Privacy Policy

Effective date: 10/12/2025

1. Overview

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, store, and protect personal information when you use My E-Book Shop, including as a customer or a third-party seller (“Vendor”). We comply with applicable data protection laws, including South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA), where it applies.

2. Who This Policy Applies To

This policy applies to:

Customers who browse or buy on our marketplace
Vendors/Sellers who sign up to list and sell content
Visitors to our website (including analytics and cookie data)

3. Personal Information We Collect

We collect only what is necessary for marketplace operations, compliance, security, and service delivery.

3.1 Information You Provide (Customers)

Name and surname (where provided)
Email address and phone number
Billing information (where applicable)
Order details and customer support communications

3.2 Information You Provide (Vendors / KYC Data)

To protect customers, prevent fraud, and enable payouts, we may collect KYC and verification information, including:

Individual Vendors

Full legal name
Date of birth
Nationality and country of residence
Government-issued ID details and/or copies (ID/Passport/Driver’s Licence)
Proof of address (e.g., utility bill/bank statement)
Phone number and verified email
Bank account details for payouts

Business Vendors

Registered business name and trading name
Registration number (e.g., CIPC where applicable)
Business address and proof of address
Director/owner/authorised representative details
Beneficial owner details (where applicable)
Bank account details for payouts

We may also collect product/listing information you upload (e.g., book titles, descriptions, files), and records relating to disputes, refunds, takedowns, and compliance reviews.

3.3 Information Collected Automatically

IP address, browser type, device details
Website usage data (pages visited, time on site, clicks)
Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Cookies section)

4. Why We Collect Personal Information (Purposes)

We process personal information for the following purposes:

Marketplace Operations

Creating and managing accounts (customer and vendor)
Processing orders and delivering digital products
Maintaining order history, invoices/receipts, and confirmations

Payments and Payouts

Processing customer payments
Paying vendors electronically and managing payout thresholds/schedules
Handling refunds, reversals, and chargebacks

Vendor Verification and Compliance (KYC / EDD)

Verifying vendor identity and business details
Fraud prevention and risk management
Rights verification and intellectual property (IP) enforcement where necessary
Responding to compliance requests from payment processors and lawful authorities

Customer Support and Dispute Resolution

Responding to queries and complaints
Investigating delivery/access issues (including access/download logs)
Managing disputes between customers and vendors

Security and Platform Integrity

Detecting and preventing fraud, abuse, and unauthorised access
Enforcing our policies (Acceptable Use, Seller Agreement, IP Policy)

Legal and Regulatory

Meeting legal obligations, maintaining records, and responding to lawful requests

5. Lawful Basis for Processing (POPIA)

We process personal information based on one or more lawful grounds, including:

Performance of a contract (e.g., fulfilling orders, enabling vendor selling and payouts)
Compliance with legal obligations (e.g., recordkeeping, fraud prevention)
Legitimate interests (e.g., security, platform integrity, risk management)
Consent, where required (e.g., certain marketing communications and cookies where applicable)

6. Sharing Personal Information (Third Parties)

We do not sell personal information. We may share information with trusted third parties only as necessary, including:

Payment processors and financial service providers (e.g., Paystack, Payfast) to process payments, manage disputes/chargebacks, and conduct compliance checks
Verification providers (where used) for identity/KYC checks
Hosting and infrastructure providers (website hosting, storage, security)
Customer support and communications tools (email/support systems)
Legal or regulatory authorities where required by law or valid legal process

We require third parties to protect information and use it only for the agreed purposes.

7. International Data Transfers

Some service providers may process data outside South Africa. Where personal information is transferred internationally, we take reasonable steps to ensure:

appropriate safeguards are in place, and
the recipient has adequate security and privacy protections consistent with applicable laws.

8. Data Retention

We retain personal information only as long as necessary for:

the purposes described in this policy,
legal, audit, compliance, and dispute requirements, and
fraud prevention and platform security.

Vendor KYC information may be retained longer where required for compliance, risk management, or legal obligations.

9. Security Measures

We implement reasonable technical and organisational safeguards to protect personal information, including:

access controls and account security measures
secure hosting and encryption where appropriate
monitoring and prevention of unauthorised access
limited internal access to sensitive KYC data on a need-to-know basis

No system is 100% secure, but we continuously improve safeguards.

10. Your Rights (POPIA)

Where POPIA applies, you may have rights including:

to request access to your personal information
to request correction, updating, or deletion (subject to legal retention requirements)
to object to certain processing in specific circumstances
to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator (South Africa), where relevant

To exercise your rights, contact us using the details below.

11. Cookies and Tracking

We may use cookies and similar technologies to:

remember preferences,
improve performance and user experience, and
understand site usage through analytics.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Some features may not work properly if cookies are disabled.

12. Children’s Privacy

Our marketplace is intended for general audiences. If you believe a minor has provided personal information without appropriate consent, contact us so we can investigate and take appropriate action.

13. Marketing Communications

If you subscribe to updates, we may send marketing communications. You can opt out at any time using the unsubscribe option or by contacting us.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The latest version will be posted on this page with an updated effective date.

15. Contact

For privacy-related questions or requests:

Email: support@myebook-world.com