Privacy Policy

Vesse ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information when you use vesse.co.za and our services. By using Vesse, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

1. Who we are

Vesse is an ecommerce platform operated by FLARE, a South African technology company. We provide tools that allow vendors to create online stores and sell products to customers. References to "Vesse" include all services, websites, and applications we operate.

For questions about this policy, contact us at privacy@vesse.co.za.

2. What we collect

We collect information in the following ways:

• Account information: When you register, we collect your name, email address, and password (stored as a secure hash).
• Vendor information: Business name, phone number, city, province, and bank account details (for Vesse Pay payouts).
• Store and product data: Everything you add to your store — products, images, prices, descriptions.
• Order and customer data: When a customer places an order, we collect their name, email, phone, and delivery address.
• Payment information: We do not store card details. Payments are processed by PayFast, a PCI-compliant payment processor. We store PayFast merchant credentials in encrypted form.
• Usage data: Pages visited, features used, and session information collected via server logs and analytics.
• Communications: Messages you send to our support team.

3. How we use it

We use your information to:

• Operate and improve the Vesse platform
• Process orders and payments
• Send transactional emails (order confirmations, payout notifications)
• Provide customer support
• Detect and prevent fraud and abuse
• Comply with legal obligations
• Send product updates and marketing (you can opt out at any time)

4. Who we share it with

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

• PayFast: To process payments on behalf of vendors.
• Cloudinary: To store and serve product images.
• Neon / PostgreSQL: Our database provider, used to store all platform data.
• Email service providers: To send transactional and marketing emails.
• Law enforcement: When required by law or to protect our rights.

Vendors who operate stores on Vesse receive customer data (name, email, delivery address) for orders placed in their store. Vendors are responsible for handling this data in accordance with POPIA.

5. Your rights

Under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), you have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate information
• Request deletion of your data (subject to legal retention requirements)
• Object to processing of your data for marketing purposes
• Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa

To exercise any of these rights, email privacy@vesse.co.za. We will respond within 30 days.

6. Cookies

We use cookies and similar technologies to keep you logged in, remember your preferences, and understand how you use Vesse. We use session cookies (expire when you close your browser) and persistent cookies (remain for a set period).

You can disable cookies in your browser settings, but some features of Vesse may not work correctly without them.

7. Security

We take security seriously. All data is transmitted over HTTPS. Passwords are hashed using bcrypt. PayFast merchant credentials are encrypted using AES-256-GCM before storage. We perform regular security reviews and keep our dependencies up to date.

No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we use commercially reasonable means to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. Children

Vesse is not directed at children under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If we become aware that a child under 18 has provided us with personal information, we will delete it promptly.

9. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by email or via a notice on the platform. The "last updated" date at the top of this page indicates when changes were last made. Continued use of Vesse after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact us

For privacy-related questions or requests:
privacy@vesse.co.za
FLARE, South Africa