Privacy Policy & Consumer Rights

1. Legal Entity & Statutory Workshop Disclosures

In strict compliance with Rule 4(1) of the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 (notified under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019), the operational and legal entity details of this e-commerce platform are explicitly disclosed below:

2. Grievance Officer & Statutory Redressal Mechanism

In accordance with Rule 4(4) and Rule 4(5) of the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, Shoukin has appointed a designated Grievance Officer for the prompt redressal of consumer and data privacy complaints.

Statutory Grievance Redressal Timelines:

• Acknowledgment (Within 48 Hours): We will issue a written acknowledgment and a unique grievance tracking ticket number to the consumer within forty-eight (48) hours of receipt of the complaint.
• Resolution (Within 30 Days): We shall investigate, remediate, and provide a comprehensive written resolution of the grievance within one (1) month (30 days) from the date of receipt.
• National Consumer Helpline: Consumers also possess the statutory right to escalate any unresolved grievances to the National Consumer Helpline (Toll-Free: 1915 or online at consumerhelpline.gov.in).

3. Personal Data Collected & Purpose of Processing

Shoukin operates on a data minimization principle. We only collect the minimal personal data required to fulfill your orders, provide artisanal concierge assistance, and comply with Indian statutory taxation mandates:

• Identity & Contact Information: Full name, shipping destination address, city, state, postal PIN code, telephone/mobile number, email address, and WhatsApp contact handle.
• Transactional Records: Order identification number, date of purchase, jewelry items ordered, invoice amounts, delivery status, and tracking airway bill (AWB) numbers.
• Payment Reference Identifiers: Payment transaction reference numbers generated by RBI-licensed payment aggregators (e.g., Razorpay, Cashfree, UPI, Net Banking). Note: Shoukin does NOT store credit/debit card numbers, CVVs, expiry dates, or banking passwords.
• Technical & Session Data: IP address, device type, browser specifications, and timestamp logs captured strictly for security authentication, rate-limiting, and fraud prevention.

Primary Purposes of Processing:

1. To hand-forge, pack, and physically deliver your brass jewelry pieces to your designated address via authorized Indian courier networks.
2. To issue official GST tax invoices as required under the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) Act, 2017.
3. To dispatch automated order confirmations, dispatch updates, and real-time tracking links via WhatsApp or SMS.
4. To resolve customer service inquiries, warranty repairs, and bespoke jewelry consultations.

4. Lawful Basis for Data Processing

Under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act), our collection and processing of personal data is grounded in the following lawful grounds:

• Consent: Provided voluntarily when you initiate an inquiry, place an order on the checkout page, or subscribe to studio updates.
• Performance of Contract: To fulfill our contractual agreement to fabricate, safely package, and courier your jewelry to your doorstep.
• Compliance with Law: To adhere to statutory record-keeping obligations under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, and the Information Technology Act, 2000.

5. Third-Party Sharing & Controlled Logistics Partners

We maintain a strict ZERO-SALE policy: Shoukin does not sell, rent, lease, or license customer personal information to third-party advertisers, data aggregators, or marketing firms under any circumstances.

We only share necessary operational data with verified, contractually bound partners:

• Indian Domestic Logistics Carriers: Courier services including Delhivery, Blue Dart, DTDC, and India Post. Information shared is strictly restricted to your delivery name, shipping address, and contact number for delivery coordination.
• RBI-Authorized Payment Gateways: Secure, PCI-DSS Level 1 compliant payment aggregators operating under Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines.
• Legal & Regulatory Compliance: We may disclose data when legally required by a valid order of a competent court, regulatory body, or authorized law enforcement agency under applicable Indian statutes.

6. Your Rights Under the DPDP Act 2023

As a Data Principal residing in India, you are entitled to comprehensive statutory rights under Chapter III of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023:

• Right to Access Summary: You may request a summary of personal data held about you and the processing activities undertaken.
• Right to Correction & Updating: You may request the rectification of any inaccurate, misleading, or outdated personal information.
• Right to Erasure: You may request the deletion of your personal data once the fulfillment purpose has elapsed, subject to mandatory 7-year statutory retention requirements for financial and tax audits under Indian law.
• Right of Grievance Redressal: Direct escalation to our Grievance Officer with guaranteed acknowledgment within 48 hours.
• Right to Nominate: You have the right to nominate another individual who, in the event of death or incapacity, shall exercise your privacy rights.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: You may withdraw consent for promotional communications at any time with immediate effect.

To exercise any of the above rights, simply send an email to grievance@shoukin.in with the subject line "DPDP Privacy Rights Request".

7. Cookie Usage & Interactive Consent Management

Our website uses cookies and lightweight local storage to deliver a refined shopping experience:

• Essential Cookies: Required for shopping bag persistence, active cart calculations, and secure admin authentication. These cannot be deactivated.
• Analytics Cookies: Anonymized metrics to assess page performance, load times, and customer browsing patterns.

You maintain full interactive control over your cookie preferences at any time. You can review or modify your preferences using our dedicated cookie preferences modal:

8. Pricing Transparency, GST Invoicing & Country of Origin

In strict conformity with Rule 5(3) and Rule 5(4) of the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020:

• Country of Origin: Every jewelry piece presented on Shoukin is 100% Handcrafted in India at our artisanal workshop in Bandra West, Mumbai.
• Materials & Craft: Cast exclusively from high-density solid brass (free from hollow zinc filler alloys), finished with hypoallergenic skin-safe protective coatings.
• Transparent Pricing: All prices displayed in Indian National Rupees (INR / ₹) are inclusive of all applicable statutory taxes, including Goods and Services Tax (GST).
• Itemized Invoices: A valid tax invoice detailing the product description, HSN code, GST breakup, and workshop credentials is generated and included with each order.

9. Shipping, Transit Damage & Refund Safeguards

Shoukin is dedicated to transparent and reliable customer satisfaction:

• Dispatch & Delivery: In-stock orders are packed in custom jewelry pouches and dispatched within 24–48 business hours via insured air courier with end-to-end tracking.
• Free Express Shipping: Orders of ₹1,000 and above qualify for complimentary pan-India express shipping.
• Transit Damage Guarantee: Because our pieces are solid brass and resilient, transit damage is exceedingly rare. However, if any parcel arrives visibly damaged or tampered with:
  1. Notify us within 48 hours of receipt via WhatsApp (+91 98765 43210) or email (support@shoukin.in).
  2. Provide clear photographs or an unboxing video showing the exterior parcel and defective item.
  3. Upon verification, Shoukin will immediately dispatch a fresh replacement or issue a 100% refund to your original payment method within 5–7 business days.

10. Security Controls & Data Retention

We employ technical and administrative security measures compliant with Section 43A of the Information Technology Act, 2000:

• SSL/TLS 256-Bit Encryption: All data transmitted between your browser and our servers is secured via modern TLS encryption.
• Cryptographic Password Hashing: Administrative access is fortified with PBKDF2 SHA-512 hashing with 100,000 iterations and per-user cryptographic salts.
• Brute-Force & Rate-Limiting Defenses: Automated rate-limiting algorithms block unauthorized credential stuffing and scrapers.
• Statutory Retention Period: Order invoices and financial records are retained for a period of seven (7) years to comply with statutory audit mandates under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017. Marketing contacts are deleted upon request.

11. Protection of Minors

Shoukin does not knowingly market to or solicit personal data from children under eighteen (18) years of age. If you are under 18, you may browse our editorial catalogue only under the supervision of a parent or legal guardian. If we learn that personal data of a minor has been collected without verifiable parental consent, we will promptly delete such information.

12. Governing Law & Mumbai Court Jurisdiction

This Privacy Policy, our Terms of Service, and all transactions conducted on this website are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of India. Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to your use of this platform shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts situated in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.