Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Block Bells™ ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) and applicable South African law.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you visit our website at blockbells.com, use our services, or interact with us in any way. By using our website or subscribing to our services, you agree to the collection and use of your information as described in this policy.

2. Who We Are

Block Bells™ is a fitness subscription service operating in South Africa. We deliver personalised dumbbell training equipment and workout plans directly to our members.

• Trading name: Block Bells™
• Business address: East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa
• Contact email: support@blockbells.com
• Billing enquiries: billing@blockbells.com

3. Information We Collect

We collect personal information that you provide to us directly, as well as information generated through your use of our services:

• Account information: Your name, email address, and password when you register
• Physical information: Height, weight, age, gender, and fitness goals that you provide through our quiz and intake form — used solely to personalise your training and meal plan
• Contact details: Phone number and delivery address for equipment delivery
• Payment information: EFT payment references and confirmation records. We do not store card numbers or banking credentials
• Usage data: Workout logs, progress entries, and weigh-in records that you enter into the member area
• Technical data: IP address, browser type, and pages visited, collected automatically for security and analytics purposes

4. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information only for legitimate purposes directly related to providing our service:

• To create and manage your Block Bells member account
• To generate and deliver your personalised workout and meal plan
• To process and verify your subscription payments
• To arrange delivery of your Block Bells equipment to your address
• To send you service-related communications such as payment confirmations and plan updates
• To provide customer support when you contact us
• To improve our website and service offerings
• To comply with our legal obligations under South African law

We will only send you marketing communications if you have opted in to receive them. You may unsubscribe at any time by contacting us at support@blockbells.com.

5. Legal Basis for Processing

Under POPIA, we process your personal information on the following grounds:

• Contract performance: Processing necessary to fulfil your subscription agreement with us
• Consent: Where you have given explicit consent, such as for marketing communications
• Legitimate interest: For website security, fraud prevention, and service improvement
• Legal obligation: Where we are required to process information to comply with South African law

6. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share your information with trusted third parties only where necessary to provide our services:

• Payment processors: PayFast (Pty) Ltd, for processing subscription payments securely
• Delivery partners: Courier services used to deliver your Block Bells equipment to your address
• Hosting providers: Our website hosting provider who stores website data on servers in South Africa
• Legal authorities: Where we are required to disclose information by law or court order

All third-party service providers are required to handle your personal information securely and in accordance with applicable privacy laws.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active and for a reasonable period thereafter to comply with our legal and contractual obligations:

• Account data is retained for the duration of your membership plus 3 years
• Payment records are retained for 5 years as required by South African tax and financial regulations
• You may request deletion of your account at any time by contacting us

8. Your Rights Under POPIA

As a data subject under the Protection of Personal Information Act, you have the following rights:

• Right of access: You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Right to correction: You may request that we correct inaccurate or outdated information
• Right to deletion: You may request that we delete your personal information, subject to our legal retention obligations
• Right to object: You may object to the processing of your information for direct marketing purposes
• Right to complain: You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at support@blockbells.com. We will respond within 30 days.

The Information Regulator can be contacted at: inforeg@justice.gov.za

9. Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, loss, or misuse. These include:

• SSL/TLS encryption for all data transmitted to and from our website
• Encrypted password storage — we never store passwords in plain text
• Restricted access to personal data — only authorised personnel can access member information
• Regular security reviews of our systems and procedures

While we take every reasonable precaution, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. If you believe your account has been compromised, please contact us immediately.

10. Cookies

Our website uses session cookies to keep you logged in and to remember your quiz progress. These are essential cookies necessary for the website to function and do not track you for advertising purposes. We do not use third-party advertising cookies.

11. Children's Privacy

Our services are intended for adults aged 18 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the age of 18. If you believe a minor has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify registered members of material changes by email. The date at the top of this page shows when this policy was last updated. Continued use of our services after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact us:

• Email: support@blockbells.com
• Billing: billing@blockbells.com
• Address: East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa