Privacy Policy

Awshta is a multi-vendor online marketplace that connects buyers with independent sellers. This Privacy Policy applies to the Awshta mobile and web application (the "App") and describes how we handle personal information processed through the App and our related services.

By creating an account or otherwise using the App, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Policy. If you do not agree with it, please do not use the App.

We collect the following categories of information, and only the specific fields described below.

Account information

• Your name, email address and password when you register an account.
• Your phone number, which you can add or update from your profile.
• A profile photo (avatar), if you choose to upload one.

Order and delivery information

• Shipping addresses you save (label, street, city, state, country and postal code).
• A contact phone number for each order, which is required so your delivery can be completed.
• Order details, including the products, quantities and any selected variants and order notes.
• If you check out as a guest, the name, email address and phone number you provide for that order.

Payment information

• For mobile-wallet payments (JazzCash or Easypaisa), the mobile number you enter and, where the provider requires it, the last six digits of your CNIC (JazzCash) or an email address (Easypaisa), which we pass to the wallet provider to initiate and verify the transaction.
• For Cash on Delivery, no payment credentials are collected.
• We never ask for or store your mobile-wallet PIN — that is entered only inside your wallet app.
• If you select the card payment option, any card details you enter are used solely for on-device validation and are not transmitted to or stored by us. Card payments are not currently processed through the App.

Seller information

If you apply to sell on Awshta, we collect the store details you provide, described in the Seller Information section below.

Content you submit

• Product reviews you write (star rating, title and comment).
• Images and media you upload, such as your avatar and, for sellers, product images and store media.

Information stored on your device

Some information is kept only on your device and is not sent to our servers, including your shopping cart, your wishlist, an onboarding flag, and your authentication tokens. See the Cookies and Similar Technologies section.

Technical information

When the App communicates with our servers, standard connection information (such as your IP address and the request your device makes) is processed to deliver the service and to keep it secure. The App does not use third-party analytics or advertising software to track your activity.

We use the information we collect to:

• Create and manage your account and authenticate you securely.
• Process, split among sellers, and fulfil your orders.
• Initiate and verify payments through the mobile-wallet providers you choose.
• Communicate with you about your account, orders and support requests.
• Enable sellers to fulfil orders and provide customer service.
• Display product reviews and ratings you submit.
• Maintain the security of the marketplace, prevent fraud and abuse, and comply with our legal obligations.
• Operate, maintain and improve the App.

As a buyer, the information you provide — your account details, saved addresses, order contents and the contact phone number for each order — is used to process and deliver your purchases.

Because Awshta is a multi-vendor marketplace, an order containing items from more than one seller is split so that each seller receives only the information needed to fulfil their portion of your order. This includes your name, delivery address and the contact phone number for that order.

When you request to become a seller, you submit a store name and a description. If your application is approved, you can add further store details, all of which may be shown publicly on your storefront:

• Store name and description.
• Store branding, such as your primary and secondary colours.
• Contact and social links you choose to add (WhatsApp number, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube).
• Store media you upload, such as a logo, banner, background image and promotional video.

As a seller, you are able to view information about customers who have ordered from you — their name, email address, phone number and avatar — for the purpose of fulfilling and supporting those orders. You must handle this information responsibly and only for order fulfilment and related customer service.

Awshta supports Cash on Delivery and mobile-wallet payments through JazzCash and Easypaisa. For wallet payments, we send the order reference and the wallet identifier you enter (mobile number, and where required the last six digits of your CNIC or an email address) to the payment provider to initiate the transaction, and we receive back a confirmation of whether the payment succeeded.

Your wallet credentials, such as your PIN, are entered inside your wallet provider's own system and are never collected or stored by Awshta. Please review the privacy practices of the relevant payment provider for details of how they handle your information.

The Awshta mobile app does not use cookies. To keep you signed in and to remember your preferences, the App stores a small amount of data on your device using your device's local storage, including your authentication tokens, your cart and wishlist, and an onboarding flag.

When you use Awshta through a web browser, this same information is stored in your browser's local storage rather than in cookies. We do not use tracking or advertising cookies, and we do not use tracking pixels.

The App does not currently integrate any third-party analytics, advertising or behavioural-tracking services. We do not build advertising profiles about you or track you across other apps and websites.

If we introduce analytics in the future, we will update this Policy to describe what is collected and, where required by law, seek your consent.

We rely on a limited number of third parties to operate the App:

• Payment providers (JazzCash and Easypaisa) to process mobile-wallet payments you initiate.
• Our hosting and backend infrastructure, which stores and processes the marketplace data described in this Policy.
• A default-avatar generation service, which creates a placeholder profile image from your initials when you have not uploaded a photo.

These providers only receive the information necessary to perform their function. Sellers may also link to their own external social media pages from their storefronts; those third-party sites are governed by their own privacy policies.

We do not sell your personal information. We share it only in the following circumstances:

• With sellers, so they can fulfil and support the orders you place with them.
• With payment providers, to process the payments you initiate.
• With service providers that host and operate the App on our behalf.
• Where required to comply with applicable law, legal process or a lawful government request, or to protect the rights, safety and property of Awshta, our users or the public.
• In connection with a merger, acquisition, financing or sale of assets, in which case we will take steps to ensure your information remains protected.

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your information. Communication between the App and our servers takes place over encrypted (HTTPS/TLS) connections, access to your account is protected by authentication tokens, and expired sessions are automatically refreshed or signed out.

No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security. You are responsible for keeping your password confidential and for any activity that occurs under your account.

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active and for as long as needed to provide the marketplace, complete your orders, resolve disputes, enforce our agreements and comply with our legal obligations. Order and transaction records may be retained for longer where the law requires it.

Information kept only on your device, such as your cart and wishlist, is removed when you clear it, sign out or uninstall the App.

You can exercise the following choices directly in the App:

• View and update your name and phone number, and change your password, from your profile.
• Add, update or remove your saved shipping addresses.
• Edit or delete reviews you have written.
• Manage the items in your cart and wishlist.
• Sign out of your account at any time.

Depending on where you live, you may also have rights to access, correct, delete or export your personal information, or to object to or restrict certain processing. To make such a request — including to delete your account — please contact us using the details below and we will respond in accordance with applicable law.

Awshta is not directed to children. The App is intended for users who are at least 18 years old, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will take steps to delete it.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the “Last updated” date shown at the top of this document. Material changes will be brought to your attention through the App. Your continued use of the App after an update takes effect means you accept the revised Policy.

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your information, you can reach us at: