Privacy policy.

Effective Date: 08.10.2025
Last Updated: 08.10.2025

1. Introduction

Sole T Mates Limited ("we," "us," "our," or "Sole T Mates") is committed to protecting your privacy and personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information in accordance with the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020.

By using our platform, website, or services, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

1.1 Contact Information

Sole T Mates Limited
12A Hawke Place, Pukekohe, Auckland, 2120
New Zealand

Privacy Officer: Tammy French
Email: hello@soletmates.co.nz
Phone: 0274749623

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information You Provide

When you register for our platform or use our services, we may collect:

Account Information:

  • Full name

  • Email address

  • Phone number

  • Business name and registration details

  • Professional qualifications and certifications

  • Business address and location

Profile Information:

  • Professional bio and experience

  • Services offered

  • Business hours and availability

  • Profile photos and business images

  • Social media links

Payment and Billing Information:

  • Credit card details (processed through secure third-party payment processors)

  • Billing address

  • Tax identification numbers (if applicable)

  • Purchase history and transaction records

Community and Communication Data:

  • Forum posts and comments

  • Direct messages with other members

  • Event attendance and participation

  • Reviews and ratings

  • Feedback and survey responses

2.2 Information We Collect Automatically

Technical Information:

  • IP address and geolocation data

  • Device information (type, operating system, browser)

  • Login times and platform usage patterns

  • Pages viewed and features used

  • Search queries and preferences

Cookies and Tracking Technologies:

  • Session cookies for platform functionality

  • Analytics cookies for platform improvement

  • Preference cookies for personalization

  • Marketing cookies (with your consent)

2.3 Information from Third Parties

Business Partners and Integrations:

  • Information from booking platforms you connect to your profile

  • Payment processing data from our payment partners

  • Marketing data from advertising platforms (with consent)

  • Product purchase data from marketplace suppliers

Publicly Available Information:

  • Business registration details from public databases

  • Professional licensing information (where relevant)

  • Social media profiles (if you choose to connect them)

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

3.1 Core Platform Services

Community Platform:

  • Creating and managing your member account

  • Facilitating connections with other members

  • Providing community forums and discussion features

  • Organizing local meetups and events

  • Enabling peer-to-peer communication and support

Marketplace Services:

  • Processing product orders and transactions

  • Managing supplier relationships and bulk purchases

  • Providing access to exclusive member discounts

  • Tracking delivery and fulfillment status

  • Handling returns and customer service

Business Support Services:

  • Providing curated recommendations for business tools

  • Facilitating partnerships with service providers

  • Offering educational resources and training

  • Delivering industry insights and market intelligence

3.2 Platform Operations

Service Delivery:

  • Maintaining platform security and preventing fraud

  • Processing payments and managing subscriptions

  • Providing customer support and technical assistance

  • Monitoring platform performance and reliability

Legal and Compliance:

  • Complying with legal obligations and regulations

  • Enforcing our Terms of Service and community guidelines

  • Resolving disputes and handling complaints

  • Maintaining accurate business records

3.3 Communication and Marketing

Platform Communications:

  • Sending account notifications and updates

  • Providing transaction confirmations and receipts

  • Delivering community announcements and news

  • Sending security alerts and important notices

Marketing Communications (with consent):

  • Promotional emails about new features and services

  • Special offers and member-exclusive deals

  • Industry insights and educational content

  • Event invitations and community updates

3.4 Platform Improvement

Analytics and Research:

  • Analyzing platform usage patterns and trends

  • Improving user experience and interface design

  • Developing new features and services

  • Conducting market research and member surveys

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

4.1 Within the Sole T Mates Community

Member Directory:

  • Basic business information (name, services, location) visible to other members

  • Professional profiles and portfolios (as you choose to share)

  • Reviews and ratings (anonymized where appropriate)

  • Community forum posts and contributions

You Control Your Visibility:

  • Privacy settings allow you to control what information is shared

  • You can choose to hide your profile from search results

  • Direct messaging privacy settings are customizable

  • You can opt out of the member directory at any time

4.2 With Business Partners and Service Providers

Marketplace Suppliers:

  • Order details and delivery information for product purchases

  • Business contact information for B2B transactions

  • Aggregated purchasing data for bulk buying negotiations

  • Product reviews and feedback (anonymized)

Service Integrations:

  • Booking platform data (with your explicit permission)

  • Payment processor information for transaction processing

  • Analytics providers for platform improvement

  • Customer service tools for support delivery

Professional Service Partners:

  • Insurance providers for coverage applications

  • Business service providers for member benefits

  • Training providers for educational programs

  • Event partners for community activities

4.3 Legal and Regulatory Disclosure

We may disclose your information when required by law or when we believe disclosure is necessary to:

  • Comply with legal processes, court orders, or government requests

  • Enforce our Terms of Service or other agreements

  • Protect the rights, property, or safety of Sole T Mates, our users, or the public

  • Prevent fraud, abuse, or unauthorized access to our platform

  • Investigate potential violations of our policies

4.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or part of our business, your personal information may be transferred to the new owner as part of the transaction, subject to the same privacy protections outlined in this policy.

5. Data Storage and Security

5.1 Data Storage Locations

Primary Data Storage:

  • User data is stored on secure cloud servers located in New Zealand and Australia

  • Backup systems are maintained in multiple geographic locations

  • All data storage complies with New Zealand and Australian data protection standards

International Transfers:

  • Some service providers may store data internationally (USA, Europe)

  • All international transfers comply with New Zealand Privacy Act requirements

  • We ensure adequate protection measures are in place for international data transfers

5.2 Security Measures

Technical Safeguards:

  • Industry-standard encryption for data transmission and storage

  • Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificates for all web communications

  • Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments

  • Multi-factor authentication for administrative access

Organizational Safeguards:

  • Limited access to personal information on a need-to-know basis

  • Regular staff training on privacy and security practices

  • Incident response procedures for potential data breaches

  • Regular backup and disaster recovery testing

Payment Security:

  • PCI DSS compliant payment processing

  • No storage of complete credit card information on our servers

  • Tokenized payment processing through certified third-party providers

  • Regular security monitoring and fraud detection

5.3 Data Breach Notification

In the unlikely event of a data breach:

  • We will notify affected users within 72 hours of discovery

  • We will report significant breaches to the Privacy Commissioner

  • We will provide clear information about what data was affected

  • We will offer support and guidance on protective measures

6. Your Privacy Rights

Under the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020, you have the following rights:

6.1 Access Rights

Right to Access:

  • Request access to your personal information we hold

  • Receive a copy of your data in a commonly used format

  • Understand how your information is being used

  • Request information about who we've shared your data with

How to Request Access:

  • Log into your account settings to view and download your data

  • Contact our Privacy Officer for additional information requests

  • Response time: Within 20 working days of receiving your request

6.2 Correction Rights

Right to Correction:

  • Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information

  • Update your profile and account information directly

  • Request deletion of outdated or irrelevant information

How to Make Corrections:

  • Update most information directly through your account settings

  • Contact customer support for assistance with complex changes

  • Contact our Privacy Officer for formal correction requests

6.3 Data Portability

Right to Data Portability:

  • Download your data in commonly used formats (CSV, PDF, JSON)

  • Transfer your data to another service provider

  • Receive your data without unreasonable delay or expense

6.4 Deletion Rights

Right to Request Deletion:

  • Request deletion of your account and associated data

  • Request removal of specific information (subject to legal requirements)

  • Right to be forgotten in certain circumstances

Deletion Process:

  • Account deletion can be requested through account settings

  • Some information may be retained for legal or business purposes

  • Complete deletion process typically takes 30 days

6.5 Marketing Opt-Out

Right to Opt-Out:

  • Unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time

  • Opt out of SMS marketing communications

  • Control cookie preferences and tracking

How to Opt-Out:

  • Use unsubscribe links in marketing emails

  • Update communication preferences in account settings

  • Contact customer support for assistance

7. Data Retention

7.1 Account Data

Active Accounts:

  • Profile information: Retained while account is active

  • Transaction history: Retained for 7 years for tax and accounting purposes

  • Communication records: Retained for 3 years

  • Analytics data: Aggregated data may be retained indefinitely

Inactive Accounts:

  • Accounts inactive for 2+ years may be archived

  • Archived account data retained for additional 3 years

  • Account holders will be notified before archiving

7.2 Deleted Accounts

Upon Account Deletion:

  • Most personal information deleted within 30 days

  • Some data retained for legal compliance (financial records, dispute records)

  • Anonymized data may be retained for analytics and research

  • Backup systems purged within 90 days

7.3 Legal Requirements

Mandatory Retention:

  • Financial transaction records: 7 years (tax compliance)

  • Dispute and legal records: As required by law

  • Safety and security logs: 2 years minimum

  • Compliance audit trails: As required by regulations

8. Cookies and Tracking

8.1 Types of Cookies We Use

Essential Cookies:

  • Session management and authentication

  • Platform functionality and user preferences

  • Security features and fraud prevention

  • Shopping cart and transaction processing

Analytics Cookies:

  • Website usage statistics and performance monitoring

  • User behavior analysis for platform improvement

  • Error tracking and debugging information

  • A/B testing for feature development

Marketing Cookies (with consent):

  • Personalized advertising and promotional content

  • Social media integration and sharing features

  • Email campaign effectiveness tracking

  • Retargeting and conversion tracking

8.2 Managing Cookies

Your Cookie Choices:

  • Accept or reject non-essential cookies through our cookie banner

  • Manage cookie preferences in your account settings

  • Control cookies through your browser settings

  • Opt out of targeted advertising through industry preference centers

Impact of Cookie Choices:

  • Essential cookies are required for platform functionality

  • Rejecting analytics cookies may limit our ability to improve services

  • Rejecting marketing cookies will reduce personalization

  • You can change your preferences at any time

9. Third-Party Links and Services

9.1 External Links

Our platform may contain links to third-party websites and services:

  • We are not responsible for the privacy practices of external sites

  • We encourage you to review privacy policies of all websites you visit

  • External links are provided for convenience and information only

  • We do not endorse or guarantee the content of external websites

9.2 Integration Partners

Booking Platforms:

  • Data sharing subject to your explicit consent

  • Integration can be disconnected at any time

  • Partner privacy policies apply to data they collect

  • We facilitate connections but don't control partner practices

Payment Processors:

  • Payment data processed through PCI-compliant third parties

  • We do not store complete payment card information

  • Payment processors have their own privacy policies

  • Transaction records shared for reconciliation purposes

10. Children's Privacy

10.1 Age Requirements

Minimum Age:

  • Our services are intended for business professionals 18 years or older

  • We do not knowingly collect information from individuals under 18

  • Account registration requires confirmation of age eligibility

  • Parental consent required for any users under 18 (if applicable)

If We Discover Underage Users:

  • We will promptly delete accounts and associated data

  • Parents/guardians will be notified if possible

  • We will improve age verification processes to prevent future occurrences