Privacy policy

Last updated: 28 August 2026

Who we are

Make Believe Ideas Ltd (“Make Believe Ideas”, “we”, “us” and “our”) is the controller of the personal information described in this policy. We are registered in England and Wales under company number 05140300. Our registered office is The Wilderness, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, HP4 2AZ, United Kingdom.

This Privacy and Cookies Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose and retain personal information when you visit our website, buy from our store, contact us, make a product-recall request, submit an illustrator portfolio or otherwise use our services (together, the “Services”). It also explains the choices and rights available to you. Some services or promotions may provide an additional notice where more specific information is needed.

For privacy questions or requests, email data@makebelieveideas.com.

Personal information we collect

The information we collect depends on how you interact with us and may include:

• Identity and contact information, such as your name, email address, telephone number, billing address, delivery address and country;
• Account information, such as login credentials, saved details and preferences;
• Order and transaction information, such as products ordered, order history, delivery information, returns, refunds and payment-method metadata. Full payment-card details are processed by payment providers and are not stored by us;
• Marketing and communication preferences, including subscriptions and opt-outs;
• Technical and usage information, such as IP address, browser and device information, cookie identifiers, pages viewed and interactions with the Services;
• Survey, competition and promotion information, including responses and entries;
• Optional profile information, such as date of birth or gender, where you choose to provide it;
• Communications, including messages, enquiries, feedback and customer-service records;
• Illustrator-submission information, such as your name, email address, general location, biography, software experience, portfolio links and creative work you upload; and
• Product-recall information, as described in the dedicated section below.

How we collect personal information

We collect personal information:

• directly from you when you place an order, create an account, complete a form, make a submission or contact us;
• automatically through cookies and similar technologies when you use the Services;
• from service providers involved in payments, deliveries, analytics, fraud prevention, forms and other store operations; and
• from partners or third parties where you ask them to interact with us, or where the law otherwise permits.

How and why we use personal information

Where we rely on legitimate interests, we consider the purpose, necessity and impact of the processing and do not rely on that basis where your rights and interests override ours. Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting processing already carried out.

Illustrator and portfolio submissions

If you submit work for consideration, we use your contact details, location, biography, software experience, portfolio links and uploaded work to receive, administer, review and respond to the submission and, where appropriate, discuss a possible opportunity with you. Relevant members of our team and providers that host or support the form may access the submission for those purposes.

Submitting a portfolio does not subscribe you to marketing. Please do not include confidential third-party information, special-category personal information or personal information about another person unless you are authorised to provide it. We generally retain an unsuccessful or inactive submission for up to 12 months so that we can administer the process, reconsider it for a suitable opportunity and deal with queries, unless you ask us to delete it sooner or we need to retain it for a legal reason. If a working relationship begins, relevant information may be retained as part of the business relationship.

Product recalls and safety corrective actions

When you make a recall request, we may collect your name, email address, telephone number, postal address, country of purchase, the affected product or ISBN, a photograph or other eligibility evidence, required confirmations, your typed signature, a claim reference, submission time and our communications or decision about the request.

We use this information to identify affected products and countries, provide safety information, verify and administer requests, deliver a refund or other available remedy, contact you about the recall, detect duplicate or inaccurate claims, meet product-safety and record-keeping obligations and establish, exercise or defend legal claims. We may share relevant information with Shopify and form-hosting providers, payment or fulfilment providers, professional advisers, regulators, authorities and other recall service providers where necessary for those purposes.

Do not include children, unrelated people, health information or other unnecessary personal information in a recall photograph or free-text response. If you submit a request for another adult, you must be authorised to provide their information. Recall records are generally kept for up to six years after the later of the final claim decision or formal closure of the relevant recall, unless a longer or shorter period is required or justified by law, a regulator, an active dispute or the circumstances of the corrective action.

Shopify and other service providers

Our store and certain forms are hosted by Shopify, which processes personal information to provide and improve its platform and may act as a processor for us or as a separate controller for some activities. More information is available in the Shopify Consumer Privacy Policy and through the Shopify Privacy Portal.

We also use providers for functions such as payments, delivery, email, forms, website hosting, security, analytics, advertising, reviews and professional advice. Providers receive only the information reasonably necessary for their function and must handle it under applicable law and contractual obligations.

Payments

Payments may be processed by Shopify Payments, PayPal or another payment method displayed at checkout. We do not store full card details. Payment providers process information under their own privacy notices and security obligations.

Marketing emails

We may use Mailchimp or another notified provider to send marketing and manage preferences. Where consent is required, we send marketing only after you opt in. You may unsubscribe through any marketing email or by contacting us. We may retain a minimal suppression record so that we can honour an opt-out.

Cookies and similar technologies

Our website uses cookies, pixels, local storage and similar technologies. Depending on your location and choices, these may include:

• Strictly necessary technologies used for security, checkout, account access, network management and requested functionality;
• Functional technologies used to remember settings and improve convenience;
• Analytics technologies used to understand visits, performance and use of the Services; and
• Advertising technologies used to measure campaigns or make advertising more relevant.

Where the law requires consent, non-essential technologies are not used until the appropriate choice has been made. You can review or change available choices through our cookie banner or privacy-preferences tool. Browser settings can also block or delete cookies, although parts of the Services may then work differently. Shopify describes technologies used on its platform in its Cookie Policy.

Your privacy choices and targeted advertising

We do not sell personal information for money. However, disclosures involving advertising cookies or partners may be treated as a “sale”, “sharing” or use for targeted advertising under some United States state privacy laws. Where applicable, you can opt out through the Your Privacy Choices page or our privacy-preferences tool. Where required, we also process a recognised Global Privacy Control signal as an opt-out request for the browser and device sending it.

Opting out of targeted advertising does not stop strictly necessary processing, ordinary service messages or all advertising. You may still see advertisements, but they should not be selected using the opted-out activity in the same way.

When we disclose personal information

We may disclose personal information to:

• Shopify and providers supporting payments, deliveries, forms, email, analytics, advertising, reviews, fraud prevention, IT and customer service;
• professional advisers, insurers, auditors and recall specialists where reasonably necessary;
• regulators, courts, law-enforcement bodies and other authorities where required or permitted by law;
• a purchaser, investor or successor in connection with a proposed or completed sale, merger, financing or reorganisation, subject to appropriate safeguards; and
• another person where you direct us or provide valid consent.

International transfers

Some recipients may process information outside the United Kingdom or European Economic Area. Where transfer restrictions apply, we use an available lawful safeguard, such as an adequacy regulation or decision, the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or Addendum, European Commission Standard Contractual Clauses, or another legally recognised mechanism. You may contact us for more information about the relevant safeguards.

How long we keep personal information

We keep information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose collected, including legal, accounting, safety, fraud-prevention and dispute requirements. Typical periods include:

• Orders, payments, invoices and tax records: generally up to six years after the relevant accounting period or transaction, and longer if law or an active dispute requires;
• Customer accounts: while active and generally up to three years after the last activity, subject to transaction-record requirements;
• Pending, failed or cancelled orders: generally up to three years;
• Customer-service communications: generally up to three years after resolution, unless connected with a transaction, complaint or legal issue requiring longer retention;
• Marketing records: until you unsubscribe or we no longer need them, with a minimal suppression record retained to honour your choice;
• Illustrator submissions: generally up to 12 months as explained above; and
• Product-recall records: generally up to six years after the later of the final claim decision or formal recall closure, as explained above.

At the end of the applicable period, information is deleted, anonymised or securely retained only where a lawful reason continues to apply.

Your rights

Depending on where you live and the circumstances, you may have rights to:

• be informed about processing and request access to your personal information;
• correct inaccurate or incomplete information;
• request deletion or restriction of processing;
• object to processing based on legitimate interests or to direct marketing;
• withdraw consent at any time;
• receive certain information in a portable format;
• opt out of certain sales, sharing or targeted advertising where applicable;
• appeal a refusal of a request where local law provides that right; and
• complain to a data-protection authority.

To exercise a right, email data@makebelieveideas.com. We may need information to verify your identity and authority. We will not discriminate against you for exercising a privacy right. Rights are subject to legal conditions and exceptions, so a request may not always require us to delete or disclose all information.

Information you must provide

Some information is required to enter into or perform a contract, supply a requested remedy, meet a legal obligation or keep the Services secure. If required information is not provided, we may be unable to process an order, submission or recall request. Optional fields will be identified by context where practical.

Automated decisions

We may use automated tools to help identify suspected fraud, security threats or duplicate activity. We do not intend to make a decision based solely on automated processing that produces a legal or similarly significant effect on you unless permitted by law and accompanied by the required safeguards.

Children's information

The Services are directed to adults purchasing or engaging with us. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 16 without appropriate authorisation. Do not submit a child's information or include a child in a portfolio or recall photograph. If you believe a child has provided information, contact us so that we can review and, where appropriate, delete it.

Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal information, including HTTPS, access controls and careful provider selection. No transmission or storage system is completely secure, so please take care when sending information online.

Complaints

Please contact us first if you have a concern so that we can try to resolve it. You may also complain to the UK Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk. If you are in the EEA, you may contact your local supervisory authority; other locations may provide a local privacy regulator.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy to reflect changes in our practices, technology or legal obligations. The latest version and its effective date will appear here. We will provide additional notice where a material change or applicable law requires it.

Contact us

Privacy email: data@makebelieveideas.com
Data controller: Make Believe Ideas Ltd
Company number: 05140300
Postal address: The Wilderness, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, HP4 2AZ, United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 (0)1442 874569