Privacy Policy

Scope and who this policy applies to

This policy explains how DSW, the retail name of Designer Shoe Warehouse and part of Designer Brands, Inc., handles personal information when you visit dswshoesco.com. It covers the informational content on this site, including guides and pages built around our boots, sandals, heels, shoes, flats, loafers, slippers and bags. It applies to everyday visitors who are simply browsing looks for women’s, men’s and kids’ styles, as well as shoppers who sign in or send us a question. It does not describe the practices of other retailers or brands we link to. Those sites set their own rules, so check their policies before sharing anything there.

Information visitors provide directly

You choose what to send us. When you join a VIP rewards program, set up deal alerts, create an account or ask a question, you decide how much detail to include. Whatever you share gets used to answer you properly, keep your saved preferences accurate, and point you toward styles and offers that genuinely fit your needs.

What you might send us

Information collected automatically

As you browse, our systems pick up technical details without you typing a thing. That includes your IP address, browser type and version, device type, operating system, referring page, pages viewed, click behaviour, and the date and time of each visit. We also note which of our pages about boots, sandals, heels, flats, loafers, slippers or bags hold your interest, along with a general location inferred from your IP address. None of this reveals your size or your budget on its own. Together, it shows which guides get read and which categories deserve better coverage.

Cookies and similar technologies

Cookies are small text files stored on your device so a site can remember you between pages. We use them to keep you signed in, remember your bag and your saved preferences, protect forms from abuse, and measure which pages get read most. Some come directly from us; others come from service providers working on our behalf. You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings, though doing so may sign you out or reset what you have saved. Essential cookies do the basic work of running the site, while optional ones help us learn which styles and deals are worth featuring.

Analytics and site-performance measurement

We use analytics tools to see how the site performs and where visitors get stuck. Aggregated figures tell us average visit length, most-read guides, popular categories and typical devices, while error logs help us fix broken pages and slow loading times. Where an analytics tool sets cookies on your device, it falls under the cookie section above. We do not use analytics to make automated decisions about your access to anything, and we do not sell that data. Read the numbers as a whole-site picture rather than a profile of you personally. Adjusting analytics settings will not stop the site from working.

Purposes for using information

We use information to keep this site running and useful. Practically, that means answering your questions, showing you the styles and sizes you looked at, sending deal and VIP reward updates you asked for, remembering your preferences between visits, preventing fraud and abuse, and measuring which guides on boots, sandals, heels, shoes, flats, loafers, slippers or bags deserve an update. We also use it to keep our selection pages clear for women’s, men’s and kids’ shoppers, and to meet accounting and record-keeping duties that apply to us. If a purpose stops making sense for a piece of data, we stop using it that way.

Legal bases where applicable

Where privacy law requires a legal basis for processing, we rely on a few common ones. Consent covers optional marketing emails and non-essential cookies, and you can withdraw it whenever you like. Legitimate interests cover site security, basic analytics, fraud prevention and improving our guides, balanced against your rights. Contract performance applies when you ask us to do something for you, such as handling a query tied to your account. Legal obligations apply where we must keep records or respond to lawful requests. Truly anonymous, aggregated statistics fall outside these rules because they no longer identify anyone.

Service providers and limited information sharing

We share information only where it helps us deliver the site. Hosting providers, analytics vendors, email platforms, security services and customer-support tools receive what they need for one specific job, under terms that limit how they may use it. These providers act on our instructions rather than as independent owners of your data. We do not sell personal information. We may also disclose data where the law requires it, such as in response to valid legal process, or during a corporate transaction involving Designer Brands, Inc., where appropriate safeguards apply. Beyond those situations, we keep it to ourselves.

External product links and third-party websites

Our pages may point outward, to brand names in the Designer Brands portfolio such as Keds, Hush Puppies, Lucky Brand, Jessica Simpson, Crown Vintage, Kelly & Katie and Le TIGRE, to shipping or payment services, or to social platforms. Once you follow one of those links, you leave our site and this policy no longer covers what happens there. Those operators set their own cookies, terms and privacy choices, and their practices can differ quite a bit from ours. Take a minute to read their policies before handing over details. A useful habit: glance at the address bar so you always know which site has your information.

Data retention

We keep information only as long as it earns its place. Messages and support enquiries stay long enough for us to resolve the issue and keep a record of what was agreed. Account details last while your account remains active. Cookies and analytics data follow the lifespans set inside the tools themselves, often months rather than years. Records we must hold for legal or accounting reasons stay for the period those rules require. Once the reason lapses, we delete the data or strip out anything that identifies you. Retention differs by category, and never by convenience alone.

Security practices and limitations

We use practical safeguards: encrypted connections across the site, access controls that limit who inside our organisation can see information, monitoring for unusual activity, and regular review of the vendors handling data for us. No method of storage or transmission is completely secure, and no system can promise absolute protection. You can help from your end by using a strong, unique password, keeping your device updated, signing out on shared computers, and treating unexpected links with suspicion. If something looks off on your account, tell us straight away so we can investigate before small problems grow into bigger ones.

International processing where applicable

Service providers may store or process information on servers outside your country, including in the United States, where privacy rules can differ from those where you live. Cross-border transfers happen so the site stays fast, well supported and consistently available. Where a transfer needs a safeguard, we rely on recognised mechanisms such as standard contractual clauses or adequacy decisions, alongside each provider’s contractual commitments. These protections do not erase differences in local law, but they keep basic obligations in place. Ask us if you would like more detail about how a particular transfer is protected.

Children and age restrictions

This site is aimed at adults shopping for themselves, whether they are after women’s heels or men’s loafers. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. Younger shoppers may browse our kids’ styles alongside a parent or guardian, and that grown-up should handle any form, signup or message. If you believe a child has sent us personal information, let us know so we can investigate and remove it. We do not condition any activity on a child disclosing more information than is reasonable for that activity. Keep personal details to the adult handling things.

Visitor privacy choices and regional rights

Depending on where you live, privacy law may give you rights over your personal information. Common ones include asking for a copy, correcting something inaccurate, requesting deletion, restricting or objecting to certain uses, and withdrawing consent at any time. Rights vary by region, and some come with conditions or exceptions. To make a request, use the contact route described at the end of this policy and include enough detail for us to find your information. We may need to confirm your identity before acting, and we will explain clearly if a particular right does not apply in your circumstances.

Browser signals and cookie controls

Modern browsers can send privacy signals that express a preference about tracking, and we aim to honour recognised signals where applicable law requires us to. Beyond signals, you have direct controls: block or delete cookies, clear site data, browse privately, or install an extension that limits trackers. Some tools exist specifically to detect certain trackers and block them outright. Remember that blocking all cookies may sign you out and reset your preferences on every visit. Adjusting these settings changes what is collected from that browser; it does not remove information you previously sent us by email or form.

Changes to this policy

We update this policy when our practices, vendors or legal duties change. A new version replaces the previous one on this page, and the revision date shown at the top tells you when it took effect. For meaningful changes, we will post a clearer notice so returning visitors notice the update rather than miss it. Using the site after an update means the revised policy applies to your visits. If you disagree with a change, stop using the site or adjust your cookie and communication settings. Checking this page now and then is the easiest way to stay current.

How to make a privacy enquiry

If you have a question about this policy or how your information is handled, the most reliable route is the contact information published in the Help or Contact area of dswshoesco.com, or the privacy contact listed in the site footer. We cannot confirm a specific address, phone number or response time here, because those details must come from the live site rather than this page. When you write, say what you need: a copy of your data, a correction, a deletion request, or a general question about our approach. Include enough detail for us to locate your information, and we will take it from there.