Privacy Policy

Last updated: 27 June 2026

1. Who we are

This Privacy Policy explains how The Sign Dept. collects, uses and protects your personal information when you visit our website, contact us, place an order or use our services.

For the purpose of data protection law, the data controller is:

Trading name: The Sign Dept.

Website: https://thesigndept.com

General email: hello@thesigndept.com

Orders email: orders@thesigndept.com

Business location: Hull, United Kingdom

VAT status: We are not currently VAT registered. VAT is not charged separately on orders.

The Sign Dept. is currently operated as a small online business. We do not currently list a public walk-in address on the website. If a postal or returns arrangement is needed for an order, we will provide instructions by email.

In this policy, “we”, “us” and “our” means The Sign Dept. “You” and “your” means the person using our website, contacting us, or placing an order.

2. Information we collect

We collect the information needed to run our website, process orders and provide customer support. This may include:

Your name, email address, phone number, billing address and delivery address.
Order details, including the products you buy, your vehicle details and any design information you provide.
Artwork, logos, business names, photographs, files or other material you upload or send to us for your order.
Payment confirmation and transaction information. We do not directly store full card details; payments are handled by our payment providers.
Messages you send to us by email, contact form, social media or any other customer support channel.
Technical information such as your IP address, device type, browser, pages viewed, referral source and how you interact with our website.
Marketing preferences, such as whether you have agreed to receive emails from us.

3. How we collect information

We collect information directly from you when you place an order, upload artwork, complete a form, contact us or sign up to marketing.

We may also collect information automatically through cookies, analytics tools and similar technologies when you use our website.

We may receive information from third-party services that help us operate our store, such as Shopify, payment providers, delivery partners, email platforms, analytics providers and advertising platforms.

4. How we use your information

We use your information to:

Process and manage your order.
Create design proofs and prepare your made-to-order signage.
Contact you about your order, proof approval, delivery, support requests or account.
Take payment and prevent fraud.
Arrange delivery and provide tracking information.
Improve our website, products, customer service and ordering process.
Send marketing emails where you have chosen to receive them.
Show relevant adverts or measure advertising performance where cookies and tracking permissions allow this.
Keep business, tax and accounting records.
Comply with legal obligations and protect our business, customers and website.

5. Our lawful reasons for using your information

We only use personal information where we have a lawful reason to do so. Depending on the situation, this may include:

Contract: to process your order and provide the products or services you have requested.
Legal obligation: to keep accounting records, comply with tax rules or respond to lawful requests.
Legitimate interests: to run and improve our business, prevent fraud, respond to enquiries and keep our website secure.
Consent: for certain marketing activities and non-essential cookies where consent is required.

6. Design files, logos and artwork

If you send us a logo, design, photograph, vehicle details or other artwork, we use it to create your order and provide customer support. You are responsible for making sure you have the right to use any logo, image, trademark, wording or artwork you provide to us.

We may keep order artwork and proofs for a reasonable period so that we can handle support requests, repeat orders, record keeping and quality checks.

7. Marketing

If you sign up to our marketing, we may send you emails about our products, offers, updates and business news. You can unsubscribe at any time by using the unsubscribe link in our emails or by contacting us.

We will still send non-marketing messages where needed, such as order confirmations, proof approval requests, delivery updates and customer service replies.

8. Cookies and tracking

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to make the site work, keep your basket active, remember preferences, measure website performance and support advertising.

Some cookies are essential for the website to function. Other cookies, such as analytics or advertising cookies, may require your consent. Where required, we will ask for your permission before using non-essential cookies.

You can usually manage cookies through your browser settings and, where available, through the cookie preferences tool on our website.

9. Who we share information with

We may share your information with trusted third parties where needed to run our business and fulfil orders. This may include:

Shopify and website hosting/platform providers.
Payment processors and fraud prevention providers.
Print, production or fulfilment partners who help make or dispatch your order.
Delivery companies and couriers.
Email, customer support and marketing platforms.
Analytics and advertising providers, where permitted.
Accountants, professional advisers, insurers or legal advisers.
Public authorities or regulators where required by law.

We only share the information needed for the relevant purpose.

10. International transfers

Some of our service providers may process information outside the UK. Where this happens, we will rely on appropriate safeguards required by data protection law, such as adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses or equivalent protections.

11. How long we keep information

We keep personal information only for as long as necessary for the purpose it was collected. For example:

Order records may be kept for accounting, tax, legal and customer service purposes.
Design files and proofs may be kept for a reasonable period to support repeat orders, quality checks or dispute handling.
Marketing information is kept until you unsubscribe or ask us to remove it, unless we have another lawful reason to keep it.

The exact period may vary depending on the type of information and legal requirements.

12. Security

We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information. However, no website, email system or online service can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Please avoid sending sensitive information through insecure channels.

13. Your rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may have rights under data protection law, including the right to:

Ask for a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
Ask us to correct inaccurate information.
Ask us to delete your information.
Ask us to restrict or object to certain uses of your information.
Ask for your information to be transferred to another provider where applicable.
Withdraw consent where we rely on consent.
Complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

To exercise your rights, contact us using the details in this policy. We may need to verify your identity before responding.

14. Children

Our website and products are not aimed at children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

15. Links to other websites

Our website may contain links to other websites or platforms. We are not responsible for the privacy practices, content or security of third-party websites.

16. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The latest version will be posted on our website with the “Last updated” date above.

17. Contact us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we use your personal information, contact us at:

The Sign Dept.

General email: hello@thesigndept.com

Orders email: orders@thesigndept.com

Location: Hull, United Kingdom

Website: https://thesigndept.com

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk if you are unhappy with how your personal information has been handled.