Privacy Policy – VGirl Hair

Privacy Policy

VGirl Hair (“VGirl Hair”, “we”, “us”, “our”) operates VGirlHair.com (the “Site”). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information in compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) and other applicable South African laws.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect the following categories of personal information when you visit our Site, create an account, or place an order:

  • Identity & Contact Information: name, surname, email address, phone number, delivery and billing address.
  • Payment Information: payment method details, processed securely via our payment partner Payfast (we do not store full card numbers on our servers).
  • Order Information: products purchased, order history, preferences (e.g. hair colour/length/texture).
  • Technical Information: IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, and cookies (see Section 6 below).
  • Communication Records: any correspondence with our customer service team via email, WhatsApp, live chat, or social media.

2. How We Collect Information

We collect information directly from you when you browse our Site, register an account, place an order, subscribe to our newsletter, or contact our customer service. We may also collect information automatically through cookies and similar tracking technologies, and from trusted third parties such as our payment processor and shipping couriers.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for purposes including:

  • Processing and fulfilling your orders, including payment, shipping, and customer support;
  • Communicating with you about your order status, delivery updates, and customer enquiries;
  • Sending you marketing communications, promotions, and product updates (only where you have opted in, and you may unsubscribe at any time);
  • Improving our Site, products, and customer experience;
  • Preventing fraud and ensuring the security of our Site and transactions;
  • Complying with legal obligations under South African law.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

In accordance with POPIA, we process your personal information based on one or more of the following lawful grounds: your consent, the necessity to perform our contract with you (e.g. fulfilling an order), compliance with a legal obligation, or our legitimate business interests, provided these do not unreasonably infringe on your privacy rights.

5. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We may share your information with trusted third parties strictly for the purposes of operating our business, including:

  • Payment processors (e.g. Payfast) to securely process your payment;
  • Courier and logistics partners (e.g. The Courier Guy, Aramex, PostNet) to deliver your order;
  • IT, hosting, and platform service providers who help us operate our Site;
  • Marketing and analytics partners (e.g. Meta/Facebook, Google, TikTok) for advertising and website performance analysis, in accordance with your cookie preferences;
  • Legal or regulatory authorities, where required by law, court order, or to protect our legal rights.

All third parties we work with are required to keep your information secure and to use it only for the purposes for which it was shared.

6. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Our Site uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience, remember your cart, analyze site traffic, and deliver relevant advertising (including via Facebook, Google, and TikTok pixels). You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings; however, some features of the Site may not function properly if cookies are disabled.

7. Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information against loss, unauthorized access, alteration, or disclosure, including SSL encryption for data transmission and restricted access controls. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this Policy, including to meet legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Order and transaction records may be retained for a period required under South African tax and consumer protection laws.

9. Your Rights Under POPIA

As a data subject under POPIA, you have the right to:

  • Request access to the personal information we hold about you;
  • Request correction or updating of inaccurate or outdated information;
  • Request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal retention requirements;
  • Object to the processing of your personal information for direct marketing purposes;
  • Withdraw consent for marketing communications at any time;
  • Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa if you believe your information has been mishandled.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us via our Contact Us page. We will respond to your request within a reasonable time, in accordance with POPIA requirements.

10. Children’s Privacy

Our Site is not intended for children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors without the consent of a parent or legal guardian, in line with POPIA requirements regarding the processing of children’s personal information.

11. Cross-Border Data Transfers

Some of our service providers (e.g. cloud hosting, advertising platforms) may process data outside of South Africa. Where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure such third parties provide an adequate level of data protection consistent with POPIA.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The updated version will be posted on this page with a revised “Last updated” date. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact us via our Contact Us page.