Privacy policy

Effective date: 28 October 2026

At Indian Hobby Center, your trust matters more than any single sale. This Privacy Policy explains, in plain language, what personal data we collect, why we collect it, who we share it with, how we keep it safe, and the rights you have over it. It is written to comply with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 ("DPDP Act") and the rules made under it, the Information Technology Act, 2000, the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011, and the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020.

1. Who we are

The website www.indianhobbycenter.com, our mobile app and our WhatsApp and social media channels (together, the "Services") are operated by The Hobby Shop, trading as Indian Hobby Center ("IHC", "we", "us", "our"), a business registered in India.

  • Address: Plot No. 2296, Naibedya Complex, Jayadev Vihar Square, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751013, India
  • GSTIN: 21AMBPJ9593L1ZP
  • Email: info@indianhobbycenter.com
  • Phone / WhatsApp: +91 82499 31161

For the purposes of the DPDP Act, IHC is the Data Fiduciary for the personal data described in this policy. You, the person the data relates to, are the Data Principal.

2. Our promise in short

  • We collect only what we need to process your order, support you and run our store safely.
  • We never sell your personal data to anyone.
  • We never see or store your full card number, CVV, UPI PIN or net banking password. Payments are handled by RBI-regulated payment gateways.
  • We rarely send marketing messages only with your consent, and you can stop them at any time.
  • You can ask to see, correct or delete your data, and we will respond within the time set by law.

3. Personal data we collect

Category Examples When we collect it
Identity and contact details Name, mobile number, email address, billing and shipping address When you place an order, create an account, contact us or sign up for updates
Business details (optional) Company name, GSTIN When you ask for a GST invoice or place a business order
Order and transaction details Products bought, order value, payment method, payment status, UTR or transaction reference, refund details When you buy, pay, cancel or return
Account details Login email, saved addresses, wishlist, order history When you create or use an account
Communications Messages, emails, WhatsApp chats, call notes, photos or videos you send for a complaint When you contact our support team
Device and usage data IP address, browser and device type, pages viewed, items added to cart, approximate location from IP, cookie identifiers Automatically, when you use the Services
Reviews and submissions Product reviews, ratings, photos, giveaway or event entries When you choose to submit them

We do not intentionally collect sensitive data such as health information, biometric data, religious or political views, or government ID numbers. Please do not send such information to us. If an order of a regulated product ever requires identity verification, we will tell you why at that time and collect only what the law requires.

4. Why we use your data (purposes and legal basis)

We process personal data only for clear, lawful purposes, either with your consent or for legitimate uses permitted under Section 7 of the DPDP Act (for example, a purchase you have asked for, or compliance with law).

  1. To fulfil your order: confirming the order, collecting payment, packing, handing over to our courier partner, sending tracking updates and delivering it to you.
  2. To support you: answering questions, handling cancellations, returns, replacements, refunds and warranty claims.
  3. To issue invoices and keep accounts: generating GST-compliant tax invoices and keeping records required under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 and the Income Tax Act, 1961.
  4. To keep the Services safe: preventing fraud, misuse, fake orders and payment abuse, and protecting our customers and systems.
  5. To improve the Services: understanding which pages and products are useful, fixing errors and improving site speed and design. Wherever possible we use aggregated or de-identified data for this.
  6. To send marketing (only with consent): new arrivals, offers, project guides and newsletters by email, SMS or WhatsApp. You can withdraw consent at any time (see Section 9).
  7. To meet legal obligations: responding to lawful requests from courts, regulators, tax authorities and law enforcement agencies, and enforcing our Terms of Service.

We do not use your personal data for automated decisions that have legal or similarly significant effects on you.

5. Who we share your data with

We share personal data only to the extent needed for the purposes above, and only with parties bound to protect it.

  • Shopify, which hosts our online store, checkout and customer accounts.
  • Payment gateways and banks (RBI-regulated payment aggregators), which process your payment and refunds. They handle card, UPI and net banking details under their own security standards, including PCI-DSS where applicable.
  • Courier and logistics partners (such as Swift, Delhivery, Blue Dart and India Post), which receive your name, address, phone number and parcel details so they can deliver your order.
  • Communication tools, such as email and WhatsApp Business, used to send order updates and answer your queries.
  • Analytics and site tools, such as Google Analytics and Search Console, which help us understand site usage, mostly with aggregated data.
  • Professional advisers, such as our chartered accountant, auditors and lawyers, under a duty of confidentiality.
  • Government and legal authorities, when required by law, a court order, or a lawful request.
  • A successor business, if our business is merged, sold or restructured, in which case this policy (or an equally protective one) will continue to apply.

We do not sell, rent or trade your personal data, and we do not share it with other businesses for their own marketing.

6. Relationship with Shopify

Our store is built on Shopify. Information you submit through the Services is transmitted to and processed by Shopify, which may store it on servers located outside India. Shopify also uses certain data from your interactions with our store to provide and improve its services, including fraud prevention. For those purposes Shopify acts independently, and you can learn more in the Shopify Consumer Privacy Policy and exercise rights through the Shopify Privacy Portal.

7. Data stored outside India

Some of our service providers, including Shopify and email and analytics providers, may store or process data outside India. Any such transfer is made in line with the DPDP Act and any restrictions notified by the Government of India, and only to providers that maintain reasonable security safeguards.

8. How long we keep your data

  • Order, invoice and payment records: for at least 8 years, because tax and accounting laws require us to.
  • Account details: for as long as your account is active. If you ask us to close your account, we delete or anonymise data that we are not legally required to keep.
  • Support conversations and complaint evidence: for up to 3 years after the matter is closed, so we can handle any follow-up or dispute.
  • Marketing preferences: until you withdraw consent, plus a short record that you opted out so we do not contact you again.
  • Website logs and analytics: for the periods set by the tool, typically 14 to 26 months, and at least as long as any period mandated under the IT Act and CERT-In directions.

When data is no longer needed for any lawful purpose, we delete it or make it anonymous.

9. Your rights

Under the DPDP Act and other applicable law, you have the right to:

  1. Access: get a summary of the personal data we hold about you and how we use it, and the identities of those we have shared it with.
  2. Correction and updating: ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data, or update it. Most details can be changed directly in your account.
  3. Erasure: ask us to delete your data, unless we must keep it to complete a transaction or to comply with law.
  4. Withdraw consent: stop any processing based on consent, such as marketing, at any time. This does not affect processing already done, or processing we need to fulfil an order you have placed.
  5. Grievance redressal: raise a complaint with our Grievance Officer and get a response (see Section 14).
  6. Nominate: nominate another person to exercise your rights in the event of your death or incapacity.

To use any of these rights, email info@indianhobbycenter.com or WhatsApp +91 82499 31161 with the subject "Privacy request". We may ask you to confirm your identity before acting on a request, so that your data is never given to the wrong person. We will respond within the time set by law and, in any case, within 30 days. We will never treat you differently for exercising your rights.

To stop marketing messages, use the "unsubscribe" link in any email, reply "STOP" on WhatsApp or SMS, or simply tell us. We will still send messages about your orders, because those are needed to serve you.

10. Cookies and similar technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to keep your cart and login working, remember your preferences, measure site performance and understand which products interest our visitors.

  • Essential cookies are needed for the store and checkout to work and cannot be switched off.
  • Analytics cookies help us improve the site.
  • Marketing cookies, if used, help show relevant products. We do not run paid advertising at present.

You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. If you block essential cookies, parts of the store such as the cart and checkout may not work.

11. How we protect your data

We follow reasonable security practices as required under Section 43A of the IT Act and the DPDP Act, including:

  • encrypted HTTPS connections across the entire website and checkout;
  • payments processed only by PCI-DSS compliant, RBI-regulated gateways, so card and banking credentials never reach us;
  • access to customer data limited to staff who need it for their work, with strong passwords and two-step verification on our admin accounts;
  • regular review of the apps and tools connected to our store.

No method of transmission over the internet is completely secure, but we work hard to protect your data. If a personal data breach occurs that affects you, we will inform you and the Data Protection Board of India, and report to CERT-In where required, in the manner and time prescribed by law.

12. Children

Our Services are meant for adults. Under the DPDP Act, a child is anyone under 18. If you are under 18, please use the Services and place orders only with the involvement and consent of a parent or lawful guardian. We do not knowingly collect personal data of children without verifiable parental consent, and we do not track children or target advertising at them. If you believe a child has given us data without consent, contact us and we will delete it.

13. Links to other websites

Our Services may link to third-party websites, such as courier tracking pages, manufacturer datasheets or YouTube videos. We are not responsible for their privacy practices, so please read their policies before sharing information with them.

14. Grievance Officer

In accordance with the IT Act, 2000, the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 and the DPDP Act, 2023, our Grievance Officer is:

  • Name: Manas Joshi
  • Email: ihcbbsr@gmail.com
  • Phone: +91 77498 50441
  • Address: The Hobby Shop, Plot No. 2296, Naibedya Complex, Jayadev Vihar Square, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751013
  • Hours: Monday to Saturday, 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM IST

We will acknowledge your complaint within 48 hours and resolve it within one month of receiving it. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may file a complaint with the Data Protection Board of India once it is accepting complaints under the DPDP Act.

15. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when our practices or the law change. The latest version will always be on this page with its effective date. If a change is significant, we will tell you by email or a notice on the website before it takes effect.

16. Contact us

Questions about this policy or your data: email info@indianhobbycenter.com, WhatsApp / call +91 77498 50441, or write to us at the address in Section 1.