Privacy and Cookie Policy

1. Personal data we collect

We may collect and use the following types of personal data.

1.1 Information you provide to us

We collect personal data when you request a quote, place an order, create an account, approve a design, contact us, subscribe to our newsletter, submit a form, leave a review, or otherwise communicate with us.

This may include:

• name;
• email address;
• phone number;
• billing address;
• delivery address;
• company, club, team or organisation name;
• job title or role;
• account login details;
• order details;
• quote details;
• payment and invoice details;
• customer service messages;
• newsletter preferences;
• product preferences;
• artwork, logos, badges, images, names, slogans, text or other materials you provide for an order.

1.2 Order and design information

Because we supply custom-made merchandise, we may collect information relating to your order, including:

• product type;
• quantities;
• sizes;
• colours;
• delivery requirements;
• design instructions;
• approved artwork;
• club, team, business or organisation branding;
• customer-supplied files;
• photographs or videos of products we produce.

Some customer-supplied artwork or order details may contain personal data, for example names, initials, player names, team details, photographs, school names or club information.

1.3 Technical data collected automatically

When you use our website, we may automatically collect technical information, such as:

• IP address;
• browser type and version;
• device type;
• operating system;
• time zone;
• pages visited;
• time and date of visit;
• referring website;
• files viewed, submitted or downloaded;
• interactions with the website;
• cookie and analytics data.

We use this information to operate, secure, analyse and improve our website.

1.4 Payment data

Payments may be processed by third-party payment providers. We do not store your full card details.

We may receive limited payment information, such as confirmation that payment has been made, the amount paid, payment date, payment reference, billing details and invoice status.

1.5 Public information

If you post information in public areas of our website, such as comments, reviews or testimonials, that information may be visible to other users.

2. How we collect personal data

We may collect personal data:

• directly from you;
• through our website forms;
• through quote requests;
• through account registration;
• through email, phone or other communications;
• when you place or approve an order;
• when you upload artwork or files;
• when you subscribe to marketing;
• through cookies and similar technologies;
• from payment providers, delivery partners, production partners or other service providers;
• from publicly available sources, where relevant to an order or enquiry.

3. How we use your personal data and our lawful bases

We only use personal data where we have a lawful basis to do so.

Where we rely on legitimate interests, this means we use personal data for our commercial and business interests in a way that we believe is reasonable, proportionate and expected, while taking account of your rights and freedoms.

4. Marketing communications

We may use your contact details to send you updates about our products, services, offers, news and examples of our work.

We will only send marketing emails where permitted by law. This may be because you have subscribed, because you have given consent, or because you are an existing customer and the law allows us to contact you about our own similar products or services.

Where we rely on the soft opt-in for existing customers, we will give you a clear opportunity to opt out when we collect your details and in every marketing email we send.

You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in our emails or by contacting us.

We do not sell your personal data to third parties for their own marketing.

5. Marketing, portfolio use and case studies

We may use photographs or videos of products we have designed, produced or supplied, together with general information about the order, for our marketing, portfolio, blog, social media, catalogue, email newsletter, presentation and promotional purposes.

This may include:

• photographs and videos of finished products;
• product designs, mockups, samples and visuals;
• your club, team, organisation, business or brand name;
• logos, badges, crests, colours, slogans, artwork or branding supplied or approved by you;
• general information about the order, such as product type, sport, location, project purpose or nature of the merchandise.

Our lawful basis for this is usually our legitimate interest in promoting our business and showing examples of our work.

We will not publish private contact details, personal addresses, confidential pricing, unpublished personal information, sensitive information or commercially confidential information without permission.

Where marketing use involves identifiable individuals, children, private individuals or other personal data, we will consider whether additional permission is required and will handle that information in accordance with data protection law.

If you do not want us to use your order, name, branding or product images for marketing, please tell us in writing before approving your order. You may also object to this type of use by contacting us.

6. Customer-supplied artwork and personal data

If you provide artwork, logos, badges, photographs, names, text or other materials for use in an order, you are responsible for ensuring that you have the right to provide them to us.

Where customer-supplied materials include personal data, you must ensure that you have any necessary permissions or lawful basis to share that personal data with us for the purpose of preparing designs, manufacturing products, fulfilling the order and, where applicable, using product images or order examples for marketing.

This is especially important where materials include names, images or details of children, team members, employees, private individuals or other identifiable people.

We do not intentionally collect special category personal data unless you choose to provide it to us. Special category data may include information about health, religion, ethnicity, political opinions or similar protected information. Please avoid providing this type of information unless it is necessary for your order.

7. Cookies and similar technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies on our website.

Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. Similar technologies may include pixels, tags, scripts, local storage and other tools that store or access information on your device.

We use cookies and similar technologies to operate our website, keep it secure, improve performance, remember preferences, analyse website traffic, understand how visitors use our website and, where applicable, support marketing.

7.1 Types of cookies we use

We may use the following types of cookies:

7.2 Strictly necessary cookies

Some cookies are essential for our website to function. These may be used for purposes such as:

• website security;
• fraud prevention;
• remembering privacy or cookie choices;
• enabling quote, account or checkout functions;
• maintaining website performance;
• keeping the website available and reliable.

These cookies do not require consent because they are necessary to provide the website or services you request.

7.3 Functional cookies

Functional cookies help us provide additional features and remember choices you make, such as language, region, preferences or form information.

Where functional cookies are not strictly necessary, we will only use them where permitted by law and, where required, with your consent.

7.4 Analytics cookies

We may use analytics cookies to understand how visitors use our website.

These cookies help us see information such as which pages are visited, how long visitors stay, which pages are popular, how visitors reach our website and whether the website is working properly.

We use this information to improve our website, products, user experience and marketing.

Analytics cookies will only be used where permitted by law and, where required, with your consent.

7.5 Marketing cookies

We may use marketing cookies or similar technologies to measure the effectiveness of our marketing, understand customer interests, show relevant advertising, support remarketing campaigns or measure interactions with our content.

Marketing cookies will only be used where permitted by law and, where required, with your consent.

7.6 Third-party cookies and services

Some cookies or similar technologies may be placed by third-party services used on our website.

These may include services for:

• website analytics;
• payment processing;
• website security;
• embedded videos;
• maps;
• social media features;
• advertising;
• remarketing;
• marketing performance measurement.

Third-party providers may process information about your use of our website in accordance with their own privacy and cookie policies.

Where required, these third-party cookies will only be used with your consent.

7.7 Managing your cookie preferences

When you visit our website, you may be asked to accept, reject or manage non-essential cookies.

You can change or withdraw your cookie consent at any time by using the cookie settings tool on our website, where available.

You can also control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to block cookies, delete cookies or receive a warning before cookies are stored.

If you block certain cookies, parts of our website may not work properly.

7.8 Cookie list

The specific cookies used on our website may depend on the tools and services active at the time of your visit.

Where possible, our cookie banner or cookie settings tool will provide details of the specific cookies in use, including their purpose and duration.

We may update the cookies we use from time to time as our website and services change.

8. Who we share personal data with

We may share personal data where necessary for the purposes described in this policy.

This may include sharing personal data with:

• payment providers;
• delivery and courier companies;
• manufacturers, production partners and suppliers;
• IT, website hosting and cloud service providers;
• email and newsletter platforms;
• analytics providers;
• customer support systems;
• accountants, bookkeepers and tax advisers;
• legal advisers and insurers;
• fraud prevention or security providers;
• professional advisers;
• regulators, public authorities, courts or law enforcement where required;
• another business if we sell, transfer or restructure all or part of our business.

We only share personal data where we have a lawful basis to do so and where it is necessary for the relevant purpose.

We do not sell or rent personal data to third parties.

9. International transfers

Some of our suppliers or service providers may process personal data outside the United Kingdom.

Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we will take appropriate steps to ensure that it is protected in accordance with applicable data protection laws. This may include using providers located in countries recognised as providing adequate protection or using appropriate contractual safeguards.

10. How long we keep personal data

We keep personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including to provide services, fulfil orders, keep business records, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes and enforce agreements.

In general:

• enquiry and quote records may be kept for as long as reasonably necessary to respond to you, manage repeat enquiries and maintain business records;
• order, invoice, tax and accounting records may be kept for the period required for tax, accounting and legal purposes;
• customer service correspondence may be kept for as long as reasonably necessary to deal with enquiries, complaints, repeat orders or legal claims;
• customer account data may be kept while your account remains active and for a reasonable period afterwards;
• newsletter and marketing data is kept until you unsubscribe, object, withdraw consent or ask us to delete it, unless we need to keep limited information to record your marketing preferences;
• product photographs, portfolio examples and case studies may be kept for as long as they remain relevant to our business, unless you object and we agree or are required to remove them;
• website analytics data is kept according to the retention settings of the analytics tools we use.

If we no longer need personal data, we will delete it, anonymise it or securely archive it.

11. Security

We take appropriate technical, organisational and administrative measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure.

Access to personal data is limited to people and service providers who need it for legitimate business purposes.

However, no method of online transmission or electronic storage is completely secure. If you are concerned about sending certain information online, please contact us to discuss alternative options.

12. Your rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to:

• request access to the personal data we hold about you;
• request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data;
• request deletion of your personal data;
• request restriction of our use of your personal data;
• object to our use of your personal data;
• object to direct marketing;
• request transfer of your personal data to another provider, where applicable;
• withdraw consent where we rely on consent;
• object to automated decision-making or profiling, where applicable.

To exercise your rights, please contact us using the details in this policy.

We may ask for proof of identity before responding to a request.

Your rights are not absolute and may depend on the circumstances. For example, we may need to keep certain information to comply with legal obligations, complete an order, resolve disputes or keep necessary business records.

13. Children’s personal data

Our website and services are not aimed directly at children.

However, because we produce sports merchandise, customer-supplied artwork or order details may sometimes include children’s names, team names, photographs, initials or other information.

If you provide personal data relating to children, you must ensure that you have the necessary authority, permission or lawful basis to provide that information to us for the relevant order.

We will take particular care when handling personal data relating to children, especially where photographs, names or identifiable information may be used in product designs, portfolio examples or marketing.

14. Automated decision-making

We do not use your personal data to make decisions based solely on automated processing that have legal or similarly significant effects on you.

If this changes, we will update this policy and provide any information required by law.

15. Complaints

If you are unhappy with how we use your personal data, please contact us first so we can try to resolve the issue.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK data protection regulator.

16. Third-party links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, platforms or services.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices, content or security of third-party websites. You should read their privacy policies before providing personal data to them.

17. Changes to this Privacy and Cookie Policy

We may update this Privacy and Cookie Policy from time to time.

The latest version will be published on our website with the updated date shown at the top.

Where changes are significant, we may take additional steps to bring them to your attention, such as displaying a notice on our website, contacting you by email, or asking you to review your cookie preferences again.

18. Contact us

If you have any questions about this Privacy and Cookie Policy or how we handle personal data, please contact us:

GBI Ventures Ltd trading as Hercules Merchandise
Unit 33, Waterside Schooner Court
44-48 Wharf Road
London, England
N1 7UX
United Kingdom

Company number: 15416150
Email: info@hercules-merchandise.co.uk
Website: hercules-merchandise.co.uk