Privacy Policy

Introduction

AskShelf is an AI-powered product discovery platform for physical retail stores, built and operated by Datahase Dev Private Limited (“DataHase,” “we,” “our,” or “us”). DataHase is the data controller for all information processed through the AskShelf platform.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your information when you use the AskShelf platform -- whether you are a store owner managing your account, a team member accessing the dashboard, or an end customer interacting with a store’s AI voice agent. By using AskShelf, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

Information We Collect

Store Owner & Team Accounts

When you register for an AskShelf account or are invited to a team, we collect:

• Full name, email address, and phone number
• Business name, store name, and store address
• Account credentials (passwords are hashed and never stored in plain text)
• Organization and role information for team-based access control

Product Data

Store owners upload product information -- including names, descriptions, prices, images, and specifications -- to power the AI voice agent and generate product pages. This data remains the property of the store owner.

QR Code Scanning Analytics

When an end customer scans an AskShelf QR code, we automatically collect the following information to provide analytics to store owners:

• IP address (used for approximate geographic location)
• Region and city (derived from IP)
• Browser type and user agent string
• Device type (mobile, tablet, desktop)
• Scan timestamp and referring context

This data is aggregated and presented to store owners through the analytics dashboard. Individual IP addresses are not exposed to store owners.

Voice & Transcription Data

When customers interact with a store’s AI voice agent:

• Audio is never recorded or stored. Voice audio is streamed in real time to our AI processing servers and is discarded immediately after the session ends.
• Transcriptions are stored. We retain text transcriptions of voice conversations to provide analytics and conversation history to store owners. Transcriptions can be deleted by store owners at any time.
• Voice session metadata -- including duration, timestamps, language used, and session identifiers -- is collected for analytics and billing purposes.

Customers are informed that their conversation will be transcribed before they begin speaking. No voice interaction is recorded without this disclosure.

Customer Data Collection Forms

Store owners may configure optional data collection forms on their product pages. If an end customer fills in such a form, we collect the information they provide (such as name, email, or phone number) and make it available to the store owner. Store owners are responsible for their own use of this data and must comply with applicable privacy laws.

How We Use Your Data

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, operate, and maintain the AskShelf platform
• Power the AI voice agent with accurate product information
• Generate analytics and insights about customer interactions for store owners
• Process transactions and manage subscriptions
• Communicate with account holders about service updates, billing, and (with consent) product news
• Detect, prevent, and address security issues and abuse
• Improve and develop the platform
• Comply with legal obligations

Data Sharing & Third Parties

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We share data only in the following circumstances:

• AI Processing: Voice and product data is sent to our AI service providers for real-time processing. These providers process data under their respective API terms of service and do not use it to train models.
• Cloud Infrastructure: Our primary database and caching services are hosted on India-region servers.
• Payment Processing: Billing data is shared with our payment processing partners for transaction processing (see Payment Processing section below).
• Analytics: We use aggregated and anonymized data internally for product improvement. We do not share individual user data for advertising.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, regulation, or valid legal process.
• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale, user data may be transferred as part of the transaction. We will notify affected users before their data becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

Data Storage & Security

All primary application data is stored on servers located in India. We implement industry-standard security measures including:

• Encryption of data in transit (TLS/SSL)
• Encryption of sensitive data at rest
• Secure authentication with password hashing
• Role-based access control for team accounts
• Regular security reviews

No method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Cookies

AskShelf uses cookies for the following purposes:

• Essential cookies: Required for authentication, session management, and core platform functionality. These cannot be disabled.
• Analytics cookies: Help us understand how the platform is used so we can improve the experience. These are optional and can be declined.

We do not use third-party advertising cookies. Cookie consent is collected on first visit and can be updated at any time through the cookie settings in the platform footer.

Payment Processing

AskShelf uses Dodo Payments as our Merchant of Record (MoR) to process all subscription payments. Dodo Payments handles payment processing, tax calculation, invoicing, and compliance on our behalf. When you subscribe to a paid plan:

• Payment card details are collected and processed directly by Dodo Payments. We do not store full card numbers, CVVs, or sensitive payment credentials on our servers.
• Dodo Payments generates and delivers invoices for all transactions, including applicable taxes.
• We receive and store transaction identifiers, subscription status, plan details, and billing history for account management.
• Dodo Payments is PCI-DSS compliant and maintains its own privacy policy governing payment data.
• Refunds are processed through Dodo Payments. Please see our Refund Policy for details.

Data Retention

• Account data: Retained while your account is active. If you delete your account, personal information is removed within 30 days, except where retention is required by law.
• Voice audio: Never stored. Processed in real time and discarded.
• Transcriptions: Retained for the duration of the store owner’s subscription and deletable at any time by the store owner.
• QR scan analytics: Retained in aggregated form for the duration of the subscription.
• Product data: Retained while the account is active. Exportable and deletable upon account termination.

Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights:

• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate data
• Request deletion of your data
• Object to or restrict processing of your data
• Data portability (export your data in a standard format)
• Withdraw consent at any time where processing is consent-based

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at contact@askshelf.com. We will respond within 30 days.

Children’s Privacy

AskShelf is a B2B platform designed for use by store owners and their teams. Our services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. End customers who interact with AI voice agents in stores may be of any age, but we do not collect identifying information from them unless they voluntarily fill in a store owner’s data collection form.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify account holders of material changes by email and by updating the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, contact us:

• Email: contact@askshelf.com
• Data Controller: Datahase Dev Private Limited, operated via datahase.com