privacy-policy

This policy explains what personal information Apex Visuals Digital collects, why, who we share it with and your rights under the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA). We collect only what we need to answer your enquiries and build your store.

1. Who is responsible for your information

Apex Visuals SA (Pty) Ltd (registration number 2025/876555/07, trading as Apex Visuals Digital), 166 Runnymead, Johannesburg, Gauteng, 2191, South Africa, is the responsible party for your personal information.

• Information Officer: The Director, Apex Visuals SA (Pty) Ltd
• Email: apexvisualsdigital@gmail.com

2. What we collect

Card and banking details are entered directly into Payfast's secure checkout. We never see or store your full card details.

3. Your customers' information

While we build or maintain your store, we may be able to see your own customers' details in your Shopify admin. We act only on your instructions, use that information only to set up, test and support your store, keep it confidential, and never use it for our own marketing.

4. Why we use your information

• To reply to your enquiries and book calls.
• To deliver the package you bought: design, build, launch, training and support.
• To send invoices and process payments and refunds.
• To keep records required by law, such as tax records.
• To improve our website and understand which pages are useful.
• To send you tips and offers, only if you have opted in. You can unsubscribe at any time.

We rely on your consent, the need to perform our agreement with you, our legal obligations and our legitimate interest in running and improving our business.

5. Who we share it with

We do not sell your personal information. We share it only with service providers that help us run our business, and only as much as they need:

• Shopify: hosts our website and your store.
• Payfast: processes card and Instant EFT payments.
• Email, calendar and file-sharing providers: for communication and project files.
• WhatsApp (Meta): if you choose to message us there.
• Our accountant and authorities: where the law requires it.

Some of these providers store information outside South Africa. When that happens, we use providers bound by data-protection laws or agreements that give your information a level of protection similar to POPIA's.

6. Cookies

Our website runs on Shopify, which uses cookies to keep the site working (for example, your cart) and to give us anonymous statistics about visits. You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. Some parts of the site may not work properly without them.

7. How long we keep it

• Enquiries that don't become projects: up to 12 months.
• Client project files: for as long as you are a client, then up to 12 months unless you ask us to delete them sooner.
• Invoices and payment records: 5 years, as required by South African tax law.

After that, we delete or anonymise your information securely.

8. How we protect it

We use secure, password-protected systems with two-step login where available, limit access to people working on your project, and remove our access to your Shopify store when our work ends (unless you are on Store Care). If a security breach affects your information, we will notify you and the Information Regulator as POPIA requires.

9. Your rights

Under POPIA you can:

• ask what personal information we hold about you and get a copy;
• ask us to correct or delete it;
• object to us using it, including for direct marketing;
• withdraw your consent at any time (this doesn't affect anything we did before you withdrew it);
• lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator.

To use any of these rights, email apexvisualsdigital@gmail.com. We will reply within 30 days.

10. Complaints

Please contact our Information Officer first so we can put things right. If you're still unhappy, you can complain to the Information Regulator (South Africa):

• Website: inforegulator.org.za
• POPIA complaints: POPIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za

11. Children

Our services are for businesses and adults. We do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 18.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The date at the top shows when it last changed. If we make significant changes, we will let current clients know by email.