Terms & Conditions

The Platform is operated by Dookan, a proprietorship registered under Udyam registration number UDYAM-KR-03-0537006, having its registered office at 11th Main Road, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India – 560068 (“Dookan”, “we”, “us”).

Dookan is an online marketplace that connects customers with independent local shops (“merchants”) and independent delivery partners. Dookan is an “intermediary” under Section 2(1)(w) of the Information Technology Act, 2000 and a “marketplace e-commerce entity” under the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020.

The merchant is the seller of the goods and is responsible for the quality, quantity, packaging, weights, measures, labelling, expiry, price and the licences needed to sell its products. Dookan is responsible for operating the Platform, for the duties the law places directly on marketplaces (seller information, grievance handling and avoiding unfair trade practices) and for its own delivery and service charges.

The Privacy Policy, Pricing & Payment Policy, Cancellation & Refund Policy, Shipping & Delivery Policy, Grievance Redressal Policy and — for shops and delivery partners — the Payment Terms for Shops & Delivery Partners form part of these Terms and are incorporated by reference.

If there is a conflict, the more specific policy prevails for its subject matter.

You must be 18 years or older and legally able to enter a contract to create an account and place orders.

You must give accurate information: name, mobile number, email, and a complete delivery address with a working phone number and a landmark.

You are responsible for keeping your login credentials and OTPs safe and for all activity under your account. Tell us immediately if you suspect unauthorised use.

One email address is linked to one account type: customer, merchant, delivery partner or administrator.

At signup and checkout we ask you to confirm that you accept these Terms and the Privacy Policy, and we record the date, time and version you accepted.

Placing an order is an offer to buy. The contract of sale is formed only when the merchant accepts and confirms your order.

If a merchant rejects your order, or does not respond within the time shown on the Platform, the order is cancelled automatically and any amount you paid is refunded as described in the Cancellation & Refund Policy.

Stock is held by local shops, so an item may become unavailable after you order. The item or order may then be cancelled and you will be refunded for it.

If a merchant offers a substitute we will show it to you where the Platform allows it. We will not substitute medicines, baby products or age-restricted items without your consent.

Delivery times shown are estimates and are not guaranteed.

Prices, MRP, pack sizes and product descriptions are set by merchants and may differ between shops. We do not charge above MRP for MRP-controlled products.

Loose or weighed items (vegetables, fruit, meat, fish, grains) may vary slightly from the ordered weight. You pay for the weight actually supplied, where the Platform supports it.

If a price or listing is clearly wrong, the merchant or Dookan may cancel the order and refund you in full.

Full details are in the Pricing & Payment Policy.

Prohibited items: alcohol, narcotics and psychotropic substances, weapons, explosives, counterfeit or stolen goods, wildlife products, and anything else that is illegal to sell or transport in India or in the state of delivery, may not be listed, ordered or delivered.

Tobacco, pan masala and nicotine products may be sold only where the law allows, only to persons aged 21 or above, and never within restricted distances of educational institutions. Delivery partners may ask for age proof and may refuse delivery.

Medicines and health products: prescription-only medicines are sold only by a merchant holding a valid drug licence, only against a valid prescription, and only where the law permits. Dookan does not give medical advice — consult a doctor or pharmacist before use.

Sexual wellness and adult-use products are available to customers aged 18 or above only, and are delivered in discreet packaging.

Food, meat, fish and dairy: merchants must hold a valid FSSAI licence or registration, follow food-safety and cold-chain rules, and show accurate expiry and veg/non-veg labelling. Products whose sale or transport is restricted under central or state law are not permitted on the Platform.

Jewellery and precious metals must comply with BIS hallmarking and applicable law, with a proper invoice showing purity and weight.

Electronics and appliances must be genuine, carry the manufacturer’s warranty where applicable and comply with BIS or other mandatory standards.

We may remove any listing, refuse any order and suspend any merchant that does not comply with this section.

Merchants must hold a valid trade licence from the competent local authority, shops-and-establishments registration where required, GST registration where required, FSSAI registration or licence for food, a drug licence for medicines, and any other licence needed for their products.

Merchants warrant that the documents they upload are genuine and valid, and must inform us within 7 days if any licence lapses or is cancelled.

Merchants must display accurate prices, stock, expiry dates and product information, and must issue a valid tax invoice where the law requires.

Dookan may verify documents by online checks (for example GSTIN and FSSAI look-ups) and may remove any merchant whose documents cannot be verified.

Delivery partners are independent contractors and are not employees, agents or partners of Dookan. They use their own vehicle and phone and choose when to accept deliveries.

Delivery partners must hold a valid ID and, for motor vehicles, a valid driving licence, registration and insurance. We verify identity before activation.

Dookan will provide any social-security or welfare contributions required for platform workers under applicable law, including the Code on Social Security, 2020, as and when notified and applicable.

We serve selected pincodes and areas, and only where a participating merchant and a delivery partner are available. Serviceability is shown at checkout. Being listed as serviceable does not guarantee delivery at every moment.

Service may be limited, delayed or suspended in an area because of floods, heavy rain, road blockages, bandhs, strikes, curfews, internet or mobile shutdowns, festivals, or shortage of delivery partners.

Many addresses rely on landmarks. You must give a landmark and a working phone number so the delivery partner can find you.

Orders cannot be placed for delivery when the customer is more than 12 km from the shop.

Delivery fees depend on distance from the shop, starting at ₹17 for nearby shops. Orders beyond 12 km are not accepted. The exact fee is shown at checkout before you pay.

For orders of ₹349 or more from a shop, up to 50% of that shop's delivery fee is discounted.

If you choose Cash on Delivery, please keep the exact amount ready. Delivery partners carry only limited change (up to ₹200).

If an order needs a delivery OTP, share it only in person at handover — never over phone or chat.

If you ask us to leave an order at your door, with a neighbour or at a security gate, risk of loss, theft or spoilage passes to you once it is left as requested.

Orders are for personal and household use. Buying for resale or hoarding is not allowed; such orders may be cancelled and the account suspended.

Delivered groceries, dairy, bakery, fresh produce, cut fruit and meat cannot be returned unless damaged, spoilt, expired or incorrect, and reported within 24 hours of delivery with a photo or video.

Opened personal hygiene, diapers, feminine care and OTC health items cannot be returned once delivered.

Abuse, threats, slurs or harassment of delivery partners or shop staff leads to a permanent ban and may be reported to the police.

Dookan will never call, email or message you asking for your UPI PIN, ATM PIN, CVV, net-banking password or OTP. Never share these with anyone.

You may post reviews, ratings and feedback. You must be honest, must have actually ordered the item, and must not post anything unlawful, defamatory, hateful, obscene or misleading.

You give Dookan a non-exclusive, free, worldwide licence to display and use your content on the Platform. You keep ownership of it.

We may moderate, remove or decline content that breaks these Terms. We do not pay for or edit reviews to favour any merchant.

You may not place fraudulent or prank orders; abuse, threaten or harass shop staff, delivery partners or our team; resell goods bought at customer prices; scrape, copy or reverse-engineer the Platform; use bots or automated tools; misuse offers, refunds or wallet credits; upload malware; or attempt to break Platform security.

We may suspend or close accounts that break these Terms or the law.

Dookan acts as an intermediary and follows the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. Users must not host, upload or share unlawful content.

We act on court orders, government directions and valid complaints, including removing content or listings, and respond through the Grievance Officer named in the Grievance Redressal Policy. Dookan’s safe-harbour protection under Section 79 of the IT Act applies to the extent permitted by law.

By using the Platform you agree that we may contact you by SMS, WhatsApp, email, phone call and app notifications about your orders, account and safety.

Promotional messages are optional: you can opt out in the app or by writing to us, and this does not affect order-related messages.

The Dookan name, logo, app, website, design and software belong to Dookan or its licensors. You may not copy, modify, distribute or use them without our written permission.

Merchants keep the rights to their own product images and names but give Dookan a licence to show them on the Platform.

You can close your account at any time by writing to support@dookan.live.

We may suspend or close an account for breach of these Terms, suspected fraud or legal reasons. Some records, such as invoices and transaction data, must be kept even after closure as required by law.

The Platform is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. We do not warrant uninterrupted or error-free service.

Goods are sold by merchants. Dookan does not manufacture the products and gives no warranty on them beyond what the law requires of a marketplace.

To the extent permitted by law, Dookan’s total liability for any order is limited to the value of that order, and Dookan is not liable for indirect, incidental or consequential losses.

Nothing in these Terms limits liability that cannot be excluded under Indian law, including your rights under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

You agree to indemnify Dookan, its team and its service providers against claims, losses and costs arising from your breach of these Terms, your misuse of the Platform, or your breach of any law.

Dookan is not liable for delay or failure caused by events beyond its reasonable control, including floods, landslides, earthquakes, storms, fire, epidemics, strikes, bandhs, curfews, riots, war, government restrictions, road or bridge closures, power failure, and internet, telecom or cloud-service outages.

We may update these Terms. We will show the new version on the Platform with a new “Last updated” date and, for material changes, notify you by app, SMS or email.

If you keep using the Platform after a change takes effect, you accept the new Terms. If you do not agree, please stop using the Platform and close your account.

Dookan is a local marketplace pilot with onboarding shops. Service areas, features, categories, charges and availability may change, pause or stop during the pilot.

We may send notices to you by email, SMS, WhatsApp or in-app message using the details on your account.

Legal notices to Dookan must be sent in writing to our registered office at 11th Main Road, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India – 560068 and by email to grievance@dookan.live.

These Terms are governed by the laws of India.

Subject to the paragraph below, the courts at Bengaluru, Karnataka have exclusive jurisdiction.

Nothing in these Terms limits your right as a consumer to file a complaint with the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission where you live or work, or with the State or National Commission as applicable, under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. You can also use the e-Daakhil portal or call the National Consumer Helpline on 1915.

Before starting proceedings, we encourage you to use our Grievance Redressal Policy and, where both sides agree, try mediation.

Severability: if any part of these Terms is held invalid, the rest continues to apply.

No waiver: if we do not enforce a right, it does not mean we give it up.

Assignment: we may transfer these Terms in a business restructure or sale. You may not transfer your account or rights.

Entire agreement: these Terms and the related policies are the whole agreement between you and Dookan about the Platform.

These Terms are written in English, and the English version governs. Summaries in other languages, where provided, are for convenience only.