Maison Gene is the responsible party for the personal information described in this policy. This means that Maison Gene determines why and how that information is processed.

• Website: www.maisongene.com
• Email: maisongenebakes@gmail.com
• Telephone: +27 83 636 9047
• Physical address: INSERT MAISON GENE BUSINESS ADDRESS
• Information Officer: INSERT INFORMATION OFFICER’S NAME

Please insert the physical address and Information Officer’s name before publishing this policy.

The information we collect depends on how you interact with Maison Gene. It may include:

• Identity information: your name, username or account identifier.
• Contact information: your email address, telephone number, billing address and delivery address.
• Order information: products purchased, order number, order history, delivery instructions and transaction status.
• Payment information: payment method and payment confirmation supplied by the payment provider. We do not ordinarily receive your complete card details.
• Account information: login details, preferences and information connected to your WooCommerce account.
• Communication information: enquiries, Fluent Forms submissions, emails, WhatsApp messages, complaints, feedback and customer-service records.
• Technical information: IP address, browser, device type, operating system, pages visited, referral source, cookie identifiers and approximate location derived from an IP address.
• Marketing preferences: whether you agreed to receive updates and whether you later unsubscribed.

We may collect personal information:

• when you create a website account;
• when you add products to your cart or complete checkout;
• when you submit a Fluent Forms enquiry or newsletter form;
• when you contact us by email, telephone or WhatsApp;
• when you request a refund or report a product problem;
• when you subscribe to marketing communications;
• automatically through cookies and similar technology; and
• from payment providers, couriers and other service providers involved in completing your order.

We may process personal information to:

• create and maintain customer accounts;
• receive, verify, process and fulfil orders;
• process payment confirmations and prevent payment fraud;
• arrange collection, delivery and courier services;
• send order, payment and delivery updates;
• respond to enquiries and provide customer assistance;
• manage cancellations, complaints, returns and refunds;
• maintain financial, tax and transaction records;
• protect the website, customers and business against fraud;
• improve the website and understand how it is used;
• send marketing where you have consented or where legally permitted;
• establish, exercise or defend legal claims; and
• comply with legal, regulatory and accounting obligations.

Depending on the circumstances, we process personal information because:

• you have consented to the processing;
• processing is necessary to enter into or fulfil a contract with you;
• processing is required by law;
• processing protects your legitimate interests;
• processing is necessary to pursue our legitimate interests or those of a third party; or
• another lawful justification recognised by POPIA applies.

Where processing depends on consent, you may withdraw that consent. Withdrawal does not make earlier lawful processing unlawful and may not affect processing supported by another lawful ground.

Some information is required to create an account, process payment, deliver an order or respond to an enquiry. Required form fields are generally marked accordingly.

If you do not provide required information, we may be unable to process the order, arrange delivery, create the account or provide the requested assistance.

We do not sell your personal information. We may share information only where reasonably necessary with:

• website-hosting and technical-support providers;
• payment gateways, banks and fraud-prevention providers;
• couriers and delivery providers;
• email, communication and form-management providers;
• accounting, legal and professional advisers;
• regulators, courts, law-enforcement bodies or public authorities;
• a buyer, investor or adviser involved in a genuine business restructuring or sale; and
• other parties where you have consented or disclosure is legally permitted.

Service providers processing personal information for Maison Gene are expected to protect it and use it only for authorised purposes.

Online payments are processed by the payment options available during checkout. Payment providers may collect financial information directly and process it under their own privacy policies and security requirements.

Maison Gene may receive limited payment information, such as the payment method, transaction reference, payment status and amount. We do not ordinarily store complete card numbers or card security codes on the Maison Gene website.

Cookies are small files stored on your device. Maison Gene and its service providers may use cookies that are:

• Essential: required for website security, shopping-cart functions, checkout and account login.
• Preference-based: used to remember selected settings and website preferences.
• Analytical: used, where enabled, to understand website traffic and performance.
• Marketing-related: used only where enabled and legally permitted to measure or personalise marketing.

You can control cookies through your browser and any cookie controls displayed on the website. Blocking essential cookies may prevent the cart, checkout or account functions from working properly.

We may send news, product updates or promotional communication where you have consented or where another lawful basis permits it.

You may unsubscribe at any time using the unsubscribe link in an email or by contacting us. We may retain a limited suppression record to ensure that your preference is respected.

Service messages relating to an order, payment, delivery, security or customer-service request are not marketing and may still be sent where necessary.

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected or for a further lawful purpose.

Retention periods may depend on:

• the duration of a customer account;
• order fulfilment and customer-service requirements;
• tax, accounting and record-keeping obligations;
• fraud prevention and website security;
• applicable limitation or prescription periods;
• complaints, disputes and legal claims; and
• your consent or marketing preferences.

When information is no longer required, we will delete, de-identify or securely dispose of it where reasonably practicable and legally appropriate.

Maison Gene takes reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against loss, unauthorised access, misuse, alteration, disclosure and destruction.

These measures may include access controls, password protection, security updates, secure payment processing, backups and limiting access to people who reasonably need the information.

No internet transmission or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. If a security compromise affects personal information, we will investigate and provide notifications where required by applicable law.

Some technology, hosting, payment, email or other service providers may process information outside South Africa.

Where personal information is transferred across borders, we will take reasonably appropriate steps to ensure that the transfer is permitted under POPIA and that the information receives suitable protection.

Subject to POPIA, other applicable laws and relevant exceptions, you may have the following rights:

To protect your information, we may ask for reasonable proof of identity before completing a privacy request. Some requests may be subject to lawful restrictions, fees or record-retention requirements.

The website and online shop are intended for people who can lawfully enter into an online purchase. Children should use the website only with the involvement of a parent or competent person.

We do not knowingly seek to collect children’s personal information for marketing. If you believe that a child supplied personal information without appropriate authorisation, please contact us.

The website may link to payment providers, couriers, social-media platforms and other third-party websites. Maison Gene does not control those services or their privacy practices.

Review the relevant third party’s privacy policy before supplying personal information directly to it.

Please contact Maison Gene first if you have a privacy concern. We will try to investigate and resolve it fairly.

You may also lodge a POPIA complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa:

• Complaints email: POPIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za
• Telephone: 010 023 5200
• Toll-free: 0800 017 160
• Website: inforegulator.org.za

We may update this policy when our website, services, providers, business practices or legal obligations change.

The latest version will be published on this page with its updated date. Material changes may also be communicated through the website or another appropriate channel.