PhonoRange — Privacy Policy & Returns, Replacement and Service Policy

Effective Date: 27 August 2026 | Legal Entity: Phonorange Private Limited | GSTIN: 29AALCP9570C1ZZ | Website: phonorange.com

Part A — Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how Phonorange Private Limited (“PhonoRange”, “we”, “us”, “our”), having its registered office at No. 26, 27 & 28, Uttarahalli Main Road, Subramanyapura, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560061 (GSTIN: 29AALCP9570C1ZZ), collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects personal information when you visit phonorange.com, use our mobile app, shop at any PhonoRange store, or otherwise interact with us. By using our website or services, you agree to the practices described here. This policy is designed to meet the standards followed by major Indian e-commerce and retail platforms (including Flipkart, Amazon India, Sangeetha Mobiles, and Poorvika) and to comply with India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDP Act) and applicable consumer protection rules.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information you give us

• Name, mobile number, email address, and billing/shipping address
• Account credentials (password, OTP verification via mobile number)
• Payment information (processed via our payment partner; we do not store full card numbers)
• IMEI number, device details, and proof of purchase for warranty, service, or exchange requests
• Communications you send us — support tickets, chat, call recordings, reviews, and feedback
• Identity/address proof, if required for high-value orders, EMI, or insurance claims

2.2 Information collected automatically

• Device and browser type, IP address, approximate location (for store/delivery-zone matching)
• Pages viewed, search queries, cart activity, and click behaviour on phonorange.com
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 10)

2.3 Information from other sources

• Delivery partners and store staff (delivery confirmation, doorstep verification)
• Payment gateway and NBFC/EMI partners (transaction status, EMI eligibility)
• Google Business Profile and public review platforms, where you post a public review of a PhonoRange store

3. How We Use Your Information

• Process, pack, and fulfil orders, including IMEI-level stock allocation and hyperlocal store dispatch
• Send order confirmations, delivery ETA updates, and SLA-linked status alerts via SMS, WhatsApp, email, and app notifications
• Verify your identity for OTP login, high-value purchases, EMI, and insurance/protection plans
• Provide customer support, process returns, replacements, refunds, and warranty/service requests
• Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and security incidents
• Improve our website, app, store operations, and delivery quality
• Send marketing communications and personalised offers, only where you have consented, with an easy opt-out
• Comply with tax, invoicing, warranty, and other legal obligations

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data based on your consent, to perform our contract with you (fulfilling an order, warranty, or protection plan), to comply with legal obligations (invoicing, tax, consumer protection), and for our legitimate business interests (fraud prevention, service quality, security) in a manner that does not override your rights. Where consent is the basis for processing (for example, marketing messages), you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

5. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We share information only in the following circumstances:

• Delivery and logistics partners, to fulfil hyperlocal, standard, and fast-delivery orders
• Payment gateway, banks, and NBFC/EMI partners, to process payments and EMI eligibility
• Insurance and protection-plan partners, to administer screen/damage protection and price-drop protection
• IT, hosting, analytics, and communication service providers (e.g. SMS/WhatsApp notification providers), bound by confidentiality obligations
• Authorised service centres and manufacturers, for warranty and repair claims
• Law enforcement or regulators, where required by law or to protect our legal rights
• A successor entity, in the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of business assets

6. Data Security

We use industry-standard technical and organisational safeguards — including encryption in transit, access controls, and secure payment processing through PCI-DSS-compliant gateways — to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure; we continuously review our safeguards to reduce risk.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this policy — including order history, warranty period, and applicable legal, tax, and accounting requirements — after which it is securely deleted or anonymised, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

8. Your Rights

Subject to applicable law, including the DPDP Act, 2023, you have the right to:

• Access a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Correct or update inaccurate or incomplete data
• Request erasure of your data, subject to legal and contractual retention requirements
• Withdraw consent for marketing or optional processing at any time
• Nominate another individual to exercise your rights in the event of death or incapacity
• Lodge a grievance with our Grievance/Data Protection Officer, and escalate to the Data Protection Board of India if unresolved

To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the details in Section 16.

9. Marketing Communications

We send promotional SMS, WhatsApp messages, emails, and app notifications only where you have opted in, or as permitted by law. You may opt out at any time via the unsubscribe link, account settings, or by contacting support. Transactional messages (order updates, OTPs, delivery/refund SLA alerts) are sent regardless of marketing preference, as they are necessary to provide the service.

10. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to keep you signed in, remember your cart and preferences, measure site performance, and personalise content (such as city/device-based offers). You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings; disabling some cookies may affect site functionality such as saved carts or personalised delivery-ETA estimates.

11. Children’s Data

Our services are not directed at children under 18. Where a purchase is made for or by a minor, it must be made through a parent or guardian’s account and payment method. We do not knowingly collect personal data directly from children without verifiable parental consent.

12. International Data Transfer

Your data is primarily stored and processed in India. Where any service provider processes data outside India, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place consistent with the DPDP Act, 2023 and other applicable law.

13. Data Breach Notification

In the event of a personal data breach that is likely to affect you, we will notify affected users and the Data Protection Board of India, as required under the DPDP Act, 2023, and take prompt steps to contain and remediate the breach.

14. Grievance Officer

In accordance with the DPDP Act, 2023 and Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, PhonoRange has appointed a Grievance Officer to address complaints regarding data privacy and platform issues. Grievance Officer contact details are provided on our website and in Section 16 below. We aim to acknowledge grievances within 48 hours and resolve them within the statutory timeline.

15. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The “Effective Date” at the top of this page will be updated, and material changes will be notified via the website, app, or email.

16. Contact Us

For any questions, requests, or grievances relating to this Privacy Policy, contact:

• Grievance / Data Protection Officer, Phonorange Private Limited
• Email: support@phonorange.com
• Phone / WhatsApp support: +91 97311 60804
• Registered address: No. 26, 27 & 28, Uttarahalli Main Road, Subramanyapura, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560061
• GSTIN (Karnataka): 29AALCP9570C1ZZ

Part B — Returns, Replacement, Service & Delivery Policy

This policy governs unboxing issues, replacements, returns, delivery, and protection plans for products purchased on phonorange.com or in PhonoRange stores.

17. Unboxing Issues — Dead-on-Arrival (DOA) & Pre-Use Defects

If a mobile phone or device arrives with a manufacturing defect discovered at the time of unboxing — before the device has been powered on, activated, or used — such as a cracked or dead display, dead pixels, non-functioning buttons, or missing accessories, this is treated as a Dead-on-Arrival (DOA) case, not a used-product return.

DOA eligibility

• Reported within 24–72 hours of delivery (exact window shown at checkout and on the invoice)
• Unboxing video or immediate photos strongly recommended and may be required to process the claim quickly
• Original box, accessories, IMEI-matching device, and invoice must be intact and returned
• No physical damage caused by the customer (drop, liquid, crushing) — such cases fall under Section 21, not DOA

DOA resolution

• Free doorstep pickup and replacement with a new unit of the same model/color, subject to stock
• If the exact model/color is unavailable, a full refund or store credit is offered, customer’s choice
• DOA replacements are prioritised ahead of standard returns and are not subject to a restocking fee

18. Service-Level Agreements (SLA) & Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA)

19. Delivery — Store-Based, Fast, and Standard

• Store-based hyperlocal delivery: fulfilled from the nearest PhonoRange store with live ETA by PIN code — our core speed advantage over pure online marketplaces
• Fast delivery: available in select cities for eligible SKUs at an additional fee, shown at checkout
• Standard delivery: courier-fulfilled for locations outside hyperlocal store coverage
• Every order shows real-time status: Confirmed → Packed (post-QC) → Out for Delivery → Delivered
• Delivery delays beyond the stated ETA trigger an automatic SMS/WhatsApp update and a support flag — customers are not left without information

20. Quality Assurance Before Dispatch

• Every device is checked against a pre-dispatch QC checklist (display, buttons, ports, accessories, IMEI match, box seal) before packing
• Packaging is tamper-evident; a broken seal on delivery should be refused and reported immediately
• QC records are retained internally to reduce repeat wrong/defective-item complaints

21. Standard Returns & Replacement (Post-Use)

For issues identified after the device has been used or activated (not covered under DOA):

• Manufacturing defects within the return window (typically 7–10 days from delivery, shown per product) are eligible for replacement or manufacturer-authorised service centre repair
• Physical damage, liquid damage, or misuse is not eligible for return/replacement and is handled only under an active screen/damage protection plan (Section 23), if purchased
• Wrong item or wrong color/variant delivered is eligible for free exchange or replacement at no cost to the customer, verified against the order record
• Refunds are issued to the original payment method unless store credit is requested
• A visible return status tracker (Requested → Pickup Scheduled → Picked Up → Inspected → Refunded/Replaced) is shown on every return

22. Price Protection

If the price of a purchased product drops within the stated Price Protection window (e.g. 7 days from delivery), PhonoRange will credit the difference to the original payment method or as store credit, customer’s choice, subject to the product being the same model, color, and variant and purchased at full listed price (not during a flash sale or bundled offer).

23. Display / Screen Protection Plan

• Optional paid add-on at checkout covering accidental screen damage for a defined period (e.g. 6–12 months)
• Claim requires the device, proof of purchase of the plan, and a described incident; one or more claims may be allowed depending on the plan tier
• Claims are assessed within the SLA in Section 18 and resolved via repair, screen replacement, or device replacement, depending on plan terms
• Does not cover liquid damage, intentional damage, or loss/theft unless a higher plan tier explicitly includes it

24. Color and Variant Exchange

• If the color/variant received does not match the order, PhonoRange arranges a free exchange, prioritised as an urgent case
• If a customer wants to exchange for a different color/variant purely by preference (correct item delivered), this is treated as a standard return + fresh order, subject to the return window and product condition

25. Warranty vs. PhonoRange Replacement

Manufacturer warranty (hardware faults arising after the DOA/return window) is handled through the manufacturer’s authorised service network; PhonoRange assists in coordinating drop-off/pickup where possible. DOA and short-window replacements described above are handled directly by PhonoRange and do not require a manufacturer service visit.

26. Customer Support & Escalation

• First-line support via chat, WhatsApp, and phone, with the SLA response times in Section 18
• If unresolved at first contact, cases are escalated to a named support lead — not recirculated through a bot or ticket queue
• Every order, return, refund, and claim has a visible status and a reference number for follow-up
• Unresolved grievances can be escalated per the Grievance Officer process in Section 14

27. Exclusions

• Damage caused by the customer after delivery (drops, liquid, unauthorised repair) is excluded from DOA, standard returns, and price protection — only an active protection plan (Section 23) may cover it
• Products purchased on clearance, “as-is”, or open-box terms follow the specific terms disclosed at the time of purchase, which may limit return/replacement eligibility
• SIM cards, activated digital vouchers, and hygiene-sensitive accessories (e.g. earphones once opened) are non-returnable unless defective on arrival

28. Changes to This Policy

PhonoRange may update this Returns, Replacement, and Service Policy from time to time to reflect operational or legal changes. The effective date at the top of this document will be updated accordingly.