Cookie Policy

Last Updated: 12 December 2025

This Cookie Policy explains how Shop Authentic (“we”, “us”, or “our”), as the Responsible Party, uses cookies and similar technologies when you visit our website, shopauthentic.co.za (the “Site”).

1. What are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer or mobile device when you visit a website. They are widely used by website owners in order to make websites work, or work more efficiently, as well as to provide reporting information.

Cookies placed by the website owner (in this case, Shop Authentic) are called “first-party cookies.” Cookies set by parties other than the website owner are called “third-party cookies.”

Third-party cookies enable third-party features or functionality to be provided on or through the website (e.g., advertising, interactive content, and analytics).

2. Our Legal Basis for Using Cookies (POPIA)

As the Responsible Party, we process your Personal Information (collected via cookies) based on the following principles:

  • Necessary/Essential Cookies: These are processed based on the legitimate interest of the Responsible Party to ensure the basic functionality and security of the Site (e.g., placing items in your shopping cart).
  • Non-Essential Cookies (e.g., Analytics, Marketing): These are processed based on your explicit and informed consent, in line with POPIA’s requirements for the lawful processing of Personal Information. Your consent is managed via our “Cookie Yes” consent banner.

3. Types of Cookies We Use

We use cookies for several reasons. The cookies served through our Site fall into the following categories:

A. Strictly Necessary

  • Purpose: These cookies are essential to provide you with services available through our Site and enable you to use some of its features, such as accessing secure areas, checkout functionality, and remembering cart items.
  • Information Collected: Session IDs, cart contents, Security tokens.
  • POPIA Consent Required? No (Processed based on legitimate interest/necessity).

B. Preference / Functional

  • Purpose: These cookies allow our Site to remember choices you make (such as your user name, language, or region) and provide enhanced, more personal features.
  • Information Collected: User preferences, custom settings.
  • POPIA Consent Required? Yes (You must provide consent).

C. Analytical / Performance

  • Purpose: These cookies collect information about how visitors use our Site, such as the number of visitors, which pages are visited most often, and how you navigate the site (e.g., Google Analytics).
  • Information Collected: Device Information (IP address, browser type), pages viewed.
  • POPIA Consent Required? Yes (You must provide consent).

D. Marketing / Targeting

  • Purpose: These cookies are used to make advertising messages more relevant to you and your interests. They perform functions like preventing the same ad from continuously reappearing, ensuring ads are properly displayed, and, in some cases, selecting ads based on your interests.
  • Information Collected: Browsing history, purchase history, demographic data.
  • POPIA Consent Required? Yes (You must provide consent).

4. Third-Party Cookies (Operators)

We use various third-party Operators to provide services on our behalf (e.g., Shopify, Google Analytics, social media platforms). These Operators may place their own cookies when you visit our Site.

  • Shopify: As our e-commerce platform, Shopify uses necessary cookies to operate the store.
  • Google Analytics: Used to collect Analytical/Performance data. This data is transferred outside of South Africa. As outlined in our Privacy Policy, we ensure safeguards are in place for this cross-border transfer.
  • Social Media/Marketing Platforms: Cookies may be placed by social platforms (e.g., Facebook, Instagram) if you interact with widgets or follow links for the purpose of targeted advertising.

5. How You Can Manage Cookies and Withdraw Consent

In compliance with POPIA, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.

  • Using Cookie Yes: You can adjust your cookie preferences at any time by clicking the 'Cookie Settings' or 'Manage Consent' button on our Site. This allows you to accept or decline cookies by category (Functional, Analytical, Marketing).
  • Browser Controls: Most web browsers allow you to control and delete cookies through the browser settings. Blocking all cookies, however, may negatively impact the functionality of many websites, including ours.

Your preferences will be respected, and we will not process Personal Information via non-essential cookies without your explicit consent.

6. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time in order to reflect changes to the cookies we use or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. Please revisit this Cookie Policy regularly to stay informed about our use of cookies and related technologies.

7. Contact Us

For more information about our use of cookies or to exercise your rights under POPIA, please contact us at:

Email: info@shopauthentic.co.za
Designated POPIA Contact/Information Officer: Kerry Jeromin