1. Introduction
UrbanFind (“we,” “our,” or “us”) is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website urbanfind.co.za or make purchases from our online store.
This policy complies with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA) and other applicable South African data protection laws.
2. Information Officer
In accordance with POPIA, UrbanFind has designated an Information Officer responsible for ensuring compliance with data protection laws.
Information Officer Contact:
Email: info@urbanfind.co.za
Address: Unit 15 Honeydew Business Park, 1503 Citrus Street, Laser Park, Roodepoort, Gauteng, 2040, South Africa
3. Information We Collect
We collect various types of information to provide and improve our services to you.
3.1 Personal Information You Provide
When you interact with our website or make a purchase, we may collect the following personal information:
| Information Type | Examples | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Identity Information | Full name, date of birth, ID number | Account creation, order verification |
| Contact Information | Email address, phone number, physical address | Order delivery, customer communication |
| Payment Information | Credit/debit card details, billing address | Processing transactions |
| Order Information | Purchase history, product preferences | Order fulfillment, customer service |
| Account Information | Username, password, account preferences | Account management, personalization |
| Communication Data | Emails, chat messages, feedback | Customer support, service improvement |
3.2 Information Automatically Collected
When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain information about your device and browsing behavior:
- Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device type
- Usage Data: Pages viewed, time spent on pages, click patterns, referral sources
- Location Data: General geographic location based on IP address
- Cookies and Tracking Technologies: See Section 8 for detailed information
3.3 Information from Third Parties
We may receive information from:
- Payment processors for transaction verification
- Shipping carriers for delivery tracking
- Marketing and analytics service providers
- Social media platforms if you choose to interact with us through these channels
4. How We Use Your Information
We use your personal information for the following purposes:
4.1 Order Processing and Fulfillment
- Processing and completing your orders
- Arranging product shipment and delivery
- Sending order confirmations and shipping updates
- Managing returns, refunds, and exchanges
4.2 Customer Service
- Responding to your inquiries and support requests
- Providing product information and recommendations
- Resolving disputes and troubleshooting issues
- Gathering feedback to improve our services
4.3 Account Management
- Creating and managing your customer account
- Personalizing your shopping experience
- Maintaining your order history and preferences
- Enabling features like wishlists and saved carts
4.4 Marketing and Communications
- Sending promotional offers, newsletters, and product updates (with your consent)
- Informing you about new products and special offers
- Conducting surveys and market research
- Personalizing marketing messages based on your interests
4.5 Security and Fraud Prevention
- Detecting and preventing fraudulent transactions
- Protecting against unauthorized access and security threats
- Verifying customer identity when necessary
- Maintaining the security of our systems and data
4.6 Legal Compliance and Business Operations
- Complying with legal obligations and regulatory requirements
- Enforcing our Terms and Conditions
- Analyzing website performance and user behavior
- Improving our products, services, and website functionality
5. Legal Basis for Processing (POPIA Compliance)
Under POPIA, we process your personal information based on the following lawful grounds:
- Consent: You have given explicit consent for specific purposes (e.g., marketing communications)
- Contractual Necessity: Processing is necessary to fulfill our contract with you (e.g., order fulfillment)
- Legal Obligation: Processing is required to comply with South African laws and regulations
- Legitimate Interests: Processing serves our legitimate business interests while respecting your rights (e.g., fraud prevention, service improvement)
6. How We Share Your Information
We do not sell your personal information to third parties. However, we may share your information with the following categories of recipients:
6.1 Service Providers
We share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our business:
- Payment Processors: To securely process your payments
- Shipping Companies: To deliver your orders
- Product Suppliers: To fulfill orders through our dropshipping model
- Email Service Providers: To send order confirmations and newsletters
- Web Hosting and IT Services: To maintain our website and infrastructure
- Analytics Providers: To analyze website usage and improve our services
These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and may only use it for the specific purposes we authorize.
6.2 International Suppliers
As a dropshipping business sourcing products from China, we share necessary order information (name, delivery address, contact details) with our international suppliers to fulfill your orders. We ensure these suppliers handle your data responsibly.
6.3 Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information when required by law or to:
- Comply with legal processes, court orders, or government requests
- Enforce our Terms and Conditions
- Protect our rights, property, or safety
- Investigate and prevent fraud or security issues
- Protect the rights and safety of our customers and the public
6.4 Business Transfers
In the event of a merger, acquisition, sale of assets, or bankruptcy, your personal information may be transferred to the acquiring entity. You will be notified of any such change.
7. International Data Transfers
Given our dropshipping business model, your personal information may be transferred to and processed in countries outside South Africa, particularly China where our suppliers are located.
While data protection laws in other countries may differ from those in South Africa, we take reasonable steps to ensure your information receives adequate protection regardless of where it is processed.
8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
8.1 What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit our website. They help us provide a better user experience and analyze website performance.
8.2 Types of Cookies We Use
- Essential Cookies: Necessary for website functionality (e.g., shopping cart, secure login)
- Performance Cookies: Collect information about how you use our website to help us improve it
- Functional Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings
- Marketing Cookies: Track your browsing to deliver relevant advertisements
8.3 Managing Cookies
You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality. Most browsers allow you to:
- View and delete cookies
- Block cookies from specific websites
- Block all cookies
- Delete all cookies when you close your browser
8.4 Third-Party Tracking
We may use third-party analytics services (such as Google Analytics) to analyze website traffic. These services may use cookies to collect information about your visit.
9. Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, loss, destruction, or alteration.
9.1 Security Measures Include:
- SSL/TLS encryption for data transmission
- Secure payment processing through certified payment gateways
- Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
- Access controls limiting employee access to personal data
- Secure data storage with encryption
- Regular backups to prevent data loss
- Firewall protection and intrusion detection systems
9.2 Your Responsibility
While we strive to protect your information, you also play a role in security:
- Keep your account password confidential
- Use a strong, unique password
- Log out after using shared or public devices
- Report any suspicious activity to us immediately
10. Data Retention
We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy and to comply with legal obligations.
10.1 Retention Periods:
- Order Information: Retained for 7 years for tax and accounting purposes
- Account Information: Retained until you request account deletion
- Marketing Communications: Retained until you unsubscribe
- Website Analytics: Typically retained for 26 months
- Customer Support Records: Retained for 3 years
10.2 Deletion of Data
When personal information is no longer needed, we will securely delete or anonymize it. You may request deletion of your data subject to legal retention requirements.
11. Your Privacy Rights Under POPIA
Under the Protection of Personal Information Act, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:
11.1 Right to Access
You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you. We will provide you with a copy of your data in a commonly used format.
11.2 Right to Correction
You have the right to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal information. You can update most information through your account settings.
11.3 Right to Deletion
You have the right to request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain legal exceptions (e.g., tax records, fraud prevention).
11.4 Right to Object
You have the right to object to processing of your personal information for direct marketing purposes at any time.
11.5 Right to Data Portability
You have the right to request your personal information in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format for transfer to another service provider.
11.6 Right to Withdraw Consent
Where we process your information based on consent, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. This will not affect the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.
11.7 How to Exercise Your Rights
To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Information Officer at info@urbanfind.co.za. We will respond to your request within 30 days.
12. Marketing Communications
12.1 Opt-In and Consent
We will only send you marketing communications if you have provided explicit consent or if we have a legitimate interest to do so and you have not opted out.
12.2 Types of Marketing Communications
- Promotional emails about new products and special offers
- Newsletters with updates and company news
- Personalized product recommendations
- Abandoned cart reminders
12.3 Unsubscribe Options
You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by:
- Clicking the “unsubscribe” link in any marketing email
- Updating your communication preferences in your account settings
- Contacting us at sales@urbanfind.co.za
Please note that even if you opt out of marketing communications, we will still send transactional emails related to your orders and account.
13. Children’s Privacy
Our website and services are not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at info@urbanfind.co.za, and we will delete such information from our systems.
14. Third-Party Websites
Our website may contain links to third-party websites, services, or applications. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those external sites.
We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.
15. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors.
When we make significant changes, we will:
- Update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this policy
- Notify you via email or through a prominent notice on our website
- Request your consent if required by law
We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.
16. Contact Information
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:
UrbanFind – Information Officer
Email: info@urbanfind.co.za | sales@urbanfind.co.za
Physical Address:
Unit 15 Honeydew Business Park
1503 Citrus Street, Laser Park
Roodepoort, Gauteng, 2040
South Africa
Website: urbanfind.co.za
Response Time: We will respond to all privacy-related inquiries within 30 days.
17. Information Regulator Contact
If you have concerns about how we handle your personal information and are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Information Regulator:
Information Regulator (South Africa)
JD House, 27 Stiemens Street
Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2001
P.O Box 31533, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2017
Tel: +27 (0) 10 023 5200
Email: inforeg@justice.gov.za
Website: www.justice.gov.za/inforeg
18. Consent and Acceptance
By using our website and services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information as described herein.
If you do not agree with this Privacy Policy, please do not use our website or services.
Your privacy is important to us. We are committed to protecting your personal information and handling it responsibly in accordance with POPIA and applicable data protection laws.