1. Introduction

AffordableLaptops (Pty) Ltd trading as AffordableLaptops.co.za ("we", "us", or "our") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website or make a purchase from AffordableLaptops.co.za.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information

We may collect the following personal information:

Full name and surname
Email address
Phone number
Physical and delivery addresses
ID number (for wholesale accounts)
Company registration details (for business accounts)
Company VAT number for wholesale account verification, where voluntarily provided
Payment information (processed securely through payment gateways)

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we automatically collect:

IP address
Browser type and version
Operating system
Pages visited and time spent on site
Referring website
Device information

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information for the following purposes:

Process and fulfill your orders
Communicate with you about your orders
Send order confirmations and shipping notifications
Process payments and prevent fraud
Verify wholesale account applications
Send marketing communications (with your consent)
Improve our website and services
Comply with legal obligations
Respond to customer service requests
Administer warranties and process returns

4. Legal Basis for Processing

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

Contract: Processing necessary to fulfill our contractual obligations when you make a purchase
Consent: Where you have given explicit consent for marketing communications
Legal Obligation: To comply with accounting and other regulatory requirements
Legitimate Interest: To improve our services and prevent fraud

5. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We may share your information with:

Service Providers: Courier companies for delivery, payment processors, email service providers
Legal Requirements: When required by law or to protect our rights
Business Transfers: In case of merger, sale, or acquisition
With Your Consent: When you explicitly agree to sharing

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

6. Data Security

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

SSL encryption for data transmission
Secure servers with restricted access
Regular security assessments
Employee training on data protection
PCI DSS compliance for payment processing

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

7. Your Rights (POPIA)

Under POPIA, you have the following rights:

Access: Request access to your personal information
Correction: Request correction of inaccurate information
Deletion: Request deletion of your information (subject to legal requirements)
Objection: Object to processing for direct marketing
Portability: Request your data in a portable format
Withdrawal: Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent

Registered customers can download a portable copy of their account data from Profile Settings. To exercise any other right, contact us at privacy@affordablelaptops.co.za.

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to:

Remember your preferences and settings
Maintain your shopping cart
Analyze website traffic and usage only after optional analytics consent
Improve website functionality
Prevent fraud

Essential cookies support login, security, carts and checkout and cannot be disabled through our preference panel. Analytics and marketing cookies are off by default until you choose them. Use “Cookie Preferences” in the footer to accept, reject or change optional choices at any time. Browser controls remain available as well.

9. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to:

Fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy
Comply with legal and regulatory requirements (typically 5 years for financial records)
Resolve disputes and enforce agreements
Process warranty claims (6 months from purchase)

Our automated retention process removes expired cart-recovery information after 90 days and old failed delivery records after 365 days by default. Detached financial orders are anonymized after the configured legal retention period rather than deleting the accounting record. These periods may be adjusted when law, disputes, fraud prevention, warranties or accounting obligations require it.

10. International Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries outside South Africa. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with this policy.

11. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to individuals under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are a parent and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us.

12. Marketing Communications

We send the Daily Specials newsletter only when you have:

Given explicit consent through the newsletter signup form; or
Enabled the Daily Specials newsletter in your account settings.

The newsletter may be sent daily and contains current in-stock promotions. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any marketing email, disabling it in account settings, or contacting us at unsubscribe@affordablelaptops.co.za.

13. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these websites. We encourage you to read their privacy policies.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the "Effective Date" at the top.

15. Information Officer

In accordance with POPIA, our Information Officer details are:

Name: Information Officer
Email: privacy@affordablelaptops.co.za
WhatsApp: +27 79 530 6169
Location: 12 Jupiter Rd, Crown City, Johannesburg, Gauteng, 2025, South Africa

16. Complaints

If you have concerns about how we handle your personal information, you may:

Contact our Information Officer
Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa:
- Website: www.justice.gov.za/inforeg
- Email: complaints.IR@justice.gov.za