Privacy Policy

Introduction

Thank you for visiting this website and for reviewing the BrandsUp privacy policy. This policy describes the information we may collect, how we may collect and use it, and certain other privacy issues, including the precautions we take to protect your privacy.

Our policy covers the following topics:

Information Collected and How it is Used (Sec. A)
● Personal Information and Choice (Sec. B)
● Transaction Information (Sec. C)
● Review and Correction of Personally Identifiable Information (Sec. D)
● Cookies (Sec. E)
● Security (Sec. F)
● A Special Note for Parents Concerning Privacy (Sec. G)
● Disclaimer (Sec. H)
● Revision (Sec. I)
● Contact Information and Enforcement (Sec. J)

Section A: Information Collected and How it is Used

What we collect if you only browse our websites:

If you do nothing during your visit to our website but browse, read pages, or download information, we will gather and store certain limited information about your visit. You should know that this information does not identify you personally. We automatically collect and store the following information about your visit:

  1. The Internet Protocol (IP) address and domain name used. The IP address is a numerical identifier assigned either to your internet service or directly to your computer. We use the IP address to direct internet traffic to you. This address can be translated to determine the domain name of your service provider (e.g., abc-company.co.za, xyz-school.edu, and so on);
  2. The type of browser and operating system you used;
  3. The date and time you visited this site;
  4. The web pages or services you accessed at this site; and
  5. The website you visited prior to coming to this site. 

The information we automatically collect, or store is used by us only for the purpose of improving the content of our web services and to help us understand how people are using our services so that we may continually improve the performance, suitability, and usefulness of our websites to you, our customers and potential customers.

 

What we collect if you volunteer information:

If during your visit to our website you participate in a survey, send an e-mail, or perform some other transaction (see Sec. C) on-line, the following additional information will be collected:

  1. The e-mail address, and contents of e-mail, for those who communicate with us via e-mail;
  2. Information volunteered in response to a survey or by participating in a contest or other promotion sponsored by us;
  3. Information volunteered during your registration on our website; and
  4. Information volunteered through an on-line form for any other purpose, including requests to receive samples or marketing information, credit applications, subscriptions to our newsletter, and use of our on-line order forms to order products or services.

We will use your e-mail to respond appropriately. This may be to respond to you or to address issues you may identify, to further improve our website. As an added service to you, we will also use this information to pre-populate on-line order forms to save you time in the ordering and re-ordering process.

 

External use of volunteered information:

Please note that there are instances where we share your volunteered information with third parties.

BrandsUp like many internet and catalogue retailers employs other companies and individuals to perform specific functions on our behalf. Examples include fulfilling orders, delivery of packages, mail and e-mail, address hygiene, credit card processing services, research that improves the quality of services or offers provided to you or performing a credit check if requested as part of your order. These providers have access to the information that they require to perform their functions but are strictly forbidden from using it for any other purposes. You may, however, “opt-out” of this use of your volunteered information at any time but doing so may impair our ability to provide you with proper service and to process your orders (see Sec. J).

We may disclose your name and mailing address to carefully screened and selected third parties for marketing purposes. However, we never share your e-mail address, phone number, credit card or financial information for these purposes.

 

Section B: Personal Information and Choice

You may always choose whether to provide personal information to us on-line.

Personal information is information about a natural person that is readily identifiable to that individual. Personal information includes such things as an individual’s name, address, and phone number. A domain name or IP address is not considered personal information.

As an example, knowing your name lets us welcome you to our website the next time you visit our website. All such information helps us provide a more useful on-line shopping experience and provide you with enhanced customer service.

Please note that we will collect no personal information about you unless you voluntarily provide it to us. You may always choose not to contact us by e-mail, participate in a survey or to provide any personal information using an on-line form. Alternative methods for contacting us in person, by phone or by mail are available by using the information in the Contact Information section at the end of this policy (see Sec. J). Your choice to not participate in these activities on-line will not impair your ability to browse our website and to read or download any information provided on the site.

In the event we are required to respond to a subpoena, court order or other legal process, your personal information may be disclosed pursuant to such subpoena, court order or other legal process, which may be without notice to you.

 

Section C: Transaction Information

If you order any information, buy any products, or subscribe to any services offered on our site, we will ask you to complete an order form that requires certain information, possibly including payment information such as a credit card number and expiration date as well as general contact, billing, and shipping information. We will use this information to complete the transaction and to deliver the information, products, or services you ordered and to collect payment. For your protection, all such information is collected through encrypted means and all credit card information is stored through encrypted means.

 

Section D: Review and Correction of Personally Identifiable Information

You can review any personally identifiable information we collect about you by using the information in the Contact Information section at the end of this policy (see Sec. J). You may recommend changes to your personally identifiable information you believe to be inaccurate by submitting an e-mail or written request that credibly shows the inaccuracy. We will take reasonable steps to verify your identity before granting access or making corrections.

If your personal information changes, you may correct, update, or remove the personal data you have provided to us by making changes to your profile or by using an “opt-out” message (see Sec. J). Our goal is to make sure that our information about you is always current so that we can better serve you.

 

Section E: Cookies

To serve our on-line users, we use “cookies” to customize your browsing experience with us. Cookies are small data files transferred to your computer by your web browser. Most importantly, cookies created on your computer by using this website do not contain personally identifying information and do not compromise your privacy or security. The exception to this would be where you have registered on our website and volunteered personal information, unless you have logged out following your visit or you have disabled cookies during your visit. We use the cookie feature only to store a randomly generated identifying tag on your computer. Our third-party advertisers may collect anonymous information about your choices on this website using cookies to deliver relevant banner advertisements that are tailored to your interests.

It is possible for you to disable cookies at your computer. Please note that certain features of our website may not work quite as well as we would like, or as well as you would expect once cookies are disabled. However, the use of cookies is in your control.

 

Section F: Security

We have taken many steps to safeguard the integrity of our website and to prevent unauthorized access to information maintained by us. These measures are designed and intended to prevent corruption of data and to block unknown or unauthorized access to our systems and information. Certain personally identifying information, such as credit card information, is transferred to our computers utilizing encryption software (see Sec. C). Further, only those of our employees and agents who need access to your information to carry out our business functions are allowed access to that information. Our security policies are reviewed periodically and revised as required.

However, it is important to recognize that whatever you transmit or disclose online could be collected and used by others or even unlawfully intercepted by third parties. No data transmission over the internet can ever be guaranteed to be 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot warrant the security of any information that you transmit to us. You may also take steps to protect your information. For example, you should create a quality password and not share that password with others. You should not leave your computer unattended before exiting a session and prior to logging out. You should also properly exit browsers as you move between websites.

 

Section G: A Special Note for Parents Concerning Privacy

The internet offers many educational opportunities for children. However, parental guidance and supervision is necessary to ensure a safe and rewarding online experience. Although our site is a general audience site, we do not intentionally collect any personal information from children under the age of eighteen (18). If we receive any information from persons, we believe to be minors, that information will be purged from our database and in accordance with any applicable laws.

 

Section H: Disclaimer

This policy applies only to the BrandsUp website. However, our website may, from time to time, provide links to other websites, including those operated by unrelated governmental agencies, non-profit organizations, and private businesses. Be advised that BrandsUp is not responsible for the content of such other unrelated sites and shall not be liable for any damages or injury arising from that content. Any links to other sites are provided merely as a convenience to the users of this site. When you link to another unrelated site, you are no longer on the BrandsUp website, and this privacy policy will not apply. When you link to an unrelated website, you are subject to the privacy policy of that site. If you visit an unrelated website that is linked to one of our sites, you should carefully consult that site’s privacy policy before providing any personal information.

 

Section I: Revision

We may at any time revise the terms and conditions contained in this privacy policy by updating this posting. Accordingly, you should periodically visit this page to review our current privacy policy. The current effective date of this privacy policy is 1 March 2023.

 

Section J: Contact Information and Enforcement

Enforcement

BrandsUp uses a self-assessment approach to assure compliance with this privacy policy and periodically verifies that the policy is accurate, comprehensive for the information intended to be covered, prominently displayed, completely implemented and accessible. We encourage interested persons to raise any complaints or concerns using the contact information provided in this section and we will investigate and attempt to resolve any concerns regarding use and disclosure of personal information.


Privacy Complaints

BrandsUp commits to resolve complaints about your privacy and our collection or use of your personal information. If a complaint or dispute cannot be resolved through our internal process, BrandsUp has further committed to refer unresolved privacy complaints to an independent dispute resolution mechanism. If you do not receive timely acknowledgment of your complaint or concern, or it is it not satisfactorily addressed by BrandsUp, you may refer the complaint to the relevant ombudsman.