Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Shoppa ("we," "us," or "our"). We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our WhatsApp commerce service and related checkout system.

By using our service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

2. Information We Collect

Information You Provide

• Contact Information: Name, phone number (via WhatsApp)
• Order Information: Products selected, quantities, delivery preferences
• Payment Information: Processed through WooCommerce and third-party payment providers (PayFast, Yoco, PayFlex, PayJustNow)
• Communication Data: Messages exchanged via WhatsApp for customer service

Information Automatically Collected

• WhatsApp Profile Information: Profile name and picture (if available)
• Interaction Data: Product views, cart activities, checkout interactions
• Technical Data: Device type, IP address (for security and fraud prevention)
• Usage Analytics: How you interact with our WhatsApp flows and checkout process

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for:

• Order Processing: Creating and fulfilling your orders
• Communication: Sending order confirmations, shipping updates, and customer support via WhatsApp
• Payment Processing: Facilitating secure payment transactions
• Service Improvement: Analyzing usage patterns to enhance our service
• Security: Preventing fraud and unauthorized access
• Legal Compliance: Meeting our legal and regulatory obligations

4. WhatsApp Business API Usage

Our service uses WhatsApp Business API provided by Meta. This means:

• Your WhatsApp messages with us are subject to WhatsApp's Privacy Policy
• We use WhatsApp's encrypted messaging infrastructure
• Your phone number is used to identify and communicate with you
• We do not have access to your other WhatsApp conversations
• You can block or delete our chat at any time through WhatsApp

Data We Receive from WhatsApp

When you interact with us through WhatsApp, we receive:

• Your WhatsApp phone number
• Profile information (name and profile photo if available)
• Message content and metadata
• Message delivery and read receipts
• WhatsApp Flow interaction data (product selections, form submissions)

How We Use WhatsApp Data

• To process your orders and provide customer service
• To send order updates and delivery notifications
• To respond to your inquiries and support requests
• To improve our WhatsApp commerce experience
• We do NOT use your WhatsApp data for advertising targeting
• We do NOT sell your WhatsApp data to third parties

5. Data Sharing and Disclosure

Service Providers

• WooCommerce: For order management and inventory
• Payment Processors: PayFast, Yoco, PayFlex, PayJustNow for payment processing
• Meta/WhatsApp: For message delivery and WhatsApp Business API services
• Delivery Partners: For order fulfillment (name, address, phone number only)

Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities.

Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity.

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information, including:

• Encrypted data transmission (HTTPS/TLS)
• Secure token-based checkout URLs with 30-minute expiration
• Regular security assessments
• Limited access to personal information on a need-to-know basis
• Secure payment processing through established payment gateways

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for:

• Order Information: 7 years for tax and legal compliance
• WhatsApp Messages: 90 days for customer service purposes
• Payment Information: We do not store payment card details; these are handled by payment processors
• Marketing Communications: Until you opt-out

8. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access: Request copies of your personal information
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal requirements)
• Opt-Out: Stop receiving marketing communications
• Data Portability: Request your data in a machine-readable format
• Withdraw Consent: Where we rely on consent for processing

To exercise these rights, contact us via WhatsApp or email at privacy@getshoppa.com.

9. South African Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA)

As a South African service, we comply with POPIA requirements:

• We process personal information lawfully and reasonably
• We collect information directly from you where practicable
• We take steps to ensure information is accurate and updated
• We implement safeguards against unauthorized access
• You may object to processing of your personal information

Information Officer

For POPIA-related queries, contact our Information Officer at: privacy@getshoppa.com.

10. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than South Africa, including:

• United States (Meta/WhatsApp servers)
• Countries where our payment processors operate

We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for such transfers.

11. Children's Privacy

Our service is not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18.

12. Cookies and Tracking

Our WhatsApp service does not use cookies. However, our checkout pages may use essential cookies for:

• Session management during checkout
• Security and fraud prevention
• Remembering cart contents

13. Third-Party Links

Our service may contain links to third-party websites (payment processors, delivery tracking). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites.

14. Marketing Communications

WhatsApp Business Messages

• We may send promotional messages via WhatsApp Business
• You can opt-out by replying "STOP" to any marketing message
• Service messages (order confirmations, shipping updates) are not affected by marketing opt-outs

15. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by:

• Posting the new policy on this page
• Updating the "Last Updated" date
• Sending a WhatsApp message for significant changes

16. Contact Information

For questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, contact us:

Data Protection Officer

For data protection concerns:
Email: dpo@getshoppa.com

17. Dispute Resolution

In the event of a dispute regarding your personal information:

1. Contact us directly to attempt resolution
2. File a complaint with the South African Information Regulator
3. Pursue resolution through South African courts

18. Consent

By using our WhatsApp commerce service, you consent to:

• The collection and processing of your information as described in this policy
• Receiving transactional messages via WhatsApp
• The transfer of your data to service providers as necessary for order fulfillment

You may withdraw consent at any time by contacting us, though this may affect our ability to provide services to you.

19. Meta Platform Integration

Login with Facebook/Meta

If you choose to authenticate using Facebook Login:

• We receive your basic profile information (name, email if provided)
• We do not post on your behalf without explicit permission
• We do not access your Facebook friends list
• You can revoke access through your Facebook settings at any time

Data Deletion Requests

You can request deletion of your data obtained through Meta platforms by:

• Contacting us at privacy@getshoppa.com
• Using the data deletion request form on our website
• We will delete your data within 30 days of verification

Developer Data Policy Compliance

We comply with Meta's Platform Terms and Developer Policies:

• We only use Meta platform data for the purposes disclosed in this policy
• We maintain appropriate security measures for data received from Meta
• We respect user privacy settings and permissions
• We provide users control over their data