstrate that they offer an adequate level of data protection, fully in line with EU requirements.
The risk of storing data in the United States
At first glance, the DPF seems to offer solid protection for European data. However, exchanging data with the U.S. still comes with significant risks.
That’s because the DPF isn’t the first agreement between the U.S. and the EU regarding privacy. In 2015, the European Court of Justice invalidated the Safe Harbor Privacy Principles, ruling that it didn’t offer sufficient protection against U.S. surveillance.
Its successor, the Privacy Shield, met a similar fate. The European Court concluded that this framework also failed to meet the requirements of the GDPR. U.S. intelligence agencies still had access to personal data of EU citizens.
Issues around data transfers to the U.S.
The downfall of previous agreements keeps privacy organizations on high alert. Several watchdogs have already indicated that another legal battle over data transfers to the U.S. could be looming.
In addition, political developments are further straining the relationship between the EU and the U.S. President Trump is on a collision course, and it remains unclear how future legislation will shape data access by American intelligence agencies.
If Trump, for example, decides that all data must be accessible to intelligence services, then every European company using U.S. software risks having their customer data exploited for foreign surveillance practices. And this is completely at odds with the GDPR, which is designed to protect consumer privacy.
Vigilant privacy watchdogs
Beyond the legal battles, privacy watchdogs have become increasingly vigilant. They scan websites and scrutinize the data storage practices of European organizations. If it turns out that data is stored in the U.S. outside of the DPF framework, this can lead to legal action and/or hefty fines.
Always safe with data storage on Dutch servers
Reloadify is the answer to American retention software. Our platform is made in Holland. And it will stay that way. Our infrastructure is entirely Dutch, and all customer data is exclusively stored on Dutch, ISO-certified data centers. This way, you don’t have to worry about international data transfers, legal uncertainties, or interference from foreign governments.
Your customer data will always remain safe with us, no exceptions. This not only gives you peace of mind but also provides certainty for your customers, who are becoming increasingly aware of privacy and data protection.
GDPR-compliant without the hassle
With Reloadify, you choose a secure e-commerce software solution that is 100% compliant with European privacy legislation. You don’t need to be a privacy expert to handle your data securely. You automatically comply with the law, thanks to our GDPR-proof software:
- No unwanted emails: Unsubscribes are processed instantly and automatically. This ensures you don’t send emails to anyone who hasn’t given consent.
- Easy unsubscribe option: Every email you send contains a clear unsubscribe link, just as required by law.
- Double opt-in pption: Not mandatory in the Netherlands but required in Germany!
- GDPR knowledge: Our retention specialists are always well-informed about privacy legislation in both the Netherlands and Germany.
- Data processing agreement: When you start using Reloadify, you sign a data processing agreement to ensure that your responsibilities as a data controller are legally covered.
Whether you’re working with customer data in emails or personalized recommendations on your webshop, with Reloadify, your data storage is always secure and compliant with the GDPR.
A safe transition to Dutch software
Considering a switch to Dutch marketing software? We understand that this can be complex. That’s why we support you in making the transition to Reloadify. Take advantage of a free onboarding session with our Dutch retention specialist and take the first step towards data security.
- 100% Dutch hosting
- No data transfer to third countries
- Fully GDPR-compliant
- Clear data orocessing agreement included
Choose certainty
While American software providers attempt to comply with European privacy regulations, there will always be a risk as long as data is stored in the U.S. Reloadify offers a fully European and secure solution, ensuring that no data is processed outside of the Netherlands. For e-commerce businesses that want to work fully GDPR-compliant and avoid any risk with customer data, Reloadify is the logical choice.
Learn more about data storage from Reloadify
Want to know more about how Reloadify handles your data? Read our privacy statement or schedule a no-obligation consultation. We're happy to answer any questions you have about privacy.
