A couple of times recently I have used a Royal Mail enhanced service eg Tracked 24 which asks for the recipient’s email address (or mobile) to provide them with updates on the delivery and the chance to reschedule it if they want to. I have reservations about doing this without asking the customer if he/she is happy for this to happen, and wonder if Royal Mail then use it to market to the customer, or whether they keep the customer’s email on a database. Do I need to put something about this in delivery options, or ask the customer before I despatch using this method? Does Folksy have any advice on this? @folksycontent
I wouldn’t do that without explicit permission.
When I use a tracked service I send the Customer the link to Track & Trace with the reference number so they can track it themselves.
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I have bought items sent out using one of the tracked services and the seller has provided RM with my email but RM have never used my email to send me any marketing stuff. This would be a big GDPR no no for RM to do this and they could be fined for doing so, they also can’t keep my email on a database without my permission (again GDPR no no). I find the email they send with the estimated delivery day/ time slot very useful - if I know I’m going to be out I get them to hold the package at the depot and I can then go pick it up when is convenient.
Depending on how you have your privacy policy set up you should be OK to share the customers email with RM - you would need to have specified that you will be sharing the customers contact info with the courier company for the purposes of delivering their order. (NB you need to have a privacy policy set up regardless of where you plan to let RM have a customers email or not)
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Thanks Helen and Thanks Sasha. This gives me a clear direction on what to do - much appreciated.
I enter my own telephone number / email - but I’ve never received tracking information from Royal Mail for the parcel(s) sent.
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My privacy policy states:
The only circumstances in which I will share your data are in processing your order or complying with the law. I will never use or pass on your information to third parties for marketing purposes or any other purpose, other than the circumstances listed below, or add you to any mailing list without your explicit consent. The circumstances in which I may share your data are:
• With Folksy to comply with my obligations.
• With delivery companies to fulfil your order.
• To comply with legal or tax obligations.
I can’t remember when I set this up, but I’m pretty sure it’s a standard privacy policy wording here on Folksy, so you may already have this set up and be covered? 
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Yes I have this in place, thanks Sarah.
Of all the sales on my own site and these third party places, any tracking company, be that RM PF evri & Yodel ask for the customers email & a mobile number so the customers gets the info they need to know where the packet is. For those not on the web in any form, pure postal ordering, cheque or card, i use my own email but then send an sms to the buyer. Again some do not even have a mobile so i use my own, and hope all is well the other end. Not everyone buys online and we must not forget there are buyers out there that still order off magazine adverts too!