At Doorstep Pustak, we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and protect your personal data when you visit our website (doorsteppustak.com), use our services, or interact with us. By using our platform, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use our services.

1. Who We Are

Doorstep Pustak is an online platform that enables school students in India to purchase textbooks and educational materials by selecting their educational board (e.g., CBSE, ICSE), school, and class. We facilitate seamless ordering and doorstep delivery of books, working closely with schools to provide accurate book lists.

2. Information We Collect

We collect the following types of information to provide and improve our services:

a. Personal Information

• User Details: Name, email address, phone number, delivery address, and school details (e.g., board, school name, class) when you create an account, place an order, or contact us.
• Payment Information: Credit/debit card details, UPI IDs, or other payment method information processed through secure payment gateways.
• For Minors (Under 18): If you are under 18, we may collect additional information, such as a parent or guardian’s name and contact details, with their consent (see Section 7 for details).
• Customer Support: Information you provide when contacting us, such as queries or feedback.

b. Non-Personal Information

• Device and Usage Data: IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, and pages visited on our website.
• Cookies and Tracking: We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, track website performance, and deliver personalized content (see Section 8 for details).

c. Information from Schools

• We receive book lists and related academic information from partner schools to ensure accurate order fulfillment.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information for the following purposes:

• Order Fulfillment: To process and deliver your book orders, communicate order updates, and provide customer support.
• Personalization: To tailor book recommendations based on your board, school, and class.
• Payment Processing: To securely process payments through third-party payment gateways.
• Analytics and Improvement: To analyze website usage, improve our services, and enhance user experience.
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, or legal requests (e.g., tax reporting, fraud prevention).

4. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes. We may share your information with:

• Delivery Partners: To deliver books to your doorstep (e.g., {List of Delivery Partners, e.g., Delhivery, India Post}).
• Payment Processors: To securely process payments.
• Service Providers: To support website operations, such as cloud hosting (e.g., AWS) or analytics (e.g., Google Analytics).
• Schools: To verify book lists or coordinate order fulfillment.
• Legal Authorities: If required by law, court order, or government regulation.

We ensure that third parties adhere to strict data protection standards through contractual agreements.

5. Children’s Privacy (Users Under 18)

As our platform serves school students, we take extra care to protect minors’ data in compliance with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023:

• Parental Consent: If you are under 18, we require verifiable parental or guardian consent before collecting or processing your personal information. Parents/guardians can contact us at info@doorsteppustak.com to provide or revoke consent.
• Limited Data Collection: We collect only the minimum data necessary to provide our services to minors.

Parents or guardians can review, modify, or delete their child’s data by contacting us (see Section 10).

6. Data Security

We use industry-standard security measures to protect your data, including:

• Encryption: SSL/TLS encryption for data transmission and secure storage of sensitive information.
• Access Controls: Restricted access to personal data, limited to authorized personnel only.
• Secure Payment Gateways: Partnerships with trusted payment processors to safeguard financial information.
• Regular Audits: Periodic security assessments to identify and address vulnerabilities.

While we strive to protect your data, no system is completely secure. We encourage you to use strong passwords and avoid sharing sensitive information.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Ensure Functionality: Maintain your session, cart, and preferences during browsing.
• Analyze Performance: Track website usage to improve our services.

You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings or our website’s cookie consent tool. Disabling cookies may affect certain features of the website.

8. Your Rights

Under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, you have the following rights:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Correction: Update or correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Deletion: Request deletion of your data, subject to legal obligations (e.g., tax records).
• Portability: Request your data in a structured, machine-readable format.

To exercise these rights, contact us at info@doorsteppustak.com. We will respond within 30 days, as required by law.

9. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy or comply with legal obligations:

• Order Data: Retained for 7 years to comply with tax and accounting laws.
• Account Data: Retained until you request deletion or your account becomes inactive for 2 years.
• Non-Personal Data: May be retained indefinitely in anonymized form for analytics.

10. Grievance Redressal

If you have concerns about your data or this Privacy Policy, please contact our Data Protection Officer:

• Email: info@doorsteppustak.com

We will address your query or complaint within 30 days, as required by the DPDP Act, 2023.

11. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., payment gateways, school portals). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these websites. Please review their privacy policies before sharing information.

12. Policy Updates

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The updated policy will be posted on our website with the “Last Updated” date. We encourage you to review it periodically.

13. Governing Law

This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of India, including the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. Any disputes will be subject to the jurisdiction of courts in India.