Privacy Policy

Last Updated: November 20, 2024

1. Introduction

Welcome to PricePulse ("we," "our," or "us"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our Chrome extension and related services. Please read this privacy policy carefully.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

• Account Information: Email address and password (encrypted) when you create an account
• Watchlist Data: Products you choose to track on Takealot.com
• Target Prices: Price alerts you set for tracked products (Premium feature)

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

• Product Data: Product titles, prices, URLs, and images from Takealot.com pages you visit
• Price History: Historical price data for products in our database
• Usage Data: Extension version, browser type, and feature usage patterns
• IP Address: For security purposes (brute force protection and rate limiting)

2.3 What We DO NOT Collect

• We DO NOT track your general browsing history
• We DO NOT collect data from non-Takealot websites
• We DO NOT sell your personal information to third parties
• We DO NOT track your purchases or payment information

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for:

• Price Tracking: Monitoring price changes for products you watch
• Notifications: Alerting you when prices drop or reach your target
• Account Management: Providing access to your watchlist across devices
• Service Improvement: Analyzing usage patterns to improve features
• Security: Preventing abuse and protecting against unauthorized access
• Communication: Sending service-related emails (price alerts, updates)

4. Data Storage and Security

4.1 Anonymous Users

If you use PricePulse without creating an account:

• Data is stored locally in your browser only
• We do not associate your watchlist with any personal identifier
• You can delete all data by removing the extension

4.2 Registered Users

If you create an account:

• Data is stored securely on our servers (PostgreSQL database)
• Passwords are hashed using bcrypt (industry standard)
• Data is transmitted over HTTPS encryption
• We implement brute force protection and rate limiting

5. Data Retention

• Anonymous Users: Local data persists until extension removal
• Basic Accounts: Data retained while account is active
• Premium Accounts: Extended data retention (2 years price history)
• Deleted Accounts: Data removed within 30 days of account deletion

6. Sharing Your Information

We DO NOT sell, trade, or rent your personal information. We may share data only in these limited circumstances:

• Legal Requirements: If required by law or valid legal process
• Service Providers: With essential service providers (e.g., email delivery for notifications) under strict confidentiality agreements
• Anonymous Analytics: Aggregated, non-identifiable usage statistics for product improvement

7. Your Rights (POPIA Compliance)

Under South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), you have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of your personal data
• Correction: Update incorrect or incomplete data
• Deletion: Request deletion of your account and associated data
• Objection: Opt-out of email notifications (extension alerts will continue)
• Data Portability: Export your watchlist data

To exercise these rights, contact us at: privacy@pricepulse.co.za

8. Cookies and Tracking

PricePulse uses minimal tracking:

• Authentication Tokens: Stored in browser storage to keep you logged in
• User Preferences: Theme settings and notification preferences
• No Third-Party Tracking: We do not use Google Analytics or similar services

9. Third-Party Services

• Takealot.com: We access publicly available product information from Takealot pages you visit
• Email Service: We use SMTP email services for sending notifications (if enabled)
• Hosting: Our servers are hosted with reputable providers with strong security practices

10. Children's Privacy

PricePulse is not intended for users under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with data, please contact us immediately.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. We will notify you of significant changes via:

• Extension notification
• Email (for registered users)
• Updated "Last Updated" date at the top of this page

Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

12. Contact Us

Questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy:

• Email: privacy@pricepulse.co.za
• Support: support@pricepulse.co.za

13. Consent

By using PricePulse, you consent to this Privacy Policy and our collection and use of information as described herein.

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