Privacy Policy

Last updated: 23 July 2026

This policy explains how ShopEspress collects, uses, and protects your personal information, in line with South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).

1. Information We Collect

• Account information: name, student email address, university, password
• Vendor information: bank/payout details (collected and held by TradeSafe, our escrow payment provider, not ShopEspress directly), optional ID for verification
• Listing information: photos, descriptions, prices you submit
• Transaction information: purchase history, amounts, timestamps (payment card/bank details are processed and stored by TradeSafe, not by ShopEspress)
• Communications: messages sent through in-app chat between buyers and sellers
• Technical information: IP address, device/browser type, cookies

2. How We Use Your Information

• To create and verify your account
• To operate the marketplace (listings, search, messaging)
• To process payments and hold funds in escrow via TradeSafe
• To respond to support requests and disputes
• To improve the platform and prevent fraud or policy violations

3. How We Share Information

We do not sell your personal information. We share information only with:

• TradeSafe, our licensed escrow payment provider, to hold buyer funds securely and pay out to vendors once a transaction is confirmed complete
• Other users, limited to what's needed to complete a transaction
• Law enforcement or university authorities where legally required

4. Data Storage & Security

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information against unauthorized access, loss, or misuse. Payment card and bank details are collected and held entirely by TradeSafe under its own secure, PCI-DSS compliant systems — ShopEspress never stores this data.

5. Your Rights

Under POPIA, you may request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal information by contacting info@shopespress.online.

6. Cookies & Local Storage

ShopEspress does not use cookies. Instead, we use your browser's local storage to keep you logged in, remember your light/dark mode preference, and remember which listings you've saved. This information stays only in your own browser and is not automatically transmitted to our servers with every request the way a cookie would be. Clearing your browser's site data will log you out and reset these preferences.

7. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as your account is active, or as needed to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. Material changes will be communicated via email or in-app notice.

9. Contact Us

Questions about this policy: info@shopespress.online