Terms of service

Privacy Policy

Last updated: 02.10

1. Introduction

The Monk Society ("we", "us" or "our") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, disclose and protect your personal information when you visit [WEBSITE URL], create an account, make a purchase, contact us, subscribe to marketing communications or otherwise interact with us.

We process personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013 ("POPIA") and other applicable South African laws.

2. Information We Collect

Depending on how you use our website, we may collect the following information:

Personal and Contact Information

This may include:

  • First and last name

  • Email address

  • Telephone number

  • Billing address

  • Delivery address

  • Account information

Order and Transaction Information

When you make a purchase, we may collect information relating to:

  • Products purchased

  • Order history

  • Order value

  • Delivery details

  • Returns, refunds and exchanges

  • Payment status

Payments may be processed by third-party payment service providers. We generally do not store your complete credit or debit card details where payments are handled by these providers.

Technical and Usage Information

When you use our website, certain information may be collected automatically, including:

  • IP address

  • Browser type

  • Device information

  • Pages viewed

  • Referring website

  • Approximate location derived from technical information

  • Website activity

  • Cookie and similar technology information

Communications

We may retain information that you provide when you contact us through email, telephone, WhatsApp, social media, website forms or other communication channels.

3. How We Use Your Information

We may process your personal information to:

  • Process and fulfil orders;

  • Take and process payments;

  • Arrange delivery of products;

  • Create and manage customer accounts;

  • Communicate with you about orders;

  • Handle returns, refunds and customer service enquiries;

  • Prevent fraud and protect our website and customers;

  • Maintain business, accounting and transaction records;

  • Improve our products, services and website;

  • Analyse website usage and performance;

  • Send marketing communications where permitted by law;

  • Comply with legal, regulatory and tax requirements; and

  • Establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

We will only process personal information where we have an appropriate lawful basis for doing so.

4. Marketing Communications

Where permitted by law, we may use your contact information to send you information about our products, promotions, offers and services.

Where consent is required, we will obtain your consent before sending such communications.

You may unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time by using the unsubscribe mechanism included in the communication or by contacting us.

Opting out of marketing communications will not prevent us from sending transactional communications relating to your orders or account.

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to operate the website, remember preferences, understand how visitors use the website, measure performance and support advertising and marketing activities.

These may include:

  • Essential website cookies;

  • Shopping cart and checkout cookies;

  • Analytics cookies;

  • Preference cookies; and

  • Advertising and marketing cookies.

Some cookies may be provided by third-party services used on our website.

Where required, you may be given the opportunity to manage your cookie preferences. You can also control certain cookies through your browser settings.

6. Sharing Your Information

We may disclose personal information to trusted third parties where reasonably necessary to operate our business and provide our services.

These may include:

  • Website and e-commerce platform providers;

  • Hosting providers;

  • Payment processors;

  • Banks and financial institutions;

  • Courier and delivery companies;

  • Email and communications providers;

  • Accounting and business administration providers;

  • Analytics providers;

  • Advertising and marketing platforms;

  • IT and security providers; and

  • Professional advisers such as accountants and attorneys.

These service providers may process personal information only to the extent necessary to provide their services or as otherwise permitted by applicable law.

We may also disclose information where required by law, regulation, court order or another lawful authority.

We do not sell personal information to third parties.

7. International Transfers

Some of the service providers we use may process or store personal information outside South Africa.

Where personal information is transferred outside South Africa, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that the transfer complies with applicable requirements under POPIA and that appropriate safeguards are in place.

8. Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure or destruction.

However, no internet transmission or electronic storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

9. Retention of Information

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, subject to applicable legal, tax, accounting and regulatory requirements.

When personal information is no longer required, we will take reasonable steps to delete, destroy or de-identify it where appropriate.

10. Your Rights

Subject to POPIA and other applicable laws, you may have the right to:

  • Request confirmation of whether we hold personal information about you;

  • Request access to your personal information;

  • Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal information;

  • Request deletion or destruction of personal information in appropriate circumstances;

  • Object to certain processing of your personal information;

  • Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent; and

  • Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator.

We may need to verify your identity before processing certain requests.

11. Children's Personal Information

Our website and products are not intended to collect personal information from children without the appropriate consent or other lawful authority where this is required by POPIA.

If you believe that we have collected a child's personal information inappropriately, please contact us.

12. Third-Party Websites

Our website may contain links to websites or services operated by third parties.

We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites, and we recommend reviewing their privacy policies before providing them with personal information.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes to our business, website, service providers or legal requirements.

The latest version will be published on this website with the updated effective date.

14. Contact Us

For questions about this Privacy Policy, your personal information or the exercise of your privacy rights, please contact:

[COMPANY NAME]
Registration number: [COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER]
Email: [PRIVACY/CONTACT EMAIL]
Telephone: [PHONE NUMBER]
Address: [BUSINESS ADDRESS]

Information Officer:
[NAME / CONTACT DETAILS]

15. Information Regulator

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa if you believe that your personal information has been processed in violation of POPIA.

Information about the Information Regulator and its complaints procedures is available from the Information Regulator of South Africa.