Legal

Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 19, 2026

1. Introduction

Shopstar ("we", "our", or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our platform. This information is only used to render our services to you, and will not be shared with others unless it is required to render this service.

2. Information We Collect

Personal Information

We collect vendor and customer data when you register for an account, make a purchase, or contact us, including:

  • Name and contact information (email address, phone number)
  • Billing and shipping addresses
  • Banking details for merchant payouts
  • Business information for merchant accounts

Automatically Collected Information

When you access our platform, we automatically collect certain information including your IP address, browser type, device information, and usage patterns through cookies and similar technologies.

3. Payment Data Security

Your payment security is our priority. A card holder's details shall not pass through or be stored on any Shopstar server regardless of transaction frequency. Card information transfers directly to our payment partners' (Stripe and Paystack) secure systems. Shopstar staff cannot access your financial details.

4. How We Use Your Information

By registering, you consent to your personal information being used for:

  • Providing, maintaining, and improving our services
  • Processing transactions and sending related information
  • Marketing communications (with your consent)
  • Security purposes and fraud prevention
  • Development of market data profiles which may provide insight into market norms
  • Responding to your comments, questions, and requests
  • Complying with legal obligations

5. Information Sharing

We will not sell, share, or rent your personal information to any third party or use your email address for unsolicited mail. We may share your information with:

  • Payment Partners: Stripe and Paystack for secure payment processing, with access restricted on a need-to-know basis
  • Merchants: When you make a purchase, necessary order information is shared with the merchant
  • Meta (WhatsApp): When a store sends you WhatsApp updates you asked for, your WhatsApp number and the message are shared with Meta to deliver it (see WhatsApp Messages)
  • Partners: If your merchant operates under a Partner programme, the Partner may have access to aggregated analytics
  • Legal Requirements: When required by law or to protect our rights

6. WhatsApp Messages (Meta)

Merchants can connect their own WhatsApp Business number to Shopstar through Meta's WhatsApp Business Platform, so that their customers can get booking, payment and ticket updates on WhatsApp. When a merchant connects, we receive and store the following through Meta:

  • The merchant's WhatsApp Business account details: account and phone number IDs, display name, phone number, quality rating and messaging limits, the message templates Shopstar creates and their review status, and an access token Meta issues to Shopstar, which we store encrypted
  • For customers who choose WhatsApp updates: their WhatsApp number, when and where they agreed, and any request to stop
  • The messages we send for the merchant and their delivery status (sent, delivered, read or failed), and replies customers send to the merchant's number

We use this data only to send the messages a customer asked for, to show the merchant their message activity and account health, and to respect requests to stop. We do not use it for advertising, and we do not sell it or share it with anyone other than Meta, which delivers the messages under WhatsApp's own privacy policy.

Customers can reply STOP to any message to stop WhatsApp updates from that store. Merchants can disconnect WhatsApp at any time under Store → WhatsApp. Disconnecting stops all messages, removes Shopstar from the WhatsApp Business account, and deletes the access token and account details we hold. Message history and customer consent records stay with the store until it is deleted or until you ask us to delete them.

7. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational security measures to protect your personal information. Your information is stored in encrypted format with reasonable security measures, and access is restricted to employees on a need-to-know basis subject to confidentiality obligations. Payment information is processed through PCI-DSS compliant payment providers. While we implement current security measures, it is impossible to guarantee that your personal information shall be 100% secure.

8. Data Storage & Retention

Personal information is retained only as long as necessary per applicable law. When your data is no longer required, it will be securely deleted or anonymised.

9. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

  • Access and receive a copy of your personal data
  • Rectify inaccurate personal data
  • Request deletion of your personal data (see How to Delete Your Data)
  • Object to or restrict processing of your personal data
  • Data portability
  • Withdraw consent at any time

10. How to Delete Your Data

You can ask us to delete your personal data at any time, including data we received through Meta (Facebook or WhatsApp):

  • Merchants: to remove WhatsApp data, disconnect WhatsApp under Store → WhatsApp. To delete your account and all of its data, email [email protected] from your account email address.
  • Customers of a Shopstar store: reply STOP to stop WhatsApp messages. To have your data deleted, email [email protected] with the store's name and the email address or phone number you used.

We confirm every request by email and complete it within 30 days. We keep only the records the law requires us to keep, such as tax and payment records.

11. Cookies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to collect and store information. You can control cookies through your browser settings. For more information, see our Cookie Policy.

12. Children's Privacy

Our services are not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date.

14. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at [email protected].