THE LEGAL STUFF

PRIVACY POLICY

Design Elements: Who we are

Our website address is: https://designelements.co.za.

Location: Strand, CoCT, Western Cape

Email addresses:

create@designelements.co.za; admin@designelements.co.za; chantal@designelements.co.za

Comments

When visitors leave comments on the site we collect the data shown in the comments form, and also the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help spam detection.

An anonymized string created from your email address (also called a hash) may be provided to the Gravatar service to see if you are using it. The Gravatar service privacy policy is available here: https://automattic.com/privacy/. After approval of your comment, your profile picture is visible to the public in the context of your comment.

Media

If you upload images to the website, you should avoid uploading images with embedded location data (EXIF GPS) included. Visitors to the website can download and extract any location data from images on the website.

Cookies

If you leave a comment on our site you may opt-in to saving your name, email address and website in cookies. These are for your convenience so that you do not have to fill in your details again when you leave another comment. These cookies will last for one year.

If you visit our login page, we will set a temporary cookie to determine if your browser accepts cookies. This cookie contains no personal data and is discarded when you close your browser.

When you log in, we will also set up several cookies to save your login information and your screen display choices. Login cookies last for two days, and screen options cookies last for a year. If you select “Remember Me”, your login will persist for two weeks. If you log out of your account, the login cookies will be removed.

If you edit or publish an article, an additional cookie will be saved in your browser. This cookie includes no personal data and simply indicates the post ID of the article you just edited. It expires after 1 day.

Embedded content from other websites

Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g. videos, images, articles, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website.

These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website.

Who Design Elements shares your data with

If you request a password reset, your IP address will be included in the reset email.

How long Design Elements’ retains your data

If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely. This is so we can recognize and approve any follow-up comments automatically instead of holding them in a moderation queue.

For users that register on our website (if any), we also store the personal information they provide in their user profile. All users can see, edit, or delete their personal information at any time (except they cannot change their username). Website administrators can also see and edit that information.

Rights you have over your data

If you have an account on this site, or have left comments, you can request to receive an exported file of the personal data we hold about you, including any data you have provided to us. You can also request that we erase any personal data we hold about you. This does not include any data we are obliged to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes.

Where your data is sent

Visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service.

POPI ACT DISCLAIMER

We respect your right to privacy and therefore aim to ensure that we comply with the legal requirement of the POPI Act which regulates the manner in which we collect, process, store, share and destroy any personal information which you have provided to us.
Why we collect Personal Information:
We collect personal information in order to liaise with you telephonically, via our website or email so that we may:

  1. Respond to any query or comment received from you;
  2. Inform you of new offers;
  3. Enable us to process, validate and verify information and requests for the supply of goods and/or services;
  4. For the purposes for which you specifically provided the information; and
  5. Generally to improve your experience on our website.
    Processing of Information
    We will share your personal information:
  6. In order to comply with applicable law or with legal process served on our company;
  7. In order to protect and defend the rights or property of our company; and
    Security Measures
    We will:
  8. Treat your personal information as strictly confidential;
  9. Take appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure that your personal information is kept secure and is protected against unauthorised or unlawful processing, accidental loss, destruction or damage, alteration, disclosure or access;
  10. Promptly notify you if we become aware of any unauthorised use, disclosure or processing of your personal information;
  11. Provide you with reasonable evidence of our compliance with our obligations under this policy on reasonable request; and
  12. We will not retain your personal information longer than the period for which it was originally required, unless we are required by law to do so, or you consent to us retaining such information for a longer period.
    ALTHOUGH WE TAKE THE AFOREMENTIONED PRECAUTIONS IN PROTECTING YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION, WE SHALL HOWEVER NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE, HOWSOEVER ARISING, SUFFERED AS A RESULT OF THE DISCLOSURE OF SUCH INFORMATION IF OUTSIDE OUR REASONABLE CONTROL.
    Your rights
    You have the right at any time to:
  13. Rectify the Personal Information collected by us;
  14. Object to the processing of Personal Information (subject to legislation);
  15. Request the return or destruction of Personal Information (subject to legislation);
  16. Lodge a complaint with the company.
    The Personal Information processed by us is not routed/transferred to any third-party websites or businesses.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

1. PURCHASE OF SERVICES: All services provided by Design Elements are online services only. Pricing includes digital deliverables in file formats required by the client to the ability of Design Elements to provide those file formats. Services do not include the printing of any physical products.

2. RECOMMENDATIONS: My recommendations in blog posts are intended as informative or opinionative writings only. Always consult with your contractor first! Because I am not physically in your space I always defer to the expertise of the contractor. I am providing free design advice with no advisory compensation to my business.

3. AFFILIATE LINKS: Some of the product suggestions may contain affiliate links which means Design Elements may make a small commission if you purchase from the linked sites. This is at no additional cost to you.

4. WARRANTIES AND LIABILITY: Any products purchased through affiliate links are the responsibility of that affiliate, which you will need to contact directly. Design Elements cannot be held responsible for replacement, freight arrangement or damage claims for purchases recommended on our site. In addition, Design Elements is not responsible for any work completed by contractors, sub-contractors, craftsmen, and any other such tradesmen, or any work performed by you (DIY).

5. REFUND POLICY: Due to the digital nature of this service, refunds will not be given after the first deliverable is emailed to you. Please notify Design Elements within 24 hours of purchasing your design package or written piece if you would like to request a refund.

6. COMMUNICATION + SCHEDULE: Client agrees to correspond in a timely manner through online communication and Design Elements shall do the same. Design Elements will start on your project after receiving payment, your completed questionnaire/briefing conversation and relevant package information.

7. GRAPHIC DESIGN TIME: Design work is limited to 30 calendar days from the date of the first Design delivery. If, after the 30 days have passed the client has failed to request a revision or finalize the design, Design Elements reserves the right to deliver the final “as is” to the most recent feedback. Additional revisions will be charged a flat rate of R100 each. 8. COPYWRITING/CONTENT WRITING TIME: Writing work is limited to 30 calendar days from the date of the first delivery. If, after the 30 days have passed the client has failed to request a revision or finalize the piece, Design Elements reserves the right to deliver the final “as is” to the most recent feedback. Additional revisions will be charged at a flat rate.

DISCLAIMERS

  • Design Elements provides digital file formats only. No printing work will be organised or conducted by Design Elements.
  • Design Elements’ pricing structure is in accordance with the recommended rates published by the South African Freelancers’ Association (SAFREA).
  • All posts are proofread and copyedited prior to submitting them to clients, but the odd errors may slip through. Any errors detected and reported by the client will be swiftly amended.