Privacy Policy

1.Who We Are & Our Information Officer

Multi∞Verse is the responsible party (as defined in the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013, "POPIA") for the personal information collected through this website. We are a privately owned business operating at 188 Innes Road, Morningside, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, 4001, South Africa.

Our designated Information Officer is responsible for overseeing our compliance with POPIA and can be contacted at admin@multi-verse.co.za or by telephone on 076 089 1104 during business hours. Any privacy-related queries, requests, or complaints should be directed to our Information Officer in the first instance.

2.Information We Collect

We collect personal information only when it is necessary for a specific purpose. The categories of information we may collect include:

• Identity information — your name and surname
• Contact information — email address and phone number
• Delivery information — your physical address for order fulfilment
• Account credentials — email address and encrypted password (we do not store passwords in plain text)
• Transaction data — details of orders you have placed, including items purchased and payment method used
• Communication records — emails, queries, or messages you send to us
• Newsletter preference — whether you have opted in to receive marketing communications
• Technical data — IP address, browser type, and pages visited (collected automatically by our servers for security and performance monitoring)

We do not collect sensitive personal information (as defined in POPIA) unless you voluntarily provide it. We do not collect or store card payment details — all card transactions are processed directly by Yoco, our payment processor.

3.Legal Basis for Processing

Under POPIA, we process your personal information on the following lawful grounds:

• Contract performance — processing your order, handling payments, and arranging delivery requires us to use your personal information
• Legitimate interest — monitoring website security, preventing fraud, and improving our services
• Consent — sending you marketing emails or newsletters (you may withdraw consent at any time)
• Legal obligation — retaining transaction records as required by South African tax and commercial law

4.How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information solely for the purposes for which it was collected or for a compatible purpose. Specifically, we use it to:

• Process, fulfil, and dispatch your orders
• Send order confirmations, invoices, and shipping notifications
• Coordinate delivery with Aramex South Africa
• Respond to your queries, complaints, or requests
• Process refunds or handle return requests
• Send marketing or newsletter communications (only where you have opted in)
• Maintain the security and functionality of our website
• Comply with our legal and regulatory obligations

We will not use your personal information for any purpose not listed above without obtaining your consent or notifying you in advance.

5.Data Storage & Security

Your personal information is stored on Google Firebase, a cloud platform operated by Google LLC. Firebase infrastructure uses encryption at rest and in transit, and is subject to Google's own security certifications and data processing agreements. Our Firebase deployment is configured to restrict access to authorised personnel only.

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to safeguard your data against unauthorised access, disclosure, loss, or destruction. Access to personal data within our systems is restricted on a need-to-know basis. In the event of a data breach that poses a risk to your rights, we will notify the Information Regulator and affected data subjects as required by POPIA.

6.Sharing Your Information with Third Parties

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We share it only with trusted third parties where necessary to fulfil our services, and only to the extent required:

• Aramex South Africa — your name, delivery address, and contact number are shared with Aramex to facilitate order delivery
• Yoco — payment processing; Yoco receives transaction data but we do not share unnecessary personal information beyond what is required for payment authorisation
• Google Firebase — data storage and authentication infrastructure
• Email service providers — used to send transactional emails such as order confirmations and shipping notifications

We may also disclose your information if required by law, court order, or to protect the rights and safety of Multi∞Verse or others.

7.Cross-Border Data Transfers

Google Firebase servers may be located outside of South Africa, which means your personal information may be transferred to and stored in a foreign country. Google has implemented appropriate safeguards — including standard contractual clauses and compliance with applicable data protection frameworks — to protect personal information in cross-border transfers. By using our website, you acknowledge this and consent to the transfer of your data to Google's infrastructure on the basis that adequate protection is in place.

8.Cookies & Session Data

We use essential session cookies to maintain your login session and preserve your shopping cart contents between pages. These cookies are strictly functional — they are not used for advertising, behavioural tracking, or profiling. We do not use third-party advertising cookies. By continuing to use our website, you consent to the use of these essential cookies. You may disable cookies in your browser settings, but doing so may impair the functionality of your account and shopping cart.

9.Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as is necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected or as required by law. Order and transaction records are retained for a minimum of 5 years to comply with South African tax and commercial law. Account information is retained for as long as your account remains active. If you close your account and have no outstanding obligations, we will delete or anonymise your personal data within a reasonable period, subject to any legal retention obligations.

10.Your Rights Under POPIA

As a data subject under the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013, you have the following rights:

• Right of access — you may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Right to correction — you may request that inaccurate or incomplete information be corrected
• Right to deletion — you may request that we delete your personal information where we no longer have a lawful basis to retain it
• Right to object — you may object to the processing of your information for direct marketing purposes at any time
• Right to restriction — you may request that we restrict processing of your data in certain circumstances
• Right to complain — if you are not satisfied with how we have handled your personal information, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa

To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Information Officer at admin@multi-verse.co.za. We will respond to verified requests within a reasonable time and no later than 30 days. The Information Regulator of South Africa can be contacted at inforeg.org.za or via email at inforeg@justice.gov.za.

11.Children's Privacy

Our website and services are intended for individuals aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 18. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information without your consent, please contact us immediately and we will take steps to remove that information.

12.Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. The updated policy will be posted on this page with a revised "last updated" date. We encourage you to review this page from time to time. Your continued use of our website after any update constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

13.Contact & Complaints

For any privacy-related queries, requests to exercise your POPIA rights, or concerns about how we handle your personal information, please contact our Information Officer at admin@multi-verse.co.za or call us on 076 089 1104 during business hours. If your concern is not resolved to your satisfaction, you may escalate your complaint to the Information Regulator of South Africa.