Privacy policy

Last Updated: April 1, 2026

1. Introduction

Welcome to Zest Cart. We value your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website, make a purchase, or interact with our services.

Zest Cart ("we," "us," or "our") operates this e-commerce store powered by Shopify. This Privacy Policy applies to all users of our website and services.

For the purposes of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) of South Africa, Zest Cart is the responsible party for your personal information.

2. Contact Information

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at:

Zest Cart
0A Wroxham Road
Sandton, 2191, Gauteng
South Africa

Email: support@zestcart.co.za
Phone: 064 257 0729

For privacy-related inquiries, please email our Privacy Officer directly.

3. Personal Information We Collect

We may collect the following categories of personal information:

Information You Provide Directly

Contact Details: Name, billing address, shipping address, phone number, email address
Account Information: Username, password, security questions, preferences, wishlist items
Payment Information: Credit/debit card details, financial account numbers (processed securely by our payment processors)
Transaction Information: Products viewed, added to cart, purchased, returned, or exchanged
Communications: Customer support inquiries, feedback, reviews, and other correspondence

Information Collected Automatically

Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers
Usage Information: Pages visited, time spent on pages, links clicked, navigation patterns
Location Data: Approximate geographic location based on IP address

Information from Third Parties

Payment processors provide transaction confirmation
Shipping carriers receive delivery information
Shopify provides analytics and platform data
Marketing partners may provide advertising interaction data

4. How We Collect Personal Information

We collect personal information from the following sources:

Directly from you: When you create an account, place an order, subscribe to marketing, contact us, or interact with our services
Automatically: Through cookies, pixel tags, and similar technologies when you browse our website
From service providers: Shopify, payment gateways, shipping partners, and analytics providers
From partners: Advertising platforms and social media networks (with your consent where required)

5. How We Use Your Personal Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

To Provide and Improve Our Services

Process and fulfill your orders, payments, returns, and exchanges
Create, maintain, and manage your account
Remember your preferences and wishlist items
Personalize your shopping experience and product recommendations
Improve our website, products, and services

Marketing and Advertising

Send promotional emails, SMS messages, and postal mail (you may opt out at any time)
Display targeted advertisements on third-party platforms based on your shopping activity
Measure the effectiveness of our marketing campaigns

Security and Fraud Prevention

Authenticate your account and secure transactions
Detect, investigate, and prevent fraudulent, illegal, or malicious activity
Protect the safety of our users and services

Communication and Customer Support

Respond to your inquiries and provide customer service
Send order confirmations, shipping updates, and service notifications
Notify you of account-related activities

Legal Compliance

Comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes
Enforce our Terms of Service and other policies
Respond to lawful requests from public authorities

6. Legal Basis for Processing (POPIA Compliance)

Under South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), we process your personal information based on one or more of the following grounds:

Consent: You have given consent for one or more specific purposes (e.g., marketing communications)
Contractual Necessity: Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract with you (e.g., processing your order)
Legal Obligation: Processing is required to comply with the law (e.g., tax and record-keeping requirements)
Legitimate Interest: Processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests (e.g., fraud prevention, website security) and does not override your rights

By providing us with your personal information, you acknowledge that we may process it as described in this Privacy Policy.

7. How We Share Your Personal Information

We may share your personal information with the following categories of recipients:

Service Providers

We share information with third parties who perform services on our behalf:

Shopify: Our e-commerce platform provider. Visit Shopify's Privacy Policy for more information.
Payment Processors: To process payments securely (e.g., PayFast, Yoco, or other providers)
Shipping Carriers: To deliver your orders (e.g., The Courier Guy, Fastway, or other South African couriers)
Email and Marketing Services: To send communications and manage marketing campaigns
Analytics Providers: To understand how visitors interact with our website

Business and Marketing Partners

We may share information with advertising platforms to show you relevant ads based on your shopping activity
These partners use your information in accordance with their own privacy policies

Legal and Safety Disclosures

We may disclose your information if required to:

Comply with legal obligations, court orders, or government requests
Protect our rights, property, or safety, or the rights of our users
Investigate or prevent fraud, security incidents, or prohibited activities

Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience, analyze website traffic, and deliver personalized content and advertising.

Types of Cookies We Use

Essential Cookies: Required for website functionality (e.g., shopping cart, checkout)
Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and preferences
Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our site
Marketing Cookies: Track your activity to show relevant ads

Your Choices

You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings
Disabling cookies may affect website functionality
For more information, visit All About Cookies

Cookie Consent

When you first visit our website, you will see a cookie consent banner. By continuing to use our site, you consent to our use of cookies as described in this policy.

9. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

Retention Periods:

Account Information: Retained while your account is active, plus a reasonable period afterward
Transaction Data: Retained for 7 years to comply with tax and accounting requirements
Marketing Data: Retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion
Customer Support Communications: Retained for 3 years to provide service continuity

When we no longer need your personal information, we will securely delete or anonymize it.

10. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on where you live, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

Right to Access

You have the right to request confirmation of whether we process your personal information and to access the information we hold about you.

Right to Correction

You may request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal information.

Right to Deletion

You may request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal exceptions (e.g., we may need to retain transaction records for tax purposes).

Right to Object to Processing

You may object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes.

Right to Restrict Processing

You may request that we limit how we use your personal information in certain circumstances.

Right to Data Portability

You may request a copy of your personal information in a structured, commonly used format.

Right to Withdraw Consent

Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.

Marketing Opt-Out

You may unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link in our emails or by contacting us directly.

How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@zestcart.co.za or use the contact details in Section 2. We will respond within 30 days as required by law.

We may need to verify your identity before processing your request. You may designate an authorized agent to make requests on your behalf.

11. Complaints and Appeals

If you are not satisfied with how we handle your personal information or our response to your request, you have the right to:

Lodge a complaint with us by emailing privacy@zestcart.co.za
Appeal our decision if you disagree with our response
Complain to the Information Regulator of South Africa:

Information Regulator (South Africa)
JD House, 27 Stiemens Street
Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2001
P.O Box 31533, Braamfontein, 2017
Email: complaints@inforegulator.org.za
Website: www.inforegulator.org.za

12. International Data Transfers

Your personal information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in countries other than South Africa, including the United States (where Shopify is headquartered) and other countries where our service providers operate.

When we transfer your information internationally, we take steps to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including:

Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission
Transfers to countries with adequacy decisions by relevant authorities
Data processing agreements that require service providers to protect your information

By using our services, you acknowledge that your information may be transferred to countries with different data protection laws than South Africa.

13. Children's Privacy

Our services are not intended for children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately, and we will take steps to delete that information.

14. Security of Your Information

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

SSL/TLS Encryption: All data transmitted between your browser and our website is encrypted
Secure Payment Processing: Payment information is handled by PCI DSS-compliant payment processors
Access Controls: Only authorized personnel have access to personal information
Regular Security Reviews: We monitor and update our security practices

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

15. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, products, or services. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third parties. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of third-party sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

16. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons.

When we make changes:

We will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy
Material changes will be notified by email (where required) or by a notice on our website
Continued use of our services after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

17. POPIA Summary

In accordance with South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), we confirm that:

We collect personal information for specified, lawful purposes
We take reasonable steps to protect personal information
You have the right to access, correct, and request deletion of your information
You have the right to object to processing and lodge complaints with the Information Regulator
We will only process sensitive personal information with your explicit consent

18. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices: