Privacy Policy
Your privacy matters to us. This policy explains how we handle your data in compliance with South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).
Last updated: July 2026
1. Who We Are
Designer Perfume Fragrances (designerperfumefragrances.co.za) is an AI-powered fragrance discovery platform based in South Africa. We help users find their perfect scent through our AI consultant, educational content, and curated perfume database. We are a discovery and information platform — we do not sell or ship perfume directly.
2. What Information We Collect
Contact form submissions
When you use our contact form, we collect your name, email address, subject, and message. This information is used solely to respond to your enquiry.
AI consultant quiz answers
When you take our fragrance quiz, your answers (scent preferences, budget, occasion) are processed to generate personalised recommendations. Your quiz answers on their own are not linked to your identity.
Email address (optional, consent-based)
If you choose to unlock your full set of matches on the AI consultant, we ask for your email address. We only store it after you tick the consent box on that form. We use it to save your matches and to send occasional fragrance updates. You can withdraw consent or unsubscribe at any time by emailing us. See our retention periods below.
Cookies and analytics
We use essential cookies to ensure the website functions correctly. We may also use anonymised analytics to understand how visitors use our site and improve the experience. No personally identifiable information is collected through analytics.
3. Why We Collect Your Information
Under POPIA, we collect personal information only for specific, lawful purposes:
- To respond to your contact form enquiries
- To provide personalised AI fragrance recommendations
- To improve website functionality and user experience
- To send communications you have opted into (if applicable)
4. Who We Share Your Data With
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. When you click affiliate links to retailers such as Rio Perfumes, you leave our site and are subject to that retailer’s own privacy policy. We do not share your personal data with these third-party retailers.
5. How We Protect Your Data
We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information, including encrypted data transmission (HTTPS), secure server infrastructure, and limited access to personal data.
6. Your Rights Under POPIA
As a data subject under South African law, you have the right to:
- Access — Request a copy of any personal information we hold about you
- Correction — Ask us to correct any inaccurate information
- Deletion — Request that we delete your personal information
- Object — Object to the processing of your personal information
- Withdraw consent — Withdraw any consent you have given for data processing
To exercise any of these rights, please email us at [email protected].
7. Cookies
Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit our website. We use:
- Essential cookies — Required for the site to function (e.g. session management, preferences). These are always on.
- Analytics cookies — Google Analytics (GA4) helps us understand how visitors use the site, using anonymised data. Set only with your consent.
- Advertising cookies — Google AdSense serves ads that help support the running of this site, and may set advertising cookies. These are set only after you give consent.
When you first visit, a cookie consent banner lets you accept all, reject all, or choose exactly which categories you allow. Non-essential cookies (analytics and advertising) stay disabled until you consent, using Google Consent Mode. You can change or withdraw your choices at any time using the “Cookie Preferences” link in the footer, or through your browser settings.
8. Third-Party Services We Use
We use a small number of trusted third-party services to run and improve the site. Where these set cookies, they are governed by the consent choices described above. Each provider processes data under its own privacy policy:
- Google Analytics (GA4) — website usage analytics. Google Privacy Policy
- Google AdSense — advertising that helps fund the site. How Google uses advertising data
- Abacus.AI chat assistant — powers the on-site AI chat widget. Abacus.AI Privacy Policy
9. How Long We Keep Your Data
In line with POPIA Section 14, we keep personal information only for as long as necessary:
- Contact form submissions — retained for up to 24 months, then deleted.
- Consultant email addresses — retained until you unsubscribe or ask us to delete them.
- Analytics data — aggregated and retained per Google Analytics defaults (up to 14 months).
10. Cross-Border Data Transfers
Some of the third-party processors we rely on (including Google and Abacus.AI) are located outside South Africa, in countries such as the United States and within the European Union. As required by POPIA Section 72, we only use processors that are subject to laws, binding rules, or agreements which provide an adequate, comparable level of protection for your personal information.
11. Data Breach Notification
In the event of a security compromise involving your personal information, we will notify the Information Regulator and any affected users as soon as reasonably possible after becoming aware of it, in accordance with POPIA Section 22.
12. Third-Party Links
Our site contains links to external websites (e.g. Rio Perfumes, Fragrantica). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these sites. We encourage you to read their privacy policies before providing any personal information.
13. Information Officer
In accordance with POPIA Section 55, our designated Information Officer is:
Bibi Burness
Information Officer — Designer Perfume Fragrances
Email: [email protected]
Website: designerperfumefragrances.co.za
For any questions about this privacy policy, data access requests, or to exercise your POPIA rights, please contact the Information Officer at the email address above.