sonsari.in
Privacy Policy
Vocal For Local was built in Sonsari, a village in Janjgir-Champa, Chhattisgarh, so neighbourhood shops can take orders on their own WhatsApp without paying commission to delivery apps. We keep that spirit in how we handle data: we collect only what a local order or store needs, and we never sell it.
The short version
- We don't sell your dataWe don't sell personal data. To measure our own Google ads, pages on sonsari.in use Google's advertising tag (see “Technical data”).
- Orders go to the shopYour order is sent from your own WhatsApp to the shop. Payment is cash or UPI directly to the shop; we never see card or bank details.
- Sign-in without passwordsWith Google or a 6-digit code sent to your email. Accounts are optional for shoppers.
- Location stays on your phone"Near me" uses your location to find shops within 10 km. We don't keep a history of where you are.
- Delete any timeAsk us on WhatsApp and we delete your account and data within 30 days. How
- Shop ownersA shop we listed from public information can be claimed free, or removed on request. Details
1. Who we are
Vocal For Local ("we", "us") runs the platform at sonsari.in. Local businesses ("merchants": kirana and grocery stores, bakeries, restaurants, vegetable, flower, hardware and other shops, and appointment businesses such as salons and clinics) get a free store or booking page. Shoppers browse nearby businesses, order on WhatsApp, or book appointments.
Under India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 ("DPDP Act"), we are the data fiduciary for account and platform data. Each merchant decides how they use the order and booking details you send them, and is responsible for that.
2. Information we collect
Merchants
- Login: your email address (verified by Google sign-in or by an emailed code). If you use Google, we receive your name and email from Google; we don't store your Google password or profile photo.
- Store details: business name and type, address and map pin, city and locality, opening hours, delivery fee settings, the WhatsApp number for orders, and the photos, products, services, prices and staff details you add.
- Approval: when you submit your store, the WhatsApp message you send us from your order number, which we use to verify that number.
- Activity: your orders and bookings, and the store's review history with our team.
Shoppers
- Ordering as a guest (no account): the items, your name, delivery address, optional phone number and any note. These go into your WhatsApp message to the shop and are saved as an order record for the shop.
- Optional account: your email (from Google or an emailed code), your name and an optional saved delivery address, so you can see your past orders across shops.
- Bookings: the service, time, your name and phone number.
Location
When you use "near me", your location (from your phone's GPS or an area you search) is saved only on your device and sent with each search so we can show businesses within 10 km. We don't store it on our servers or build a location history. Merchants' shop locations are public on their store page.
Technical data
Essential cookies that keep you signed in; the IP address, browser and time of requests in our server logs (for security and to stop abuse); and the language you choose.
Pages on sonsari.in also load the Google Ads tag, which helps us see whether our own Google ads bring visitors and lets Google show our ads again to people who visited. It sets Google advertising cookies and tells Google which page of sonsari.in was opened (the page address only). It doesn't receive your orders, name, phone number, email or anything you type. It isn't used on the admin console or on stores' own domains. You can turn off personalised ads in your Google account at adssettings.google.com, or block third-party cookies in your browser.
Login codes
For email sign-in we create a 6-digit code, store only a scrambled (hashed) copy, and email it to you. Codes expire after 10 minutes. If a mobile or WhatsApp code option is offered, the code is sent by SMS or WhatsApp through the providers listed in section 5.
3. Shops listed from public information
So that shoppers can discover neighbourhood shops before every shop owner has signed up, we create a basic listing for some shops from publicly available information, mainly OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL) and, where available, business listings on Google Maps.
- A listing shows the shop's name, category, area and map location, plus a sample catalogue with indicative prices. It is clearly marked "Not taking orders yet" and does not accept orders.
- It is shown only to shoppers within 10 km, and is hidden from search engines.
- A phone number from the public source may be kept privately so our team can visit or contact the shop. It is never shown to shoppers.
- Shop owners can claim the listing for free: it becomes your own store, with your login, prices and WhatsApp number. Or you can ask us to remove it, and it won't be added again. Use the link on the listing, or see section 10.
4. How we use your information
- To run merchant stores and booking pages, and shopper accounts.
- To pass your order or booking to the merchant and let them confirm it or reply to you on WhatsApp.
- To sign you in securely and keep accounts safe.
- To show businesses near you, and to review new stores before they go live so listings stay genuine.
- To prevent fraud and abuse, fix problems and improve the service.
- To meet legal obligations.
We process personal data with your consent and for the legitimate uses allowed by the DPDP Act, such as giving you a service you asked for. We do not sell personal data or use it for third-party advertising.
5. Who we share it with
- The merchant you order from or book with receives your order or booking details on WhatsApp and in their dashboard.
- WhatsApp (Meta Platforms): orders and approval requests are WhatsApp messages you send yourself; WhatsApp's own terms and privacy policy apply to them.
- Google: if you choose "Continue with Google", Google shares your name and email with us under Google's privacy policy. We also use Google Cloud (hosting of our servers), Google Maps (maps and address search on store pages) and Google Ads (the advertising tag described under “Technical data”).
- Email and messaging providers that deliver login codes: our email service (Gmail), and, when those options are switched on, SMS and WhatsApp code providers (Fast2SMS, MSG91).
- Authorities, when the law requires it or to protect the rights and safety of users and the public.
Our providers process data only to deliver their service to us. We don't share your data with anyone for their own marketing.
6. What's stored on your device
The site and app save a few things in your browser so they work fast and offline: your cart and delivery details while you shop, your chosen location and language, a copy of a store's catalogue for up to 30 minutes (so you can browse without internet), orders waiting to sync when you're offline, and whether you dismissed the "Install the app" bar. You can clear these anytime from your browser settings.
7. How long we keep it
- Accounts and stores: while active; deleted or anonymised within 30 days of a deletion request, unless the law requires us to keep something longer.
- Order and booking records: while the merchant's account is active, so they can run their business, and up to 3 years for disputes and legal needs.
- Login codes: expire after 10 minutes; code records are kept briefly for security.
- Unclaimed public listings: until the shop owner claims or removes them, or we remove them.
- Server logs: up to 90 days. Backups: deleted after 7 days on our server; any off-site backup copy is kept no longer than 30 days.
8. Security
We use HTTPS everywhere, hashed login codes and sign-in sessions, limits on login attempts, store review before a store goes live, restricted admin access and regular backups. No system is perfectly secure; if a data breach affects you, we will tell you and the authorities as the law requires.
9. Your rights
Under the DPDP Act you can ask us to:
- give you a summary of your personal data and how we use it;
- correct or update it (merchants can edit most details in the dashboard; shoppers can edit their name and address under My orders);
- delete it, or withdraw your consent;
- let someone you nominate act for you.
You can raise a grievance with us (section 13) and, if it isn't resolved, with the Data Protection Board of India.
10. How to delete your data
- Send a WhatsApp message to +91 93530 95481 saying "Please delete my data", with the email address you sign in with (or your store link if you're a merchant). Send it from your own number if you can, so we can confirm it's you; otherwise we may email you to confirm.
- Shop owners who want a listing we created removed: send the listing's link and the word "Remove". You don't need an account.
- We confirm and delete your account and personal data within 30 days, except records the law makes us keep, which we restrict and delete once they're no longer needed.
Deleting a merchant account removes the store page, products, services, staff details and photos. Messages already delivered in WhatsApp chats can't be deleted by us; the merchant and shopper control those chats in WhatsApp.
Message us on WhatsApp11. Children
The service isn't meant for children under 18 to use on their own. We don't knowingly collect a child's data without verifiable consent from a parent or guardian. If you think a child has given us data, contact us and we'll delete it.
12. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy as the service changes. We'll update the effective date above and, for significant changes, show a notice on the website.
13. Contact and grievances
For questions, requests or complaints about your personal data:
Grievance Officer, Vocal For Local
Sonsari, Janjgir-Champa, Chhattisgarh 495553, India
WhatsApp: +91 93530 95481
Website: https://sonsari.in
We aim to acknowledge requests within 72 hours and resolve them within 30 days.