Privacy Policy

Last updated: July 17, 2026

Vagabound Books ("Vagabound," "we," "us," or "our") is a small independent bookstore. This policy explains what information we collect when you visit vagabound.com (the "Site"), place an order, create an account, subscribe to our newsletter, or write to us — and what we do (and don't do) with it.

What we collect

Information you give us

• Order information. When you buy a book, we collect your name, shipping and billing address, email address, and phone number so we can fulfill and deliver your order.
• Payment information. Payment details (such as your card number) are collected and processed directly by our payment processors through Shopify's checkout. We never see or store your full card number.
• Account information. If you create a customer account, we store the login credentials and saved addresses you provide so checkout is faster next time.
• Newsletter. If you subscribe to Wandering Mail, we collect your email address. Every letter includes a one-click unsubscribe link.
• Messages. If you contact us — including through our "sell to us" form — we collect your name, email address, and the contents of your message so we can respond.

Information collected automatically

• Device and usage data. Like most websites, our servers and commerce platform automatically record standard technical information when you visit, such as your IP address, browser type, referring page, and pages viewed.
• Local browser storage. Your shopping cart and your Shelf (wishlist) are stored in your own browser's local storage so they persist between visits. This information stays on your device unless you choose to sync it with a customer account.
• Cookies. We and our commerce platform use cookies that are strictly necessary to run the shop — keeping your cart intact, keeping you signed in, and completing checkout securely. We do not use advertising or cross-site tracking cookies.

How we use your information

• To process, pack, and ship your orders, and to communicate with you about them;
• To process returns, exchanges, and refunds;
• To maintain your customer account, if you have one;
• To send the newsletter you asked for (and nothing you didn't);
• To respond to your questions and offers to sell books to us;
• To keep the Site secure, prevent fraud, and comply with legal obligations;
• To understand, in aggregate, how the shop is used so we can make it better.

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it for third-party advertising.

Who we share it with

We share personal information only with the service providers that help us run the shop, and only as needed:

• Shopify, which hosts our store, checkout, and customer accounts;
• Payment processors (via Shopify checkout), to process your payment securely;
• Shipping carriers (such as USPS and UPS), to deliver your order;
• Our email service provider, to send the newsletter and order-related messages;
• Type foundries and font hosts (Adobe Fonts and Google Fonts), which serve the typefaces used on the Site — your browser contacts their servers directly to fetch fonts, which discloses standard technical data such as your IP address.

We may also disclose information if required by law, to respond to lawful process, or to protect our rights, property, or safety — for example, in connection with fraud prevention.

How long we keep it

We keep order records for as long as needed for tax, accounting, and legal purposes. Newsletter addresses are kept until you unsubscribe. Messages sent through our contact forms are kept only as long as needed to handle your inquiry. You may ask us to delete your information at any time, subject to records we are required by law to retain.

Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct, or delete the personal information we hold about you, to receive a copy of it, or to object to certain uses of it. Residents of California and other U.S. states with privacy laws, and visitors from the EEA and UK, may have additional rights under those laws. To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the details below — we will respond within a reasonable time.

Because we do not sell personal information or use it for targeted advertising, there is nothing to opt out of in that respect. You can unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time using the link in any email.

Security

We use industry-standard safeguards — including encrypted (HTTPS) connections and PCI-compliant payment processing through Shopify — to protect your information. No method of transmission or storage is perfectly secure, but we treat your information with the same care we give our first editions.

Children

The Site is intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.

Changes to this policy

If we change this policy, we will post the revised version on this page and update the date above. Significant changes will be called out more prominently where appropriate.

Contact us

Questions about this policy or your information? Reach us through the contact form on this site, or by post at Vagabound Books, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.