Cookie Policy
 
Last Updated: 13 August 2026
This policy sets out how Smitten/Smitten-Online (“we”, “us”, or “our”) processes personal information collected through our website, smitten-online.co.za (the “Website”). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal information is collected and used properly, lawfully, and transparently in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), No. 4 of 2013.
Part 1: POPIA Privacy Policy
1. Information We Collect
We collect and process personal information to provide our services, improve your experience, and fulfill legal obligations. This includes:
  • Information you provide directly: Name, email address, phone number, physical address, or billing information when you fill out forms, register an account, or contact us.
  • Information collected automatically: Your IP address, browser type, operating system, and details about how you navigate our Website (collected via cookies).
2. Purpose of Processing
In line with POPIA, we only process your personal information for specific, explicitly defined, and lawful purposes, including:
  • Responding to your enquiries and providing requested services.
  • Operating, securing, and maintaining our Website.
  • Complying with applicable South African statutory or regulatory obligations.
  • Sending you marketing communication, provided you have consented to receive it.
  • May or may not restrict your services to our website 
3. Sharing Your Information
We will never sell your personal information. We may share your information with trusted third parties only when necessary to run our business, such as:
  • Service providers hosting our Website, processing payments, or running email systems.
  • Legal or regulatory authorities if required by law.
All our third-party operators are contractually bound to comply with POPIA security standards and treat your data confidentially.
4. International Data Transfers
If we transfer your personal information outside of South Africa (e.g., using a cloud storage provider based overseas), we ensure that the recipient country has data protection laws equivalent to POPIA, or that a binding data transfer agreement is in place to protect your privacy.
5. Information Security
We take reasonable, appropriate technical and organisational measures to secure your personal information against accidental loss, destruction, misuse, alteration, or unauthorised access. We regularly review our security systems to protect your data.
6. Data Retention
We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by South African law (such as tax compliance regulations). Once no longer required, your data is securely destroyed or de-identified.
7. Your Legal Rights Under POPIA
You have the right to request access to, correction of, or deletion of the personal information we hold about you. You can also object to the processing of your data for direct marketing purposes. To exercise these rights, please contact our Information Officer using the details provided in Section 12.
Part 2: Cookie Policy
8. What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files placed on your computer, smartphone, or tablet when you visit our Website. They help the Website remember your actions, preferences, and device information over time so you do not have to keep re-entering them.
9. Why We Use Cookies
We use cookies to:
  • Make our Website work correctly and securely.
  • Remember your settings and preferences.
  • Analyze how you interact with our site to improve its performance.
  • Deliver relevant marketing and advertising to you.
10. Types of Cookies We Use
  • Strictly Necessary Cookies: Essential for the basic operation of the site (e.g., managing user login sessions or holding items in a shopping cart). These do not require your prior consent under POPIA.
  • Functional Cookies: Allow our Website to remember choices you make (such as language preferences) to provide an enhanced, personalized experience.
  • Performance & Analytics Cookies: Collect anonymous data about how visitors use the Website (e.g., which pages are visited most often). This helps us fix errors and improve user navigation.
  • Marketing & Targeting Cookies: Track your browsing habits across different websites to build a profile of your interests. This allows us and our advertising partners to show you relevant ads.
11. Your Rights and POPIA Cookie Consent
Under POPIA, we require your active, opt-in consent to use non-essential cookies (Functional, Analytics, and Marketing cookies).
When you first visit our site, a Cookie Banner will appear asking for your preferences. You can change your mind or withdraw your consent at any time by clearing your browser cookies or adjusting your browser settings.
Most web browsers allow you to block or delete cookies through their settings menu:
Part 3: Contact and Complaints
12. Contact Details of Our Information Officer
If you have any questions about this policy, or if you wish to exercise your rights under POPIA, please contact our designated Information Officer:
  • Company Name: Smitten
  • Information Officer: ****
  • Physical Address: 171 Kock Street, Kloof Centre, Rustenburg 
  • Email Address: orders@smitten-online.co.za
  • Telephone Number: 078 183 5093
13. Complaints to the Information Regulator
If you believe that we have not processed your personal information in accordance with POPIA, you have the right to lodge a formal complaint with the South African Information Regulator:
  • Website: inforegulator.org.za
  • Email: enquiries@inforegulator.org.za / POPIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za