This document outlines how we manage your personal data in accordance with the UK GDPR and your rights regarding returns and refunds.

PART 1 PRIVACY & DATA PROTECTION STATEMENT

This Privacy Policy describes how The Dog and I (referred to as "we", "us", or "our") collects, uses, and shares your personal information when you visit or make a purchase from our Shopify store. We act as the "Data Controller" for your personal information.

1. Lawful Bases for Processing Information Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), we rely on the following legal bases to process your personal data:

• Performance of a Contract To fulfill your orders, process payments, arrange delivery, and handle returns.
• Legal Obligation To keep financial records for UK tax purposes (HMRC).
• Legitimate Interests To improve our website performance, understand shopping trends, and secure our online store against fraud.
• Consent For sending marketing emails (which you must explicitly opt into at checkout).

2. Information We Collect

• Order Information When you make a purchase, we collect your name, billing address, shipping address, payment information (processed securely via Shopify), email address, and phone number.
• Device Information When you browse our store, we automatically collect your IP address, web browser type, time zone, and information about how you interact with our site via cookies.

We share your personal information with trusted third party processors to run our business

• Shopify Our store is hosted on Shopify Inc. They provide our e-commerce platform. Your data is stored securely through Shopify’s encrypted databases behind a firewall.
• Delivery Partners We pass your name and delivery address to shipping couriers to deliver your orders.
• International Transfers Because Shopify servers and sub processors are located outside of the UK (primarily in Canada and the USA), your data will be transferred internationally. Transfers to Shopify in Canada are protected under the UK's adequacy regulations. Any onward transfers to other global regions are fully protected by UK approved legal safeguards incorporated into our agreement with Shopify, including the UK International Data Transfer Agreement (IDTA) and the UK Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses.
  
  

4. Your Rights Under UK GDPR As a UK resident, you have the following rights regarding your data

• The right to access the personal information we hold about you.
• The right to ask that your personal information be corrected, updated, or deleted.
• The right to object to or restrict certain types of data processing.
• The right to withdraw your marketing consent at any time by clicking "unsubscribe" or emailing enquiries@thedogandi.co.uk.

If you wish to exercise these rights, or if you wish to file a complaint, please contact us at enquiries@thedogandi.co.uk. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

5. Cookies Our store uses standard Shopify cookies to function smoothly. These include tracking your shopping cart items, ensuring secure checkout sessions, and generating internal store analytics. You can adjust your web browser settings to refuse or disable cookies, though it may impact your ability to check out.

PART 2 RETURNS AND REFUNDS POLICY

Because we sell to both individual consumers (Business-to-Consumer / B2C) and trade clients (Business-to-Business / B2B), different legal terms apply to your purchase depending on your buyer status.

SECTION 1 Business-to-Consumer (B2C) Terms These terms apply only if you are purchasing products as an individual for personal use.

1.1 Your Right to Cancel (Change of Mind)Under the UK Consumer Contracts Regulations, you have the right to cancel your order for any reason within a 14 day cooling-off period.

• The Window This 14 day period begins the day after you (or a third party indicated by you) physically receive your goods.
• How to Cancel To exercise your right to cancel, you must inform us of your decision by email at enquiries@thedogandi.co.uk before the 14 days expire.

1.2 Returning Your Items

• Once you notify us of your cancellation, you must return the items to us without undue delay and no later than 14 days from the day you notified us.
• Condition: Items must be returned unused, in their original packaging, and in a resalable condition. We reserve the right to make a deduction from your refund if the value of the goods has been diminished by unnecessary handling.

1.3 Consumer Shipping Costs

• Return Shipping You are responsible for paying the direct cost of returning the items to us.
• Original Delivery Refund We will refund the cost of standard delivery to you. If you chose a premium or express delivery option at checkout, we will only refund the value of our standard delivery option.

SECTION 2 Business-to-Business (B2B) Terms These terms apply if you are purchasing products on behalf of a business, trade, craft, profession, or for resale.

2.1 Automatic Business Classification Any purchase of items from our 'Wholesale' or 'Unlabelled' collections, or any items sold in bulk packs intended for resale, formatting, or professional trade use, is strictly classified as a Business-to-Business (B2B) transaction. By purchasing these items, you explicitly declare that you are purchasing as a business entity (including Sole Traders and Partnerships) and agree that all consumer distance selling regulations and automatic cooling off periods are fully waived. All trade sales are final.

2.2 Damaged or Faulty Trade Goods

• Care of Goods You are entirely responsible for the safe storage and condition of the goods once they have been delivered and received into your care.
• 48-Hour Notification Window You must inspect all trade deliveries immediately. Any faults, shortfalls, or items damaged in transit must be reported to enquiries@thedogandi.co.uk within 48 hours of delivery.
• Forfeiture  If you fail to notify us within this 48 hour window, you will be deemed to have accepted the goods in perfect condition, and you will be unable to claim a return, exchange, or refund.

SECTION 3 General Processing Terms The following terms apply to all approved returns (both B2C and B2B).

3.1 Inspection and Approval Once your return is received and inspected, we will send you an email to confirm safe receipt. We will also notify you of the approval or rejection of your refund based on the condition of the goods and adherence to the terms above.

3.2 RefundsIf approved, your refund will be processed, and a credit will automatically be applied to your original method of payment within 14 days.

3.3 Sale and Promotional Items

• B2C Buyers: Regular and sale items can be refunded if cancelled within your statutory 14-day cooling off window.
• B2B Buyers: No refunds or exchanges are permitted on any items, including promotional or sale stock, unless verified as faulty within 48 hours of delivery.

3.4 Exchanges We only replace items if they arrive defective or damaged. If you need to request an exchange for the identical item, please email enquiries@thedogandi.co.uk.

3.5 Return Shipping Safety

• All returns must be initiated by contacting us first at enquiries@thedogandi.co.uk for correct address routing.
• We do not guarantee that we will receive your returned item. If you are shipping an item over £35, we strongly recommend using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We cannot issue refunds for items that are lost or damaged on their way back to us.

3.6 Late or Missing Refunds If you have been notified of an approved refund but have not yet seen it in your account

1. Check your bank account or credit card statement again.
2. Contact your bank or credit card provider, as processing times vary and it may take several business days for the funds to officially clear.
3. If you have done this and still have not received your refund, please contact us at enquiries@thedogandi.co.uk so we can trace it.

PART 3 TERMS OF SERVICE

SECTION 4 Pricing, Errors, and Currency

• 4.1 VAT Status We are not currently registered for VAT. All prices displayed on our website are the final gross amounts. No VAT is added at checkout, and we cannot issue VAT invoices.
• 4.2 Pricing Error Rights We reserve the right to correct any pricing errors on our website. In the event that a product is mistakenly listed at an incorrect price, we reserve the right to cancel the order, refuse the sale, and issue a full refund, even if the order has been confirmed and your payment method charged.

SECTION 5 B2C Contract Formation

• 5.1 Dispatch Rule For consumer purchases, a legally binding contract is formed only when we dispatch your goods. We reserve the right to decline or cancel any order prior to dispatch for reasons including, but not limited to, stock unavailability or pricing errors.
• 5.2 Delivery Estimates Any delivery dates provided at checkout are estimates only. While we make every effort to meet these timeframes, we are not liable for postal or courier delays beyond our reasonable control.

SECTION 6 B2B Trade Production & Payment Terms

• 6.1 Made to Order Lead Times You acknowledge that all trade, wholesale, and unlabelled items are strictly made to order. Production lead times vary. In the event of a manufacturing or supply delay, we will contact you via email to advise of the updated shipping schedule.
• 6.2 Payment We do not offer credit terms, invoice accounts, or delayed payment options. All trade and wholesale orders must be paid in full upfront via our website checkout before production begins.

SECTION 7 Mandatory Relabelling Compliance (Trade Only)

• 7.1 Relabelling Condition Our unlabelled products are sold on the strict legal condition that they must be fully relabelled by you before they are sold onward to the public.
• 7.2 Compliance Instructions You must strictly follow the mandatory legal and safety labelling instructions provided on our product listings (including ingredients, allergens, batch numbers, and warnings).
• 7.3 Exclusion of Liability The Dog and I accepts absolutely no legal responsibility, liability, or regulatory accountability for products that are incorrectly, insufficiently, or illegally labelled once they have left our care. You assume full legal responsibility for product compliance under UK cosmetic, consumer, and safety laws once you apply your own branding.

SECTION 8 Offline Bespoke Orders & Governing Law

• 8.1 Bespoke Scope Any custom, formulation modified, or bespoke products negotiated directly via email or phone are handled entirely offline and fall outside of standard website processing. Bespoke orders are subject to independent production timelines, individual quotes, and tailored contracts sent directly to you during negotiation.
• 8.2 Governing Law These Terms of Service and any separate agreements whereby we provide you products or services shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.
• 8.3 Cap on Liability To the maximum extent permitted by law, the total liability of The Dog and I to any buyer (whether in contract, tort, or otherwise) shall not exceed the total price paid by the buyer for the specific order giving rise to the claim. We are not liable for any loss of business, loss of profit, or indirect economic damages suffered by trade clients.