Customer privacy
Privacy Policy
This policy explains what personal information Smash Signs collects, why we use it, who we may share it with, and the choices and rights you have.
In plain English: we use your information to run the website, process orders, print your artwork, take payment, deliver your order, provide support, keep records, and send marketing only where we are allowed to. We do not sell your personal information.
Who We Are
Smash Signs Ltd is the controller of the personal information collected through www.smashsigns.co.uk.
You can contact us about privacy at online@smashsigns.co.uk or by writing to Smash Signs Ltd, Unit 5A, Gatehouse Trading Estate, Walsall, WS8 6JZ.
Information We Collect
Order and account details
Name, billing and delivery address, email address, phone number, order history, account details and any notes you add to your order.
Artwork and files
Files you upload for print, design instructions, proofing information and messages about your artwork.
Payment information
Payment status and transaction details needed to process your order. We do not store your full card details.
Website information
Technical information such as IP address, device, browser, pages viewed, cookies and similar data used to run, secure and improve the website.
If you contact us by email, live chat, forms or social media, we may keep a record of that conversation so we can help you properly.
How We Use Your Information
- To process and deliver orders: taking payment, checking artwork, producing print, sending proofs or updates, arranging delivery and handling returns or issues. Our lawful basis is usually contract.
- To provide customer service: replying to questions, keeping notes about support requests and dealing with order problems. Our lawful basis is contract or legitimate interests.
- To keep the website working safely: fraud prevention, security, troubleshooting, analytics and improving the website. Our lawful basis is legitimate interests or, where required, consent.
- To meet legal and accounting duties: keeping invoices, tax records and records needed for legal claims or compliance. Our lawful basis is legal obligation or legitimate interests.
- To send marketing: newsletters, offers or updates where you have subscribed, bought from us and the law allows it, or otherwise given permission. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Artwork Files
Artwork can sometimes contain personal information, for example a name, photo, address, phone number or logo belonging to an individual. We use uploaded artwork to produce your order, check print suitability, help with queries and support reorders.
Customer uploaded artwork files are deleted automatically after 6 months unless the files are reordered, needed for customer support, or required for a legal or accounting reason.
Who We Share Information With
We only share information where needed to run our business, process your order, provide the website or comply with the law. This may include:
- Shopify and website service providers that host and operate the online store.
- Payment providers, card processors and checkout providers used to authorise and process payments.
- Delivery companies such as Royal Mail and couriers used to deliver your order.
- Print, artwork, file upload, support, review, rewards, analytics and marketing tools used to provide services connected with your order or account.
- Professional advisers, insurers, accountants, HMRC, regulators or law enforcement where necessary or legally required.
We do not sell your personal information to third parties.
Cookies, Analytics & Marketing Tools
Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to remember your basket, run checkout, keep the site secure, understand website performance and support marketing or advertising where enabled.
You can control many cookies through your browser settings. Some cookies are essential for the shop and checkout to work correctly.
How Long We Keep Information
- Order and accounting records: kept for as long as needed for customer service, tax, accounting and legal purposes. This is normally up to 6 years after the order.
- Artwork uploads: usually deleted automatically after 6 months unless reordered or needed for support, legal or accounting reasons.
- Marketing records: kept until you unsubscribe, withdraw consent or your details are removed during normal list reviews.
- Website and analytics data: kept according to the settings of the relevant website, analytics and security tools.
International Transfers
Some of the platforms and service providers we use may process personal information outside the UK. Where this happens, we expect those providers to use appropriate safeguards, such as UK adequacy arrangements or approved contractual protections.
Your Rights
Depending on the situation, you may have the right to request access to your personal information, ask us to correct it, ask us to delete it, restrict how we use it, object to how we use it, or ask for a copy in a portable format.
Your right to object: you can object to direct marketing at any time. You can also object where we rely on legitimate interests, although we may continue processing if we have strong legal reasons to do so.
If we rely on consent, you can withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawing consent does not affect anything we did before you withdrew it.
Security
We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information. No internet transmission is completely secure, so please keep your account password confidential and contact us quickly if you think your account or order information has been misused.
Automated Decisions
We do not make decisions based solely on automated processing that have legal or similarly significant effects on you.
Contact or Complain
If you have a privacy question or want to use your rights, email online@smashsigns.co.uk.
If you are unhappy with how we handle your information, you can also complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint.
