Privacy Policy

Certain clauses in this Privacy Policy appear in bold because they:

• may limit the risk or liability of The Hive or a third party;
• may create risk or liability for you;
• may require you to indemnify The Hive or a third party; or
• serve as your acknowledgment of a fact.

This Privacy Policy applies to all users of our Platform.

In this Privacy Policy:

• "Personal Information" and "processing" carry their ordinary meaning under Zimbabwean data protection law.
• "we," "us," or "our" refers to The Hive.
• "you" refers to every person accessing or using our Platform.
• "user" refers to anyone who registers on our Platform, places an order, or interacts with us digitally.
• "Platform" refers to The Hive's website, and any associated ordering, payment, or communication channels.

The Hive is an online retailer of solar products and accessories based in Zimbabwe. We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your Personal Information responsibly.

We process Personal Information in a reasonable, adequate, relevant, and purpose-specific manner. We may receive information directly from you, your device, trusted third parties (such as payment or delivery partners), and public sources.

You provide Personal Information when you:

• register an account or purchase solar products on our Platform;
• contact us through WhatsApp, phone, email, or other customer service channels;
• interact with us on social media;
• engage with third parties we work with (delivery couriers, payment providers);
• otherwise make your information available to us.

The Personal Information we may collect includes, but is not limited to:

• full name and surname;
• email address;
• phone number and WhatsApp number;
• physical/delivery address;
• location data (for delivery purposes);
• payment and billing details (e.g. EcoCash, ZIPIT, card, or bank transfer references);
• order history and product preferences;
• information voluntarily submitted when contacting support.

You warrant that the information you provide is accurate, current, true, and does not impersonate any other person.

Information from Using the Platform

When you access our Platform, we may automatically receive:

• log data (usage times, pages viewed, browsing activity);
• device and browser information;
• IP address;
• approximate location (if enabled);
• records of customer service communications (calls, WhatsApp messages, emails, chats).

We process your Personal Information primarily to sell and deliver solar products to you. We may lawfully process your information to:

• identify and verify you as a customer;
• process, fulfil, and deliver your orders;
• process payments (EcoCash, ZIPIT, bank transfer, card, or cash on delivery);
• communicate order updates, delivery notifications, and after-sales support (including warranty claims);
• comply with legal and tax obligations;
• secure our systems and detect fraud;
• improve our products, catalog, and website experience;
• conduct internal analytics and reporting (not identifiable to you).

We may also process your Personal Information where necessary for our legitimate business interests, such as:

• business and operational management;
• improving our products and services;
• fraud detection and prevention;
• tailoring your shopping experience;
• sending you marketing communications (unless you opt out).

We may use your Personal Information to send you marketing content about new products, promotions, or offers through:

• Email
• WhatsApp
• SMS
• Phone
• Social media
• Online advertising

If you are not a registered customer, we will only send electronic marketing with your consent. You may opt out of marketing communications at any time by contacting us or using the unsubscribe/opt-out option provided.

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to:

• enhance and personalise your shopping experience;
• remember items in your cart;
• analyse website traffic and performance;
• prevent fraud;
• deliver relevant advertising.

By using our Platform, you consent to our use of cookies. You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings, though this may affect certain site features.

We do not sell your Personal Information.

We may share your information with third parties only when:

• you have given consent;
• it is required to fulfil your order (e.g. delivery/courier partners);
• required by law;
• necessary to protect our legitimate interests.

These third parties may include:

• our employees and authorised staff;
• delivery and courier partners;
• payment gateways (EcoCash, banks, card processors);
• IT and hosting/cloud service providers;
• fraud prevention and security services;
• regulators and law enforcement, where legally required.

We require all third parties handling your Personal Information to maintain confidentiality and appropriate security standards. Our Platform may contain links to third-party sites (e.g. social media); we are not responsible for their privacy practices.

We retain your Personal Information only for as long as:

• necessary to provide our products and services to you (including warranty periods);
• required by Zimbabwean law (including tax and business record-keeping requirements);
• necessary to protect our legal interests.

Once no longer required, your information is securely deleted or anonymised.

Where we use international service providers (such as cloud hosting or payment processing infrastructure), your Personal Information may be transferred and stored outside Zimbabwe. Where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure such transfers are handled with appropriate security and confidentiality safeguards.

By using our Platform, you consent to such transfers where necessary to provide our services.

We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures to safeguard your Personal Information, including:

• secure data storage;
• access controls limiting who can view your information;
• secure payment processing through reputable providers;
• confidentiality expectations for staff and third parties;
• procedures to respond to any data security incidents.

If you disclose your information to a third party outside of The Hive (e.g. by sharing details on social media or with an unrelated party), we cannot be held liable for misuse outside our control.

Subject to applicable Zimbabwean law and upon reasonable proof of identity, you may:

• request access to the Personal Information we hold about you;
• request correction or updating of inaccurate information;
• request deletion of your information, subject to any legal retention requirements;
• withdraw consent to marketing or certain processing (this may affect our ability to provide some services);
• object to certain types of processing;
• lodge a complaint with us directly, or with the relevant Zimbabwean regulatory authority, if you believe your information has been mishandled.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details below.

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your Personal Information, please contact us:

This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The version published on our website at any given time applies to you. We encourage you to review this page periodically.