What Personal Data We Collect and Why We Collect It

1. Introduction

Tadwala.com (“Tadwala,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) is committed to safeguarding your privacy and handling your personal information in a lawful, transparent, and secure manner in accordance with South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA), the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002, and, where applicable, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information obtained when you visit our website, create an account, place an order, subscribe to marketing communications, or provide us with a school stationery list, and it outlines the rights and choices available to you.

2. Information We Collect

When you interact with Tadwala.com, we collect the personal information you provide—such as your name, email address, phone number, delivery address, payment details, and any messages or queries—along with automatically gathered device data like IP address, browser type, and cookie identifiers. If you upload or send us a school stationery list, the document itself is collected and stored. We also record transaction details, including the items you purchase, the amounts paid, and any shipping references, as well as your marketing preferences and website usage statistics gathered through cookies and similar technologies.

3. How We Use Your Information

We process your information to fulfil and deliver your orders, create and maintain your account, communicate order updates, provide customer support, and improve our services and website functionality. Where you upload a school stationery list, we may anonymise the document, compile its items into a bundled “School Pack,” and make that bundle available for purchase by other customers who need the same list. We also use your information to prevent fraud, comply with legal obligations, generate analytics, and—when you have given us permission—send newsletters or promotional messages, which you can opt out of at any time.

4. Sharing of Information

Your personal information is shared only with trusted service providers who help us run our business, such as payment gateways that securely process card transactions, courier companies that deliver parcels nationwide, IT hosts that store website data, and marketing or analytics partners that help us understand site performance. These third parties act on our instructions, are bound by confidentiality duties, and must implement appropriate security measures. We may also disclose information if required by law or to protect our rights, property, or the safety of our customers.

5. Order Cancellation Policy

While we strive to honour every confirmed order, Tadwala.com reserves the right to cancel and fully refund any order—even after payment has been processed—if a technical error on the website results in incorrect pricing, descriptions, or stock levels, or if an item becomes unavailable before dispatch. We may also cancel an order if fraudulent activity or abuse of promotions is suspected, and in every case we will notify you promptly and refund any amounts paid.

6. Shipping Policy

Tadwala.com ships school stationery to any address within South Africa using reputable couriers. Shipping fees are calculated at checkout based on the delivery address and parcel weight, but shipping becomes free automatically once your basket total exceeds the free‑shipping threshold advertised on the website at the time of purchase. Once dispatched, you will receive tracking details by email or SMS, and delivery times may vary depending on your location, public holidays, and courier workload.

7. Bundled School Packs

When customers upload or email a school stationery list, our team may extract the required items, remove any personal identifiers, and create a bundled product called a School Pack that mirrors the list. This bundle is then listed on our store so other customers with the same requirements can buy the pack with one click, simplifying their shopping experience and helping us forecast demand. The original list is stored only for support and quality‑control purposes and is deleted once it is no longer needed.

8. Data Security

We employ industry‑standard safeguards—such as TLS/SSL encryption, firewalls, access‑control protocols, regular vulnerability scans, and staff training—to protect your personal information from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or destruction. Card data entered at checkout is handled directly by PCI‑DSS‑compliant payment processors and never stored on our servers. In the unlikely event of a data breach that compromises your privacy, we will inform you and the Information Regulator as soon as reasonably possible, outlining the nature of the breach and the steps being taken to mitigate potential harm.

9. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies and comparable technologies to keep the site secure, remember your basket contents, recognise you on return visits, and compile statistics that help us improve performance and user experience. Essential cookies are always active, while analytics and marketing cookies are used only with your consent, which you can manage or withdraw at any time through the cookie banner or your browser settings.

7. Your Rights

You have the right to access the personal information we hold about you, request corrections of inaccurate data, withdraw any consent you have previously given, object to certain types of processing, request deletion of information where legally permissible, and lodge a complaint with South Africa’s Information Regulator if you believe we have mishandled your data. To exercise these rights, simply contact us using the details provided below, and we will respond within the statutory timeframe.

7. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements, technology, or our business practices. Any significant changes will be posted on Tadwala.com and, where appropriate, communicated to you by email or through a prominent notice on the website. Continued use of our services after such updates constitutes acceptance of the revised Policy.

7. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your data‑protection rights, or need assistance with any privacy‑related matter, please contact web@tadwala.com