PRIVACY POLICY

1. Introduction

Designers Joint (“Designers Joint,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is a product owned and operated by BrandGo Technologies, a company based in Kenya.

This Privacy Policy explains how BrandGo Technologies collects, uses, stores, discloses, and protects personal information when you access or use Designers Joint, including https://designersjoint.com, its subdomains, and related services (collectively, the “Site” or “Service”).

Designers Joint operates a marketplace connecting graphic designers who sell original graphic design assets, logos, and related creative work with clients who purchase those products or services.

This Privacy Policy applies to information collected through the Site, our communications with you, and other activities directly connected to providing Designers Joint services. It does not automatically apply to information collected independently by third-party websites, platforms, or services.

By using the Service, you acknowledge that you have had the opportunity to read this Privacy Policy. Where consent is required by applicable law, we will request it separately and in an appropriate manner.

This Privacy Policy should be read together with our Terms and Conditions, Cookie Policy, and other applicable policies published on the Site.

2. Who Is Responsible for Your Personal Information?

BrandGo Technologies is the company that owns and operates Designers Joint and is responsible for managing personal information collected through the platform, subject to applicable law and the arrangements made with relevant service providers.

For the purposes of this Privacy Policy:

• BrandGo Technologies refers to the company responsible for operating Designers Joint.
• Designers Joint refers to the website, marketplace, platform, and associated services.
• User refers to anyone who visits, registers with, or uses the Service.
• Client or Buyer refers to a person who purchases or seeks to purchase a design or related service.
• Designer or Seller refers to a person who uploads, lists, or sells graphic design assets or related services.
• Personal information means information relating to an identified or identifiable individual.

BrandGo Technologies processes personal information in accordance with applicable data protection laws, including Kenya’s Data Protection Act, 2019, and its applicable regulations.

3. Information We Collect

The information we collect depends on how you use Designers Joint and which features you choose to access.

3.1 Information You Provide Directly

When you register for an account, purchase a design, upload creative work, contact another User, or communicate with us, you may provide information such as:

• Your name and username.
• Your email address.
• Your account credentials and authentication information.
• Your public profile information, biography, portfolio, and profile image.
• Your business name and relevant professional details.
• Graphic design assets, logos, images, descriptions, and other files you upload.
• Messages, comments, reviews, ratings, and feedback.
• Purchase records, transaction references, and order details.
• Payout information required to process payments to eligible Designers.
• Information you provide when contacting customer support or submitting a complaint.
• Identity verification information where reasonably required for fraud prevention, payment processing, or legal compliance.

You should not submit sensitive personal information unless it is genuinely necessary for a feature or service and you have an appropriate legal basis to do so.

3.2 Account and Marketplace Information

When you use Designers Joint as a Client or Designer, we may collect information necessary to operate the marketplace, including:

• Designs listed for sale and related descriptions.
• Purchase history and order status.
• Sales records and account balances.
• Commission calculations and payout records.
• Revision requests and project communications.
• Ratings, reviews, and dispute records.
• Account restrictions, security alerts, and reports of suspected violations.

This information helps us administer transactions, support Users, resolve disputes, and maintain the integrity of the marketplace.

3.3 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit or use the Site, certain technical information may be collected automatically, depending on the website configuration and technologies in use.

This may include:

• IP address.
• Browser type and version.
• Device type and operating system.
• Referring website or source.
• Pages visited and features used.
• Dates, times, and duration of visits.
• Diagnostic information, error logs, and performance data.
• Cookie identifiers and similar online identifiers.

We use this information to maintain the Site, troubleshoot problems, protect against abuse, understand usage patterns, and improve performance.

3.4 Cookies and Similar Technologies

Designers Joint may use cookies and similar technologies to support login sessions, remember preferences, maintain security, measure website usage, and, where enabled and permitted, support analytics or advertising.

The specific technologies used depend on the Site’s configuration.

For more information, including how to manage your preferences, see our Cookie Policy.

3.5 Log Files and Security Information

Our hosting provider and security systems may generate log files when you access the Site.

These records may include IP addresses, timestamps, requested pages, response codes, browser information, and other technical details.

We use these records to diagnose technical problems, investigate suspicious activity, enforce our Terms and Conditions, and protect the Site against unauthorized access.

3.6 Analytics Information

We may use analytics tools to understand how visitors interact with Designers Joint, identify frequently used features, and improve the Service.

Where third-party analytics tools are enabled, those providers may process technical identifiers and usage information in accordance with their own terms and privacy policies.

We will provide appropriate notices and obtain consent where required for analytics technologies that are not strictly necessary.

If Google Analytics or another analytics service is used, you can review the applicable provider’s privacy documentation and available privacy controls.

3.7 Social Media and Third-Party Integrations

Designers Joint may provide links to social media platforms or integrate with third-party services.

If you interact with a third-party feature, the relevant provider may collect information about your interaction. Where an integration allows information to be shared with us, we will process that information according to this Privacy Policy and the permissions or legal basis applicable to the integration.

We do not assume control over the independent privacy practices of third-party platforms.

Please review the privacy policy and settings of any third-party service before connecting your account or using its features.

4. How We Use Your Personal Information

We process personal information for purposes connected with operating Designers Joint, providing our services, meeting legal obligations, and protecting Users.

Depending on the circumstances and the applicable legal basis, we may use your information to:

4.1 Provide and Operate the Service

• Create and administer User accounts.
• Authenticate Users and maintain account security.
• Publish Designer profiles and listings.
• Enable Clients to browse and purchase graphic design assets.
• Process orders and provide access to purchased files.
• Facilitate communication between Clients and Designers.
• Manage revisions, project completion, and customer support.

4.2 Process Payments and Payouts

• Record purchases and sales.
• Calculate commissions and applicable fees.
• Process eligible Designer payouts through supported payment providers.
• Maintain transaction and accounting records.
• Investigate failed transactions, refunds, and chargebacks.
• Detect and prevent payment fraud.

Payment information may also be processed directly by the relevant payment provider under its own privacy policy.

4.3 Communicate with You

We may use your contact information to send:

• Account registration and verification messages.
• Order confirmations and transaction notifications.
• Messages about sales, revisions, or project progress.
• Security alerts and account-related notices.
• Responses to support requests and complaints.
• Important changes to our Terms and Conditions or Privacy Policy.
• Other operational messages necessary to provide the Service.

You may not be able to opt out of essential service communications while maintaining an active account, although you may have choices concerning particular communication channels where available.

4.4 Improve and Develop the Service

We may analyze usage patterns, feedback, technical performance, and other relevant information to:

• Improve the Site’s usability.
• Develop new features.
• Diagnose errors and technical problems.
• Understand how Users discover and use listings.
• Improve search, browsing, and account functionality.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of our services.

Where possible and appropriate, we use aggregated or de-identified information for analytical purposes.

4.5 Marketing and Promotional Communications

Where permitted by applicable law, we may use your contact information to communicate information about Designers Joint products, services, features, offers, and promotions.

Where consent is required for direct marketing, we will obtain the necessary consent before sending such communications.

You may unsubscribe from marketing emails by using the unsubscribe link included in the message or by contacting privacy@designersjoint.com.

Unsubscribing from marketing communications will not ordinarily prevent us from sending essential service, transaction, security, or legal notices.

4.6 Safety, Fraud Prevention, and Enforcement

We may process information to:

• Detect suspicious account activity.
• Investigate suspected fraud and payment abuse.
• Identify potentially infringing designs.
• Enforce our Terms and Conditions.
• Investigate complaints and disputes.
• Protect Users and the security of the Site.
• Establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

4.7 Legal and Regulatory Compliance

We may use or disclose information where reasonably necessary to comply with applicable law, lawful requests from competent authorities, tax requirements, court orders, or other legal obligations.

5. Legal Bases for Processing

Where required by applicable data protection law, we process personal information only when an appropriate legal basis exists.

Depending on the circumstances, our legal bases may include:

Contractual necessity: Processing information necessary to register your account, provide marketplace features, complete purchases, deliver files, manage transactions, and fulfil our contractual obligations.

Legal obligation: Processing information required to comply with applicable laws, financial recordkeeping requirements, lawful orders, or regulatory obligations.

Legitimate interests: Processing information for appropriate purposes such as securing the Site, preventing fraud, maintaining our services, resolving disputes, and improving functionality, where those interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms.

Consent: Processing information where you have given valid consent, including certain optional cookies, marketing communications, or integrations where consent is required.

Other lawful grounds: Processing may occur under another lawful basis recognized by applicable law.

Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing that occurred before withdrawal.

6. How We Share Your Information

BrandGo Technologies does not sell your personal information to third parties.

We may share information where necessary to provide the Service, fulfil transactions, protect Users, or meet legal obligations.

6.1 Service Providers

We may share relevant information with service providers that help us operate Designers Joint, including:

• Website hosting and infrastructure providers.
• Database and backup providers.
• Payment processors and payment service providers.
• Email delivery and communication providers.
• Security, fraud prevention, and technical support providers.
• Analytics providers, where enabled.
• Customer support and administrative service providers.

These providers may process information on our behalf or in accordance with their own roles and obligations. Where they process personal information on our behalf, we will implement appropriate contractual and organizational safeguards as required by applicable law.

We seek to limit the information shared to what is reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.

6.2 Sharing Information Between Buyers and Designers

Designers Joint must share certain information between Users to complete marketplace transactions.

For example, a Designer may receive information such as:

• The Buyer’s public username.
• The design purchased.
• The order date and status.
• Design specifications and revision instructions.
• Messages and other information necessary to fulfil the order.

Designers will not ordinarily receive a Buyer’s payment card details or private account credentials through Designers Joint.

A Buyer’s public profile information may also be visible to Designers and other visitors, depending on the Buyer’s privacy settings and the features available on the Site.

Users must handle information received through the marketplace responsibly and must not misuse it for unsolicited marketing, harassment, or other unauthorized purposes.

6.3 Public Profiles and User-Submitted Content

Some information is made public because it is part of the marketplace.

Depending on your settings and the feature used, public information may include:

• Username and public profile image.
• Biography and professional details.
• Designer portfolio and listed designs.
• Product descriptions and previews.
• Public comments, reviews, and ratings.

Publicly available information may be indexed by search engines or copied by other people. Removing content from Designers Joint may not remove copies already stored elsewhere.

You should avoid including private contact details or other confidential information in public profile fields, listings, or comments.

6.4 Payment Providers

Designers Joint may use PayPal or other supported payment providers to process purchases or Designer payouts, depending on the payment methods available.

When a payment provider processes your information, its own privacy policy and terms apply to that processing.

For PayPal, please review:

https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/ua/privacy-full

We do not control the independent processing activities of payment providers.

6.5 Legal Requirements and Protection of Rights

We may disclose personal information where we reasonably believe disclosure is necessary to:

• Comply with applicable law or a lawful order.
• Respond to a valid request from a competent public authority.
• Investigate suspected fraud, unlawful activity, or security incidents.
• Enforce our Terms and Conditions.
• Protect the rights, property, and safety of BrandGo Technologies, Designers Joint, Users, or other persons.
• Establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

Where legally permitted and reasonably appropriate, we may notify affected Users of such disclosures.

6.6 Business Transfers

If BrandGo Technologies undergoes a merger, acquisition, restructuring, sale of assets, or transfer of the Designers Joint business, relevant information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

Any transfer will be subject to applicable law and appropriate safeguards, including any required notice or consent.

6.7 Events and Third-Party Promotions

Designers Joint may occasionally organize contests, promotions, or other events with third-party partners.

If an event requires your information to be shared with a partner, we will explain the relevant collection and sharing arrangements where required.

The third party’s own privacy policy may apply to information it collects independently. You should review those terms before participating.

6.8 Non-Personal and Aggregated Information

We may share aggregated or appropriately de-identified information, such as general usage statistics, broad traffic patterns, or feature performance data, for analytical, operational, or business purposes.

We will not intentionally present such information as identifying a particular person. If information can reasonably be used to identify an individual, it will be handled as personal information where required by applicable law.

6.9 Advertising and Marketing Technologies

Designers Joint may use third-party services to measure or improve the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.

If advertising or tracking technologies are enabled, they may collect information about your visits, browsing activity, or interactions with our content, subject to the relevant technology, your settings, and applicable law.

We will provide appropriate information and obtain consent where required. You may manage available preferences through our Cookie Policy and the controls offered by the relevant third-party service.

7. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Cookies may be used to keep you signed in, remember preferences, protect account sessions, measure performance, and support other website functionality.

Some cookies are necessary for the Site to operate, while others may be optional.

You can manage available cookie preferences through the controls provided on the Site and through your browser settings.

Disabling certain cookies may affect login sessions or other Site features.

For more information, please see our Cookie Policy.

8. International Data Transfers

BrandGo Technologies operates Designers Joint from Kenya. However, some of our hosting providers, payment processors, analytics providers, email services, or other service providers may process information in countries outside Kenya.

As a result, personal information may be transferred to or accessed from other jurisdictions, depending on the services used.

Where personal information is transferred outside Kenya, we will take the measures required by applicable data protection law, which may include assessing the destination and recipient, implementing appropriate contractual safeguards, and obtaining consent or other authorization where legally required.

Where the laws of another jurisdiction apply to our processing, we will also comply with the applicable requirements relevant to that processing.

International transfers may involve countries whose data protection laws differ from those in Kenya. We will take appropriate steps to protect personal information in accordance with applicable law.

9. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

Retention periods depend on the type of information and the reason it was collected.

For example:

• Account information: Retained while your account remains active and for a reasonable period afterward where necessary for account administration, legal compliance, or dispute resolution.
• Transaction records: Retained for the period necessary to administer transactions, maintain accounting records, meet legal requirements, and address disputes or chargebacks.
• Messages and support records: Retained as reasonably necessary to provide support, investigate complaints, and protect legitimate interests.
• Uploaded designs and purchased files: Retained according to our marketplace, portfolio, backup, and file-retention practices, subject to the relevant licences and applicable law.
• Security logs: Retained for a period appropriate to security monitoring, fraud prevention, and incident investigation.
• Marketing preferences: Retained as necessary to respect your preferences and maintain records of consent or opt-out requests.

When information is no longer required, we will take reasonable steps to delete it, anonymize it, or securely dispose of it, subject to technical limitations and lawful retention requirements.

Closing your account does not automatically require us to delete every record immediately. Certain information may need to be retained for legitimate legal, financial, security, or contractual purposes.

10. How We Protect Your Information

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect personal information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, disclosure, and destruction.

Depending on the systems and services used, these measures may include:

• Access restrictions and account permissions.
• Password and authentication protections.
• Security monitoring and technical logging.
• Software updates and maintenance.
• Backup and recovery procedures.
• Appropriate safeguards imposed on service providers.
• Procedures for handling suspected security incidents.

No Internet-connected service can guarantee absolute security. We therefore cannot promise that unauthorized access, data loss, or other security incidents will never occur.

Users are responsible for protecting their passwords, securing their devices, and notifying us promptly if they suspect unauthorized access to their accounts.

Please do not share your password or authentication codes with other people.

11. Personal Data Breaches

If a personal data breach occurs, BrandGo Technologies will assess the incident and take reasonable steps to contain it, investigate its effects, and reduce potential harm.

Where notification is required, we will notify the relevant authorities and affected individuals within the periods and in the manner required by applicable law.

Notifications may describe the nature of the incident, the types of information involved, the steps taken to address it, and recommended measures that affected individuals can take to protect themselves.

We will maintain appropriate records of security incidents as required by applicable law.

12. Your Privacy Rights and Choices

Subject to applicable law, you may have rights concerning your personal information.

These rights may include the following.

12.1 Right to Be Informed

You may request information about how your personal information is collected, used, shared, and retained.

This Privacy Policy is intended to provide that information.

12.2 Right to Access

You may request confirmation of whether we process your personal information and request access to relevant information held about you, subject to applicable legal restrictions.

12.3 Right to Correction

You may request correction of inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated personal information.

You can also update certain account details through your account settings where that functionality is available.

12.4 Right to Deletion

You may request deletion of personal information where applicable law gives you that right.

We may retain certain information where necessary to comply with legal obligations, complete transactions, resolve disputes, protect against fraud, or establish or defend legal claims.

12.5 Right to Object

You may object to certain forms of processing where applicable law provides that right, including processing based on legitimate interests or certain direct marketing activities.

We will review your objection and act as required by applicable law.

12.6 Right to Restrict Processing

In circumstances recognized by applicable law, you may request that we restrict the processing of your personal information while a matter is reviewed or resolved.

12.7 Right to Data Portability

Where applicable law provides a right to data portability, you may request a copy of eligible personal information you have provided to us in a suitable format or request its transfer to another provider where legally required and technically feasible.

12.8 Right to Withdraw Consent

Where processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time.

Withdrawal does not affect processing that occurred lawfully before the withdrawal. It may affect your ability to use a feature that depends on the relevant consent.

12.9 Right to Complain

You may raise a privacy concern directly with us using the contact details below.

You may also lodge a complaint with the relevant data protection authority, including Kenya’s Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, where applicable.

12.10 How to Exercise Your Rights

To submit a privacy request, contact:

Email: privacy@designersjoint.com

Please describe your request clearly and provide enough information for us to identify the relevant account or records.

We may request reasonable additional information to verify your identity and protect against unauthorized disclosure.

We will respond within the period required by applicable law. Where a request cannot be fulfilled in full, we will explain the applicable reason where legally required.

We will not unlawfully discriminate against you for exercising a privacy right.

13. Marketing Communications and Email Preferences

We may send service-related emails necessary to manage your account, complete transactions, provide security alerts, or communicate important changes.

Where permitted by applicable law, we may also send newsletters, product updates, promotional offers, and other marketing communications.

You can opt out of marketing communications by:

• Clicking the unsubscribe link in the relevant email.
• Updating your email preferences where account settings provide that option.
• Contacting privacy@designersjoint.com.

An opt-out request will apply to the relevant marketing communications, subject to applicable law and reasonable processing time.

We may retain limited information about your communication preferences to ensure that we respect your choices.

14. Children’s Privacy

Designers Joint is intended for individuals who are legally eligible to enter into binding agreements under our Terms and Conditions.

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children in circumstances where such collection is prohibited by applicable law.

If we learn that personal information has been collected unlawfully from a child, we will take appropriate steps to investigate and address the issue, including deleting the information where required by law.

If you believe that a child has provided personal information to Designers Joint in circumstances that raise a privacy concern, please contact:

privacy@designersjoint.com

We will assess the request and take appropriate action in accordance with applicable law.

15. Third-Party Websites and Services

Designers Joint may contain links to websites, applications, payment providers, social media platforms, and other third-party services.

We are not responsible for the independent privacy practices, content, security, or policies of those third parties.

When you leave Designers Joint or interact directly with a third-party service, the relevant third party’s privacy policy may apply.

We encourage you to review the privacy terms of external services before providing them with personal information.

16. Do Not Track and Browser Preferences

Some browsers offer “Do Not Track” signals or similar privacy preferences.

The interpretation and technical handling of these signals may vary across browsers and services. Designers Joint may not respond to every such signal.

Where legally required, we will honour applicable browser-based or other recognized privacy preference signals.

You can also manage cookies and certain tracking technologies through your browser settings and the available controls described in our Cookie Policy.

17. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, business operations, technology, legal obligations, or data protection practices.

When we make changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page.

Where a change materially affects how we process personal information, we will provide additional notice or obtain consent where required by applicable law.

We encourage you to review this page periodically to remain informed about our privacy practices.

18. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your privacy rights, or have a concern about how personal information is handled, please contact us.

Designers Joint — A Product of BrandGo Technologies

Location: Mombasa, Kenya
Website: https://designersjoint.com
Privacy Email: privacy@designersjoint.com

You may use this email address to submit access, correction, deletion, objection, or other privacy-related requests.

We will review your request and respond in accordance with applicable law.

Designers Joint is a product owned and operated by BrandGo Technologies, Mombasa, Kenya.