1. Overview and Purpose

At Local For Vocal Startup, we respect your right to control your personal data, including your right to have your account and associated information permanently removed from our Platform. This Account Deletion Policy explains the process, timeline, and consequences of deleting your account — whether you are a buyer, seller, influencer, or delivery partner.

This policy is part of our broader commitment to data privacy under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA) 2023 of India, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and other applicable privacy regulations. It should be read alongside our Privacy Policy.

2. Who Can Request Account Deletion

Any verified account holder on the Local For Vocal Startup Platform may request deletion of their account. This includes:

• Consumer Accounts: Registered buyers with a verified email or phone number.
• Seller/Business Accounts: Merchants and business owners registered on our Seller Portal.
• Influencer/Creator Accounts: Members of our Creator and Affiliate Network.
• Delivery Partner Accounts: Registered delivery executives on our logistics platform.

Deletion requests must be submitted by the authenticated account owner. We are unable to process deletion requests from unauthorized third parties without a valid legal instrument (e.g., a court order or power of attorney in the case of deceased users).

3. How to Delete Your Account

There are two ways to request account deletion:

4. Pre-Deletion Checklist

Before requesting deletion, we recommend you complete the following steps to avoid disruption:

• Resolve Open Orders: Ensure all active purchases have been delivered and any pending returns or refunds are completed. Deletion requests submitted while orders are in transit will be queued until resolution.
• Withdraw Wallet Balance: Transfer any remaining balance in your Local For Vocal Wallet to your linked bank account. Wallet balances cannot be recovered post-deletion.
• Cancel Active Subscriptions: Cancel any premium seller plans or promotional subscriptions to avoid further billing cycles.
• Download Your Data: Use the "Request My Data" option in your Privacy Center to download an archive of your account history, orders, and profile information before deletion.
• Close Seller Listings (Sellers Only): Mark all product listings as inactive and resolve any pending seller payments or chargebacks.
• Settle Influencer Earnings (Creators Only): Ensure any outstanding commissions above the minimum payout threshold are disbursed before deletion.

5. What Happens After Deletion

Once you submit a confirmed deletion request, the following process occurs:

6. Data We Retain After Deletion

Even after account deletion, certain data must be retained by law. We retain only the minimum data necessary and store it in restricted, encrypted archives inaccessible for marketing or profiling purposes.

7. Special Considerations for Sellers

Seller accounts have additional obligations before deletion can be fully processed:

• Outstanding Payments: Any pending payouts owed to you will be processed and disbursed to your registered bank account before deletion is finalized. This may take up to 5–10 business days beyond your standard payment cycle.
• Buyer Protection: Your product listings, store page, and seller identity will be removed promptly. However, orders placed before the deletion date will continue to be fulfilled to protect buyer interests. You are legally obligated to complete these.
• GST Compliance: Your business identity, GSTIN records, and sales invoices are retained for the legally mandated period (7 years) even after account deletion, as required by Indian GST law.
• Negative Balance: If your account holds a negative balance (e.g., due to excess refunds or chargebacks), you must settle this before deletion can proceed. We will contact you with payment instructions.

8. Special Considerations for Influencers

• Pending Commission Payouts: Any earned but unpaid commissions above our minimum payout threshold (₹500) will be disbursed to your linked bank account before your account is closed. Amounts below the threshold may be forfeited upon deletion.
• Active Campaign Links: Your unique referral and affiliate tracking links will be deactivated immediately. Traffic or purchases through these links after deletion will not generate commissions and will not be attributed to you.
• Tax Form Retention: Tax declaration forms (e.g., Form 16A) and earning statements will be retained in our encrypted compliance archive for 7 years as required by the Income Tax Act.

9. Effect on Active Orders and Subscriptions

• Active Orders (As a Buyer): If you have orders in "Processing," "Shipped," or "Out for Delivery" status, your deletion request will be queued. Your account will not be deleted until these orders are either delivered, cancelled, or result in a resolved refund.
• Returns and Refunds: Any pending return requests or approved refunds will be processed to your original payment method before account closure. Refunds cannot be redirected post-deletion.
• Subscriptions: All active paid subscriptions or premium plans will be cancelled immediately upon deletion. No pro-rated refunds are issued for partially used subscription periods unless required by applicable consumer law.

10. Reactivation and Recovery

Account deletion is permanent and irreversible. Specifically:

• You will not be able to log back in, recover your purchase history, or restore your wishlist, reviews, or store settings after deletion is confirmed.
• Your username, store name, and email address will be released and may become available to new users in the future.
• If you wish to use the Platform again after deletion, you must create an entirely new account from scratch.

11. Deletion via Support Request

If you cannot access the self-service deletion option (e.g., due to forgotten credentials or a locked account), you may request deletion through our support team:

• Email your request to delete@localforvocalstartup.com with the subject line "Account Deletion Request."
• Include: your registered email address or phone number; a brief explanation of why you cannot access self-service deletion; and a scanned/photographed copy of a government-issued ID for identity verification.
• Our team will process your request within 7 business days and send a final confirmation email upon completion.

We do not accept deletion requests via social media, live chat, or anonymous channels for security reasons.

12. Contact Us

For questions or concerns related to account deletion, data erasure, or this policy, contact our Data Privacy Team: