Privacy Policy
Last updated: 18 June 2026
Collette Writes respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and what rights you have when you use this website, contact us, subscribe to updates, or make a purchase from our bookstore.
This policy is intended to align with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 2013, commonly known as POPIA. POPIA regulates how personal information is collected, used, stored and protected in South Africa, and gives people rights to access, correct, object to, or request the deletion of personal information in certain circumstances.
1. Who we are
Collette Writes is an author and creative writing website offering books, writing-related content, newsletter updates, and contact facilities.
For privacy-related questions, please contact:
Email: author@collettewrites.co.za
2. Personal information we collect
We may collect personal information when you:
Complete a contact form
Subscribe to a newsletter or mailing list
Place an order through the bookstore
Create or use a customer account
Communicate with us by email or through the website
Leave a comment, review, or other website interaction where enabled
This information may include:
Your name and surname
Your email address
Your phone number, if supplied
Your billing and delivery details
Your order details
Your payment status, but not your full card details
Your message or enquiry
Your IP address and browser information
Any information you voluntarily provide to us
3. How we use your information
We use your personal information to:
Process and fulfil orders
Respond to enquiries
Send order confirmations and customer service messages
Manage returns, refunds and customer support
Send newsletters or marketing updates where you have subscribed or consented
Improve the website and customer experience
Protect the website against spam, fraud, abuse and unauthorised access
Keep records required for tax, legal, accounting or business purposes
We will not sell your personal information.
4. Orders and payments
When you purchase from the Collette Writes bookstore, we collect the information needed to process your order, communicate with you, and arrange delivery where applicable.
Payments may be handled through a third-party payment provider. We do not store your full card details on this website. Payment providers may process your payment information according to their own privacy and security policies.
5. Newsletter and marketing communication
If you subscribe to our newsletter, we may use your email address to send you updates about books, writing news, offers, launches, events, or related content.
You may unsubscribe at any time by using the unsubscribe link in the email or by contacting us.
We will not intentionally send marketing communication to you unless you have subscribed, consented, or where the law allows communication to existing customers about similar products or services.
6. Contact forms
When you submit a contact form, we collect the details you provide so that we can respond to your enquiry. This may include your name, email address, phone number and message.
We keep contact form submissions only for as long as reasonably necessary to respond to the enquiry, maintain business records, or deal with follow-up communication.
7. Comments, reviews and public content
Where comments or reviews are enabled, we may collect the data shown in the comment or review form, together with your IP address and browser user agent string to help with spam detection.
Please do not submit private, confidential or sensitive information in public comment areas.
8. Cookies
This website may use cookies and similar technologies to:
Keep the website functioning properly
Remember cart and checkout information
Improve website performance
Support security and spam prevention
Understand general website usage
Support embedded content or third-party services
You can disable cookies in your browser settings, but some parts of the website may not work correctly without them.
9. Embedded content and third-party websites
Pages on this website may include links or embedded content from other websites, such as videos, social media content, newsletter platforms, payment providers or delivery-related services.
Embedded content from other websites behaves as if you visited those websites directly. Those websites may collect data about you, use cookies, and track your interaction with their content.
Collette Writes is not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites. Please review their privacy policies separately.
10. Who we share your information with
We may share limited personal information with trusted service providers where necessary to operate the website and provide our services. This may include:
Website hosting providers
Payment processors
Email or newsletter platforms
Delivery or courier services
Spam prevention and security tools
Accounting, legal or administrative service providers
Website support providers
We only share information that is reasonably necessary for the purpose involved.
We may also disclose personal information where required by law, court order, regulatory authority, tax obligation, or to protect our rights, customers, website or business.
11. How long we keep your information
We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.
Order and transaction records may be kept for accounting, tax and legal purposes. Contact form messages may be kept for customer service and record-keeping purposes. Newsletter details are kept until you unsubscribe or request removal, unless we are legally required to retain certain records.
12. How we protect your information
We take reasonable and appropriate steps to protect personal information against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration or destruction.
These measures may include secure website hosting, access controls, password protection, updates, security tools and limiting access to people who need the information for legitimate business purposes.
No online system is completely secure, but we take reasonable care to protect the information we process.
13. Your rights
Under POPIA, you may have the right to:
Ask what personal information we hold about you
Request access to your personal information
Ask us to correct or update inaccurate information
Ask us to delete personal information where legally permitted
Object to certain processing of your personal information
Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
Object to direct marketing
Submit a complaint to the Information Regulator
To exercise these rights, please contact us at:
We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request.
14. Children’s privacy
Some content on this website may relate to children’s books or family-friendly reading. However, this website is not intended to knowingly collect personal information from children without the consent of a parent or legal guardian.
If you believe that a child has provided personal information without appropriate consent, please contact us so that we can take reasonable steps to address it.
15. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The latest version will be published on this page with the updated date.
Continued use of the website after changes are published means that you accept the updated policy.