top of page

privacy policy

1. About This Policy

Personally Recommended ("PR", "we", "us", "our") provides mystery shopping and market research services to clients across Australia, using the SASSIE software platform ("Platform"), operated LiveShopper, LLC, under a licence held by Personally Recommended to manage assignments, data collection, and shopper (contractor) payments.

We are committed to protecting the privacy of personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

This policy explains how we collect, hold, use, and disclose personal information, and how you can access, correct, or seek removal of your information.

This policy applies to:

  • Shoppers, independent contractors (ABN holders) who perform mystery shopping and research assignments for our clients; and

  • Clients and their representatives who engage PR for market research services.

2. What Personal Information We Collect

Depending on your relationship with us, we may collect:

From shoppers (contractors):

  • Full name, date of birth, contact details (email, phone, address)

  • Australian Business Number (ABN)

  • Bank account details, for the purpose of processing contractor payments

  • Assignment history, performance records, and evaluation reports

  • Login credentials and account activity on the Platform

From clients:

  • Business contact details of client representatives (name, role, email, phone)

  • Information contained within mystery shop or research reports, which may reference client staff observed during an assignment (for example, a staff member's first name or role, service interactions)

We do not collect sensitive information (such as health, racial or ethnic origin, or similar) unless it is voluntarily provided by the person and directly relevant to an assignment, and we will do so only with consent or as otherwise permitted by law. We do not unduly collect or store sensitive information outside of protected database areas, and any such information is held within the same secured, access-controlled environment as other personal information on the Platform.

3. How We Collect Personal Information

We collect personal information:

  • Directly from you, when you register as a shopper, apply for an assignment, or engage us as a client

  • Through the SASSIE Platform, which shoppers use to accept assignments, submit reports, and manage payment details

  • From assignment reports submitted by shoppers, which may incidentally contain information about client staff

4. How We Use Personal Information

We use personal information to:

  • Administer shopper registrations, assignments, and contractor payments

  • Verify ABN status and process payments in accordance with Australian tax and contracting requirements

  • Deliver mystery shopping and market research services to clients

  • Communicate with shoppers and clients about assignments, platform updates, and account matters

  • Improve our services and the quality of research provided to clients

  • Comply with our legal and regulatory obligations

5. Disclosure of Personal Information

We do not sell shoppers' or clients' personal information to any third party under any circumstances.

We may disclose personal information to:

  • SASSIE, the Platform operated by LiveShopper, LLC, which hosts and processes data on our behalf to run the mystery shopping platform (see Section 6, Overseas Disclosure)

  • Our clients, in the form of assignment reports (which may contain limited, relevant details of a shopping or research experience)

  • Our professional advisers (for example, accountants, IT providers) where necessary to operate our business, under confidentiality obligations

  • Government or regulatory bodies where required or authorised by law

We do not disclose bank details or ABN information to clients. This information is used solely for contractor payment processing.

6. Overseas Disclosure, SASSIE Platform

All data collected and stored via the SASSIE Platform is hosted exclusively in Amazon Web Services (AWS) data centres in Ireland. No data associated with Personally Recommended or its shoppers is hosted in AWS infrastructure in the United States or any other jurisdiction. This hosting is managed in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

SASSIE is the software platform used to manage assignments, shopper data, and payments. It is operated by the parent entity, LiveShopper, LLC. While LiveShopper, LLC is incorporated in the United States, the privacy policy and data handling practices underpinning its operation of the Platform are aligned with and structured to meet the requirements of the Australian Privacy Act 1988 and the APPs, as well as the GDPR.

This means personal information may be stored or processed on servers located outside Australia (in Ireland) and on a platform operated by a US-incorporated parent company. Before disclosing personal information overseas, we take reasonable steps to ensure that:

  • Data is hosted within AWS data centres in Ireland, under GDPR-compliant data protection standards;

  • SASSIE, via LiveShopper, LLC, is independently audited annually under ISO/IEC 27001:2022 and SOC 2 Type II; and

  • Personal information is handled in a manner consistent with the Australian Privacy Principles, including appropriate data security, access controls, and confidentiality safeguards, regardless of the parent entity's US incorporation.

By registering with or using our services, you acknowledge that your information may be stored and processed on infrastructure located in the EU, on a platform operated by LiveShopper, LLC (US), for the purposes described in this policy.

7. Data Security

We take the security of personal information seriously. Shopper and client data is stored within the SASSIE Platform, which is independently audited annually under ISO/IEC 27001:2022 and SOC 2 Type II, including:

  • Encrypted storage and transmission of data

  • Restricted, role-based access to personal information

  • Multi-factor authentication and continuous monitoring

  • Secure handling of financial details (bank account information) for payment processing

We regularly review our data handling practices and only retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes outlined in this policy, or as required by law (including tax and contracting record-keeping obligations).

8. Shopper Rights, Subscription, Access, and Deregistration

Shoppers may, at any time:

  • Update their personal details via their Platform account

  • Unsubscribe from assignment notifications and communications

  • Deregister and request deletion of their personal information from the Platform, subject to any information we are required to retain by law (for example, for taxation or record-keeping purposes)

To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the details in Section 11.

9. Access and Correction

You may request access to the personal information we hold about you, or ask us to correct it if it is inaccurate, out of date, or incomplete. We will respond to requests within a reasonable timeframe, ordinarily within 30 days, and, where we are unable to provide access or make a correction, we will explain why.

There is no charge for requesting access or correction, though we may charge a reasonable fee for providing access where permitted by law.

10. Complaints

If you believe we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles or mishandled your personal information, please contact us using the details below. We will investigate and respond to your complaint within a reasonable period.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):

11. Contact Us

For questions about this policy, or to access, correct, unsubscribe, or deregister your personal information, please contact:

Personally Recommended

admin@personallyrecommended.com.au

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal obligations. The current version will always be available at https://www.personallyrecommended.com.au/privacy, with the "last updated" date shown above.

bottom of page