Privacy Policy - Charles® Threads

Effective Date: 1st September 2025
Last Updated: 1st September 2025

Charles® Threads (“we,” “our,” “us”) values the privacy and trust of our customers. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you visit or make a purchase from our online store, www.charlesthreads.co.za (the “Site”). By accessing or using our Site, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect

When you interact with Charles® Threads, we may collect the following types of information:

a) Personal Information You Provide

Account & Purchase Information: Name, email address, phone number, billing address, shipping address, and payment details (processed securely by third-party payment processors).
Communication Data: Information you provide when you contact us via email, live chat, or social media (e.g., inquiries, feedback, or customer support requests).
Newsletter Subscription: Your name and email address when you subscribe to our mailing list.

b) Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our Site, we may automatically collect certain data, including:

IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, and referring website.
Browsing behavior such as pages visited, items viewed, time spent on the Site, and cart activity.
Cookies, pixels, and similar tracking technologies (explained in Section 6).

c) Third-Party Information

We may receive information about you from third parties, such as payment processors, delivery service providers, and advertising partners.

2. How We Use Your Information

We process your personal information for the following purposes:

To Fulfill Orders: Process payments, provide shipping, track deliveries, and handle returns/exchanges.
Customer Support: Respond to your inquiries, resolve issues, and provide personalized service.
Marketing & Promotions: Send promotional emails, newsletters, offers, or updates about our latest collections (with your consent).
Improving User Experience: Analyze website traffic, product performance, and customer preferences to enhance our services.
Fraud Prevention & Security: Protect against fraudulent transactions and unauthorized access.
Legal Compliance: Meet regulatory obligations, tax requirements, and enforce our Terms & Conditions.

3. How We Share Your Information

We respect your privacy and will never sell or rent your personal information. However, we may share your data with:

Service Providers: Payment processors, shipping companies, IT support, and marketing partners who help operate our business.
Legal Authorities: If required by law, court order, or government regulation.
Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of the business transaction.

4. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only as long as necessary for:

Completing transactions and fulfilling orders.
Meeting our legal, tax, or accounting obligations.
Resolving disputes and enforcing agreements.

When no longer required, your personal data will be securely deleted or anonymized.

5. Security of Your Information

We take the protection of your personal data seriously. Measures include:

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption for online transactions.
Restricted access to personal data within our company.
Secure third-party payment processors for financial transactions (we do not store credit card information on our servers).
Regular monitoring and updates to our systems to prevent unauthorized access.

However, no online platform is 100% secure. By using our Site, you acknowledge and accept this risk.

6. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Our Site uses cookies and similar technologies to improve your browsing experience. These may include:

Essential Cookies: Required for site functionality (shopping cart, checkout).
Performance Cookies: Track how you use the Site to improve services.
Marketing Cookies: Deliver relevant ads and promotions based on your browsing activity.

You may disable cookies in your browser settings, but some site features may not function properly.

7. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
Correction: Update or correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Deletion: Request the deletion of your personal data, subject to legal or contractual obligations.
Marketing Preferences: Opt-out of receiving promotional communications by clicking “unsubscribe” in emails or contacting us directly.
Data Portability: Request transfer of your personal data in a machine-readable format.

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

8. Third-Party Links

Our Site may contain links to third-party websites. Please note that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites. We encourage you to review their policies before sharing personal information.

9. Children’s Privacy

Charles® Threads does not knowingly collect or solicit personal information from children under the age of 13 (or the applicable legal age in your country). If we learn we have collected such information, we will promptly delete it.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, services, or legal requirements. The revised version will be posted on this page with a new “Last Updated” date.

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:

Charles® Threads
📍 Mvemve Street, Spruitview, Johannesburg, South Africa, 1425
📧 Email: privacy@charlesthreads.co.za
📞 Phone: +27 73 366 1128
🌐 Website: www.charlesthreads.co.za