Privacy policy

Last updated: 3 September 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how Marelle Portraits (“Marelle”, “we”, “us” or “our”), a UK sole-trader business, collects and uses personal information when you visit marelleportraits.com, place an order, use the portrait dashboard or contact us.

Who is responsible for your information

Marelle Portraits is the controller of the personal information described in this policy. You can contact us at support@marelleportraits.com.

Information we collect

Depending on how you use our services, we may collect:

  • Order and contact details: your name, email address, telephone number, billing and delivery addresses, order number and the products and options you select.
  • Payment information: payment status and transaction details. Payment card details are handled by Shopify and its payment providers; Marelle does not receive your full card number.
  • Portrait materials: photographs you upload, crop and positioning choices, gift messages, creative instructions, generated portrait versions, approvals, recreation requests and related correspondence.
  • Support information: messages you send us and records of how we resolve an enquiry.
  • Technical information: IP address, browser, device, cookie identifiers and information about how you use our store and dashboard.
  • Marketing preferences: whether you have chosen to receive promotional communications.

How we use information

We use personal information to:

  • take payment, create and manage your order, generate your portrait, provide previews and process your approval or cancellation;
  • print, frame, fulfil and deliver approved portraits;
  • send essential order, approval, production and shipping updates;
  • provide customer support, prevent fraud and keep our services secure;
  • meet tax, accounting and other legal obligations;
  • measure visits and progress through the ordering journey, where optional analytics consent permits this; and
  • send marketing only where we have an appropriate lawful basis, with an unsubscribe option in every marketing email.

Our main lawful bases under UK data-protection law are performance of our contract with you, compliance with legal obligations, our legitimate interests in operating and protecting the business, and consent where the law requires it.

Your uploaded photographs

Uploaded photographs are used to fulfil your order, including cropping, portrait generation, quality review, printing and customer support. Please upload only photographs that you have the right and permission to use. We do not use customer photographs to advertise Marelle without separate permission.

Who receives information

We share only what is reasonably needed with service providers that support the order. These may include Shopify and payment providers; Vercel and Supabase for the dashboard, hosting and storage; OpenAI for portrait generation; Topaz Labs for image processing; Prodigi for printing, framing and fulfilment; Resend and Google Workspace for communications; Meta Platforms for advertising measurement where enabled; Google Analytics for optional website analytics where enabled; and delivery carriers. These providers process information under their own contractual and legal obligations.

We may also disclose information where required by law, to protect legal rights or security, or as part of a sale or restructuring of the business.

International transfers

Some providers may process information outside the United Kingdom. Where required, we rely on recognised safeguards such as adequacy regulations or approved contractual protections.

How long we keep information

We keep order and transaction records for as long as reasonably necessary for fulfilment, support, accounting, tax and legal claims. Portrait files and working assets are retained only for as long as needed for the order and reasonable aftercare, unless a longer period is required by law or agreed with you. Retention periods may differ between service providers.

Cookies and similar technologies

We use essential technologies to operate the store and, where you consent, optional analytics or marketing technologies. These may measure page and product views, photograph-upload milestones, basket and checkout activity, and purchases. Our custom upload events do not include the uploaded photograph, its filename or gift-message text. You can review our Cookie Policy and change your choices through the cookie-preference controls on the site.

Your rights

Depending on the circumstances, UK data-protection law may give you rights to access, correct or delete personal information; restrict or object to processing; receive portable data; and withdraw consent. These rights are not absolute. To make a request, email support@marelleportraits.com. We may need to verify your identity.

If you are unhappy with how we handle your information, please contact us first. You may also complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk.

Children

Our services are not directed to children. A parent or guardian placing an order involving a child’s photograph must have the authority to provide it.

Security and third-party links

We use reasonable measures to protect personal information, but no online system is completely secure. Our site may link to services we do not control; their privacy notices apply to their processing.

Changes and contact

We may update this policy as our services or legal obligations change. The current version and update date will remain on this page. Questions and privacy requests can be sent to support@marelleportraits.com.