Privacy Policy

The Potter’s Hands Studio

Effective Date: August 26, 2026 Last Updated: August 26, 2026

1. Introduction

The Potter’s Hands Studio (“The Potter’s Hands Studio,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) operates the website thepottershandsstudio.com (the “Site”) and sells handmade pottery, custom keepsakes and commissions, and offers pottery instruction both online and in person (collectively, the “Services”).

This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use and share it, how long we keep it, the choices you have, and the rights you may have under laws such as the California Consumer Privacy Act as amended by the CPRA (“CCPA”), other U.S. state privacy laws, and the EU/UK General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”).

By using the Site or the Services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with it, please do not use the Site or provide us with personal information.

This Privacy Policy is incorporated into and forms part of our Terms of Service and our Shipping & Returns Policy.

2. Who We Are and How to Contact Us

For purposes of the GDPR, The Potter’s Hands Studio is the data controller of personal information collected through the Site.

Business	The Potter’s Hands Studio
Owner / Privacy Contact	April Dupuis
Email	thepottershandsstudio@gmail.com
Phone	(901) 330-6039
Website	https://thepottershandsstudio.com

Please use the contact information above for any privacy question, request, complaint, or rights request described in this Policy.

3. Scope of This Policy

This Policy applies to personal information we collect:

On the Site, including the shop, cart, checkout, account areas, contact and commission inquiry forms, newsletter sign-up, and any surveys, giveaways, or promotions we run;
By email, text message, phone, or postal mail when you communicate with us;
In person at our studio, at classes, workshops, markets, fairs, and pop-up events;
Through social media pages, advertising platforms, and lead forms we operate (including Facebook and Instagram);
Through third-party platforms we use to deliver the Services, to the extent information is passed to us.

This Policy does not apply to: third-party websites, platforms, or venues that have their own privacy policies and collect information directly from you. This includes, without limitation, registration and payment for in-person classes hosted by the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council (oxfordarts.com) at The Powerhouse in Oxford, Mississippi; our course community hosted on Skool; marketplaces such as Etsy; and social media platforms. When you transact or register on those platforms, their privacy policies govern that activity. We encourage you to read them.

4. Information We Collect

4.1 Information You Provide to Us

Identifiers and contact data — name, billing and shipping address, email address, telephone number, and (if you create one) account username and password.
Order and transaction data — items purchased, order value, order history, gift messages, discount codes, shipping selections, returns and exchanges, and correspondence about your order.
Payment information — payments are processed by third-party payment processors. Card numbers and financial account credentials are submitted directly to those processors and are not stored on our servers. We receive limited data such as the last four digits of the card, card brand, authorization result, and billing ZIP code.
Commission, custom, keepsake, and memorial order details — photographs, images of pets or loved ones, names, dates, inscriptions, handwriting samples, cremation ash or other materials you send us for incorporation into a piece, design preferences, and any notes you provide. Please do not send us sensitive personal information that is not necessary to complete your order.
Class, workshop, and event information — registrations, waitlist requests, participant name and age range, emergency contact, waivers and liability releases, accessibility or accommodation requests, and any allergy or medical information you voluntarily provide so that we can run a safe class.
Marketing preferences — newsletter subscriptions, SMS opt-ins, and communication preferences.
User-generated content — reviews, testimonials, photographs, comments, tags, and messages you submit to us or post publicly.
Communications — the content of emails, form submissions, direct messages, and voicemails, and records of our responses.

4.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit the Site, we and our service providers may automatically collect:

Device and browser data — IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device type, screen resolution, and language settings.
Usage data — pages viewed, products viewed, items added to cart, referring and exit pages, search terms used on the Site, dates and times of access, clicks, scroll depth, and session duration.
Cookies and similar technologies — cookies, pixels, web beacons, tags, local storage, and session identifiers. See Section 7 (Cookies and Tracking Technologies).
Approximate location — general geographic location inferred from IP address. We do not collect precise GPS location from the Site.

4.3 Information We Receive from Third Parties

Advertising and analytics platforms — Google (Google Analytics, Google Ads, Google Tag Manager, Google Merchant Center / Shopping) and Meta (Facebook and Instagram) provide aggregated campaign and audience measurement data, and, where you submit a lead form on those platforms, the contact details you provided there.
E-commerce, hosting, and email platforms — order, delivery, and email engagement data (for example, whether a message was opened or a link clicked).
Payment processors and shipping carriers — transaction confirmations, chargeback and dispute information, fraud signals, and delivery tracking status.
Partner organizations — where you register for one of our classes through a partner such as the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council, we may receive a class roster containing your name and contact information.
Publicly available sources — social media profiles and posts where you have tagged or contacted us publicly.

4.4 Sensitive Personal Information

We do not seek to collect sensitive personal information as that term is defined under the CCPA or “special categories” of data under the GDPR. However, sensitive information may be provided to us voluntarily — for example, health, allergy, or accessibility information given so that we can safely accommodate you in a class, or information about a deceased person or pet in connection with a memorial or keepsake commission. Where you provide such information, you consent to our using it solely for the purpose for which you provided it. We do not use or disclose sensitive personal information for purposes other than those permitted under applicable law, and we do not sell it.

4.5 Information About Children

See Section 13 (Children’s Privacy). The Site is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 online.

5. How We Use Your Information

We use personal information for the following business and commercial purposes:

To provide the Services — process, fulfill, and ship orders; produce commissions and custom keepsakes; register you for classes and events; create and manage your account; and provide customer support.
To communicate with you — send order confirmations, shipping and delivery notices, commission proofs and approvals, class reminders, service announcements, and responses to your inquiries. These are transactional messages and you generally cannot opt out of them while you have an active order or registration.
For marketing and promotions — send our newsletter, new-release and class-opening announcements, offers, and event invitations, where permitted by law or with your consent, and to run giveaways and promotions.
For advertising — to create, deliver, measure, and improve advertising on Google, Meta, and other platforms, including audience creation, retargeting, and conversion measurement.
For analytics and improvement — to understand how the Site is used, troubleshoot errors, test features, improve products, merchandising, and the customer experience.
For safety and security — to detect, investigate, and prevent fraudulent transactions, chargebacks, abuse, security incidents, and other unlawful or harmful activity, and to protect the rights, property, and safety of our customers, our students, our staff, and the public.
For legal and compliance purposes — to comply with tax, accounting, sales-tax, consumer-protection, and other legal obligations; to respond to lawful requests; and to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.
For business operations — including a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, or sale of assets, as described in Section 8.
With your consent — for any other purpose disclosed to you at the time you provide the information.

We may de-identify or aggregate personal information and use it for any lawful purpose. Where we do so, we will maintain and use that information in de-identified form and will not attempt to re-identify it except as permitted by law.

6. Legal Bases for Processing (EEA/UK Visitors)

If you are located in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, we process your personal data on the following legal bases:

Purpose	Legal basis
Fulfilling orders, commissions, and class registrations	Performance of a contract (Art. 6(1)(b))
Responding to your inquiries	Performance of a contract / legitimate interests
Analytics, Site improvement, fraud prevention, and security	Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f))
Marketing emails, advertising cookies, and similar technologies	Consent (Art. 6(1)(a)), or legitimate interests where permitted
Tax, accounting, and legal recordkeeping	Legal obligation (Art. 6(1)(c))
Establishing or defending legal claims	Legitimate interests / legal claims (Art. 9(2)(f) where applicable)
Health, allergy, or accessibility information you provide for a class	Explicit consent (Art. 9(2)(a))

Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time; withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal. Where we rely on legitimate interests, you have the right to object as described in Section 12.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

7.1 What we use

Strictly necessary cookies — required to operate the Site, maintain your cart and session, enable checkout, and provide security. These cannot be disabled through our Site.
Functional cookies — remember preferences such as language, display options, and saved form details.
Performance and analytics cookies — help us understand traffic and usage, including Google Analytics.
Advertising and targeting cookies and pixels — used by Google and Meta to show you relevant ads on other sites and platforms and to measure their effectiveness.

The Site uses Google Tag Manager to manage these tags. WordPress and our e-commerce plugin also set cookies necessary for logged-in sessions, comments, and cart functionality.

7.2 Your choices

Cookie banner / preference center — where offered on the Site, you may accept or reject non-essential categories and change your choice at any time.
Browser controls — most browsers let you block or delete cookies. Blocking cookies may break parts of the Site, including the cart and checkout.
Google Analytics opt-out — https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
Google Ads personalization — https://adssettings.google.com
Meta ad preferences — https://www.facebook.com/adpreferences
Industry opt-outs — Digital Advertising Alliance (optout.aboutads.info), Network Advertising Initiative (optout.networkadvertising.org), and, for EU users, youronlinechoices.eu.

Opting out of interest-based advertising does not stop all advertising; you may still see ads that are not personalized.

7.3 Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control

Our Site does not currently respond to browser “Do Not Track” signals, because no common standard for them has been adopted. Where required by applicable state law, we honor the Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal as a valid request to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information and of targeted advertising for the browser that transmits it.

8. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information for money. We share personal information only as described below.

8.1 Service providers and processors

We share information with vendors who perform services for us under contract and are permitted to use it only for those services, including:

Website hosting, security, backup, and performance providers;
E-commerce, order management, and inventory platforms;
Payment processors and fraud-prevention providers;
Shipping carriers and fulfillment/packaging providers;
Email marketing, SMS, and customer-support platforms;
Analytics, tag management, and advertising platforms (Google, Meta);
Course and community platforms (Skool);
Accounting, bookkeeping, tax, insurance, and legal professionals.

8.2 Advertising partners

We share online identifiers, device data, and activity data with Google and Meta so that they can measure our advertising and serve ads to you and to similar audiences. Under the CCPA and several other U.S. state privacy laws, this may be considered a “sale” or “sharing” of personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising. You have the right to opt out — see Section 12.2.

8.3 Partner organizations and venues

Where a class or event is co-hosted, registration information may be shared with the host organization (for example, the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council) for roster, facility, insurance, and safety purposes.

8.4 Legal, safety, and compliance

We may disclose information if we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to: comply with a law, subpoena, court order, or governmental request; enforce our Terms of Service or other agreements; investigate suspected fraud, chargeback abuse, or security incidents; or protect the rights, property, or safety of The Potter’s Hands Studio, our customers, students, or others.

8.5 Business transfers

If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, bankruptcy, dissolution, or sale of all or part of our assets, personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will provide notice as required by law.

8.6 With your direction or consent

We share information publicly or with third parties when you ask us to — for example, when you send a piece as a gift, ask us to feature your commission on social media, or authorize us to share a testimonial.

8.7 Aggregated and de-identified information

We may share aggregated or de-identified information that cannot reasonably be used to identify you.

9. Categories of Personal Information — CCPA Disclosure

In the twelve (12) months preceding the Last Updated date, we have collected, disclosed for a business purpose, and/or shared for cross-context behavioral advertising the following categories of personal information under the CCPA:

CCPA category	Collected	Sources	Business purpose	Disclosed to	“Sold” or “shared”
A. Identifiers (name, address, email, phone, IP address, online IDs, account ID)	Yes	You; automatic; third parties	Fulfillment, support, marketing, security	Service providers, shipping carriers, ad and analytics platforms	Shared for targeted advertising
B. Customer records (billing/shipping address, payment card last four, phone)	Yes	You; payment processors	Order processing, fraud prevention, accounting	Payment processors, carriers, accounting providers	No
C. Protected classifications (age range for classes; accessibility or health info you volunteer)	Only if you provide it	You	Class safety and accommodation	Class host organizations, instructors	No
D. Commercial information (purchases, cart activity, order history, preferences)	Yes	You; automatic	Fulfillment, merchandising, marketing measurement	Service providers, ad and analytics platforms	Shared for targeted advertising
E. Biometric information	No	—	—	—	No
F. Internet/network activity (browsing, page views, ad interactions)	Yes	Automatic; ad platforms	Analytics, advertising, security	Analytics and ad platforms	Shared for targeted advertising
G. Geolocation (approximate, from IP)	Yes	Automatic	Fraud prevention, shipping estimates, ad measurement	Service providers, ad platforms	Shared for targeted advertising
H. Audio/visual (photos you send for commissions; class or event photos; voicemails)	Yes	You; in person	Producing your piece; support; marketing with permission	Service providers	No
I. Professional/employment information	Only if you apply to work or teach with us	You	Hiring	Service providers	No
J. Education information	No	—	—	—	No
K. Inferences (preferences, likely interests, audience segments)	Yes	Derived; ad platforms	Marketing and merchandising	Ad platforms	Shared for targeted advertising
L. Sensitive personal information (account log-in credentials; health/allergy info you volunteer)	Limited	You	Account access; class safety	Service providers	No — not used for inferring characteristics

We do not knowingly sell or share the personal information of consumers under 16 years of age.

10. Payments and Financial Information

All payments are processed by PCI-DSS-compliant third-party payment processors. We do not receive, store, or have access to your full payment card number, CVV, or bank account credentials. Those details are transmitted directly to the payment processor, whose privacy policy and terms govern their handling of that information.

If you dispute a charge or initiate a chargeback, we may share order records, communications, delivery confirmations, and related information with the payment processor, card network, or issuing bank as necessary to respond to the dispute.

11. Email and Text Message Communications

Email. If you subscribe to our newsletter or purchase from us, we may send you marketing emails about new pieces, restocks, class openings, and promotions. Every marketing email includes an unsubscribe link, and you may also email us to opt out. We will honor opt-out requests promptly as required by the CAN-SPAM Act. You will continue to receive transactional messages relating to your orders, commissions, and registrations.

Text messages. If we offer SMS and you opt in, you consent to receive recurring automated marketing and/or transactional text messages at the number you provide. Consent is not a condition of purchase. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to unsubscribe and HELP for help. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.

Phone calls. By providing a phone number, you consent to our contacting you about your order, commission, or class registration.

12. Your Privacy Rights

12.1 Rights available to residents of California, Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, Texas, Oregon, Montana, and other states with comprehensive privacy laws

Depending on your state of residence, you may have the right to:

Know / access — request the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you, the sources, the purposes, and the categories of third parties to whom we disclosed it;
Delete — request deletion of personal information we collected from you, subject to exceptions;
Correct — request correction of inaccurate personal information;
Portability — receive a copy in a portable, readily usable format;
Opt out of sale, sharing, and targeted advertising — see 12.2;
Limit the use of sensitive personal information — we do not use or disclose sensitive personal information for purposes beyond those permitted by law;
Opt out of profiling in furtherance of decisions producing legal or similarly significant effects — we do not engage in such profiling;
Non-discrimination — we will not deny you goods or services, charge different prices, or provide a different level of quality because you exercised a privacy right;
Appeal — if we deny a request, you may appeal by replying to our decision or emailing us with “Privacy Appeal” in the subject line. We will respond within the timeframe required by your state’s law and, if we deny the appeal, will tell you how to contact your state Attorney General.

12.2 How to opt out of sale, sharing, and targeted advertising

You may opt out by any of the following:

Emailing thepottershandsstudio@gmail.com with the subject line “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information.”
Rejecting advertising cookies in our cookie banner, where offered.
Enabling the Global Privacy Control in a supporting browser or extension.

12.3 Rights available under the GDPR (EEA, UK, Switzerland)

You have the right to access, rectify, erase, restrict processing of, and port your personal data; to object to processing based on legitimate interests or to direct marketing; to withdraw consent at any time; and to lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority (in the UK, the Information Commissioner’s Office).

12.4 How to submit a request

Email thepottershandsstudio@gmail.com or call (901) 330-6039. Please tell us which right you wish to exercise and provide enough information for us to verify your identity — typically the email address, order number, or account details associated with our records. We will not use verification information for any other purpose.

We will confirm receipt within 10 business days and respond within 45 calendar days, extendable by an additional 45 days with notice (one month, extendable by two months, under the GDPR).
You may use an authorized agent to submit a request. We may require the agent to provide proof of authorization and may require you to verify your own identity directly.
Requests are free unless they are manifestly unfounded, excessive, or repetitive, in which case we may charge a reasonable fee or decline, as permitted by law.
We may deny a request in whole or in part where an exception applies — for example, where we must retain information to complete a transaction, comply with a legal obligation, detect security incidents, or exercise or defend legal claims.

12.5 California “Shine the Light”

California Civil Code § 1798.83 permits California residents to request information about disclosures of personal information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes. We do not disclose personal information to third parties for their own direct marketing purposes.

12.6 Nevada residents

Nevada residents may submit a verified request directing us not to sell certain covered information. We do not sell covered information as defined by Nevada law, but you may submit a request to the email address above.

13. Children’s Privacy

The Site and our online shop are intended for adults 18 years of age or older and are not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information online from children under 13. If we learn that we have collected such information without verifiable parental consent, we will delete it promptly. Parents or guardians who believe their child has provided personal information may contact us at thepottershandsstudio@gmail.com and we will delete it.

Youth and teen classes. Some of our classes are offered to minors. Registration for a minor must be completed by a parent or legal guardian, who provides the participant’s name, age, emergency contact, any accommodation or medical information, and signs the applicable waiver. We use this information only to run the class safely and to communicate with the parent or guardian. We do not use a minor’s information for marketing, and we do not sell or share it for targeted advertising.

Photography of minors. We do not photograph or publish images of identifiable minors for marketing without written parental or guardian permission.

14. Photographs, Testimonials, and User Content

Commission and keepsake materials. Photographs, images, inscriptions, handwriting samples, and physical materials you send us for a custom or memorial piece are used solely to design and produce your piece unless you give us permission to use them for marketing. You represent that you own or have the necessary rights to any material you send us. We retain digital files for a limited period after delivery so we can address remakes, reorders, and warranty questions, and then delete them on request.

Marketing use. We will ask for your permission before featuring your custom piece, photograph, or story publicly. You may withdraw that permission at any time by contacting us, and we will stop future use and remove the content from channels we control; we cannot recall content that others have already copied or reshared.

Reviews, comments, and public posts. Information you post publicly on the Site or on social media may be read, collected, and used by others. Please do not include personal information in public posts that you do not want to be public.

Studio, class, and event photography. We may photograph or record classes and events for documentation and promotion. Tell the instructor if you do not wish to appear, and we will accommodate you.

15. Data Retention

We keep personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes described in this Policy, unless a longer period is required or permitted by law. In general:

Type of information	Retention period
Order, invoice, and tax records	7 years (tax and accounting requirements)
Customer account information	For the life of the account, plus 2 years after inactivity
Commission photos, artwork files, and design proofs	2 years after delivery, or sooner on request
Class registrations, rosters, and signed waivers	Duration of applicable statute of limitations (generally up to 6 years; longer for minors, until the participant reaches majority plus the limitations period)
Marketing email list data	Until you unsubscribe, plus a suppression record retained indefinitely so we do not re-contact you
Website analytics and advertising data	Up to 26 months, per platform default settings
Customer support correspondence	3 years
Chargeback, dispute, and fraud records	7 years

When information is no longer needed, we delete it or de-identify it.

16. Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information, including SSL/TLS encryption in transit on the Site, access controls, strong authentication on administrative accounts, software updates, and use of PCI-compliant payment processors.

No method of transmission or storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, and you provide information to us at your own risk. You are responsible for keeping your account credentials confidential and for notifying us promptly of any suspected unauthorized access. In the event of a data breach affecting your personal information, we will notify you and any regulator as required by applicable law.

17. International Data Transfers

We are based in the United States, and our service providers are located primarily in the United States. If you access the Site or provide information from outside the United States, you understand that your information will be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States, where data protection laws may differ from those in your country.

Where we transfer personal data out of the EEA, UK, or Switzerland, we rely on appropriate safeguards such as the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses, the UK International Data Transfer Addendum, or an applicable adequacy decision or data privacy framework certification held by our provider. You may request a copy of the relevant safeguards by contacting us.

18. Third-Party Websites, Platforms, and Links

The Site contains links to and embedded content from third-party websites and platforms, including social media, Skool, marketplaces, and partner organizations. Embedded content behaves as if you had visited that third-party site directly and may collect data about you, set cookies, and track your interaction with it.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices, content, or security of third-party sites and platforms. This Policy does not apply to them. Please review their privacy policies before providing information.

19. Accessibility

If you need this Privacy Policy in an alternative format, or need assistance exercising your privacy rights because of a disability, contact us at thepottershandsstudio@gmail.com or (901) 330-6039 and we will provide a reasonable accommodation.

20. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or the law. When we do, we will revise the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page. If the changes are material, we will provide additional notice — for example, by posting a notice on the Site or emailing subscribers before the change takes effect. Your continued use of the Site after the effective date of a revised Policy constitutes acceptance of that Policy. We encourage you to review this page periodically. Prior versions are available on request.

21. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

This Privacy Policy and any dispute arising out of or relating to it or to our collection and use of your personal information are governed by the laws of the State of Mississippi, without regard to its conflict-of-laws rules. You agree that the exclusive venue for any such dispute is the state or federal courts located in or serving Lafayette County, Mississippi, and you consent to personal jurisdiction there. Nothing in this section limits any non-waivable statutory right you have to contact a regulator or supervisory authority in your jurisdiction.

22. Contact Us

Questions, requests, or complaints about this Privacy Policy or our handling of your personal information:

The Potter’s Hands Studio Attn: April Dupee — Privacy Email: thepottershandsstudio@gmail.com Phone: (901) 330-6039 Web: https://thepottershandsstudio.com

If you are in the EEA or UK and you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority.