Privacy policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Old School Threads ("we", "us", "our"). We are committed to protecting your personal information and your right to privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our online store at oldschoolthreads.store and make a purchase from us.

Please read this policy carefully. If you disagree with its terms, please discontinue use of our site.

2. Information We Collect

We collect information you provide directly to us and information collected automatically when you use our store.

Information You Provide

  • Account information – name, email address, and password when you create an account.
  • Order information – billing address, shipping address, phone number, and payment details when you place an order.
  • Communications – any messages you send us via email or contact forms.
  • Marketing preferences – your opt-in to our email list for exclusive deals and early product access.

Information Collected Automatically

  • Device & browsing data – IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URLs, and pages viewed.
  • Cookies & tracking technologies – we use cookies to maintain your session, remember your cart, and understand how visitors use our site (see Section 7).
  • Transaction data – purchase history and order details.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

  • Process and fulfil your orders, including sending order confirmations and shipping updates.
  • Manage your customer account.
  • Communicate with you about your purchases, returns, and queries.
  • Send you marketing emails and promotions where you have opted in (you may unsubscribe at any time).
  • Improve our website, products, and customer experience.
  • Detect and prevent fraud or unauthorised transactions.
  • Comply with applicable legal obligations.

4. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

  • Service providers – trusted third parties who assist us in operating our store, processing payments (e.g. Shopify Payments), and delivering orders (e.g. courier partners). These parties are contractually obligated to keep your information confidential.
  • Legal requirements – if required by law, court order, or government authority.
  • Business transfers – in the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

Our store is built on Shopify. You can read Shopify's privacy policy at shopify.com/legal/privacy.

5. Payment Information

All payment transactions are processed securely through Shopify's encrypted payment gateway. We do not store your full credit card or banking details on our servers. Payment processors are PCI-DSS compliant.

6. Data Retention

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

  • Maintain your account and fulfil ongoing orders.
  • Comply with legal, tax, and accounting obligations (generally 5 years in South Africa).
  • Resolve disputes and enforce our agreements.

When your information is no longer required, we will securely delete or anonymise it.

7. Cookies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your shopping experience. These include:

Cookie Type Purpose
Essential Required for the store to function (cart, checkout, login).
Analytics Help us understand how visitors interact with our site.
Marketing Used to deliver relevant promotions (only where you have consented).

You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling essential cookies may affect your ability to shop on our site.

8. Your Rights

Under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and applicable South African law, you have the right to:

  • Access the personal information we hold about you.
  • Correct any inaccurate or incomplete information.
  • Request deletion of your personal information, subject to legal retention requirements.
  • Object to the processing of your information for direct marketing purposes.
  • Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at info.oldschoolthreads@gmail.com. We will respond within 30 days.

Information Regulator (South Africa) Email: inforeg@justice.gov.za Website: www.justice.gov.za/inforeg

9. Security

We implement commercially reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, loss, or misuse. Our store is hosted on Shopify, which uses industry-standard SSL/TLS encryption for all data transmitted through the site.

However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your data.

10. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites and encourage you to review their privacy policies independently.

11. Children's Privacy

Our store is not directed at children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If you believe a minor has provided us with their information, please contact us so we can delete it promptly.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The updated version will be posted on this page with a revised "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy, please reach out to us:

Old School Threads Email: info.oldschoolthreads@gmail.com T

This Privacy Policy was prepared in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) of South Africa.