Privacy Policy

Effective date: November 2nd, 2020

At Sockrates Custom Socks, your privacy matters as much as a perfect fit. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you visit sockratescustom.com or place a custom sock order with us. Please read it carefully — if you have questions, we’re always just an email away.

01. Information We Collect

When you interact with Sockrates Custom Socks, we may collect the following types of information:

Information you provide directly:

Account & Order Information: Name, email address, shipping address, billing address, and phone number when you place an order or create an account.
Custom Design Uploads: Artwork, logos, photos, or design files you upload to create your custom socks. We use these solely to produce your order.
Payment Information: We do not store your full credit card details. Payments are processed securely through our third-party payment processors (e.g., Stripe).
Communications: Messages you send us via email, contact forms, or customer support.

Information collected automatically:

IP address, browser type, device type, and operating system.
Pages visited, time spent, referring URLs, and click behavior via cookies and analytics tools.
Location information inferred from your IP address.

02. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

Process, fulfill, and ship your custom sock orders.
Communicate with you about your order status, proofs, and delivery.
Respond to your inquiries and provide customer support.
Send you transactional emails (order confirmations, shipping updates).
Send you marketing emails about promotions, new products, or design tips — only with your consent, and you can opt out at any time.
We will never sell your personal information to third parties for their own marketing purposes.
Improve our website, products, and overall customer experience.
Detect and prevent fraud or unauthorized activity.
Comply with legal obligations.

03. Sharing Your Information

We share your information only when necessary and only with trusted partners:

Manufacturing & Fulfillment Partners: Your name, address, and design files are shared with our production partners solely to manufacture and ship your order.
Payment Processors: Stripe and other processors handle payment data under their own privacy policies and PCI-DSS compliance.
Shipping Carriers: UPS, FedEx, USPS, and similar carriers receive your name and address to deliver your order.
Marketing Tools: We use platforms like Klaviyo or Mailchimp for email marketing, subject to their privacy policies.
Analytics Providers: Google Analytics and similar tools help us understand site traffic. Data is aggregated and anonymized where possible.
Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or to protect the rights and safety of Sockrates or others.

04. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

We use cookies, pixel tags, and similar technologies to enhance your experience on our site. These include:

Essential Cookies: Required for the site to function, such as maintaining your shopping cart.
Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our site (e.g., Google Analytics).
Marketing Cookies: Used to deliver relevant ads and track campaign performance (e.g., Meta Pixel, Google Ads).

You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect site functionality. We also honor browser-based Do Not Track signals where technically feasible.

05. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy, including maintaining your account, complying with legal and tax obligations, and resolving disputes. Design files uploaded for completed orders are typically retained for up to 12 months to facilitate reorders, after which they are securely deleted unless you request otherwise.

You may request deletion of your account and associated data at any time by contacting us at hello@socktologist.com.

06. Your Rights & Choices

Depending on where you live, you may have rights regarding your personal information, including:

Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Correction: Ask us to update inaccurate or incomplete information.
Deletion: Request that we delete your personal data, subject to legal retention requirements.
Opt-Out of Marketing: Unsubscribe from promotional emails at any time via the link in any email, or by contacting us directly.
Data Portability: In certain cases, request your data in a portable format.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at hello@socktologist.com. We will respond within 30 days.

07. Security

We take the security of your information seriously. Sockrates Custom Socks uses industry-standard measures including SSL/TLS encryption for data in transit, access controls, and secure hosting environments. While no system is 100% secure, we continuously work to protect your information against unauthorized access, alteration, or disclosure.

If you believe your account has been compromised, please contact us immediately at hello@socktologist.com.

08. Children's Privacy

Our website and services are not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with their information, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.

09. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites such as social media platforms or design inspiration resources. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit, as we are not responsible for their practices.

10. California Residents (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have specific rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including the right to know what personal information we collect, the right to delete your personal information, and the right to opt out of the sale of your personal information.

Sockrates Custom Socks does not sell your personal information. To submit a CCPA request, please email us at hello@socktologist.com with the subject line “CCPA Request.” We will verify your identity and respond within 45 days.

11. Shipment & Delivery

We want your custom socks to arrive as quickly as possible. Here’s what to expect:

Production Time: All orders are custom-made. Please allow 5–7 calendar days for your order to be produced after your design proof is approved.
Delivery Time: Once your order has shipped, standard delivery takes 2–3 business days within the contiguous United States.
Total Estimated Time: From order placement to delivery, you can expect to receive your socks in approximately 7–10 calendar days, depending on your location and shipping carrier.
Shipping Confirmation: You will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking information as soon as your order leaves our facility.
Delays: During peak seasons or due to carrier delays outside our control, delivery times may vary. We will communicate any significant delays to you by email.

If you have questions about your shipment, please contact us at hello@socktologist.com with your order number.

12. Returns Policy

Because every pair of Sockrates socks is made-to-order and custom-printed to your specifications, we are unable to accept returns or exchanges for buyer’s remorse or ordering errors.

However, your satisfaction is our priority. We will happily replace or refund your order in the following circumstances:

Defective Products: If your socks arrive with a manufacturing defect (e.g., misprints, unraveling seams, or material flaws), we will replace them at no cost to you.
Damaged in Transit: If your order arrives visibly damaged due to shipping, please photograph the packaging and the socks and contact us within 7 days of delivery.
Wrong Item Shipped: If you receive an item different from what you ordered, we will correct the error promptly.

To initiate a return or replacement claim, email us at hello@socktologist.com within 7 days of receiving your order. Please include your order number and clear photos of the issue. We reserve the right to request the return of defective items before issuing a replacement.

13. Cancellation Policy

Due to the custom nature of our products, production begins promptly after your order is confirmed and your design proof is approved. For this reason, we are unable to accept cancellations once an order has been placed.

Please review your order carefully — including quantities, sizes, and uploaded artwork — before completing your purchase. If you notice an error in your order immediately after placing it, contact us as soon as possible at hello@socktologist.com and we will do our best to assist, though we cannot guarantee changes can be made.

We strongly recommend downloading and reviewing your digital proof before approving production. Sockrates Custom Socks is not responsible for errors (including typos, color choices, or design placement) that were present in an approved proof.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. When we do, we will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. For significant changes, we may also notify you via email or a notice on our website.

Your continued use of our site after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.