Privacy policy

PRIVACY POLICY

This Privacy Policy describes how your personal information is collected, used, and shared when you visit or make a purchase from mandbparts.co.za (the “Site”).

PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

When you visit the Site, we automatically collect certain information about your device, including information about your web browser, IP address, time zone, and some of the cookies that are installed on your device. Additionally, as you browse the Site, we collect information about the individual web pages or products that you view, what websites or search terms referred you to the Site, and information about how you interact with the Site. We refer to this automatically-collected information as “Device Information”.

We collect Device Information using the following technologies:
- “Cookies” are data files that are placed on your device or computer and often include an anonymous unique identifier. For more information about cookies, and how to disable cookies, visit http://www.allaboutcookies.org.
- “Log files” track actions occurring on the Site, and collect data including your IP address, browser type, Internet service provider, referring/exit pages, and date/time stamps.
- “Web beacons”, “tags”, and “pixels” are electronic files used to record information about how you browse the Site.

Additionally when you make a purchase or attempt to make a purchase through the Site, we collect certain information from you, including your name, billing address, shipping address, payment information, email address, and phone number. We refer to this information as “Order Information”.

When we talk about “Personal Information” in this Privacy Policy, we are talking both about Device Information and Order Information.

HOW DO WE USE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?

We use the Order Information that we collect generally to fulfill any orders placed through the Site (including processing your payment information, arranging for shipping, and providing you with invoices and/or order confirmations). Additionally, we use this Order Information to:
- Communicate with you;
- Screen our orders for potential risk or fraud; and
- When in line with the preferences you have shared with us, provide you with information or advertising relating to our products or services.

We use the Device Information that we collect to help us screen for potential risk and fraud (in particular, your IP address), and more generally to improve and optimize our Site (for example, by generating analytics about how our customers browse and interact with the Site, and to assess the success of our marketing and advertising campaigns).

SHARING YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

We share your Personal Information with third parties to help us use your Personal Information, as described above. For example, we use Shopify to power our online store--you can read more about how Shopify uses your Personal Information here: https://www.shopify.com/legal/privacy. We also use Google Analytics to help us understand how our customers use the Site -- you can read more about how Google uses your Personal Information here: https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/privacy/. You can also opt-out of Google Analytics here: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

Customer reviews (Google). After you place an order, Google may show you an invitation to take part in Google Customer Reviews. To make this possible, we pass your order number, email address, delivery country and expected delivery date to Google when the order confirmation page loads. Google emails you a short survey about your experience with us only if you agree to take part. Google handles that information under its own privacy policy (https://policies.google.com/privacy). Google and other third parties may also set or read cookies or similar technologies for this programme; you can manage cookies in your browser settings (see allaboutcookies.org). Taking part is optional and does not affect your order.

Finally, we may also share your Personal Information to comply with applicable laws and regulations, to respond to a subpoena, search warrant or other lawful request for information we receive, or to otherwise protect our rights.

PARTS ASSISTANT

When you use our website assistant, we keep your chat and the car and part details you give us, plus your name and number only if you choose to share them. We use this only to help with your enquiry; it is seen only by M&B Parts staff and the services that run the assistant, and we never sell it. We keep it only as long as needed for your enquiry, and no longer than 12 months. To see, correct or delete your information, email online@mandbparts.co.za.

WHATSAPP ENQUIRIES

When you message us on WhatsApp, we keep your messages, your phone number, the part and car details you give us, your VIN or engine number, and a photo of your licence disc if you send one. We use this only to find the right part and answer your enquiry. It is seen only by M&B Parts staff and the services that run our WhatsApp line: ManyChat, WhatsApp (Meta), Google Sheets for our enquiry records, and automated tools, including AI (Anthropic), that sort enquiries. We never sell it. We do not need ID documents, so please do not send them. We keep it no longer than 12 months. Reply STOP to stop messages. To see, correct or delete your information, email online@mandbparts.co.za.

BEHAVIOURAL ADVERTISING

As described above, we use your Personal Information to provide you with targeted advertisements or marketing communications we believe may be of interest to you. For more information about how targeted advertising works, you can visit the Network Advertising Initiative’s (“NAI”) educational page at http://www.networkadvertising.org/understanding-online-advertising/how-does-it-work.

You can opt out of targeted advertising by using the links below:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/settings/?tab=ads
- Google: https://www.google.com/settings/ads/anonymous
- Bing: https://advertise.bingads.microsoft.com/en-us/resources/policies/personalized-ads

Additionally, you can opt out of some of these services by visiting the Digital Advertising Alliance’s opt-out portal at: http://optout.aboutads.info/.

DO NOT TRACK

Please note that we do not alter our Site’s data collection and use practices when we see a Do Not Track signal from your browser.

YOUR RIGHTS

If you are a European resident, you have the right to access personal information we hold about you and to ask that your personal information be corrected, updated, or deleted. If you would like to exercise this right, please contact us through the contact information below.

Additionally, if you are a European resident we note that we are processing your information in order to fulfill contracts we might have with you (for example if you make an order through the Site), or otherwise to pursue our legitimate business interests listed above. Additionally, please note that your information will be transferred outside of Europe, including to Canada and the United States.

DATA RETENTION

When you place an order through the Site, we will maintain your Order Information for our records unless and until you ask us to delete this information. Website assistant chats and enquiry details are kept as described under “Parts assistant” above.

CHANGES

We may update this privacy policy from time to time in order to reflect, for example, changes to our practices or for other operational, legal or regulatory reasons.

CONTACT US

For more information about our privacy practices, if you have questions, or if you would like to make a complaint, please contact us by e‑mail at online@mandbparts.co.za or by mail using the details provided below:

M and B Used and New Merc Parts
15A Fountain Road, Eastleigh, Edenvale, 1609