Privacy Policy

Who We Are

Paint Picker (paintpicker.co.uk) is a free tool that helps miniature painters find and compare paint colors across different brands. The data controller is Michael McGettrick, reachable at hello@paintpicker.co.uk or via the Contact page.

Information We Collect

Analytics Data

We use Google Analytics to collect anonymous usage data including pages visited, time spent on site, browser type, device type, and approximate geographic location. This data helps us understand how the site is used, improve the experience, and evidence our visitor numbers to the partner shops that fund the site. Analytics runs on every visit; the cookie banner's choice governs advertising cookies (below), not analytics.

First-Party Measurement

Separately from Google Analytics, our own servers count page views and clicks on retailer links (which product, which retailer). These counts use no cookies and no identifiers, and we store no IP address, user agent, or anything else that could single you out — they are anonymous tallies, kept for 90 days, used to report honest visitor numbers to the partner shops that fund the site. Because they identify nobody, they operate regardless of your cookie choice, under our legitimate interests (UK GDPR Article 6(1)(f)).

Cookies

We use the following types of cookies:

• Essential cookies: Your cookie consent preference is stored in your browser's local storage.
• Analytics cookies: Google Analytics sets cookies to distinguish unique users and track sessions. These run on every visit.
• Advertising cookies: If you accept cookies, the Meta (Facebook) Pixel sets a cookie so we can measure whether our adverts led to a visit. If you decline (or ignore) the banner, the pixel sends nothing.

Image Processing

When you upload an image or provide an image URL for color matching, all processing happens entirely in your browser. No images are uploaded to or stored on our servers.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Understand how visitors use Paint Picker and improve the site
• Remember your cookie consent preference

Paint Picker is supported by affiliate commission on purchases made through links to retailers. This never affects the prices you see or how retailers rank — see How We Make Money.

Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services:

• Google Analytics: For site usage analytics — runs on every visit; the cookie banner's choice governs advertising cookies, not analytics
• Umami: Cookieless visit counting — no cookies, no fingerprinting, nothing that identifies you, so it runs on every visit
• Meta Pixel: For measuring our advertising on Meta platforms (Facebook, Instagram) — only after you accept cookies; declining (or ignoring) the banner keeps the pixel revoked and nothing is sent to Meta
• Amazon Web Services (AWS): For hosting, infrastructure and account sign-in (Amazon Cognito stores account email addresses and password hashes)
• Google Sign-In: If you choose "Continue with Google", Google shares your name and email address with us to create your account
• Buy Me a Coffee: For voluntary donations (processed on their platform)
• Sentry: For error tracking — when a page breaks, a technical report (the error, browser type and page URL; never your identity, cookies or IP-based profile) is sent to Sentry's EU servers so we can fix it

Each of these services has its own privacy policy. We encourage you to review them.

Affiliate Links

Some links on Paint Picker take you to retailer websites, and we may earn a commission on purchases you make there. When you click one of these links, the link carries a reference to the page you clicked from and an anonymous click identifier so the retailer can attribute any commission to us — nothing that identifies you personally. Once you arrive at a retailer's site, any cookies they set are governed by their own privacy policy. For more on how this works, see How We Make Money.

Data Retention

Analytics data is retained according to Google Analytics' default retention settings. Cookie consent preferences are stored in your browser and persist until you clear your browser data.

Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate data
• Request deletion of your data
• Object to processing of your data
• Withdraw consent at any time (by declining cookies or clearing your browser data)

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details on our Contact page. You can change your cookie choice at any time via the "Cookie Preferences" link in the footer. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ico.org.uk).

Accounts and User Content

Creating an account is optional. If you sign up (by email and password, or with Google) we store your email address and your saved content — collections, palettes and any comments you post — so they are there when you come back. Passwords are handled by Amazon Cognito and are never visible to us. Comments and shared palettes you publish are visible to other visitors under the name you chose. You can delete your account and its data at any time by asking us via the Contact page. The lawful basis for this processing is the performance of the service you signed up for (UK GDPR Article 6(1)(b)); for advertising cookies it is your consent (Article 6(1)(a)); for analytics it is our legitimate interest in measuring and evidencing use of the service (Article 6(1)(f)).

Clearance Sale Alerts

If you give us your email address through the clearance-sale alert form, we store that address, the date you signed up, which form you used and which shopping region the site was showing you. Nothing else — no name, and no link to your browsing.

We use it for one thing: emailing you when a clearance sale or a large price drop goes live at one of our partner shops. We will not send you anything else, and we will never sell or share the list with anyone. The lawful basis is your consent (UK GDPR Article 6(1)(a)), given when you submit the form.

These emails are prepared and sent by hand, so there is no self-serve unsubscribe page yet. To come off the list, email hello@paintpicker.co.uk or use the unsubscribe link in any alert we send you, and we will delete your address. We keep it until you ask us to remove it.

Children's Privacy

Paint Picker is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this privacy policy, please visit our Contact page.