Privacy Policy

Last updated: June 2026

Introduction & who we are

This Privacy Policy explains how Katana Sword (“we”, “us”, “our”) collects, uses, shares and protects your personal data when you visit our website at https://katana-sword.uk, place an order, create an account, or otherwise interact with us. We sell hand-forged Japanese swords, display blades and related accessories, and we ship worldwide.

We are the data controller responsible for your personal data. We are committed to protecting your privacy and to handling your data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. If you have any questions about this policy or how we handle your data, you can contact us at info@katana-sword.uk.

What personal data we collect

We collect and process the following categories of personal data:

• Order details — your name, billing and delivery addresses, telephone number, email address, the items you purchase, and the value of your order.
• Account information — if you create an account, your name, email address, password (stored in encrypted form), and a record of your orders and preferences.
• Payment data — card and payment details are collected and processed directly by our payment provider, Stripe. We do not store full card numbers on our own systems; we receive only limited confirmation data (such as whether a payment succeeded and the last few digits of the card) needed to manage your order.
• Browsing and analytics data — information collected through cookies and similar technologies, such as your IP address, device and browser type, pages viewed, and how you navigate our site.
• Email and support correspondence — the content of messages you send us by email or through our contact channels, and our replies, so that we can deal with your queries.

Lawful bases for processing

Under UK GDPR we must have a valid lawful basis to process your personal data. Depending on the activity, we rely on the following:

• Performance of a contract — to process and fulfil your orders, take payment, arrange delivery, and provide customer support relating to your purchase.
• Legitimate interests — to operate, secure and improve our website, prevent fraud, understand how our store is used, and manage our business, where these interests are not overridden by your rights.
• Consent — for non-essential cookies, analytics and any marketing communications, which you can withdraw at any time.
• Legal obligation — to comply with our accounting, tax and other legal requirements, and to respond to lawful requests from authorities.

How we use your data

We use your personal data to:

• Process, fulfil and deliver your orders, and take payment for them;
• Create and manage your account, where you choose to register;
• Communicate with you about your orders, deliveries and queries;
• Provide customer support and handle returns, refunds or complaints;
• Operate, maintain, secure and improve our website and services;
• Understand how visitors use our site through analytics, where you have consented;
• Detect, prevent and address fraud, abuse and security issues; and
• Comply with our legal and regulatory obligations.

Third parties & data sharing

We do not sell your personal data. We share it only with trusted third parties who help us run our business, and only to the extent necessary. These include:

• Stripe — our payment provider, which processes your payment securely on our behalf;
• Delivery couriers — third-party carriers who receive the name, address and contact details needed to deliver your order;
• Google Analytics — which helps us understand how our website is used, where you have consented to analytics cookies;
• Email and hosting providers — who host our website and support our communications with you.

Some of these providers may process personal data outside the UK or the European Economic Area (EEA). Where this happens, we take steps to ensure your data continues to be protected by appropriate safeguards, such as the UK International Data Transfer Agreement, the UK Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses, or transfers to countries the UK considers to provide an adequate level of protection.

Cookies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to make the site work, remember your preferences, and (with your consent) measure how it is used. Essential cookies are necessary for the site to function, while analytics and other non-essential cookies are only set with your consent. For full details of the cookies we use and how to manage them, please see our Cookie Policy.

Data retention

We keep your personal data only for as long as we need it for the purposes set out in this policy. Order and transaction records are generally retained for as long as required to meet our legal, accounting and tax obligations. Account data is kept while your account remains active, and correspondence is retained for a reasonable period to handle any related queries. When we no longer need your data, we will securely delete or anonymise it.

Your rights under UK GDPR

Under UK data protection law, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

• Access — to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you;
• Rectification — to ask us to correct data that is inaccurate or incomplete;
• Erasure — to ask us to delete your data in certain circumstances;
• Restriction — to ask us to limit how we process your data;
• Portability — to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format;
• Objection — to object to processing based on our legitimate interests, or to direct marketing; and
• Withdraw consent — to withdraw your consent at any time where we rely on it, without affecting the lawfulness of earlier processing.

To exercise any of these rights, please email us at info@katana-sword.uk. We may need to verify your identity before responding, and we will reply within the timeframes required by law.

Right to complain to the ICO

If you have concerns about how we handle your personal data, we would encourage you to contact us first so that we can try to resolve the matter. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s data protection regulator, at https://ico.org.uk or by telephone on 0303 123 1113.

How to contact us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your rights, or would like further details about our business, please contact us by email at info@katana-sword.uk. We are based in England and Wales.

Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology or legal requirements. Any changes will be posted on this page with a revised “Last updated” date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your personal data.