Privacy Policy

Privacy at a Glance

1. Scope of This Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Awesome Goodies & Prints (Pty) Ltd (“AGP”, “we”, “us” or “our”) processes personal information when you visit our website, create an account, request a quote, communicate with us, use a product-design tool, upload artwork, place or receive an order, enter a promotion, submit a review or otherwise use our services.

It applies to natural persons and, where POPIA applies, identifiable existing juristic persons. It should be read with our Terms of Service, Refund & Returns Policy, any cookie choices shown on the website and any specific notice given when information is collected.

2. Responsible Party and Information Officer

Awesome Goodies & Prints (Pty) Ltd is the responsible party for personal information processed for its business purposes. Our Information Officer oversees privacy and access-to-information requests.

Please use “Privacy Request” in the subject line and provide enough information for us to identify the relevant records. We may need to verify your identity or authority before releasing or changing personal information.

3. Personal Information We Collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:

• Identity and contact information: name, business or organisation name, email address, telephone number, account username and delivery or collection details;
• Order and transaction information: products, sizes, quantities, personalisation instructions, quotations, invoices, payments, refunds, VAT number, order history and customer-service records;
• Artwork and design information: photographs, logos, names, messages, graphics, uploaded files, saved product designs, previews, print specifications and related instructions;
• Delivery information: recipient name, address, contact number, courier instructions, tracking events and proof of delivery;
• Communications: emails, WhatsApp messages, telephone notes, enquiries, approvals, complaints, reviews and competition entries;
• Website and device information: IP address, browser, device type, pages viewed, referring page, approximate location derived from an IP address, cookie identifiers, security logs and interaction data;
• Account and preference information: saved addresses, saved designs, favourites, consent choices and communication preferences; and
• Information required by law or risk controls: records reasonably needed for fraud prevention, payment verification, accounting, tax, legal claims or regulatory compliance.

Please do not send identity documents, bank-card details, medical information or other sensitive information unless we specifically request it for a lawful and necessary purpose.

4. How We Collect Information

We collect information directly from you when you complete a form, register, check out, upload a file, save a design, contact us or provide instructions. We also receive information automatically from website technologies and from service providers involved in payments, fraud prevention, hosting, analytics, communication or delivery.

If you give us another person’s information - for example a gift recipient, child’s photograph, employee name, team list or delivery contact - you confirm that you are authorised to provide it and that the person has received any notice or given any consent required by law.

5. Why and on What Basis We Process Information

We process personal information only where POPIA permits it, including where processing is necessary to perform or conclude a contract, comply with a legal obligation, protect a legitimate interest of you or another person, pursue our legitimate interests or those of a third party, or where you have consented.

Our purposes include:

• Creating and managing accounts, quotations, orders, saved designs and customer relationships;
• Checking artwork, preparing proofs, personalising products, printing, packing, collecting and delivering orders;
• Processing payments, VAT information, refunds, disputes and accounting records;
• Communicating about enquiries, artwork approvals, stock, production, delivery, returns and support;
• Operating, securing, testing, troubleshooting and improving the website and product-design tools;
• Preventing fraud, abuse, spam, unlawful uploads, security incidents and infringement of third-party rights;
• Understanding service performance and customer needs using proportionate analytics;
• Sending direct marketing where allowed and respecting consent and opt-out choices;
• Establishing, exercising or defending legal claims; and
• Complying with tax, consumer, company, privacy, access-to-information and other legal duties.

If required information is not provided, we may be unable to quote, personalise, accept payment, produce, deliver or support an order.

6. Artwork, Photographs and Children’s Information

Uploaded artwork and photographs can contain personal information, including images and names of children. We use these files to provide the requested design, proofing, printing, fulfilment and support services. We do not acquire ownership of your artwork merely because it is uploaded.

Our services are intended for adults who can lawfully place an order. We do not knowingly invite children to create accounts or place orders independently. Where a design contains a child’s personal information, the customer must be the competent person or have appropriate permission from a parent, guardian or other authorised person.

Do not upload unlawful, intimate or highly sensitive images. Saved designs may remain available in an account until deleted, the account is closed or retention is no longer reasonably necessary. Production files and order proofs may be retained for repeat orders, quality records, disputes or legal requirements, subject to POPIA and our retention practices.

7. Payment Information

Payments are processed through the payment methods shown at checkout. Payment providers may collect card, bank, authentication, device and fraud-screening information under their own privacy notices. AGP does not ordinarily receive or store your complete payment-card number or security code. We receive transaction references, status and limited information needed to reconcile payment, prevent fraud and provide support.

8. Who We Share Personal Information With

We do not sell personal information. We may disclose relevant information to:

• Authorised AGP staff, contractors and production partners who need it to perform their duties;
• Website hosting, cloud storage, backup, email, communication, security, anti-spam, analytics and technical-support providers;
• WooCommerce extensions, product-option and product-designer services used to operate your chosen features;
• Payment gateways, banks, fraud-prevention and accounting providers;
• Couriers, collection services, fulfilment partners and delivery recipients;
• Professional advisers, insurers, auditors and debt-recovery providers where reasonably necessary;
• Regulators, courts, law-enforcement agencies or other persons where disclosure is required or permitted by law; and
• A buyer, investor or successor involved in a genuine business restructuring, subject to appropriate confidentiality and legal safeguards.

Service providers acting as operators must process information only for authorised purposes, keep it confidential and apply appropriate security measures. Some providers act as independent responsible parties for their own regulated purposes.

9. Processing Outside South Africa

Some hosting, cloud, software, payment, communication or support providers may process information in another country. Where personal information is transferred outside South Africa, we take reasonable steps to ensure that the transfer is permitted under section 72 of POPIA, including through adequate legal protection, contractual safeguards, binding rules, consent where appropriate or another lawful basis.

Foreign privacy laws and government-access rules may differ from those in South Africa. Contact us if you require more information about safeguards relevant to a particular service.

10. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Cookies and similar storage technologies help the website remember a cart, maintain a secure session, save preferences, prevent fraud, measure performance and enable WooCommerce or product-design functions. Necessary cookies are required for services you request. Optional analytics, advertising or third-party cookies should operate according to the consent choices made available on the website.

You can use available cookie controls or browser settings to block or delete cookies. Blocking necessary cookies may prevent the cart, checkout, account, saved-design or security features from working correctly. Third-party content may set its own cookies subject to that provider’s privacy notice.

11. Direct Marketing and Communication Choices

Order confirmations, artwork questions, delivery updates, security notices and support messages are transactional and may be sent where needed to provide the service.

We send electronic direct marketing only where permitted by POPIA, including with valid consent or, where applicable, to an existing customer concerning our own similar products or services. Marketing messages will identify the sender and provide a reasonable way to opt out. You may withdraw consent or object to direct marketing at any time without charge by using the unsubscribe method or contacting us. We will retain a limited suppression record so that the opt-out can be respected.

12. How Long We Keep Information

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose collected, a related compatible purpose, legal or accounting requirements, warranties, repeat-order support, fraud prevention, dispute resolution or the establishment, exercise or defence of a legal claim.

Retention periods vary by record type. When information is no longer required and we are not authorised or obliged to retain it, we securely delete, destroy or de-identify it. Backup copies may remain for a limited cycle and are protected from ordinary use until overwritten.

13. Security and Personal Information Incidents

We use reasonable technical and organisational safeguards appropriate to the nature of the information and foreseeable risks. Measures may include access controls, account authentication, software updates, malware and spam protection, secure payment providers, backups, staff confidentiality, restricted production access and secure disposal.

No internet or storage system can be guaranteed completely secure. Customers should protect passwords, sign out on shared devices and avoid sending sensitive payment information through ordinary email or messaging. If we reasonably believe personal information has been accessed or acquired by an unauthorised person, we will investigate and notify the Information Regulator and affected data subjects as required by section 22 of POPIA, unless lawful grounds permit delayed notification.

14. Your POPIA Rights

Subject to POPIA, PAIA and lawful limitations, you may:

• Ask whether we hold personal information about you and request access to it;
• Ask us to correct or delete inaccurate, irrelevant, excessive, outdated, incomplete, misleading or unlawfully obtained information;
• Ask us to destroy or delete a record we are no longer authorised to retain;
• Object on reasonable grounds to processing based on legitimate interests;
• Object at any time to direct marketing;
• Withdraw consent where processing depends on consent, without affecting earlier lawful processing;
• Not be subject to certain decisions based solely on automated processing where POPIA applies;
• Request information about applicable cross-border safeguards; and
• Complain to us or the Information Regulator.

Official objection, correction, deletion and complaint forms are available from the Information Regulator’s POPIA Forms page. Access to records may be subject to PAIA procedures, identity verification, protection of third-party rights and any fee permitted by law.

15. Automated Processing

Website, payment and security providers may use automated tools to detect fraud, spam, abuse or unusual activity. AGP does not ordinarily make a decision producing legal or similarly significant effects about a customer solely through automated processing without appropriate human involvement or another basis permitted by POPIA.

16. Third-Party Websites and Services

Our website may link to maps, social platforms, payment providers, courier tracking or other independent services. Their processing is governed by their own privacy notices. A link does not make AGP responsible for an independent provider’s privacy practices, although we aim to select service providers responsibly where they process information for us.

17. Requests, Questions and Complaints

Please contact our Information Officer first so we can investigate and respond. Describe the request, identify the relevant account or order, and provide proof of identity or authority if reasonably requested. We will respond within the period required by applicable law.

If you believe your personal information has been processed contrary to POPIA, you may lodge a complaint through the Information Regulator’s complaints service or contact:

Information Regulator (South Africa)
Woodmead North Office Park, 54 Maxwell Drive, Woodmead, Johannesburg, 2191
Email: POPIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za
General enquiries: enquiries@inforegulator.org.za
Telephone: 010 023 5200 · Toll-free: 0800 017 160

18. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy when our services, providers, security practices or legal duties change. The current version will be published on this page with its revision date. Material changes may also be communicated through the website or another appropriate channel.