Your information

Privacy policy

Last updated 10 November 2026

Zero World respects your privacy. This policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, and the rights you have under the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA).

1. Who we are

Zero World is an online marketplace that connects South African artisans and township entrepreneurs with customers. Zero World is the responsible party for the personal information processed on this website. Contact our information officer at info@zeroworld.x10.mx or through our contact page.

2. What we collect

  • Account details: your name, email address, optional phone number and a scrambled (hashed) version of your password. We can never see your password.
  • Delivery addresses you save for checkout.
  • Orders and payments: what you bought, totals and payment status. Card numbers are checked and then discarded; we never store them.
  • Reviews and wishlists you choose to create.
  • Messages you send us through the contact page: your name, email address, message and IP address.
  • Newsletter sign-ups: your email address and the date and IP address of your consent.
  • Security records: failed log-in attempts and password reset requests, with the IP address, to protect accounts from attackers.

3. Why we use it

We only use your information to run your account, process and deliver your orders, take payment, answer your questions, keep the website secure, and, if you opted in, send you our newsletter. We collect only what we need for these purposes.

4. Who we share it with

When you order, the artisan who made the item sees your name, delivery address and the items ordered so they can ship it. Payment details go only to our payment provider. We never sell, rent or trade your personal information.

5. Marketing

We send marketing emails only to people who subscribed themselves (opt-in), as section 69 of POPIA requires. Every newsletter has an unsubscribe option, and you can also unsubscribe here at any time.

6. Cookies

We use one essential cookie (ZWSESSID) that keeps you logged in and protects forms from forgery. It is deleted when you close your browser. We do not use advertising or tracking cookies. Our page styles and icons load from public content networks (jsDelivr and Google Fonts), which receive your IP address when your browser downloads those files.

7. How we protect it

The website runs over encrypted https, passwords are hashed, every form is protected against forgery, and accounts are locked for 15 minutes after five wrong passwords. Only staff who need your information can see it, and artisans see only their own orders.

8. How long we keep it

We keep your account until you ask us to delete it. Order and payment records are kept for five years because South African tax law requires it. Security records are deleted automatically after a short time.

9. Your rights

Under POPIA you may ask what personal information we hold about you, ask us to correct or delete it, and object to it being used for marketing. Email info@zeroworld.x10.mx and we will respond within 30 days. If you are unhappy with our response, you may complain to the Information Regulator of South Africa.

10. Changes

If we change this policy we will update the date at the top of this page.