Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Palak Jewellers ("we," "our," or "us"), located at Shop No. 18, Diamond Market, Varachha Road, Surat, Gujarat 395006, India. We are committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website, interact with us in-store, or contact us through any channel including phone, email, WhatsApp, SMS, or any other communication medium. Please read this policy carefully.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information You Provide

• Contact Information: Name, phone number, mobile number, email address, residential or shipping address.
• Enquiry Details: Jewellery preferences, custom order specifications, occasion details, budget range, design references.
• Identity Information: Government ID details when required for high-value purchases or GST billing (PAN, Aadhaar as applicable).
• Transaction Information: Purchase history, payment records, invoice details, and exchange records for old gold.
• Communication Records: Records of conversations via phone, email, WhatsApp, SMS, or in-person consultations.

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers.
• Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent, links clicked, referring URLs, and navigation patterns on our website.
• Location Data: General geographic location based on IP address (not precise GPS location unless specifically shared).
• Cookies & Similar Technologies: Session cookies, preference cookies, analytics cookies as detailed in the Cookies section below.

2.3 Information from Third Parties

• Information from social media platforms when you engage with our social profiles.
• Referral information from other customers or business partners.
• Publicly available information for fraud prevention and identity verification purposes.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Processing Enquiries & Orders: To respond to your jewellery enquiries, process custom orders, and fulfil your purchases.
• Customer Communication: To send order confirmations, updates, appointment reminders, and service notifications.
• Marketing & Promotions: To send you promotional offers, new collection launches, festival discounts, and special events (subject to your consent).
• Customer Service: To address your queries, complaints, and provide after-sales support.
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable Indian laws including GST regulations, anti-money laundering requirements, and other statutory obligations.
• Business Improvement: To analyse usage patterns and improve our products, services, and website experience.
• Security & Fraud Prevention: To detect, investigate, and prevent fraudulent transactions and other illegal activities.
• Analytics: To understand customer behaviour and preferences to better serve our clientele.

4. Notification and Communication Consent

When you provide your contact information and consent through our website's enquiry form or in-store registration, you agree to receive communications from Palak Jewellers and/or our authorised communication partner My Inbox Media ® through the following channels:

• SMS (Short Message Service): Transactional and promotional text messages regarding your orders, offers, and updates.
• Email: Detailed order information, newsletters, promotional campaigns, collection previews, and festival greetings.
• OBD (Outbound Dialling): Automated voice calls for important promotional announcements and event invitations.
• Google RCS (Rich Communication Services): Enhanced messaging with rich media content for a better communication experience.
• WhatsApp Business: Order updates, catalogue sharing, consultation booking confirmations, and customer support.
• Other Digital Platforms: Any future communication platforms that may be used for promotional or service communication.

4.1 Opt-Out of Communications

If you prefer not to receive such updates or marketing communications, you may opt out at any time by:

• Contacting us directly at info@palakjewellers.shop
• Calling us at +91 73214 30098 and requesting removal from our marketing list
• Replying "STOP" to any SMS or WhatsApp message received from us
• Using the unsubscribe link provided in any email communication

Please note that even after opting out of marketing communications, you may still receive transactional messages related to active orders or legal obligations.

5. Data Sharing & Third Parties

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to any third party. However, we may share your information in limited circumstances:

• Communication Partners: With My Inbox Media ® and similar authorised service providers who assist us in delivering SMS, email, WhatsApp, and other notifications on our behalf.
• Payment Processors: With banking and payment gateway partners to process transactions securely.
• Logistics Partners: With delivery and courier services when jewellery is shipped to your address.
• Legal Authorities: When required by law, court order, or government regulation, we may disclose your information to relevant authorities.
• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or part of our business, your information may be transferred to the successor entity.

All third-party service providers are contractually obligated to handle your data securely and only for the specified purpose.

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These include:

• Secure SSL/TLS encryption for all data transmitted through our website.
• Restricted access to personal data on a need-to-know basis among our staff.
• Regular review and update of our security practices.
• Secure physical storage of in-store customer records.

However, please be aware that no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Our website may use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience. Types of cookies we use include:

• Essential Cookies: Necessary for the website to function properly.
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our website (e.g., Google Analytics).
• Preference Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings for future visits.
• Marketing Cookies: Used to deliver relevant advertisements and track campaign performance.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect some website functionality. Please note that third-party services embedded in our site (such as Google Maps or social media plugins) may also set their own cookies, governed by their respective privacy policies.

8. Your Rights

Under applicable Indian privacy laws and international data protection principles, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right to Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Right to Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
• Right to Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data (subject to legal retention requirements).
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for marketing communications at any time.
• Right to Data Portability: Request transfer of your personal data in a structured, readable format.
• Right to Object: Object to processing of your personal data for marketing purposes.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@palakjewellers.shop or call +91 73214 30098.

9. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Specifically:

• Customer transaction records are retained for a minimum of 7 years as required by Indian GST and taxation laws.
• Marketing preferences and opt-out records are retained indefinitely to ensure we respect your communication preferences.
• Website usage data is typically retained for 24 months.
• Enquiry records are retained for up to 3 years or until the enquiry is resolved.

10. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed at individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe that a child has provided us with personal information without parental consent, please contact us immediately and we will take appropriate steps to delete such information.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. When we make significant changes, we will notify you via email or by placing a prominent notice on our website. The date of the latest revision will always be displayed at the top of this page.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information. Your continued use of our services after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the handling of your personal data, please contact us: