Privacy policy

Privacy Policy

Last updated: 13 August 2026

The House of Names operates this online store and website, including its related information, features, products and services. Our store is powered by Shopify, which enables us to provide our online shopping services.

This Privacy Policy explains how The House of Names collects, uses, stores and shares personal information when you visit our website, place an order, request a personalised product, communicate with us or otherwise use our services.

We process personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (“POPIA”) and other applicable South African laws.

Personal Information We Collect

Depending on how you interact with our store, we may collect the following information:

Your name and surname;
Email address and telephone number;
Billing and delivery addresses;
Account details and preferences;
Order and transaction information;
Payment confirmation and payment-related information;
Products viewed, added to your cart or purchased;
Return, exchange and refund information;
Communications sent to our customer-support team;
Device, browser, IP address and website-usage information;
Marketing and communication preferences; and
Information submitted for personalised products.

Personalisation Information

When ordering a personalised product, you may provide us with information such as:

A surname or name;
An established year or date;
Custom wording;
Preferred embroidery colour;
Clothing size;
Design instructions; or
Other information required to complete your personalised order.

We use this information to create the product according to your instructions, confirm the design where applicable, fulfil your order and provide customer support.

Please ensure that you have permission to provide any name or personal information belonging to another person.

We will not use photographs of your personalised product, including any visible names or personal details, for advertising, social media or promotional purposes without obtaining permission where required.

How We Collect Personal Information

We may collect personal information:

Directly from you when you place an order, create an account, contact us or submit personalisation information;
Automatically when you visit or interact with our website, including through cookies and similar technologies;
From Shopify and other service providers that help us operate our store;
From payment providers, delivery companies and fulfilment partners;
From marketing and advertising platforms where permitted; and
From other third parties where you have authorised the sharing of your information or where permitted by law.

How We Use Personal Information

We may use personal information to:

Process and fulfil orders;
Produce personalised and embroidered products;
Process payments and confirm transactions;
Arrange delivery, collection, returns and exchanges;
Communicate order updates;
Provide customer support;
Manage customer accounts;
Confirm personalisation details;
Prevent fraud and protect our store and customers;
Improve our website, products and customer experience;
Maintain business, tax and transaction records;
Comply with legal and regulatory obligations;
Enforce our store policies and terms; and
Send marketing communications where you have consented or where otherwise permitted by law.

We will only collect and process information that is reasonably necessary for a specific and lawful purpose.

Marketing Communications

We may send promotional emails or other marketing communications where you have consented to receive them or where permitted by applicable law.

You may unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time by selecting the unsubscribe link contained in the message or contacting us at support@thehouseofnames.co.za.

Unsubscribing from marketing will not prevent us from sending necessary transactional messages about an order, payment, delivery, return or customer-service request.

Cookies and Website Information

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to:

Keep the website functioning correctly;
Remember your cart and preferences;
Understand how visitors use the website;
Improve website performance;
Prevent fraud;
Measure advertising performance; and
Provide relevant marketing where permitted.

You may control certain cookies through your browser or the cookie-management options provided on our website. Disabling some cookies may affect how the website functions.

Payment Information

Payments may be processed by Shopify or authorised third-party payment providers.

The House of Names does not necessarily receive or store your complete payment-card information. Payment providers process payment information in accordance with their own privacy and security policies.

How We Share Personal Information

We may share personal information with trusted service providers where reasonably necessary to operate our business, including:

Shopify;
Payment processors;
Courier and delivery companies;
Embroidery, production and fulfilment partners;
Website-hosting and information-technology providers;
Customer-support providers;
Cloud-storage providers;
Analytics and advertising providers;
Accountants, auditors, insurers and professional advisers; and
Government authorities or law-enforcement agencies where legally required.

These parties may only receive the information reasonably necessary to perform their services or comply with applicable law.

We do not sell customers’ personal information for money.

Relationship With Shopify

Our online store is hosted by Shopify. Shopify collects and processes certain information relating to your use of our store to provide its ecommerce platform, payment, security and related services.

Information submitted through our store may be shared with and processed by Shopify and its authorised service providers, which may be located outside South Africa.

For more information, please review the Shopify Consumer Privacy Policy and the Shopify Privacy Portal.

International Transfers

Some of our service providers, including Shopify and its related providers, may process or store information outside South Africa.

Where personal information is transferred outside South Africa, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that the transfer is permitted under POPIA and that appropriate safeguards are in place.

Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against loss, unauthorised access, interference, misuse, alteration or disclosure.

However, no electronic storage or transmission method is completely secure. Customers should not send passwords, full payment-card details or other highly sensitive information through unsecured communication channels.

If we become aware of a security compromise involving personal information, we will take appropriate action and provide notification where required by law.

Retention of Personal Information

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to:

Fulfil orders and provide customer support;
Maintain transaction, accounting and tax records;
Resolve disputes;
Prevent fraud;
Enforce agreements and store policies; and
Meet legal and regulatory obligations.

When information is no longer required, we will delete, destroy or de-identify it where reasonably practicable and legally permitted.

Children’s Personal Information

Our store is not intended to collect personal information directly from children without the involvement or consent of a parent, guardian or other competent person where required by law.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe that a child has provided personal information to us without appropriate permission, please contact us at support@thehouseofnames.co.za.

Your Rights Under POPIA

Subject to applicable law, you may have the right to:

Ask whether we hold personal information about you;
Request access to your personal information;
Request the correction or updating of inaccurate information;
Request the deletion or destruction of information that we are no longer authorised to retain;
Object to certain processing of your personal information;
Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent;
Object to direct marketing; and
Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.

We may need to verify your identity before processing a privacy request. Certain requests may be limited where we are legally required or permitted to retain the relevant information.

To exercise your rights, contact us at support@thehouseofnames.co.za.

Third-Party Websites

Our website may contain links to websites or services operated by third parties.

We are not responsible for the privacy, security, accuracy or content of third-party websites. We recommend reviewing the privacy policy of any third-party website before providing personal information.

Complaints

If you have concerns about how we process your personal information, please contact us first so that we can attempt to resolve the matter.

You also have the right to submit a complaint to the Information Regulator of South Africa. Current contact and complaint information is available through the Information Regulator’s official website.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy when our practices, services or legal obligations change.

The revised policy will be published on our website and the “Last updated” date will be amended. Where required by law, we will provide additional notice of material changes.