Consumer Data Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

At LuminousCullinary, we respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, retain, and safeguard personal information obtained when you visit our website, create an account, purchase culinary products, kitchenware, and related accessories, or interact with our customer service.

This policy is prepared in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act No. 4 of 2013 (POPIA) of the Republic of South Africa.

1. Who We Are & Responsible Party Under POPIA, the “Responsible Party” determines the purpose of and means for processing your personal information:

  • Trading Name: LuminousCullinary

  • Physical Address: 12 Louw Street, Bethlehem, Free State, 9701, South Africa

  • Email: luminouscullinary@outlook.com

  • Telephone : +27 66 512 3509

     

2. Information We Collect We collect personal information directly from you when you browse our site, make a purchase, or communicate with us, including:

  • Contact & Delivery Details: Full name, shipping address, billing address, phone number, and email address.

  • Order & Transaction Records: Items purchased, order value, order dates, transaction reference IDs, and fulfillment status. (Note: Full payment card details are processed directly by secure third-party payment gateways; we never store or see your full credit card number or CVV).

  • Account Credentials: Username and encrypted password (if you register an account).

  • Customer Support Records: Enquiries, emails, messages, and records of refund, return, or cancellation requests.

  • Technical & Usage Information: IP address, browser type, device information, operating system, and pages visited, captured via Shopify’s core storefront technologies.

3. Purpose and Legal Grounds for Processing We process your personal information only for legitimate business and legal purposes, including:

  • Fulfilling Orders & Deliveries: Processing your transaction, dispatching items via third-party couriers, sending order confirmations, and handling returns, cancellations, or exchanges.

  • Customer Support: Answering enquiries regarding product specifications, shipping progress, and post-purchase care.

  • Fraud Prevention & Security: Verifying transactions, mitigating chargeback risks, and maintaining the integrity of our storefront.

  • Legal Compliance: Complying with tax laws (SARS recordkeeping), consumer regulations (CPA and ECTA), and regulatory auditing standards.

  • Direct Marketing (Where Permitted): Providing product updates and promotions in accordance with POPIA rules for consent or existing-customer engagement.

4. Shopify & Third-Party Service Providers We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. To operate our online store, we share relevant information with vetted service providers (operators) under appropriate contractual safeguards:

  • Platform Provider: Our storefront is hosted on Shopify Inc., which provides the e-commerce software, database hosting, and checkout infrastructure.

  • Payment Gateways: Card transactions and EFTs are processed securely by independent, PCI-DSS-compliant payment providers (such as PayFast, Ozow, or Yoco). Never send credit card details over email or direct message.

  • Couriers & Logistics: Your delivery name, physical address, email, and contact number are shared with our logistics and courier partners solely for delivery and parcel tracking.

  • Technical Support: IT and web administration providers helping to maintain our website and customer support channels.

5. Cookies, Analytics & Advertising

  • Essential Cookies: Our platform uses functional cookies necessary for shopping cart functionality, secure checkout, and user session continuity.

  • Analytics: We review aggregated store metrics provided through Shopify’s native analytics to assess store traffic and optimize performance.

  • Advertising Trackers: We do not currently operate cross-site advertising trackers or automated third-party ad retargeting pixels. If cross-site advertising trackers or social media pixels are integrated in the future, this policy and our cookie banner will be updated prior to deployment.

  • Managing Cookies: You can adjust cookie preferences through your web browser settings at any time, though disabling essential cookies may impact checkout functionality.

6. Marketing Communications & Choices

  • Voluntary Opt-In: Joining our newsletter or promotional mailing list is completely voluntary and is not a condition of purchase.

  • Existing Customers: In line with POPIA, we may send you occasional electronic updates regarding similar products if you are an existing customer, provided you were given an opportunity to opt out at the time of purchase.

  • Unsubscribing: You may opt out of promotional emails at any time by clicking the "Unsubscribe" link in the email or by contacting us at luminouscullinary@outlook.com.

  • Operational Notices: Transactional communications (such as invoices, delivery tracking links, and product safety notices) are essential for order fulfillment and will continue regardless of your marketing preferences.

7. Cross-Border Transfers of Personal Information Because our store is hosted on Shopify and utilizes global cloud services, your personal information may be stored on or transferred to servers outside South Africa (including Canada, the United States, and the European Union). Where information is transferred cross-border, we ensure compliance with Section 72 of POPIA by ensuring the receiving entity is subject to data privacy laws or binding corporate agreements that provide an adequate level of protection substantially similar to POPIA.

8. Data Security & Retention

  • Security Safeguards: We implement appropriate technical, administrative, and organizational measures—including HTTPS encryption, restricted staff access, and secure vendor standards—to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, loss, or destruction. However, no data transmission over the internet can be guaranteed as 100% secure.

  • Retention Periods: We retain your personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purpose for which it was collected, resolve disputes, or satisfy statutory record retention requirements (such as the 5-year retention requirement for financial and tax records under South African law). Once no longer required, data is securely deleted or anonymized.

9. Your Statutory Rights Under POPIA You hold specific rights regarding your personal information under South African law:

  • Right of Access: You may request confirmation of whether we hold your personal information and request a copy of such records.

  • Right to Rectification: You may request that inaccurate, misleading, or outdated personal information be corrected.

  • Right to Erasure / Objection: You may object to the processing of your personal information or request its deletion where processing is no longer justified or where consent is withdrawn.

  • Identity Verification: To protect your privacy and security, we may require proof of identity before processing requests regarding personal records.

To exercise any of these rights, email our Information Officer at luminouscullinary@outlook.com.

10. Complaints to the Information Regulator If you believe that your personal information has been processed in breach of POPIA and we have failed to resolve your concern, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa:

  • Website: https://inforegulator.org.za

  • General Enquiries: enquiries@inforegulator.org.za

  • Complaints Email: POPIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za

11. Contact Details For any questions, requests, or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy, please reach out to us:

  • Trading Name: LuminousCullinary

  • Email: luminouscullinary@outlook.com

  • Postal & Physical Address: 12 Louw Street, Bethlehem, Free State, 9701, South Africa

  • Telephone : +27 66 512 3509