Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how GradedBazaar (“we”, “us”, “our”) collects, uses, and protects your personal information when you use gradedbazaar.com.

1. Information We Collect

Information you provide:

• Account: Name, email, phone number, password (hashed using argon2id)
• KYC (sellers only): PAN number, bank account number, IFSC, account holder name
• Listings: Card details, photos, descriptions, pricing
• Transactions: Shipping address, courier tracking numbers
• Communications: Messages in disputes, support tickets, ratings

Information we collect automatically:

• IP address, device type, browser, operating system
• Pages viewed, search queries, listings viewed
• Cookies for authentication and preferences (essential cookies only)

From third parties:

• Google OAuth: Name, email, profile picture (if you sign in with Google)
• Razorpay: Payment status and partial card details (last 4 digits, network)

2. How We Use Your Information

• To operate the marketplace and process transactions
• To verify seller identity and prevent fraud
• To send transactional emails (orders, shipping, payouts, KYC status)
• To provide customer support and resolve disputes
• To comply with Indian tax law (TDS reporting under Section 194-O)
• To improve the Platform (aggregated analytics, no PII)

3. How We Share Your Information

We share your information only with:

• Razorpay — for payment processing (PCI-DSS Level 1 certified)
• Cloudinary — for image hosting and optimisation
• Resend — for transactional email delivery
• Government authorities — when legally required (tax, fraud investigation, court orders)
• Counterparties — name and shipping address are shared between buyer and seller after a sale

We do NOT sell your data to advertisers or third parties.

4. Data Storage and Security

• Passwords are hashed using argon2id with per-user salts
• Database is encrypted at rest
• All connections use HTTPS (TLS 1.2+)
• Bank account numbers are masked (only last 4 digits stored after submission)
• PAN numbers are encrypted
• JWT tokens expire after 7 days and can be revoked

5. Data Retention

• Account data: retained while your account is active, plus 7 years for tax compliance
• Transaction records: 7 years (legal requirement)
• KYC data: 5 years after account closure (PMLA requirement)
• Disputed transactions: retained until dispute resolution + 2 years
• Marketing data: deleted within 30 days of unsubscribing

6. Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of your personal data
• Correct: Update inaccurate information from your profile
• Delete: Request account closure (subject to legal retention requirements above)
• Export: Download your listings, orders, and messages in JSON format
• Object: Opt out of non-essential communications

To exercise these rights, email privacy@gradedbazaar.comwith your registered email address. We will respond within 30 days.

7. Cookies

We use only essential cookies:

• Session cookies for authentication. We use a secure, httpOnly cookie for your login session; this cookie cannot be read by scripts in your browser.
• Preference cookies for dark mode, watchlist

We do NOT use third-party tracking, advertising, or analytics cookies. If we add Google Analytics in the future, we will update this policy and add a consent banner.

8. Children

GradedBazaar is not intended for children under 13. If we learn we have collected data from a child under 13, we will delete it immediately. Users aged 13–17 may use the Platform only with parental consent.

9. International Transfers

Our infrastructure is hosted with cloud providers that operate data centers in Asia (Mumbai, Tokyo) and the United States. By using the Platform, you consent to your data being processed in these regions.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Policy from time to time. Material changes will be notified via email and a banner on the Platform at least 7 days before taking effect.

11. Grievance Officer

In accordance with the Information Technology Act, 2000 and rules thereunder, the contact details of our Grievance Officer are:

Name: Ashwin (Founder)
Email: grievance@gradedbazaar.com
Address: GradedBazaar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Response time: 48 hours acknowledgement, 30 days resolution