Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

Karol Apparels ("we", "us", "our") operates the online store at karolapparels.com and our shop at Kilimani Mall, Shop F31, Tigoni Road, Nairobi, Kenya. For the purposes of the Data Protection Act, 2019, we are the data controller for the personal data described in this policy. You can reach us at contact@karolapparels.com or +254 715 415 092 with any question about how your data is handled.

2. Information we collect

We collect only what we need to run the store, serve you, and keep the site secure:

Information you give us directly

• Account and order details — name, email address, phone number, delivery address, and your order history.
• Payment reference details — see "How we handle payment" below. We do not receive or store your M-Pesa PIN, card numbers, or banking credentials.
• Enquiries and messages — anything you tell us through our contact form or the "Enquire on WhatsApp" button on a product page. If you use the WhatsApp button, your phone number and message are passed to WhatsApp/Meta to open that conversation — see "Third-party services" below.
• Newsletter sign-up — your email address, and whether you're currently subscribed.
• Reviews and testimonials — your name and the text of any review you submit, which we may display publicly on the site.
• Account via social sign-in — if you register using a social login provider, we receive the basic profile details that provider shares with us (typically your name, email, and profile photo).

Information collected automatically

• Cookies — to keep your cart and session working, remember your preferences, and understand how the site is used. You choose which cookie categories to allow through the cookie banner shown on your first visit.
• Basic technical data — IP address, browser type, device type, and pages visited, collected for security and to keep the site running reliably.

3. How we use your information

• To process, deliver, and support your orders.
• To respond to enquiries and customer service requests.
• To send order updates and, only if you've opted in, marketing emails about new arrivals or offers — you can unsubscribe at any time.
• To detect and prevent fraud, abuse, or security incidents.
• To meet our legal and tax obligations as a business registered in Kenya.

We rely on one or more of the following legal bases for each use above: performance of a contract with you (fulfilling an order), your consent (marketing emails, optional cookies), our legitimate business interests (fraud prevention, service improvement), and compliance with a legal obligation (tax and accounting records).

4. How we handle payment

Prices on karolapparels.com are shown and charged in Kenyan Shillings (KES) only.

We will confirm the exact payment method with you after your order is accepted — for now, this may be a cash payment on delivery within Nairobi, or an M-Pesa Paybill payment.

We are integrating M-Pesa as a payment option. Once live, M-Pesa payments are handled directly between you and Safaricom PLC through the M-Pesa STK push prompt sent to your phone — we receive only the transaction reference, phone number used, and amount paid; we never see or store your M-Pesa PIN. We may in future add further local payment processors such as DPO or PesaPal; this policy will be updated, and the relevant processor named here, before any such integration goes live.

5. Who we share your information with

We do not sell your personal data. We share it only where necessary to run the store:

• Payment processors — Safaricom (M-Pesa) and, in future, any additional processor named above — to complete your payment.
• Delivery partners — to get your order to you.
• WhatsApp / Meta Platforms, Inc. — only if you choose to contact us via the WhatsApp enquiry button.
• Service providers who host our site, send our emails, or provide site analytics, bound to only use your data to provide that service to us.
• Authorities, where required by Kenyan law or a valid legal request.

6. Cookies

We use a cookie consent tool that lets you choose which categories of cookies to allow beyond the strictly necessary ones (which keep your cart and login session working and cannot be switched off). You can change your choice at any time from the cookie preferences link in the site footer.

7. How long we keep your data

We keep order and transaction records for as long as required under Kenyan tax and accounting law. Account data is kept while your account remains active; if you ask us to delete your account, we will do so except where we're required to retain specific records by law. Backups of our systems are kept for a limited rolling period for disaster-recovery purposes and are then automatically deleted.

8. How we protect your data

Our site is served over encrypted HTTPS connections. Access to customer data within our systems is restricted to staff who need it to do their jobs, and system backups are access-controlled. No system is 100% secure, but we take reasonable technical and organisational measures appropriate to the data we hold.

9. Your rights

Under the Data Protection Act, 2019, you have the right to:

• Ask us what personal data we hold about you, and get a copy of it.
• Ask us to correct inaccurate data.
• Ask us to delete your data, subject to our legal retention obligations.
• Object to or restrict certain uses of your data, including marketing.
• Withdraw consent at any time where we rely on consent.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at contact@karolapparels.com. If you're unhappy with how we've handled your request, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC), Kenya.

10. Children's privacy

Our store is intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children, and accounts should only be created by persons 18 years or older.

11. International data storage

Some of our technical infrastructure (such as encrypted backup storage) may be located outside Kenya. Where this is the case, we take steps to ensure your data continues to receive an appropriate level of protection wherever it is stored.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time, for example as our payment options or services change. The effective date stated at the top of this document reflects the most recent revision. Material changes will be highlighted on the site.

13. Contact us

Karol Apparels, Kilimani Mall Shop F31, Tigoni Road, Nairobi, Kenya.
Email: contact@karolapparels.com · Phone: +254 715 415 092