Data Deletion Policy

Effective Date: 19/06/2026

This Data Deletion Policy explains how SHOPINZIP PRIVATE LIMITED, operating under the brand name Areakart ("Areakart", "Company", "we", "our", or "us"), handles requests for deletion of personal data, business data, social media integration data, and platform-related data collected or processed through Areakart websites, applications, dashboards, merchant tools, social media integrations, APIs, and related services.

This policy applies to users, merchants, store owners, business representatives, customers, administrators, and any person or entity whose data may be processed by Areakart through its platform or connected third-party integrations, including but not limited to Meta, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Google, YouTube, LinkedIn, X/Twitter, payment providers, logistics providers, communication providers, analytics providers, hosting providers, and other technology service providers.

By using Areakart or connecting any third-party account to Areakart, you acknowledge that certain data may be processed for the purpose of enabling platform functionality, account connection, publishing, scheduling, analytics, customer communication, order processing, service delivery, security, fraud prevention, compliance, support, and business operations.

1. Purpose of This Policy

This policy is intended to provide a clear process for users and merchants to request deletion of data held by Areakart, including data received through third-party platforms such as Meta, Facebook, and Instagram.

Areakart respects user privacy and provides data deletion options in accordance with applicable platform requirements, contractual obligations, internal policies, and applicable law.

This policy also explains the categories of data that may be deleted, the categories of data that may need to be retained for lawful or operational reasons, and the limitations that apply when data is controlled by third-party services or by merchants using the Areakart platform.

2. Data Covered by This Policy

Depending on how you use Areakart, we may process one or more of the following categories of data:

2.1 Account and Identity Data

This may include name, business name, email address, phone number, login identifiers, profile information, user role, account status, and authentication-related information.

2.2 Merchant and Store Data

This may include store name, owner name, store address, business category, operating hours, delivery settings, payment settings, product listings, menu information, inventory details, store branding, store links, store configuration, and related merchant dashboard data.

2.3 Customer and Order Data

This may include customer name, phone number, address, order details, cart details, payment status, delivery information, order history, customer preferences, and service communication history.

2.4 Social Media Integration Data

If a merchant connects social media accounts to Areakart, we may process data required to provide social media publishing, scheduling, account connection, content management, post history, and related features.

This may include platform account ID, page ID, Instagram business account ID, channel ID, display name, profile image, permissions granted, connection status, access tokens, refresh tokens, post captions, media assets, publishing status, external post IDs, external post URLs, scheduling data, and limited analytics where permitted.

2.5 Technical and Security Data

This may include IP address, device information, browser information, login logs, activity logs, error logs, API logs, security audit logs, system events, and metadata required for security, diagnostics, fraud prevention, abuse prevention, and platform integrity.

2.6 Communication and Support Data

This may include support tickets, emails, WhatsApp messages, chat records, call notes, feedback, complaints, and other communications between users, merchants, customers, Areakart, and service providers.

3. How to Request Data Deletion

You may request deletion of your data by using any of the following methods:

Method 1: Email Request

Send an email to: support@areakart.com

Simply send an email to support@areakart.com requesting data deletion.

Our team will contact you and may ask for your Areakart Merchant ID and registered Email ID to verify your account and process the request.

Method 2: Merchant Dashboard Request

If available, you may request data deletion from your Areakart merchant dashboard by using account settings, privacy settings, integration settings, or support options.

Method 3: Social Platform Removal

If you connected Areakart through a third-party platform such as Facebook or Instagram, you may also remove Areakart from your connected apps or business integrations inside that platform. When Areakart receives a valid deletion request from the third-party platform, we will process the request in accordance with this policy.

4. Verification of Request

Before deleting data, Areakart may verify the identity, account ownership, business authorization, or legal authority of the person making the request.

Verification may be required to protect merchants, users, customers, stores, and connected accounts from unauthorized deletion, fraud, misuse, impersonation, or accidental loss of important business data.

Areakart may refuse, delay, or limit a deletion request if we cannot reasonably verify the requester's identity or authority.

5. What Data We Delete

Subject to applicable law, contractual obligations, operational requirements, and legitimate retention needs, Areakart may delete or anonymize the following data upon a valid request:

  • User account profile data
  • Merchant profile data
  • Connected social account metadata
  • Social media access tokens and refresh tokens
  • Social media publishing history stored by Areakart
  • Draft posts and scheduled posts stored by Areakart
  • Uploaded media assets stored by Areakart
  • Customer profile data associated with the requesting account, where applicable
  • Support records, where deletion is legally and operationally permitted
  • Non-essential logs associated with the account
  • Integration data received from Meta, Facebook, Instagram, or other connected platforms

Where complete deletion is not technically or legally possible, Areakart may anonymize, restrict, archive, or de-identify the data so that it is no longer reasonably associated with an identifiable individual or merchant account.

6. Data That May Be Retained

Areakart may retain certain data where retention is necessary, lawful, or commercially reasonable. This may include data required for:

  • Legal compliance
  • Tax, accounting, audit, and financial records
  • Payment disputes and transaction records
  • Fraud prevention
  • Security investigation
  • Abuse prevention
  • Enforcement of terms and policies
  • Defense or establishment of legal claims
  • Regulatory obligations
  • Backup and disaster recovery systems
  • Business records that are not personal in nature
  • Records required to protect the rights, safety, and security of Areakart, merchants, customers, partners, or third parties

Areakart may also retain limited logs and records to prove that a deletion request was received and processed.

Retention of such data does not mean that Areakart will continue to actively use the data for ordinary business purposes. Where appropriate, retained data may be restricted, archived, minimized, or separated from active systems.

7. Social Media and Third-Party Platform Data

Areakart may allow merchants to connect third-party platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Meta, LinkedIn, YouTube, X/Twitter, WhatsApp, payment providers, logistics providers, and other services.

When you request deletion from Areakart, we will delete or disconnect data that Areakart controls or stores, subject to this policy.

However, Areakart does not control data stored directly by third-party platforms. If content has already been published to Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, X/Twitter, or another external platform, deletion from Areakart does not automatically guarantee deletion from that external platform unless the relevant platform API supports such deletion, the required permissions are available, and the request can be validly processed.

You may need to separately delete posts, media, comments, messages, account data, or other information directly from the relevant third-party platform.

Areakart is not responsible for the independent privacy practices, data retention policies, system behavior, API limitations, outages, restrictions, approval requirements, or actions of third-party platforms.

8. Deletion of Meta, Facebook, and Instagram Data

If you connected Areakart to your Facebook Page, Instagram Business account, Instagram Creator account, Meta Business account, or other Meta-related asset, you may request deletion of data received through Meta platforms.

Upon receiving a valid request, Areakart will take reasonable steps to delete or invalidate:

  • Stored Meta access tokens
  • Stored Meta refresh tokens, where applicable
  • Facebook Page connection metadata
  • Instagram account connection metadata
  • Meta user or business account identifiers stored by Areakart
  • Draft or scheduled content stored only inside Areakart
  • Meta publishing job history stored by Areakart, where deletion is permitted
  • Meta-related integration logs that are not required for security, legal, audit, or compliance purposes

If content has already been published to Facebook or Instagram, deletion of Areakart's internal records may not automatically remove the content from Facebook or Instagram. The user or merchant may need to delete such content directly through Facebook, Instagram, Meta Business Suite, or other Meta tools.

Areakart may retain limited records where required for compliance, fraud prevention, dispute resolution, platform integrity, legal claims, or audit purposes.

9. Connected Account Disconnection

A user or merchant may disconnect a connected social media account from Areakart.

After disconnection:

  • Areakart will stop using the disconnected account for new publishing actions
  • Scheduled posts for that account may be cancelled or marked failed
  • Tokens may be deleted, revoked, invalidated, or marked inactive
  • Future access to that account will require reconnection
  • Historical records may be retained only as permitted under this policy

Disconnecting a social account does not automatically delete all historical records unless a deletion request is also submitted and accepted.

10. Backup Systems

Areakart may maintain encrypted backups, system snapshots, database backups, archive logs, or disaster recovery copies.

Data deleted from active production systems may remain in backup systems for a limited period until backups are overwritten, rotated, expired, or securely destroyed according to Areakart's backup lifecycle.

Areakart will not intentionally restore deleted personal data from backups except where necessary for disaster recovery, security investigation, legal compliance, or operational continuity. If restored, Areakart will take reasonable steps to re-apply deletion where applicable.

11. Security and Access Controls

Areakart uses administrative, technical, and organizational measures intended to protect data against unauthorized access, misuse, loss, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.

These measures may include access controls, role-based permissions, encryption, token protection, audit logs, monitoring, secure credential handling, internal policies, employee or contractor access restrictions, and other commercially reasonable safeguards.

No digital platform, cloud system, database, dashboard, API, internet transmission, storage system, third-party integration, or administrative control can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Users and merchants acknowledge that use of online systems involves inherent risk.

Areakart is not responsible for unauthorized access caused by user-side compromise, weak passwords, credential sharing, malware, phishing, third-party platform compromise, device compromise, merchant admin misuse, incorrect configuration, or events outside Areakart's reasonable control.

Where Areakart becomes aware of a security incident affecting data under its control, Areakart will evaluate the incident and take actions it considers appropriate under applicable law, platform requirements, contractual obligations, and internal security procedures.

Nothing in this policy should be interpreted as an admission of liability, fault, negligence, or breach by Areakart.

12. Admin Panel, Team Access, and Operational Use

Areakart may allow authorized employees, contractors, developers, support staff, operations staff, administrators, or service providers to access limited data where necessary for operating, supporting, debugging, improving, securing, or maintaining the platform.

Areakart aims to limit such access based on role, need, and operational purpose.

Users and merchants acknowledge that certain operational access may be necessary to provide support, resolve technical issues, investigate fraud, process requests, maintain integrations, and ensure service continuity.

If unauthorized internal access, misuse, or suspicious activity is detected, Areakart may investigate, restrict access, suspend accounts, rotate credentials, preserve logs, notify affected parties where required, and take other appropriate remedial steps.

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Areakart's liability for any claim relating to data processing, security, deletion, retention, access, platform operation, third-party integrations, or service use shall be limited in accordance with Areakart's applicable Terms of Service, merchant agreement, subscription agreement, or other written agreement between the parties.

13. Processing Time

Areakart will make reasonable efforts to process valid deletion requests within a reasonable period after verification.

The time required may depend on:

  • The type of data requested
  • The number of systems involved
  • Verification requirements
  • Legal or compliance obligations
  • Backup lifecycle
  • Third-party platform limitations
  • Technical complexity
  • Whether the request affects merchant operations, customer records, orders, payments, or active services

If additional time is needed, Areakart may notify the requester where appropriate.

14. Rejection or Limitation of Deletion Requests

Areakart may reject, limit, or delay a deletion request where:

  • The requester cannot be verified
  • The requester does not have authority over the account or data
  • The request is fraudulent, abusive, excessive, repetitive, or technically infeasible
  • The data must be retained for legal, tax, accounting, audit, security, fraud prevention, or dispute purposes
  • Deletion would harm the rights or safety of another user, merchant, customer, partner, or third party
  • Deletion would interfere with an active investigation, legal claim, contractual obligation, or regulatory requirement
  • The data is controlled by a third-party platform and not by Areakart
  • The data has been anonymized or de-identified
  • Applicable law permits or requires retention

15. Effect of Deletion

After deletion, certain services may stop functioning. This may include:

  • Loss of social media connection
  • Failure of scheduled posts
  • Removal of saved drafts
  • Loss of publishing history
  • Loss of analytics history
  • Loss of account configuration
  • Loss of store or merchant dashboard functionality
  • Inability to provide support based on historical data
  • Inability to restore deleted content

Areakart is not responsible for loss of functionality, business interruption, loss of historical records, loss of scheduled actions, or inability to recover data resulting from a valid deletion request.

16. Merchant-Controlled Customer Data

In some cases, Areakart acts as a technology platform for merchants. Merchants may control certain customer records, order records, communication records, or store-related data.

If you are a customer of a merchant using Areakart, your request may need to be reviewed by the relevant merchant because the merchant may be the controller or owner of certain business records.

Areakart may assist with deletion requests where technically and contractually permitted, but Areakart may not independently delete merchant-controlled records where doing so would violate merchant rights, legal obligations, order records, payment records, delivery records, tax records, or contractual duties.

17. Children's Data

Areakart services are intended for business, merchant, ordering, commerce, and operational use. Areakart does not knowingly collect data from children except where such data is incidentally provided by users, merchants, customers, or third-party services.

If you believe that a child's data has been provided to Areakart improperly, please contact us at support@areakart.com so that we can review the matter.

18. Data Deletion Request Format

To help us process your request faster, you may send the following format to support@areakart.com:

Subject: Data Deletion Request

Message:

I request deletion of my data from Areakart.

Name:
Registered email/phone:
Store name, if any:
Areakart store URL, if any:
Connected platform, if any: Facebook / Instagram / Meta / Other
Description of data to be deleted:
Reason for request, optional:

I confirm that the information provided is accurate and that I am authorized to request deletion of this data.

19. Contact Information

For questions or deletion requests, contact:

SHOPINZIP PRIVATE LIMITED
Operating Brand: Areakart
Email: support@areakart.com
Website: https://areakart.com

20. Changes to This Policy

Areakart may update this Data Deletion Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, platform requirements, business operations, technology, third-party integrations, or internal processes.

The updated version will be posted on this page with a revised "Last Updated" date. Continued use of Areakart after changes are posted means you acknowledge the updated policy.

21. No Waiver of Rights

Nothing in this policy limits any rights that cannot legally be limited under applicable law.

Nothing in this policy creates any guarantee, warranty, indemnity, or unconditional obligation beyond what is required by applicable law or expressly agreed in writing by Areakart.

Areakart reserves all rights, remedies, defenses, limitations, and protections available under applicable law, contracts, platform terms, and internal policies.