Privacy Policy
Shared Style
Privacy Policy
Version 1.0 — June 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how Shared Style (Pty) Ltd collects, uses, stores, and protects your personal information. It is issued in compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA).
1. Who We Are and How to Contact Us 3
3. Personal Information We Collect 3
3.1 Registration and Identity Information 3
3.4 Financial and Banking Information 4
3.5 Device and Usage Information 4
4. How We Use Your Personal Information 5
4.1 Lawful Basis for Processing 5
5. Special Personal Information 5
6. Sharing Your Personal Information 6
6.1 We Do Not Sell Your Data 6
6.2 Sharing with Other Users 6
6.4 Law Enforcement and Legal Disclosure 6
7. How Long We Keep Your Information 7
8. How We Protect Your Information 7
9.5 Right to Withdraw Consent 8
10. Cookies and Tracking Technologies 8
12. Marketing Communications 9
13. Changes to This Privacy Policy 9
14. Contact Our Information Officer 9
1. Who We Are and How to Contact Us
Shared Style (Pty) Ltd ('Shared Style', 'we', 'us', 'our') is the Responsible Party for personal information processed through the Shared Style platform, which includes our mobile application and website.
Responsible Party:
Shared Style (Pty) Ltd
Email: privacy@sharedstyle.co.za
Website: www.sharedstyle.co.za
Republic of South Africa
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or the processing of your personal information, please contact our Information Officer at the email address above.
2. Scope and Application
This Privacy Policy applies to all personal information collected from or about Users of the Shared Style platform, including Lenders, Renters, Sellers, and Buyers, as well as visitors to our website.
By registering on or using the Platform, you consent to the collection and processing of your personal information as described in this Policy.
This Policy must be read together with our Terms and Conditions, which incorporate this Policy by reference.
3. Personal Information We Collect
3.1 Registration and Identity Information
When you create an account, we collect:
- your full name;
- your South African identity number;
- a photograph of your identity document;
- a selfie or live photograph for identity verification purposes;
- your date of birth;
- your email address;
- your mobile phone number.
Important: Your South African identity number and identity document photographs are classified as special personal information under POPIA and are afforded the highest level of protection. We collect this information solely for the purpose of identity verification and fraud prevention.
3.2 Transaction Information
When you conduct transactions on the Platform, we collect:
- listing details, including photographs, item descriptions, and pricing;
- booking and rental period information;
- payment transaction records (we do not store full card numbers; these are handled by our payment processor);
- damage deposit amounts and status;
- condition photographs uploaded at each stage of a rental;
- delivery and collection preferences and courier booking details.
3.3 Communications
All messages sent through the Platform's in-app messaging system are stored by Shared Style. We collect and retain:
- in-app messages between Users;
- dispute correspondence and supporting materials;
- communications between Users and Shared Style support.
3.4 Financial and Banking Information
To facilitate payouts, Lenders and Sellers must provide banking details, which we collect and securely store for the sole purpose of processing payments.
3.5 Device and Usage Information
We automatically collect certain technical information when you use the Platform, including:
- IP address;
- device type, operating system, and app version;
- usage data such as pages visited, features used, and time spent on the Platform;
- crash reports and error logs.
3.6 Location Information
With your consent, we may collect approximate location information to assist with Listing discovery and courier matching. You may disable location permissions on your device at any time, though this may affect certain Platform features.
4. How We Use Your Personal Information
4.1 Lawful Basis for Processing
We process your personal information on the following lawful grounds under POPIA:
- to perform a contract with you (i.e., to operate the Platform and facilitate your transactions);
- to comply with a legal obligation (e.g., fraud prevention, FICA requirements, court orders);
- with your consent (e.g., for marketing communications or location data);
- for legitimate interests of Shared Style, where not overridden by your rights (e.g., platform security and fraud detection).
4.2 Specific Purposes
We use your personal information for the following purposes:
- to verify your identity and prevent fraud;
- to create and manage your account;
- to facilitate rental and resale transactions between Users;
- to process payments and manage Escrow;
- to arrange and track courier deliveries;
- to resolve disputes and damage claims;
- to send transactional notifications (booking confirmations, payment receipts, return reminders);
- to provide customer support;
- to enforce our Terms and Conditions and applicable law;
- to improve and develop the Platform;
- to send marketing communications, where you have opted in.
5. Special Personal Information
Your South African identity number and identity document data constitute special personal information under Section 26 of POPIA. We process this information solely to:
- verify your identity prior to activating your account;
- prevent fraud and ensure Platform safety;
- comply with legal obligations.
This information is encrypted at rest and in transit and is accessible only to authorised personnel with a specific need to access it. We do not use your identity number for any commercial profiling purpose.
6. Sharing Your Personal Information
6.1 We Do Not Sell Your Data
Shared Style does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their own marketing purposes.
6.2 Sharing with Other Users
We share limited information between Users as necessary to facilitate transactions:
- Lenders and Renters will see each other's first name, profile photograph, and verified status;
- delivery addresses are shared with the relevant Approved Courier only;
- your South African ID number, identity document, and banking details are never shared with other Users.
6.3 Service Providers
We share information with third-party service providers who assist us in operating the Platform, including:
- identity verification providers;
- payment processing providers;
- Approved Courier partners;
- cloud hosting and data storage providers;
- analytics and crash reporting tools.
All service providers are bound by data processing agreements that require them to process your information only on our instructions and in compliance with applicable law.
6.4 Law Enforcement and Legal Disclosure
We may disclose your personal information, including identity document information, in the following circumstances:
- pursuant to a valid court order requiring us to do so;
- in response to a lawful request from a South African law enforcement authority;
- where required by applicable law, including POPIA, FICA, or any other applicable legislation;
- to protect the rights, property, or safety of Shared Style, our Users, or the public.
Where a Lender requires documentation for legal proceedings relating to a lost or stolen item, Shared Style will provide a certified transaction record confirming verified identity and communication history, subject to a valid court order or law enforcement request for the underlying identity data.
6.5 Business Transfers
If Shared Style undergoes a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your personal information may be transferred to the successor entity. We will notify you of any such transfer via the Platform or email.
7. How Long We Keep Your Information
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including:
- account information: for the duration of your account and for 5 years after account closure, to allow for dispute resolution and legal compliance;
- transaction records: for 5 years after the transaction date, in accordance with applicable financial record-keeping obligations;
- identity document information: for the duration of your account and for 3 years after account closure;
- condition photographs: for 12 months after the relevant transaction, after which they are deleted unless subject to an ongoing dispute;
- in-app communications: for 2 years after the relevant transaction.
After the applicable retention period, personal information is securely deleted or anonymised.
8. How We Protect Your Information
Shared Style implements technical and organisational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction, including:
- encryption of data in transit using industry-standard TLS protocols;
- encryption of sensitive data at rest, including identity document information and banking details;
- role-based access controls limiting access to personal information to authorised personnel only;
- regular security assessments and vulnerability testing;
- secure payment processing handled by PCI-DSS compliant payment processors.
In the event of a data breach that poses a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify you and the Information Regulator as required by POPIA within the applicable timeframes.
9. Your Rights Under POPIA
As a data subject under POPIA, you have the following rights:
9.1 Right of Access
You have the right to request confirmation of whether we hold personal information about you and to request a copy of that information.
9.2 Right to Correction
You have the right to request correction of inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated personal information we hold about you.
9.3 Right to Deletion
You have the right to request deletion of your personal information in circumstances where we no longer have a lawful basis to retain it. Please note that we may be required to retain certain information for legal or contractual reasons even after account closure.
9.4 Right to Object
You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information where we rely on our legitimate interests as the lawful basis for processing.
9.5 Right to Withdraw Consent
Where we process your information on the basis of consent (for example, for marketing communications), you may withdraw your consent at any time. Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing that occurred before withdrawal.
9.6 Right to Complain
You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa if you believe we have processed your personal information unlawfully. The Information Regulator can be contacted at:
The Information Regulator (South Africa)
Email: complaints.IR@justice.gov.za
Website: www.justice.gov.za/inforeg
To exercise any of the above rights, please contact us at privacy@sharedstyle.co.za. We will respond to your request within 30 days.
10. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Our website and application use cookies and similar technologies to improve your experience, analyse Platform usage, and deliver relevant content. These include:
- essential cookies required for the Platform to function;
- analytics cookies that help us understand how Users interact with the Platform;
- preference cookies that remember your settings.
You may manage your cookie preferences through your device or browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the Platform.
11. Minors
The Platform is intended for use by persons aged 18 years and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from persons under 18. If you believe a minor has registered on our Platform, please notify us immediately at privacy@sharedstyle.co.za and we will take steps to delete the account and associated information.
12. Marketing Communications
We will only send you marketing communications where you have opted in to receive them. You may withdraw your consent to receive marketing communications at any time by:
- updating your notification preferences in the app;
- clicking the unsubscribe link in any marketing email;
- contacting us at privacy@sharedstyle.co.za.
Withdrawing consent to marketing does not affect your ability to receive transactional notifications relating to your account and bookings.
13. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes via the Platform or email. The updated Policy will be effective from the date it is published on the Platform. Continued use of the Platform after that date constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy.
14. Contact Our Information Officer
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, or wish to exercise your data subject rights, please contact our Information Officer:
Information Officer — Shared Style (Pty) Ltd
Email: privacy@sharedstyle.co.za
Website: www.sharedstyle.co.za
Republic of South Africa
© 2026 Shared Style (Pty) Ltd. All rights reserved.