Privacy Policy

Alvar Lab provides branded online storefronts and an order-management dashboard for local shops and sellers. Each shop uses our platform to take orders and to keep its customers informed about those orders. We act as a service provider (processor) to those shops for the customer data they handle, and as a controller for the account data of the shop owners and staff who use our dashboard.

We collect the following categories of information:

• Account information:for shop owners and staff: name, email address, phone number, role, and login credentials.
• Customer information:for shoppers: name, phone number, delivery address, and email address (where provided).
• Order information:products ordered, amounts, order status, and related transaction details.
• Authentication data:one-time passcodes (OTPs) used to verify phone-number logins. OTP codes are short-lived and are never stored in our message logs.
• Technical data:basic device, browser, and usage information needed to operate and secure the service.

We use the information we collect to:

• Create and manage shop and customer accounts.
• Process, fulfil, and provide updates about orders.
• Send transactional notifications such as order confirmations, shipping and delivery updates, cancellations, and payment confirmations.
• Send login one-time passcodes (OTPs) so customers can sign in securely with their phone number.
• Send a welcome message when a customer first sets up their profile.
• Operate, maintain, secure, and improve our platform.
• Comply with legal obligations and prevent fraud or abuse.

We use the WhatsApp Business Platform (provided by Meta Platforms, Inc.) and email to send the notifications and login passcodes described above. When we send a WhatsApp message, the recipient’s phone number and the message content are processed by Meta in order to deliver the message, in accordance with WhatsApp’s Business Messaging Policy and Meta’s Privacy Policy.

We send WhatsApp messages only for the purposes you would reasonably expect, such as order updates, account and login verification, and a one-time welcome message. We keep a record of which messages were sent, to whom, and their delivery status, so shop owners can see their communication history. We do not store the contents of one-time passcodes. You can stop receiving WhatsApp messages at any time by replying STOP or by contacting us.

We do not sell your personal information. We share it only with:

• The shop you ordered from:so it can fulfil and manage your order.
• Service providers:including Meta/WhatsApp for messaging, our email provider for transactional email, and our hosting and database providers, who process data only on our instructions.
• Legal and safety:where required by law, or to protect the rights, safety, and security of our users and platform.

We retain personal information for as long as needed to provide the service, fulfil the purposes described in this policy, and meet legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Order and messaging records are retained so shops can access their history; one-time passcodes are discarded shortly after use.

Depending on your location, you may have the right to access, correct, or delete your personal information, to object to or restrict certain processing, and to withdraw consent. To exercise these rights, contact us using the details below. If your data was provided to a specific shop, we may direct your request to that shop, which controls that data.

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures, including encrypted connections, access controls, and shared-secret authentication between our systems, to protect your information. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, but we work to safeguard your data and promptly address any issues.

Our services are not directed to children under 13 (or the minimum age required in your jurisdiction), and we do not knowingly collect their personal information.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the “Last updated” date above. Material changes will be communicated where appropriate.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how your information is handled, contact us at contact.alvarlab@gmail.com.