Privacy Policy

HaatBazar is a peer-to-peer (C2C) second-hand marketplace operating in Nepal. We connect independent buyers and sellers of pre-owned goods through our online platform — HaatBazar is not a party to the sale itself. Our registered address is Lakeside-6, Baidam, Pokhara 33700, Nepal.

When we say "HaatBazar", "we", "us", or "our" in this policy, we mean the HaatBazar platform and its operators.

We collect the following categories of personal data:

• Account data — your full name, email address, phone number, and profile photo when you register.
• Listing data — for sellers: item photos, descriptions, price, category, city, and self-declared condition grade.
• Transaction data — records of reservation fees, boost fees, and vendor subscription payments you make to HaatBazar, including payment method used and timestamps. HaatBazar does not process or record the sale price paid between buyer and seller.
• Location data — your city, used to show nearby listings. We do not track your precise GPS location continuously.
• Device and usage data — browser type, operating system, IP address, pages visited, and time spent on the platform, collected via cookies and server logs.
• Communications — messages sent through our platform, including buyer-seller deal chats opened on reservation, and any correspondence with our support team.

We use your personal data to:

• Create and manage your account
• Process reservation, boost, and vendor fee payments
• Confirm your email and phone number for the Verified Seller badge
• Show you relevant listings based on your location and browsing history
• Send you transactional emails (reservation confirmations, reminders)
• Detect and prevent fraud, theft, and abuse
• Improve our platform through analytics
• Comply with applicable Nepali law

We will only send you marketing emails if you have explicitly opted in. You can opt out at any time from your account settings or by clicking "Unsubscribe" in any marketing email.

We process your data on the following legal grounds:

• Contract performance — to fulfil the service you have signed up for (buying, selling, account management).
• Legal obligation — identity verification and transaction records required under applicable Nepali law.
• Legitimate interests — fraud prevention, platform security, and improving our services.
• Consent — marketing communications and optional analytics.

We do not sell your personal data to third parties. We share data only with:

• Payment processors — eSewa and Khalti, to process payments. Their privacy policies govern data they collect.
• Cloud infrastructure providers — for hosting our platform and database. Data is stored on servers located in or accessible from Nepal.
• Email service providers — to send transactional and marketing emails on our behalf.
• Law enforcement — when required by a valid legal order or to prevent serious harm.

We use cookies and similar technologies to keep you logged in, remember your preferences, and understand how you use the platform. You can control cookie settings through your browser. Disabling cookies may affect some functionality.

Types of cookies we use:

• Essential cookies — required for login and security.
• Functional cookies — remember your preferences.
• Analytics cookies — help us understand usage patterns.

• Account data — retained for as long as your account is active, plus 2 years after deletion.
• Listing and fee transaction records — retained for 7 years as required by financial regulations.
• Deal chat messages — retained for 1 year after the reservation is closed, then securely deleted.
• Analytics data — aggregated and anonymised after 12 months.

You have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Correct inaccurate data
• Request deletion of your data (subject to legal retention requirements)
• Withdraw consent for marketing at any time
• Lodge a complaint with the relevant authority

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@haatbazar.com.np. We will respond within 14 business days.

HaatBazar is a peer-to-peer marketplace: the item and its sale price are never in our custody, so we cannot process a return or refund on the item itself. Any return, exchange, or refund of the item's sale price is a matter to be agreed directly between you and the other party — always inspect an item in person before paying the seller.

What HaatBazar does control is the reservation fee you pay us to hold an item:

• If a reservation expires unused (the seller never responds, or you cancel before meeting), the reservation fee is refunded to your original payment method within 3 business days.
• Once a reservation results in a completed sale, the reservation fee is non-refundable.
• Boost and vendor subscription fees are non-refundable once the boost period or subscription has started.

We implement industry-standard security measures including HTTPS encryption, hashed passwords, access controls, and regular security audits. No system is completely secure — if you believe your account has been compromised, contact us immediately at security@haatbazar.com.np.

We may update this policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you by email or by displaying a notice on the platform at least 14 days before the changes take effect. Continued use of the platform after that date constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

For any privacy-related questions or requests, reach us at: