Privacy Policy

Introduction

The Scent Library (Pty) Ltd ("we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy and personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA) and other applicable South African laws.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our website www.scentlibrary.co.za or make a purchase from us.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Personal Information You Provide

When you interact with our website, we may collect the following personal information:

• Account Information: Name, surname, email address, phone number, password
• Shipping Information: Delivery address, postal code, city, province
• Payment Information: Payment method details (we do not store full credit card numbers)
• Order Information: Purchase history, product preferences
• Communication: Any information you provide when contacting us via email, phone, or contact forms

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system
• Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, links clicked
• Cookies: See our Cookie Policy below

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following lawful purposes:

2.1 Order Processing and Fulfillment

• Process and deliver your orders
• Send order confirmations and shipping updates
• Handle returns and refunds
• Provide customer support

2.2 Account Management

• Create and manage your account
• Maintain your order history
• Save your preferences and wishlist

2.3 Communication

• Respond to your inquiries
• Send important updates about your orders or account
• Send marketing communications (with your consent - you can opt out anytime)

2.4 Business Operations

• Improve our website and services
• Detect and prevent fraud
• Comply with legal obligations
• Resolve disputes

3. Legal Basis for Processing (POPIA Compliance)

We process your personal information based on the following lawful grounds:

• Consent: You have given explicit consent (e.g., marketing emails)
• Contract: Processing is necessary to fulfill our contract with you (e.g., delivering your order)
• Legal Obligation: We are required by law to process your information (e.g., tax records)
• Legitimate Interests: Processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests (e.g., fraud prevention)

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share your information with:

4.1 Service Providers

• Courier Services: To deliver your orders (e.g., Aramex, The Courier Guy)
• Payment Processors: To process payments securely
• IT Service Providers: To maintain our website and systems

4.2 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law or to:

• Comply with legal processes or government requests
• Enforce our terms and conditions
• Protect our rights, property, or safety
• Prevent fraud or illegal activities

4.3 Third-Party Transfers

All third parties we work with are required to implement appropriate security measures and are prohibited from using your personal information for their own purposes.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction, including:

• SSL/TLS encryption for data transmission
• Secure password hashing
• Regular security audits
• Access controls and authentication
• Secure data storage

However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required by law.

• Account Information: Retained while your account is active, plus 7 years after closure (for tax and legal purposes)
• Order Information: Retained for 7 years (as required by South African tax law)
• Marketing Communications: Until you unsubscribe or request deletion

7. Your Rights Under POPIA

Under POPIA, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

7.1 Right to Access

You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you.

7.2 Right to Correction

You have the right to request that we correct or update inaccurate information.

7.3 Right to Deletion

You have the right to request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal retention requirements).

7.4 Right to Object

You have the right to object to certain processing activities, including marketing communications.

7.5 Right to Restrict Processing

You have the right to request that we restrict processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.

How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Information Officer at:
Email: info@scentlibrary.co.za
Phone: +27 (0)69 694 7717

We will respond to your request within 30 days as required by POPIA.

8. Cookies Policy

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience. Cookies are small text files stored on your device.

Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: Required for website functionality (e.g., shopping cart, login sessions)
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our website
• Marketing Cookies: Used to deliver relevant advertisements (with your consent)

Managing Cookies

You can control cookies through your browser settings. However, disabling cookies may limit your ability to use certain features of our website.

9. Children's Privacy

Our website is not intended for children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe we have collected information from your child, please contact us immediately.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any significant changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

11. Contact Information

Information Officer:

The Scent Library (Pty) Ltd
Email: info@scentlibrary.co.za
Phone: +27 (0)69 694 7717
Address: Johannesburg, South Africa

Regulator:

If you have concerns about how we handle your personal information, you have the right to lodge a complaint with:

Information Regulator (South Africa)
Website: www.justice.gov.za/inforeg
Email: inforeg@justice.gov.za