Terms of service

NEEDLE & HUE — Terms & Conditions
Last updated: 23 September 2026

These Terms & Conditions apply to the use of the NEEDLE & HUE website and to orders placed directly through our online store.
NEEDLE & HUE is a trading name used by Paula Szumacher, a sole trader. In these Terms, “NEEDLE & HUE”, “we”, “us” and “our” refer to Paula Szumacher trading as NEEDLE & HUE.
Business address: 10 Acorn House, Paper Mill Lane, IP8 4DW, United Kingdom.
Email: needleandhue@gmail.com.
Website: needleandhue.co.uk.
Please read these Terms carefully before placing an order. They should be read together with our Returns & Refunds Policy, Shipping & Delivery Policy and Privacy Policy.
Nothing in these Terms excludes, restricts or reduces any statutory right or remedy that cannot lawfully be excluded or restricted.

1. About NEEDLE & HUE
NEEDLE & HUE is a UK-based online retailer of professional PMU, tattoo and related beauty-industry supplies, equipment and accessories.
Some products may be intended for trained or professional users. Where a product is described as professional-use, sterile, technical, regulated or requiring specialist knowledge, customers are responsible for ensuring that they are appropriately trained, competent and legally permitted to purchase, possess and use that product for their intended activity.
A professional-use description does not remove any statutory right concerning the safety, quality, description or conformity of goods.

2. Who can place an order
You must have legal capacity to enter into a contract and must provide accurate information when placing an order.
If you place an order on behalf of a business, salon, company or other organisation, you confirm that you have authority to place the order on its behalf.
Whether you are legally a consumer or a business customer depends on the purpose for which you are acting, not merely on the wording selected at checkout.

3. Consumer and business customers
A consumer is generally an individual acting wholly or mainly outside their trade, business, craft or profession.
A business customer is a person or organisation purchasing wholly or mainly for purposes relating to a trade, business, craft or profession.
Certain statutory protections and cancellation rights apply specifically to consumers. Nothing in these Terms treats a genuine consumer as a business customer merely because the goods are capable of professional use.

4. Information provided before purchase
Before an order is placed, we aim to provide the information required by applicable UK law, including the identity and contact details of the seller, the main characteristics of the goods, price, payment arrangements, delivery information and relevant cancellation information.
Product pages, checkout information and order-specific terms form part of the information supplied in connection with a purchase.
Customers should review the product description, variant, quantity, price, delivery address and delivery option before submitting an order.

5. Placing an order
The checkout process allows customers to review and, where the functionality is available, correct order information before submitting the order.
By clicking the final button that clearly indicates an obligation to pay, you are submitting an order and agreeing to pay the amount shown at checkout, subject to these Terms and any order-specific information presented before purchase.
You are responsible for ensuring that the details submitted with your order are complete and accurate.

6. Contract formation
Placing an order is an offer by you to purchase the goods shown in the order.
An automated order acknowledgement or payment authorisation confirms that we have received the order or payment information; it does not necessarily mean that we have accepted the order.
Unless we expressly state otherwise during checkout or in an order-specific communication, the contract for the sale of goods is formed when we send confirmation that the order has been accepted for fulfilment or dispatched.
If we do not accept an order after taking payment, we will refund the amount due for the unaccepted order without undue delay.

7. Reasons we may decline or cancel an order
Before a contract is formed, we may decline an order for a legitimate reason, including product unavailability, an obvious pricing or listing error, unsuccessful payment, inability to verify information reasonably required to process the order, delivery restrictions, legal or regulatory restrictions, or genuine grounds to suspect fraud or unlawful activity.
After a contract has been formed, we will not cancel it arbitrarily. Any cancellation by NEEDLE & HUE will be based on the contract, applicable law or a legitimate circumstance that legally permits cancellation.
Where we cancel an order or item and the customer is entitled to repayment, the relevant amount will be refunded without undue delay.

8. Product availability
All orders are subject to stock availability.
We take reasonable steps to keep stock information accurate, but stock discrepancies can occur.
If an item becomes unavailable, we will not substitute a materially different item without the customer’s agreement. Depending on the circumstances, we may contact the customer, offer an agreed alternative, cancel and refund the unavailable item, or take another lawful and agreed step.

9. Product descriptions and images
We take reasonable care to describe products accurately.
Product photographs and screen displays can vary in colour, scale or appearance depending on photography, lighting, device settings and manufacturer packaging updates.
Minor changes in packaging, branding or presentation that do not materially alter the product may occur. We will not use this provision to supply goods that are materially different from their contractual description.
Where dimensions, quantities, materials, compatibility, sterility, expiry information or technical specifications are material to your purchase, you should review the product listing carefully before ordering.

10. Manufacturer information and compatibility
Where relevant, product information may include specifications or instructions supplied by the manufacturer or authorised distributor.
Customers are responsible for checking stated compatibility before using accessories, cartridges, components or consumables with third-party machines or systems.
If we make an express compatibility statement, that statement forms part of the product information and does not remove statutory rights if it is incorrect.

11. Professional equipment and safe use
PMU, tattoo and related professional equipment must be used in accordance with applicable law, manufacturer instructions, hygiene procedures, training requirements and professional standards.
Customers must not rely on general website content as a substitute for appropriate professional training, product instructions, safety information or regulatory requirements.
Nothing in this section excludes responsibility for unsafe, defective, incorrectly described or otherwise non-conforming goods where NEEDLE & HUE is legally responsible.

12. Sterile, hygiene-sensitive and single-use goods
Certain goods may be sterile, sealed, hygiene-sensitive or intended for single use.
Customers must follow the product labelling, expiry information, storage requirements, sterility instructions and manufacturer directions applicable to those goods.
Opening or damaging a relevant hygiene or sterile seal may affect statutory change-of-mind cancellation rights where the legal conditions for the hygiene exception are met.
This does not remove statutory remedies for faulty, unsafe, damaged, incorrectly supplied or non-conforming goods. Further details are set out in our Returns & Refunds Policy.

13. Batch, LOT, serial and traceability information
For appropriate products we may record SKU, batch, LOT, serial number, expiry information or other traceability data for fulfilment, safety, regulatory, warranty, customer-service and fraud-prevention purposes.
Customers should retain relevant labels, batch or LOT information and serial-number information where reasonably possible until the product has been used and any issue has been resolved.
Removing packaging or labels does not automatically remove statutory rights, although loss of identifying information may affect the evidence reasonably available when investigating a claim.

14. Product safety notices and recalls
If we become aware of a product safety issue, recall or corrective action affecting goods we have supplied, we may contact affected customers using the details associated with the order.
Customers may be asked to stop using, isolate, retain, return or dispose of affected goods in accordance with safety instructions.
Customers should follow genuine product-safety or recall instructions promptly. Any refund, replacement or other remedy will be determined in accordance with applicable law and the specific recall or safety action.

15. Prices
Prices are displayed in pounds sterling (GBP) unless clearly stated otherwise.
The total price payable, including mandatory delivery charges and taxes that must be included or disclosed, will be shown before the order is placed.
Prices may change at any time for future orders, but a later price change will not retrospectively alter the agreed price of an existing contract except where the law permits or the customer expressly agrees.

16. Pricing and listing errors
We take reasonable care to ensure prices and product information are accurate, but genuine errors can occur.
If we identify an obvious and genuine pricing, quantity or listing error before accepting an order, we may decline the order and notify the customer.
If payment has already been taken for an order that we lawfully decline because of such an error, the relevant amount will be refunded without undue delay.
Nothing in this section gives NEEDLE & HUE an unrestricted right to change an agreed price after a contract has been formed.

17. VAT and taxes
Prices and tax information will be displayed in accordance with our tax status and applicable law at the time of purchase.
Where VAT is legally chargeable and required to be shown, it will be dealt with in accordance with applicable UK VAT rules.
A VAT invoice will only be issued where applicable and legally appropriate.

18. Payment
We accept the payment methods made available at checkout.
Payment may be authorised, captured or processed through Shopify and third-party payment providers.
You must be authorised to use the payment method submitted with an order.
We may carry out reasonable payment and fraud-prevention checks before fulfilment. Payment-provider terms may also apply to the payment service itself.

19. Promotions and discount codes
Promotions, discount codes, bundles or special offers may be subject to additional terms shown with the relevant promotion.
A promotion may have a stated validity period, eligibility requirement, product limitation or usage restriction.
We will not retrospectively change the material terms of a promotion after it has formed part of an accepted consumer order unless the change is permitted by law or agreed with the customer.
Where a promotion is affected by an obvious technical or pricing error, the matter will be handled fairly and in accordance with applicable law.

20. Delivery
NEEDLE & HUE currently delivers only to eligible addresses within the United Kingdom and does not offer international shipping.
Delivery areas, processing times, delivery methods, risk during delivery, incorrect addresses, failed deliveries, tracking, freight forwarders and related matters are governed by our Shipping & Delivery Policy and any order-specific delivery information shown at checkout.
If there is a conflict between a general statement in these Terms and an expressly agreed order-specific delivery term, the legally binding order-specific term will apply.

21. Risk and ownership
For consumer purchases, risk in the goods passes in accordance with applicable consumer law and our Shipping & Delivery Policy.
We do not treat the mere handover of a consumer parcel to a carrier selected or offered by NEEDLE & HUE as transferring delivery risk to the consumer.
Ownership of goods will not pass until we have received full payment for those goods, to the extent this is consistent with applicable law.

22. Returns, cancellations and refunds
Consumer cancellation rights, return conditions, hygiene exceptions, faulty goods, refund timing, return postage and related matters are set out in our Returns & Refunds Policy.
Our Returns & Refunds Policy forms part of these Terms.
Nothing in either document removes a statutory right or remedy that cannot lawfully be excluded or restricted.

23. Faulty or non-conforming goods
Goods supplied to consumers must meet the requirements imposed by applicable UK consumer law, including requirements concerning satisfactory quality, description and, where legally applicable, fitness for purpose.
Where goods do not conform to the contract, statutory remedies may apply independently of any manufacturer warranty or voluntary store policy.
A manufacturer warranty, where provided, is additional to and does not replace statutory consumer rights.

24. Misuse, accidental damage and unauthorised modification
NEEDLE & HUE is not responsible for a defect or damage caused after delivery by misuse, accident, unsuitable storage, failure to follow instructions, use outside stated specifications, deliberate damage, unauthorised modification or unauthorised repair, except to the extent the problem is attributable to an inherent defect or another breach for which NEEDLE & HUE is legally responsible.
We may reasonably investigate the cause of a reported problem before determining the appropriate remedy.
This section does not shift an unlawful burden of proof to a consumer or remove statutory presumptions that apply under UK law.

25. Website content and educational information
General articles, guides, educational materials, compatibility notes and other informational content on the website are provided for general information.
They are not a substitute for manufacturer instructions, professional training, clinical advice, medical advice, legal advice or regulatory guidance applicable to the customer’s circumstances.
Where a statement forms part of a product description or an express contractual promise, it will be treated accordingly and not dismissed merely as general information.

26. Customer accounts
If customer accounts are made available, you are responsible for providing accurate information and for taking reasonable steps to keep your login credentials secure.
You should notify us promptly if you reasonably believe your account has been accessed without authorisation.
We may suspend or restrict account access where reasonably necessary to protect the customer, the store or other users from security threats, fraud or unlawful activity.

27. Acceptable use of the website
You must not misuse the website, attempt unauthorised access, interfere with its operation, introduce malicious code, scrape or extract content in a manner that unlawfully infringes our rights, impersonate another person, submit fraudulent information, or use the website for unlawful activity.
We may take reasonable and proportionate steps to protect the website, customers and business systems against misuse, including restricting access where necessary.
Nothing in this section prevents legitimate use of rights available under law.

28. Reviews, feedback and submitted content
If we allow customers to submit reviews, photographs, comments or other content, submitted material must be lawful and must not knowingly be false, fraudulent, defamatory, infringing, abusive or misleading.
Reviews must reflect a genuine experience with the relevant product or service. Where an incentive has been provided for a review, any disclosure required by law or platform rules must be made.
By submitting content for publication, you grant NEEDLE & HUE a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to store, reproduce and display that content for the purposes for which it was submitted, including operating and promoting the store, subject to applicable law and our Privacy Policy.
We may moderate or remove content for a legitimate and lawful reason, but we will not manipulate reviews in a way that creates a misleading impression of customer feedback.

29. Intellectual property
Unless otherwise stated, website design elements, NEEDLE & HUE branding, original text, graphics, photographs and other original store content are owned by or licensed to NEEDLE & HUE and are protected by applicable intellectual property law.
You may use website content for normal personal or business purchasing purposes, but you may not reproduce, republish, commercially exploit or present our original content as your own without permission or another lawful basis.
Third-party brand names, product names, logos and trade marks remain the property of their respective owners. Their appearance on the store does not imply ownership by NEEDLE & HUE.

30. Third-party services and links
The store may use or link to third-party services, including payment providers, carriers, manufacturers, social-media platforms and other websites.
Third parties may have their own terms and privacy practices.
We are not responsible for the independent content or acts of a third-party website or service that we do not control, except where applicable law makes us responsible for the relevant matter or where the issue arises from our own breach or misrepresentation.

31. Website availability and technical issues
We aim to keep the website available and accurate, but we do not promise that the website will be uninterrupted or free from every technical error.
We may carry out maintenance, security work or updates where reasonably necessary.
A temporary website failure does not remove rights arising from a contract that has already been formed.

32. Fraud, dishonest claims and misuse of remedies
NEEDLE & HUE may reasonably investigate circumstances giving genuine grounds to suspect fraud, dishonest conduct, product substitution, falsified evidence, deliberate damage presented as an inherent defect, false non-delivery claims, unauthorised payment activity or attempts to obtain duplicate reimbursement for the same loss.
Where lawful, necessary and proportionate, relevant information may be provided to payment providers, carriers, insurers, fraud-prevention services or law-enforcement authorities.
The fact that we dispute a claim does not by itself mean that the customer has acted fraudulently. Legitimate claims and statutory rights will be handled in accordance with applicable law.

33. Chargebacks and payment disputes
Customers are encouraged to contact us first where there is a problem with an order so that we can investigate and attempt to resolve it.
This does not restrict a lawful right to use a card issuer, payment provider or other dispute process.
Where a dispute or chargeback is raised, we may provide relevant evidence to an authorised payment provider where lawful and reasonably necessary, including order information, correspondence, tracking, fulfilment records, delivery evidence, return information, batch or serial records and other evidence relevant to the dispute.

34. Our responsibility to consumers
Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability where doing so would be unlawful.
In particular, we do not exclude or limit liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, liability for goods where statutory liability cannot be excluded, or any other liability that the law does not permit us to exclude or restrict.
We do not use these Terms to remove consumer rights concerning faulty, unsafe, incorrectly described or non-conforming goods.
Where the law permits liability to be limited, any limitation will be interpreted only to the extent that it is lawful, fair and applicable to the circumstances.

35. Business customer responsibility and liability
Business customers are responsible for using goods in accordance with applicable professional, workplace, health and safety, licensing and regulatory requirements relevant to their business.
For business-to-business transactions, rights and liabilities may differ from consumer transactions and may be subject to additional written B2B or wholesale terms agreed for a particular account or order.
Nothing in these Terms excludes liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or seeks to override any statutory control on unreasonable exclusion or limitation clauses.

36. Events outside reasonable control
We are not responsible for a failure or delay caused by an event genuinely outside our reasonable control to the extent that the law permits this and the event actually prevents or delays performance.
We will take reasonable steps to reduce the effect of such events where appropriate.
This section does not remove statutory consumer rights relating to delivery, cancellation, refunds or other remedies where those rights continue to apply despite the event.

37. Complaints and customer service
If you have a complaint or problem with an order, contact NEEDLE & HUE at needleandhue@gmail.com.
Please provide sufficient information for us to identify the order and understand the issue.
We will aim to consider complaints fairly and within a reasonable time. Nothing in our internal complaints process prevents a customer from using a legal remedy available to them.

38. Privacy and personal data
Personal data is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable data protection law.
The Privacy Policy explains how information may be used for purposes including order fulfilment, delivery, customer support, security, fraud prevention, legal compliance and other stated purposes.

39. Changes to these Terms
We may update these Terms from time to time to reflect changes to our business, website, products, services or applicable law.
Updated Terms will apply to future use and future orders from the effective date stated in the updated version.
A later change will not retrospectively remove contractual or statutory rights relating to an order already placed under earlier applicable terms.

40. Transfer of our rights or obligations
We may transfer our rights or obligations under a contract where this is legally permitted, for example as part of a genuine transfer of the business to a company or another owner.
Where the customer is a consumer, any transfer will not reduce statutory rights or guarantees, and we will provide notice where required by law.
A transfer of the business does not retrospectively change which legal person was responsible for obligations arising before the transfer unless the law or a valid agreement provides otherwise.

41. If we later operate through a limited company
NEEDLE & HUE is currently operated by Paula Szumacher as a sole trader.
If the business is later transferred to or operated by a limited company, the seller’s legal identity, company details and applicable policies will be updated before the company accepts orders in its own name.
The incorporation of a company does not by itself retrospectively transfer obligations under contracts previously entered into by Paula Szumacher as a sole trader.

42. Severability
If any provision of these Terms is found to be unlawful, invalid or unenforceable, that provision will be treated only to the extent necessary as ineffective, and the remaining provisions will continue to apply where legally possible.
This section does not permit an unfair or unlawful term to be rewritten in a way that deprives a consumer of a statutory protection.

43. No waiver
If we do not immediately enforce a contractual right, that does not necessarily mean that the right has been waived.
Similarly, a customer does not lose a statutory or contractual right merely because they do not exercise it immediately, subject to any lawful limitation period or other applicable rule.

44. Third-party rights
Except where these Terms expressly state otherwise or the law provides otherwise, a person who is not a party to the contract does not have a right to enforce these Terms solely under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999.
This does not affect any right or remedy of a third party that exists independently of that Act.

45. Governing law and courts
For consumers, these Terms do not deprive you of mandatory legal protections available in the part of the United Kingdom in which you live.
If you live in England or Wales, proceedings may be brought in the courts of England and Wales. If you live in Scotland, proceedings may be brought in the Scottish courts. If you live in Northern Ireland, proceedings may be brought in the courts of Northern Ireland, subject in each case to applicable jurisdiction rules.
For business customers, unless otherwise agreed in writing or required by law, the contract is governed by the law of England and Wales and the courts of England and Wales will have jurisdiction.

46. Contact details
NEEDLE & HUE
Legal operator: Paula Szumacher trading as NEEDLE & HUE
Business address: 10 Acorn House, Paper Mill Lane, IP8 4DW, United Kingdom
Email: needleandhue@gmail.com
Website: needleandhue.co.uk