Cancellation & Return Policy

1.1. This Master Policy ("Policy") outlines the ironclad transaction rules, protective frameworks, cancellation blocks, and verification protocols governing all transactions executed on the Cookiee mobile and electronic commerce platform ("Platform").

1.2. This Policy applies uniformly to all Buyers ("Users" or "You") purchasing Mobile Phones, Tablets, Laptops, Smart Devices, Accessories, and high-value electronic equipment (collectively, "Electronic Goods") from verified third-party Merchants ("Sellers"). By confirming a purchase on the Platform, You provide explicit, unambiguous consent to be bound by every clause and temporal milestone within this Policy.

1.3. Cashless Technologies India Private Limited ("Cookiee" or "Platform") operates strictly as an Electronic Commerce Operator and an independent "Intermediary" under Section 2(1)(w) and Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

1.4. The Buyer explicitly acknowledges that the legal contract for sale is executed directly and exclusively between the Buyer and the selling Merchant. Cookiee does not manufacture, stock, own, test, open, or take structural title or legal "Bailment" of the Electronic Goods.

1.5. This Policy is maintained in strict conformity with the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, and the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023.

2.1. Cancellation: Once an order for any Electronic Good is successfully placed, confirmed, or authorized by the User on the Platform, it cannot be modified, updated, or recalled.

2.2. Procurement Lock: The restriction on cancellation includes, but is not limited to, alterations to model variants, color choices, storage capacities, quantities, selected shipping addresses, or chosen payment instruments.

2.3. Structural Lockout: Immediately upon successful payment gateway authorization, the transaction payload is hardcoded into the platform's immutable ledger and programmatically synchronized with the Seller's inventory control systems. The User Interface dynamically disables all manual cancellation hooks. Platform support desks possess zero administrative authority to override an authorized order lock.

2.4. Unilateral Platform Cancellations: The Platform and the Seller retain the absolute right to cancel an order prior to delivery at their sole operational discretion if:

2.4.1. The listed item is subject to complete inventory unavailability or an unresolvable hardware procurement failure.

2.4.2. A technical system error displays an incorrect price configuration ("Manifest Error").

2.4.3. The transaction alerts systemic anti-fraud filters, indicating potential payment gateway abuse, identity theft, or profile manipulation.

2.5. Sole Liability for Platform Cancellations: In any event under Section 2.4, a full refund of the exact transaction amount collected shall be routed back to the original source payment instrument. This dynamic reversal represents the Platform’s maximum and sole liability.

3.1. General Rule of Non-Returnability: All Electronic Goods purchased on the Cookiee marketplace are non-returnable, non-exchangeable, and non-refundable. Returns requested on the grounds of buyer's remorse, user preference modification, aesthetic dissatisfaction, alternative market pricing discoveries, or manual order compilation errors are entirely barred. However, nothing in this Policy shall restrict or limit any statutory rights available to consumers under applicable law, including rights available under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

3.2. Exclusive Covered Situations: Recourse or dispute tracking under this Policy is restricted exclusively to the following two scenarios:

3.2.1. Verified Non-Delivery: The order tracking dataset does not confirm delivery to the designated shipping destination within five (5) business days past the maximum estimated courier arrival window, and the Seller cannot provide verified proof of courier delivery.

3.2.2. Verified Transit Damage: The Electronic Good is delivered in a physically fractured, broken, shattered, crushed, or materially leaked state upon immediate unboxing.

4.1. Outbound Serial Binding: To securely insulate the Platform from device substitution fraud, Sellers are contractually mandated to scan and digitally log the unique International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), integrated circuit card identifier (ICCID), or manufacturer Serial Number ("Unique Device Identifier") of the exact hardware allocation being packaged. This specific data point is bound to the order's metadata and invoice.

4.2. Inbound Verification Matching: If an exchange is provisionally approved for a Transit Damage claim, the product must undergo hardware scanning at the verification center. No refunds or replacements will be processed if:

4.2.1. The Unique Device Identifier on the exchanged unit or logic board fails to perfectly match the outbound identity recorded under Section 4.1.

4.2.2. The item shows signs of consumer hardware harvesting, component removal (including batteries, logic arrays, screens, or camera lenses), or substitution with third-party components.

5.1 To ensure a consistent and streamlined experience on the Platform, all sales finalized on the Platform are considered final. The Platform does not accommodate monetary refunds or general product returns. Instead, transactions are supported exclusively by an exchange-only framework in the event of verified physical issues with the delivered item.

5.2 A Buyer who receives an item that has sustained transit damage or exhibits a structural or functional defect may log into their account dashboard to submit a formal request for an exchange. This request must be filed within the specified exchange window of 7 (seven) days and should include a brief description of the physical or functional issue along with clear photographs of the product and its packaging.

5.3 Upon receiving an exchange request, the Platform will review the details provided. To ensure fairness for both Buyers and Sellers, the Platform will verify the trueness and physical validity of the claim. This verification process may involve reviewing delivery timelines, assessing the uploaded photographs of the damage or defect, or reaching out to the Buyer or Seller for quick clarifications.

5.4 The Platform is committed to resolving all issues in an objective, balanced, and friction-free manner. Following its assessment, the Platform will make the final decision regarding whether to approve the exchange request, offer a replacement, or take other appropriate corrective action based on the verified physical condition of the item. Both parties agree to respect and abide by the final evaluation made by the Platform.

Any Electronic Good or Mobile Phone that has been powered past the setup wizard, initialized, connected to a local Wi-Fi or cellular network, or bound/linked to a personal cloud profile (such as Apple ID, Google Account, Knox, or Windows Hello) is legally classified as "Deemed Accepted and Software-Activated" by the Buyer.

7.1. Functional Defect Classification: Internal electronic failures, software glitches, battery degradation issues, charging port anomalies, or hidden circuit defects discovered after an undamaged unboxing sequence do not constitute "Transit Damage."

7.2. Exclusion of Platform Product Liability: In accordance with the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, Cookiee functions primarily as an intermediary marketplace platform and does not independently manufacture Electronic Goods listed by third-party Sellers accordingly, Cookiee assumes zero operational product liability for inherent component behaviors or manufacturer performance.

7.3. Mandatory Warranty Invocations: The Buyer’s sole and absolute remedy for any functional or internal technical defect identified post-unboxing is to route the Electronic Good directly to the nearest Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Brand-Authorized Service Center (ASC) to invoke the manufacturer’s statutory warranty. Cookiee support channels will not process return freight or refunds for post-delivery internal technical issues.

8.1. Reporting Window: All claims under Section 3.2 must be formally logged within forty-eight (48) hours of the carrier-logged delivery timestamp. Requests submitted after this 48-hour window are staled and non-actionable. In exceptional circumstances involving latent transit damage, delayed inspection beyond the Buyer’s reasonable control, or courier-related delivery anomalies, the Platform may review delayed claims on a case-by-case basis.

8.2. Ingestion Inflow: Claims must be initiated through the user dashboard or directed to help@cookiee.com.

8.3. Dispute Evaluation: The Platform dispute desk will complete an initial review within two (2) business days.

9.1. Security Diligence: Buyers are completely responsible for protecting account login credentials. Cookiee disclaims liability for unauthorized checkout actions emerging from user negligence.

9.2. Prohibitions on Device Swapping: The deliberate submission of materially altered evidence, swapped hardware units, pre-opened boxes, altered photographs , or the return of dummy, brick, or swapped hardware units or knowingly submitting fraudulent claims constitutes an act of criminal fraud and cheating under the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act, 2000. Cookiee reserves the right to report suspected fraudulent conduct to relevant law enforcement authorities

9.3. Specialized Enforcement Loop: Cookiee's Anti-Fraud Intelligence Unit captures device metadata, network signatures, and account KYC data. Where fraudulent activity is reasonably suspected and/or identified, Cookiee may implement proportionate Platform-level risk mitigation measures e.g. freezing of all linked payment balances, permanently block the user profile, or reporting to competent law enforcement authorities in accordance with applicable law for further action in accordance with applicable law.

10.1. Platform Integration: This Policy is a core component of the Cookiee Terms of User Agreement and is made accessible across checkout paths, footer directories, and transaction confirmations.

10.2. Right to Update Policy: This Policy may be updated, amended, or dynamically modified by the Platform from time to time at its sole discretion to address emerging fraud patterns or incorporate technical asset tracking updates. Any such revisions will be communicated across the dashboard or via email notice and will become fully effective seven (7) days from the date of publication.

10.3. Buyer Review Obligation: Buyers are solely responsible for checking this Policy periodically, for any amendments. Executing a transaction post-amendment represents explicit and unconditional acceptance of the modified clauses.

10.4. Governing Law and Venue: This framework shall be scrutinized, governed, and interpreted strictly under the substantive laws of India. Any legal suits arising out of Platform transactions shall be restricted to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located at Mumbai, India.

11.1. In its statutory capacity as a Data Fiduciary under the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, Cookiee processes all personal details, device identifiers, and video assets collected under this framework solely for the explicit purpose of dispute evaluation.

11.2. Pursuant to the principles of Purpose Limitation and Storage Limitation under the DPDP Act, the Platform may retain limited transaction records, device identifiers, or audit logs for legally mandated compliance periods, fraud prevention purposes, dispute resolution, or regulatory obligations. All transaction-specific personal data points shall be securely erased, scrubbed, or completely anonymized on our core databases once the operational resolution and secondary statutory retention/audit tracking windows have fully closed.