Privacy Policy | NearCart

Scope & Commitment

This Privacy Policy explains how To be published ("NearCart", "We", "Us", or "Our") collects, uses, stores, processes, discloses, and protects your personal information when you access or use the NearCart website (https://getnearcart.com), mobile web application, APIs, and associated hyperlocal marketplace services.
We are committed to respecting your privacy and safeguarding your personal data in accordance with the Information Technology Act, 2000, the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011, the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act), and the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020.
Plain Language Commitment: We believe in transparent data practices. We only collect the minimal personal data required to discover local stores, fulfill your orders, and coordinate doorstep deliveries.

Information We Collect

We collect only information that is necessary to provide, optimize, and secure our hyperlocal commerce services:
a) Account & Contact Data: Your Indian mobile phone number, provided during registration and authenticated via One-Time Password (OTP). You may optionally provide your name and email address.
b) Delivery Address & Location Data: Your street address, flat/house number, apartment/society name, landmark, postal pincode, and geographical coordinates (latitude/longitude) when you search for stores, pin your delivery location, or add a delivery address.
c) Transaction & Order Data: Items ordered, quantities, order timestamps, merchant details, delivery partner assignment, order notes, total bill amount, payment method (Cash on Delivery / Doorstep UPI), and delivery status history.
d) Device & Network Data: IP address, browser type and version, device operating system, language preference, approximate network location, and session access timestamps to maintain session security and prevent fraudulent activities.

Phone Number & OTP Authentication

NearCart uses passwordless mobile phone number authentication. When you sign in or register:
- A 6-digit One-Time Password (OTP) is dispatched to your registered mobile number via SMS or secure authentication gateways (such as Firebase Phone Authentication).
- We do not store or transmit raw OTPs insecurely. Verification is conducted in real time against cryptographic tokens.
- Your phone number serves as your unique account identifier and primary channel for critical order status updates, delivery partner arrival notices, and customer support alerts.

Geolocation & Hyperlocal Serviceability

Because NearCart is a hyperlocal marketplace, physical proximity to participating merchants is critical to our operations. We use location data strictly for the following operational purposes:
- Serviceability Check: Determining whether your area has active participating grocery stores, supermarkets, and delivery coverage.
- Store Discovery: Showing products, prices, and stock available from merchants closest to your delivery address.
- Delivery Routing: Providing your delivery address and geocoordinates to the assigned Delivery Partner so they can navigate to your doorstep.
- Delivery Fee Calculation: Calculating accurate delivery distance from the merchant store to your premises.
No Background Tracking: NearCart does NOT conduct continuous background GPS tracking of customers. Location access is requested only when you actively use the location picker, browse local stores, or place an order.

How We Use Your Information

Your personal data is processed strictly for lawful, legitimate purposes:
- Facilitating order placement, merchant transmission, order packing, and delivery fulfillment.
- Real-time order tracking and communication regarding order preparation, rider dispatch, and arrival.
- Processing customer support inquiries, missing item complaints, and refund determinations.
- Detecting, investigating, and preventing fraudulent orders, bot attacks, multiple voucher abuse, and platform security threats.
- Complying with Indian statutory requirements, accounting regulations, taxation (GST) audits, and legal warrants.

Sharing & Disclosure of Information

NearCart does NOT sell, rent, or trade your personal data to third-party data brokers or marketing agencies. We share information only with trusted parties essential to order fulfillment:
a) Participating Local Merchants: The Merchant fulfilling your order receives the order item list, customer first name, delivery address, and order instructions to pack the order accurately.
b) Delivery Partners: The assigned Delivery Partner receives your delivery address, landmark, floor/flat number, contact number (masked or for delivery coordination only), and payment collection instructions (COD/UPI).
c) Infrastructure & Cloud Providers: Secure cloud infrastructure providers (MongoDB Atlas for encrypted database storage, Cloudinary for product and category media hosting, and SMS/OTP gateways for phone verification).
d) Legal & Regulatory Authorities: When required by applicable Indian law, court subpoena, or authorized law enforcement requests to comply with legal processes or protect public safety.

Data Retention & Security Measures

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Policy, satisfy accounting, tax (GST), and audit obligations, or resolve disputes.
We implement robust technical and organizational security measures, including:
- Industry-standard SSL/TLS encryption for all data in transit across the Platform.
- Role-based access controls (RBAC) ensuring only authorized personnel have access to sensitive customer records.
- Regular vulnerability assessments, encrypted database backups, and rate-limiting against unauthorized access.

Your Privacy Rights & Choices

Under Indian data protection laws, you have specific rights regarding your personal information:
- Right to Access & Review: You may view your profile information, saved delivery addresses, and past order history directly through your account dashboard.
- Right to Rectify: You can update or correct your saved delivery addresses and contact information at any time.
- Right to Erase / Account Deletion: You may request deletion of your account and personal data by contacting our Grievance Officer or Customer Support, subject to statutory retention requirements for financial and tax records.
- Communications Preferences: You may opt out of non-transactional marketing SMS or alerts at any time. Transactional order updates cannot be disabled as they are essential to order delivery.

Children's Privacy

Our Platform is not intended for use by persons under 18 years of age without parental or legal guardian consent. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 18. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact our Grievance Officer immediately.

Grievance Officer & Contact

If you have any questions, concerns, or grievances regarding the processing of your personal data or this Privacy Policy, please contact our designated Grievance Officer:
Name: To be published
Designation: Grievance Officer
Email: To be published
Phone: To be published
Postal Address: To be published
We acknowledge privacy concerns within Within 48 hours of receipt and resolve them within Within 30 days of receipt.

Frequently asked questions

Do you sell my phone number or email to marketers?
No. We never sell, rent, or lease your personal information. Your contact information is used strictly to authenticate your account and communicate essential order and delivery updates.
Why does NearCart ask for my location?
We check your location to verify whether our delivery partners and local merchant stores serve your pincode and to calculate the estimated delivery time.
How can I delete my account or saved addresses?
You can delete saved addresses anytime in your profile settings. To delete your entire account and associated personal data, email To be published.