Privacy Policy
INTRODUCTION
Amara Cape Town operates this website and online store, including all associated features, content, tools, products, and services (collectively referred to as the “Services”), to provide our customers with a smooth, secure, and personalized shopping experience.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, disclose, and protect your personal information when you visit our website, create an account, place an order, or otherwise interact with our Services.
This Privacy Policy is intended to comply with applicable South African privacy and data protection legislation, including the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) and other applicable laws and regulations.
By accessing or using our Services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.
1. PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT
We collect information that is reasonably necessary for operating our business, processing orders, providing our Services, and improving your shopping experience.
Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:
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Contact information: first name, surname, email address, telephone number, and delivery address.
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Order information: products purchased, order details, delivery information, returns, refunds, and exchanges.
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Account information: account details, login information, preferences, and order history.
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Payment information: payments are processed through secure third-party payment providers. Amara Cape Town does not store your complete credit or debit card details.
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Technical information: IP address, browser type, device information, operating system, pages visited, browsing activity, and approximate session duration.
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Communications: messages exchanged with our customer service team, product reviews, feedback, and responses to surveys.
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Marketing preferences: information regarding your communication preferences and interactions with our promotional communications.
We do not intentionally collect personal information that is not reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy.
2. HOW WE COLLECT YOUR INFORMATION
We may collect personal information in the following ways:
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Directly from you, when you place an order, create an account, contact us, subscribe to our newsletter, submit a review, or otherwise provide information to us.
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Automatically, through cookies, analytics tools, pixels, and similar technologies when you browse our website.
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Through service providers, such as payment processors, delivery companies, logistics providers, website providers, and marketing service providers where necessary to provide our Services.
3. HOW WE USE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
We may use your personal information for the following purposes:
PROCESSING AND FULFILLING ORDERS
To process payments, confirm orders, prepare and ship purchases, provide tracking information, manage returns and refunds, and provide customer support.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
To respond to questions, requests, complaints, and other communications and to assist you with your orders.
IMPROVING OUR SERVICES
To understand how customers use our website, improve website functionality, develop our products and services, and provide a better shopping experience.
PERSONALIZATION
To remember your preferences and personalize certain aspects of your browsing and shopping experience.
MARKETING
Where permitted by applicable law, we may send you promotional communications, special offers, product announcements, and other marketing information.
You may unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time by using the unsubscribe option included in our emails or by contacting us.
FRAUD PREVENTION AND SECURITY
To detect, prevent, and investigate fraud, unauthorized transactions, abuse, security incidents, and other potentially unlawful activities.
LEGAL AND REGULATORY COMPLIANCE
To comply with applicable laws, regulations, legal processes, court orders, and lawful requests from competent authorities.
4. LEGAL BASIS AND POPIA
We process personal information in accordance with applicable South African data protection laws, including POPIA.
Depending on the circumstances, we may process personal information where it is necessary to:
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Perform or take steps toward performing a contract with you.
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Comply with a legal obligation.
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Protect legitimate business interests, where permitted by law.
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Provide and improve our Services.
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Prevent fraud and protect the security of our customers and systems.
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Process information with your consent where consent is required.
Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw your consent at any time, subject to applicable legal or contractual limitations.
Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing that took place before consent was withdrawn.
5. SHARING YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
We may share personal information with trusted third parties where reasonably necessary to operate our business and provide our Services.
These may include:
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Shopify, our e-commerce platform, which provides website hosting and technical infrastructure.
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Payment processors and payment service providers.
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Logistics companies, shipping providers, and delivery partners.
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Customer service and technology providers.
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Marketing and analytics service providers, where permitted by applicable law.
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Professional advisers, auditors, or service providers where reasonably necessary.
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Government authorities, regulators, law enforcement agencies, or other parties where required or permitted by law.
We do not sell your personal information as a standalone product.
Where third parties process personal information on our behalf, we take reasonable steps to require appropriate confidentiality, security, and data protection measures.
6. SHOPIFY
Our online store is powered by Shopify, which provides the technology and infrastructure used to operate our e-commerce website.
Shopify may process personal information in connection with the operation of our store and related services.
Shopify's Privacy Policy is available here:
7. COOKIES AND SIMILAR TECHNOLOGIES
Amara Cape Town uses cookies and similar technologies to:
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Operate and secure our website.
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Remember shopping and browsing preferences.
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Understand how visitors use our website.
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Measure website performance.
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Improve our Services.
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Personalize certain website experiences.
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Support marketing and advertising activities where permitted by law.
You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings.
Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality or availability of some parts of our website.
8. DATA SECURITY
We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect personal information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.
However, no method of transmitting or storing information electronically can be guaranteed to be completely secure.
We therefore encourage customers to take reasonable precautions when using the internet, including keeping account credentials confidential and avoiding sharing sensitive information through unsecured channels.
9. RETENTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.
Information may be retained for purposes including:
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Processing and fulfilling orders.
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Providing customer support.
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Maintaining business and accounting records.
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Complying with tax, legal, and regulatory obligations.
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Resolving disputes.
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Preventing fraud and abuse.
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Enforcing our agreements and policies.
When personal information is no longer reasonably required, we will take reasonable steps to delete, destroy, or de-identify it in accordance with applicable law.
10. INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS
Some of our service providers may process personal information outside South Africa.
Where personal information is transferred outside South Africa, we take reasonable steps to ensure that the transfer and subsequent processing are conducted in accordance with applicable South African data protection requirements, including POPIA where applicable.
This may include using contractual safeguards, appropriate security measures, or relying on other lawful mechanisms for international data transfers.
11. YOUR RIGHTS UNDER POPIA
Subject to applicable legal requirements and limitations, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:
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The right to request access to personal information we hold about you.
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The right to request correction or updating of inaccurate or incomplete information.
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The right to request deletion of personal information where legally applicable.
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The right to object to certain forms of processing.
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The right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
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The right to object to direct marketing in accordance with applicable law.
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The right to lodge a complaint regarding the handling of your personal information.
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The right to request information regarding how your personal information is processed.
To exercise your rights or ask questions about your personal information, please contact:
We may need to verify your identity before processing certain requests in order to protect your personal information and prevent unauthorized access.
12. DIRECT MARKETING
Where required by applicable law, we will obtain the appropriate consent before sending electronic direct marketing communications.
You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link contained in the relevant communication or by contacting us at:
Please note that you may still receive essential transactional communications, such as order confirmations, shipping updates, payment notifications, or customer service messages.
13. CHILDREN'S PRIVACY
Our Services are not intended for individuals who are not legally permitted to enter into transactions under applicable law.
We do not knowingly collect personal information from children without appropriate authorization or consent where required by law.
If you believe that a child has provided us with personal information without appropriate consent, please contact us so that we can take appropriate steps.
14. THIRD-PARTY WEBSITES
Our website may contain links to third-party websites, services, or platforms.
We are not responsible for the privacy practices, security, or content of third-party websites.
We recommend reviewing the privacy policies of any third-party websites you visit.
15. DATA BREACHES AND SECURITY INCIDENTS
If we become aware of a security compromise involving personal information, we will take reasonable steps to investigate, contain, and address the incident.
Where required by applicable law, we may notify affected individuals and/or the relevant regulatory authorities.
16. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our business practices, technology, legal requirements, or regulatory obligations.
Any updated version will be published on this page together with the applicable effective date.
We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.
17. CONTACT US
If you have any questions, requests, or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or the handling of your personal information, please contact us:
Amara Cape Town
Customer Service: info@amaracapetown.com
Website: amara-capetown.com
18. INFORMATION REGULATOR
If you are not satisfied with how your personal information has been handled, you may have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa, subject to the applicable procedures.