SECTION – 14 – MUST-KNOW SELLING POLICIES

We enables you to reach millions of customers. We strive to ensure a fair and trustworthy buyer and seller experience. At Aaksha.in, we expect you to adhere to the code of conduct principles outlined below. Violation of the code of conduct principles may result in the loss of your selling privileges and removal from Marketplace.

Code of Conduct Principles

Adhere to the following code of conduct principles while selling on Aaksha.in:

• Adhere to all applicable laws and abide by all policies.
• Maintain current account information.
• Never misrepresent yourself.
• Always act in a manner that ensures a trustworthy experience for customers.
• Never list products that may cause harm to customers.
• Never engage in any misleading, inappropriate or offensive behaviour. This applies to all your activities, including but not limited to:
  • Information provided on your account
  • Information provided in listings, content or images
  • Communication between you and us or you and our customers
• Act fairly at all times. Unfair behaviour includes but is not limited to the following:
  • Behaviour that could be deemed as manipulation or gaming of any part of the buying or selling experience.
  • Actions that could be perceived as manipulating customer reviews, by directly or indirectly contributing false, misleading or inauthentic content.
  • Activities that could be perceived as attempting to manipulate Aaksha’s search results or sales rankings.
  • Actions that intentionally damage another seller, their listings or their ratings.

In addition to the above code of conduct principles, all sellers must adhere to the below policies while selling on Aaksha.in:

Policy 1: Unauthorized & improper entry of ‘Business Name’- Do’s & Don’ts

• The ‘Business Name’ entered at the time of registration should accurately reflect the identity of the seller.
• Seller should have the rights to use the said ‘Business Name.’ It should NOT include any trademark, or otherwise infringe on, any trademark or other intellectual property right of any person.
• DO NOT use a ‘Business Name’ that misleads any party (Aaksha or buyer). It should NOT contain an email suffix such as .in, .com, .net, .biz and so on.

Policy 2: Opening of seller accounts- Do’s & Don’ts

• Operating and maintaining multiple seller accounts is prohibited.
• If you have a legitimate business need for a second selling account, you can apply for an exception to this policy.

In your request, provide an explanation of the legitimate business need for a second account. note that in order to be considered for approval, you must:

• Have a separate email address and bank account for the new account.
• Not intend to sell the same products in both accounts.

Policy 3: Listing-Do’s & Don’ts

• Products offered for sale on Aaksha.in must be authentic. DO NOT add any product that has been illegally replicated, reproduced or manufactured (counterfeits).
• DO NOT create a product detail page for a product that is already on the catalogue.
• When listing items for sale using an existing product detail page, it is MANDATORY to ensure that the product being offered accurately describes the one on the product details page in all respects, including aspects such as manufacturer, edition, binding, version, format or player compatibility.
• DO NOT make claims regarding a product’s best seller rank in the product detail page information, including the title and description.

Policy 4: Post Sale-Do’s & Don’ts

• It is prohibited to increase the selling price of an item after a transaction has been completed. Additionally, sellers cannot set excessive order fulfilment and shipping costs.
• For Shipping, we recommend the use of Aaksha branded packaging material. DO NOT use packaging material, which contains branding of any other online marketplace or e-commerce company. Do not re-use printed packaging material.
• NEVER submit abusive or inappropriate feedback entries, coerce or threaten buyers into submitting feedback, submit transaction feedback regarding themselves, or include personal information about a transaction partner within a feedback entry. Furthermore, any attempt to manipulate ratings, feedback, or product reviews is prohibited.
• NEVER attempt to circumvent the established sales process or to divert users to another website or sales process. Specifically, any advertisements, marketing messages (special offers) or “calls to action” that lead, prompt or encourage users to leave the website are prohibited.
• DO NOT solicit or knowingly accept fake or fraudulent orders, including placing orders for your own products. You may not provide compensation to buyers for purchasing your products or provide claim codes to buyers for the purpose of inflating sales rank.

 

Policy 5: Handling Customer Information & Communication-Do’s & Don’ts

• ALWAYS be courteous, relevant, and appropriate in all buyer communications. Unsolicited email communications with users, email communications other than as necessary for order fulfilment and related customer service, and emails containing marketing communications of any kind (including within otherwise permitted communications) are prohibited.
• We provides sellers (who fulfil their own orders) access to customer phone numbers so that they can comply with carrier label requirements. If you receive this customer information, you are required to adhere to customer personal information policy, which can be found in our Seller Agreement.
• Buyers and sellers may communicate with one another via the Buyer-Seller Messaging Service. During such conversations, DO NOT provide or solicit direct, non-Aaksha-generated email addresses on the website or in correspondence through the Buyer-Seller Messaging Service.

 

SECTION – 15 – PROHIBITED SELLER ACTIVITIES AND ACTIONS

Seller Rules are established to maintain a selling service that is safe for buyers and fair for sellers. Failure to comply with the terms of the Seller Rules can result in cancellation of listings, suspension or the removal of selling privileges.

Note:  Seller Rules are in addition to, and in no way limit, other seller obligations pursuant to contract or otherwise.

General guidelines

Attempts to divert transactions or buyers:

Any attempt to circumvent the established sales process or to divert users to another website or sales process is prohibited. Specifically, any advertisements, marketing messages (special offers) or “calls to action” that lead, prompt or encourage users to leave the website are prohibited. Prohibited activities include the following:

• The use of email intended to divert customers away from the sales process.
• The inclusion of hyperlinks, URLs or web addresses within any seller generated confirmation email messages or any product/listing description fields that are intended to divert customers away from the sales process.

Unauthorised and improper business names:

Your business name (identifying your business entity on site) must be a name that: accurately identifies you; is not misleading; and that you have the right to use (that is, the name cannot include the trademark of, or otherwise infringe on, any trademark or other intellectual property right of any person). Furthermore, you can’t use a business name that contains an email suffix such as .com, .net, .biz and so on.

Unauthorised and improper invoicing:

Sellers must ensure that the tax invoice is raised in the name of the end customer who has placed an order with them through the marketplace. The tax invoice should not mention Aaksha as either a seller or a customer or buyer. Please note that all products listed are sold by the respective sellers to the end customers and We neither a buyer nor a seller in the transaction. Sellers need to include the VAT/CST registration number of the shipping state in the invoice. Sellers who do not have a VAT/CST registration number and are dealing exclusively in exempted goods like Books or Fabrics/Textiles (unstitched) are exempted from including VAT and CST registration numbers in their invoice.

Inappropriate email communications:

All seller email communications with buyers must be courteous, relevant and appropriate. Unsolicited email communications with users, email communications other than as necessary for order fulfilment and related customer service and emails containing marketing communications of any kind (including within otherwise permitted communications) are prohibited.

Appropriate treatment of customer phone numbers:

We provides Professional sellers who fulfil their own orders access to customer phone numbers so that they can comply with carrier label requirements. If you receive this customer information, you are required to adhere to customer personal information policy, which can be found in our Seller Agreement.

Please review the policy there and the guidance below to make sure that you are using customers’ phone numbers correctly.

• Proper treatment of customer phone numbers:
  • Print on labels to comply with carrier requirements.
  • Dispose of any customer phone number data that you retain after you have processed the customers’ orders.
  • Monitor who in your organisation has access to customer phone numbers—protecting this data is your responsibility.

• Improper treatment of customer phone numbers:
  • Never contact a customer using their phone number. To contact a customer about their order, only use Buyer-Seller Messaging Chat Box
  • Never share customer phone information with an external party.
  • Never pass along customer information of any kind, including phone numbers, outside of Buyer-Seller Messaging.

Direct email addresses:

Sellers are prohibited from providing or soliciting direct, non-Aaksha-generated email addresses on the website or in correspondence through the Buyer-Seller Messaging Service.

Filing Infringement Notices as an Agent or Brand Protection Agency

We understands that many brands may choose to have brand protection agencies or agents report intellectual property infringement on their behalf, and accepts submissions from authorised agents. However, We does not permit individuals with active selling accounts to file infringement notices as an agent of a brand when the filing of those notices could benefit their own selling account (through removing competing listings, for example). Any person filing notices as an agent that benefit their own status as a seller may have their selling account terminated.

Misuse of the selling service:

All sellers are able to access and use the selling service. If a seller uploads excessive amounts of data repeatedly, or otherwise uses the service in an excessive or unreasonable way, it can create a disproportional load and impair the ability of other sellers to easily access and use the service. If a seller is misusing or making excessive or unreasonable use of the selling service, We may, in its sole discretion, restrict or block the seller’s access to product feeds or any other functions that are being misused until you no longer misuse them.

Misuse of ratings, feedback or reviews:

Sellers cannot submit abusive or inappropriate feedback entries, coerce or threaten buyers into submitting feedback, submit transaction feedback regarding themselves or include personal information about a transaction partner within a feedback entry. Furthermore, any attempt to manipulate ratings of any seller is prohibited. Any attempt to manipulate ratings, feedback or product reviews is prohibited.

• Ratings and feedback: The rating and feedback features allow buyers to evaluate the overall performance of a seller, helping sellers to develop a reputation within the Marketplace. You may not post abusive or inappropriate feedback or include personal information about a transaction partner. Please note that this also includes posting ratings or feedback to your own account. You may request feedback from the buyer. However, you may not pay or offer any incentive to the buyer for either providing or removing the feedback.
• Product reviews: Reviews are important to the Marketplace, providing a forum for feedback about product and service details, and reviewers’ experiences with products and services – positive or negative. You may not write reviews for products or services that you have a financial interest in, including reviews for products or services that you or your competitors sell. Additionally, you may not provide compensation (including free or discounted products) for a review. Review solicitations that ask for only positive reviews or that offer compensation are prohibited. You may not ask buyers to modify or remove reviews.

Misuse of sales rank:

The best seller rank feature allows buyers to evaluate the popularity of a product. Any attempt to manipulate sales rank is prohibited. You may not solicit or knowingly accept fake or fraudulent orders, including placing orders for your own products. You may not provide compensation to buyers for purchasing your products or provide claim codes to buyers for the purpose of inflating sales rank. In addition, you may not make claims regarding a product’s best seller rank in the product detail page information, including the title and description.

Post-transaction price manipulation and excessive shipping fees:

Any attempt to increase the selling price of an item after a transaction has been completed is prohibited. Additionally, sellers cannot set excessive order fulfilment and shipping costs. Although we allow shipping charges to be flexible, below are the shipping charge limits for different categories:

• Shipping charges can’t exceed the selling price of an item
• Category wise shipping charge limit is as below.

Category	Shipping charge limit (INR)
Watch	80
Music, DVD, Software, Jewellery	100
Beauty, HPC, Grocery, CE/PC (except oversize and bulky items like TVs, projectors, printers/scanners, monitors, desktops, etc.)	150
Apparel	Smallest of INR 150 and 20% of item selling price
Books (price <= INR 1000)	200
Books (price > INR 1000)	300
Shoes	Smallest of INR 230 and 20% of item selling price
PCA, Home & Kitchen	300
Baby, Category Luggage, Toys, Sports, Office Products, Pets, Video Games	400
CE/PC oversize and bulky items like TVs, projectors, printers/scanners, monitors, desktops, etc.	400

 

All the items can have shipping charges up to INR 120 for apparel and up to INR 80 for other categories irrespective of item selling price.

Accurate descriptions of product information:

When listing items for sale using an existing product detail page, the product being offered must be listed on a product detail page that accurately describes the product in all respects, including with respect to the following attributes: manufacturer, edition, binding, version, format or player compatibility. Sellers may not match their item to a detail page with a different UPC/EAN or other external identifier. * Exception: Club editions of audio CDs should be listed against the detail page for the standard edition of the CD, even if the UPCs of the two editions are different, if the following criteria are met: 1) the content on both editions is identical and 2) a page with the UPC for the club edition does not already exist in our catalogue. Use the listing comments to indicate that the item is a club edition. Format of the products (CD) must be identical.

Misuse of Search and Browse:

When customers use search engine and browse structure, they expect to see relevant and accurate results. Any attempt to manipulate the Search and Browse experience is therefore prohibited. Prohibited behaviours include, but are not limited to:

• Artificially simulating customer traffic (through Internet bots, paying for clicks on organic search results etc.).
• Providing misleading or irrelevant catalogue information (title, bullet points, description, variations, keywords etc.).
• Adding product identifiers (brand names, product names, ASINs and so on), even if they are your own, to hidden keyword attributes.

Branded packaging materials

Do not use packaging material which contains branding of any other online marketplace or e-commerce company. Do not re-use printed packaging material. You can use packaging material with your own brand.

Creating duplicate product detail pages:

Creating a product detail page for a product already in the catalogue is prohibited.

Creating separate listings:

Sellers may not create separate listings for identical copies of the same item. Individually listing the same item several times is confusing for buyers and frustrating for other sellers. Sellers must use the quantity field to offer multiple copies of the same item, and only list separately if offering the same item in different conditions.

Pre-sells of BMVD Products:

Sellers should not list or match against Books, Music, Video or DVD products that we designates as pre-orderable. It is also important to maintain accurate inventory records, as instances of “stock-outs” could be reflected in your seller feedback rating. If an item you are offering will not be available for immediate shipping upon order, either cancel the order or alert the buyer, and initiate a refund if necessary. We will immediately cancel any seller listing for Books, Music, Video or DVD items that we designates as pre-orderable.

                          

SECTION – 16 – SELLER SMS TEXT MESSAGE SERVICE TERMS

If you provide your mobile number to us, we may send you SMS messages related to your selling account.

The entity or person (you) who is using the SMS Text Message Service (the Service) assumes the financial responsibilities of the mobile phone account through which the Service is being accessed. We are not responsible for entities or individuals claiming that they did not authorise the use of their mobile phone for the Service.

Your mobile carrier’s standard messaging and data rates may apply to the text messages we send to you and the text messages you send to us. We does not charge you for receiving or sending text messages through the Service. We has no responsibility or liability in respect of any messaging fees, data charges or other charges charged by your mobile carrier for your use of the Service or for any other loss or damage which may be caused by your use of the Service.

We are not liable for any delays or failures in the receipt of any text messages sent to or from you in connection with the Service. Delivery depends on effective transmission by your mobile carrier. We provide the Service on an “as is” basis, without any representations or warranties, expressed or implied. Please continue to use Store Manager Dashboard as the primary means of managing your orders and seller account.

We can amend any of these Service Terms at any time and at our sole discretion. Any changes will be effective once posted on Store Manager Dashboard, and you are responsible for reviewing this location to stay up to date on all applicable changes.

 

SECTION – 17 – PROHIBITED CONTENT

Sellers are expected to conduct proper research to ensure that the items posted to our website are in compliance with all applicable laws. If we determine that the content of a product detail page or listing is prohibited, potentially illegal, or inappropriate, we may remove or alter it without prior notice. We reserves the right to make judgments about whether or not content is appropriate.

Any product listed in the Excluded Products list in the Seller Participation Agreement is prohibited for sale on the Aaksha.in site. Additionally, sellers are prohibited from listing the following products on Aaksha.in: Cell Phones including Service, Magazines and Newspapers, Tobacco and Alcohol, Adult Toys, Gift Cards and Gift Certificates, Prescription Medication, Guns and Ammunition, Photo Processing.

Counterfeit merchandise: Products offered for sale on Aaksha.in must be authentic. Any product that has been illegally replicated, reproduced or manufactured is prohibited.

The following list of prohibited products comprises two sections:

Prohibited Content and

Intellectual Property Violations

Listing prohibited content may result in the cancellation of your listings, or the suspension or removal of your selling privileges. Sellers are responsible for ensuring that the products they offer are legal and authorised for sale or re-sale.

If we determine that the content of a product detail page or listing is prohibited, potentially illegal, or inappropriate, we may remove or alter it without prior notice. We reserves the right to make judgments about whether or not content is appropriate.

Prohibited Content

• Items not intended for distribution within India: Products that are specifically manufactured for, and identified as “not for distribution within India” cannot be sold on Aaksha.in. This includes the following; imported text books, non-Region 5 DVDs, and non-PAL format videotapes.
• Illegal and potentially illegal products: Products sold on Aaksha.in must adhere to all applicable laws. As sellers are legally liable for their actions and transactions, they must know the legal parameters surrounding any product they display on our website.
• Offensive material: We reserves the right to determine the appropriateness of listings posted to our website.
• Nudity: In general, images that portray nudity in a gratuitous or graphic manner are prohibited.
• Items that infringe upon an individual’s privacy. We holds personal privacy in the highest regard. Therefore, items that infringe upon, or have potential to infringe upon, an individual’s privacy are prohibited.

Intellectual Property Violations

• Counterfeit merchandise: Products displayed on our website must be authentic. Any product that has been illegally replicated, reproduced or manufactured is prohibited.
• Unauthorized and unlicensed merchandise: All items displayed on our Site must be commercially produced and authorized or licensed for sale as a retail product.
• Recopied media: Media products (books, movies, CDs, television programmes, software titles, videogames, and so on) that have been recopied, dubbed, duplicated, or transferred without permission of the rights holder are illegal to sell and are prohibited. This includes:
  • Books – Unauthorised copies of books are prohibited.
  • Music – Bootlegs, unauthorised live concerts, unauthorised soundboard recordings, unauthorised merchandise, etc., are prohibited.
  • Movies – Unauthorised copies of movies in any format are prohibited. Unreleased/prereleased movies, screeners, trailers, unpublished and unauthorized film scripts (no ISBN number), electronic press kits, and unauthorised props are also prohibited.
  • Photos – Unauthorised copies of photos are prohibited.
  • Radio programs & Concerts – Unauthorised recordings or copies of recordings of radio programs are prohibited.
  • Software – Recopied or duplicated software in any format is prohibited. Academic, OEM, back-up, fulfillment, promotional, beta (prerelease), unauthorised freeware/shareware, and “softlifted” versions of software are prohibited.
  • Television programmes – Unauthorised copies of television programmes (including pay-per-view events), programmes never broadcast, unauthorised scripts, unauthorised props, and screeners are prohibited.
  • Video games – Video games displayed on our website must be full retail versions. Recopied and transferred video games are prohibited. Mod chips, silver disks, video game emulators, Sega bootdisks, game enhancers, unauthorized video game compilations, unauthorized bundles of video game products, and unauthorized accessories are also prohibited.
• Transferred media. Media transferred from one format to another is prohibited. This includes but is not limited to: films converted from NTSC to Pal and Pal to NTSC, laserdisc to video, television to video, CD-ROM to cassette tape, from the Internet to any digital format, etc.
• Promotional media: Promotional versions of media products, including books (advance reading copies and uncorrected proofs), music, and videos (screeners) are prohibited. These products are distributed for promotional consideration and generally are not authorized for retail distribution or sale.
• Rights of Publicity: Celebrity images and/or the use of celebrity names cannot be used for commercial purposes without permission of a celebrity or their management. This includes product endorsements and use of a celebrity’s likeness on merchandise such as posters, mouse pads, clocks, image collections in digital format, and so on.

Prohibited Products (Media)

The following media items must not be listed for sale through the Marketplace programme:

• Promotional media: promotional versions of all media–including books (advance reading copies and uncorrected proofs), music, software, PC & video games, DVDs and videos (screeners)–are prohibited. These items are distributed for promotional consideration and are not authorised for retail distribution or sale.
• Unauthorised and unlicensed merchandise: all media–including books, CDs, VHS tapes, DVDs, software and PC & video games sold through Marketplace program–must be fully licensed and authorised versions. All items sold through the Marketplace program must be commercially produced and authorised or licensed as a retail product. Only full retail versions of software may be sold through Aaksha.in.
• Software: software that has been copied or duplicated in any format is prohibited. Additionally, academic, OEM, back-up, fulfillment, promotional, beta (prerelease), unauthorised freeware/shareware and “softlifted” software versions are prohibited. The majority of software licence agreements permit the initial licensee of the software to make a one-time permanent transfer of the licence directly to an end user. Sometimes the licence requires the transfer to include all of the software product (including all component parts, the media and printed materials, any upgrades, the licence itself and, if applicable, the Certificate of Authenticity). You should refer to your software’s licence agreement to ensure that any software posted for sale is permitted to be transferred.
• Video games: video games sold must be full retail versions. Recopied and transferred video games are prohibited. Mod chips, silver disks, video game emulators, Sega bootdisks, game enhancers, unauthorised video game compilations, and accessories are also prohibited.
• Region 1 DVDs: new region 1 DVDs are [restricted products] and may not be sold unless you have received pre-approval for such sales generally from Aaksha.in.
• Recopied media: copies, dubs, duplicates or transfers of books, music, videos, television programmes, radio programmes, concerts, DVDs, software etc., are prohibited. Recopied media infringe upon copyrights and trademarks and are illegal to sell. Just as you cannot sell a photocopied book without the author’s permission, you cannot sell copies or duplicates of videos, music, video games, software, photos or any copyrighted material without the permission of the copyright holder. The following list of prohibited products comprises two sections: General Prohibited Content and Intellectual Property Prohibited Content Violations. Listing products from the Prohibited products list can result in cancellation of listings, suspension from use of Aaksha.in tools and reports, or permanent suspension of selling privileges. Sellers are responsible for ensuring that the products they offer are legal and authorized for sale or re-sale.
• Cigarette substitutes: Electronic cigarettes and other nicotine-based products that are not approved as aids to smoking cessation by the relevant authority or agency.
• Electronic Surveillance Equipment: Any electronic surveillance equipments are prohibited from sale.
• Batteries: Mercuric oxide button batteries (button-shaped batteries used in vintage camera equipment), alkaline-manganese batteries containing mercury, and zinc-carbon batteries containing mercury are prohibited from sale.
• Mod chips: Mod chips or similar devices used to facilitate the use of copied or imported games etc are prohibited.
• Lock breaking devices: All devices used for lock picking, jamming, code reading, etc. are prohibited from sale. Lock picking guns, cards bypass keys and tryout keys are prohibited.

 

SECTION – 18 – RECALLS AND PRODUCT SAFETY

We want to ensure that products offered are safe and there is no risk that they will cause death, personal injury, or damage to property. Listings of any products that are recalled by the manufacturer or a government agency are prohibited. We also reserve the right to consider recalls made by government agencies of other countries.

Customers trust that they can always buy with confidence on Aaksha.in. Products that you offer for sale must comply with your Seller Agreement, including all applicable policies, and all applicable laws and regulations. This could increase your chances of succeeding as a seller on Aaksha.in, as well as help you to avoid practices that could lead to blocked listings, or even prevent you from selling on Aaksha.in.

Products that require additional approvals

Our policies require that certain products sold on Aaksha.in meet specified certification standards. Please ensure that you read all of the requirements and guidance before applying to sell these products. To sell these products on Aaksha.in, apply according to the instructions listed on the product page..

As a seller on Aaksha.in, you acknowledge and agree to comply with all applicable laws and regulations, and with policies.

We provide this material for informational purposes only and it is not intended as legal advice in any manner whatsoever. We encourage you to consult with your legal counsel if you have questions about the laws and regulations concerning your products.

Consequences for Violations

Listing of products in violation of policies or violation of applicable laws and regulations may result in actions, such as:

• Cancellation of listing
• Limits on listing privileges
• Suspension of listing privileges
• Removal of your listing privileges
• Termination of your agreement and such other arrangement with Aaksha.in; or
• Informing the relevant governmental, legal and regulatory authorities for necessary action

We reserves the right to make judgments in its sole discretion about whether or not a listing is appropriate and whether the same is in contravention of policy.

Reporting

We encourages sellers to report product listings that violate policies or applicable laws at notice@aaksha.in. Include all relevant information, so we can conduct an investigation.

Examples of Prohibited Product Listings

The examples provided in these help pages are not all-inclusive, and are provided solely as an informational guide. In addition, any links provided are for informational purposes only, and we does not warrant the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information provided in these links.

Restricted Products

Examples of products that may be restricted are provided below.

• Animals & Animal Products
• Art – Home Décor
• Automotive and Powersports
• Car seats
• Cosmetics & Skin/Hair Care
• Dietary Supplements
• Paint Strippers

Product market withdrawals and recalls: overview

The following actions are in scope for product market withdrawals and recalls:

Product safety notification: Applicable for those incidents where no official withdrawal or recall has been initiated by the authorities or the manufacturer, but vendor is aware about a safety instruction that is relevant for customers. For example, a manufacturer publishes an instruction on their website to inform all customers that a ‘reset’ is required to guarantee safe use of their product.

Stop sale: This implies that certain products are permanently not allowed to be offered for sale in a particular store. This can be driven by safety, compliance or legal reasons. A stop sale implies that the product will be removed from sale and might not be eligible for future reinstatement.

Market withdrawal: This consists out of removing products from sale when retaining the option to future reinstatement. Products are subjected to market withdrawal because of a non-safety incident or a not significant safety incident.

Product recall: This implies that the product is posing an inherent safety risk for consumers and should be recalled from end users.

Note: Please remember that it is mandatory to immediately provide us with a written notice of any of the above actions along with any information and supporting documentation that needs to be submitted to the relevant authorities and persons.

Notify us

Contact us via your regular point of contact to provide the required information.

Share information

In order for Aaksha.in to manage the product recall, safety notification, or withdrawal effectively, please provide the following:

• The type of “recall” to be performed: public or private, market withdrawal, safety notice, or recall from end user
• The description of the hazard or issue with referring to relevant regulation, such as “The product poses a risk of choking because it contains small parts that may be easily detached and can be swallowed by small children”.
• The original recall notification or any relevant documents from the manufacturer or vendor, letter from government, customer feedback, etc.
• The list of barcodes, EANs impacted
• Any relevant information to identify the products affected (any pictures, the brand name, model numbers, serial numbers, batch numbers, expiry dates)
• The name, address and the contact number of the manufacturer
• The year and month of manufacture of the product or batch affected and recall duration, such as the affected products and the batch numbers (114278, 119646) that have been on sale since September 30, 2012.
• The scope (country or Europe-wide)
• Whether incoming Purchase Orders (POs) are impacted
• The confirmation of the availability of the product’s technical file to be shared with authorities if requested
• Instructions of disposal and proof of product disposal if required according to relevant regulations or government request
• Regardless of the type of “recall” (whether it is public or private), the formal notification must contain at least the following information unless others are defined in the relevant regulation or by government request and must be made within the legal period granted by the relevant authority:
  • Brand, model, type or other distinguishing features that identifies the product
  • Photograph or pictorial representation of the product where possible
  • Actions or precautions to be taken
  • Clear and understandable description of the problem/defect/hazard/issue requiring action.
  • Name, address and other contact information of the manufacturer and distributor
  • The addresses of the storage locations of affected products with product quantities, contact names and telephone numbers of the locations
  • Recommended methods for avoiding hazard or effect or resolving problems
  • Address of the locations for product returns or repairs
• Provide us with the proof of formal notifications made in compliant with the relevant regulation and request of the relevant authority, such as the proof of formal notification on manufacturer’s website, on two national TV channels, and newspapers in Turkey. Also, provide the proof of all relevant documents having been transmitted to the relevant authority.
• In case of a recall from end users, the instructions for the consumer to follow, where possible a remedy for all affected customers, vendor or manufacturer contact details, such as telephone number and e-mail address to handle any consumer inquiries. For example, if you have used one of the products with a batch number indicated, then please do not use your equipment and contact our manufacturer on the phone number below for advice and information.
• The required documents are not always limited with the ones listed above. It may change according to the details of the “recall” and the practice of the relevant authority. Keep the relevant documents during required periods envisaged by the relevant legislation.

 

SECTION – 19 – CATEGORY, PRODUCT AND LISTING RESTRICTIONS

Certain products cannot be listed or sold on Aaksha.in. Some products may not be listed as a matter of compliance with legal or regulatory restrictions (for example, prescription drugs) or in accordance with policy (for example, crime scene photos). For detailed information, please see our Excluded Products list below.

Policies also prohibit specific types of product content. For guidelines on prohibited content and copyright violations, please see our Prohibited Content List below.

For some product categories, sellers may not create product listings without prior approval from Aaksha.in.

Excluded Products List

“Excluded Products” include products that are prohibited from being listed on the Site, such as the following:

• Alcohol
• Automotive and powersports
• Banned books, pamphlets, booklets, periodicals, films
• Used clothing and shoes
• Currency, coins and cash equivalents
• Postage meters and stamps
• Jewellery and precious gems, including loose gemstone products
• Gift cards (except retail gift cards for which authorisation from the RBI has been obtained), gift vouchers and other stored value instruments
• Cosmetics and skin or hair care products such as these
• All jammers, Cell phone / Mobile phone signal boosters, extenders, repeaters or amplifiers, Wi-Fi long distance signal boosters
• Electronics such as these
• Fine art such as these
• Gambling & lottery products
• Hazardous and dangerous items
• Offensive Products
• Plastic and thermocol products such as these
• Recalled products or products subject to a regulatory safety alert
• Stolen property & lock picking devices
• Surveillance equipment
• Products that are identified as acids and all preparations and admixtures of acids
• Food products with incorrect claims of USDA certification
• Food products and supplements such as these
• Products sold as or for the purpose of car seat belt alarm stoppers, car seat belt alarm cancellers, seat belt buckle alarm canceller
• Tobacco & Tobacco-Related Products, including cigars, cigarettes, tobacco or other products containing tobacco
• Fertilisers that fall under the scope of Nutrient Based (NBS) fertiliser
• Fireworks and other pyrotechnics
• Cylinder and cylinder liquified petroleum gas or LPG transfer nozzle, gas refill adapter with moveable rod inside tube, gas refill nozzle and LPG cylinder gas re-filler adapter nozzle
• Weapons
• Drugs and drug paraphernalia
• Sale of caffeine powder, bulk caffeine powder and pure caffeine powder. When a product is marketed as caffeine powder, but the concentration or purity of the caffeine cannot be determined, such items shall be prohibited. We allows the sale of supplements and related products that contain caffeine as an ingredient and also the sale of liquid or tablet caffeine products
• Hemp seeds and food products prepared from hemp seeds that do not comply with the FSSAI standards
• Human parts and burial artefacts, including products containing human growth hormone and elements of the human body, and medical implants
• Animals and animal products, including products made of or containing any or part of any plant or animal, for which the sale, storage, import or export is prohibited or regulated. For example, endangered species, elephant ivory, coral, sea turtle shells and most reptile skins
• Glue traps used for trapping birds or animals
• Distorted India map
• Washington Redskins merchandise
• Padded Crib Bumpers (PCBs) and similar accessories, including vertical crib slat covers and top rail covers
• Embargoed goods
• Products that are identified as “not for distribution within India”
• Products that infringe upon an individual’s privacy, such as display of marketing lists and personal information
• Real property or real estate
• Government documents, identification, birth certificates, passports and licences, or sale of any documents relating to mass transportation, rail, air and so on
• Government and transit uniforms, security uniforms, transport uniforms, commercial uniforms, IDs and licences, police and other security forces’ badges and uniforms
• Identification cards that look similar to identification cards issued by the Government of India, such as Aadhaar Cards, Driving licences, Passports, Vehicle Registration Cards, Voter ID Cards, PAN Cards, Ration Cards
• Domain names
• Products intended to be used to produce an illegal product or undertake an illegal activity
• Database lists of names, addresses, e-mail addresses, personal information and mailings lists of any kind
• Plants, such as the following:
  • Plants or seeds designated by the Indian government as “noxious”
  • Illegal plants or seeds
  • Restricted plants, such as the following:
    • Red Vanda (Botanical Name: Rananthera Imschootiana)
    • Blue Vanda (Botanical Name: Vanda Coerulea)
    • Pitcher plants (Botanical Name: Nepenthes Khasiana)
    • Kuth/Kushta (Botanical Name: Saussurea Costus/Saussurea Lappa)
    • Beddomes Cycad (Botanical Name: Cycas Beddomei)
    • Lady’s slipper orchids (Botanical Name: Paphiopedilum)
• Products with any pictorial representation or colourable imitation of the “Indian National Flag” printed on them that constitute gross disrespect to the Indian National Flag
• Products with pictorial representation or colourable imitation of emblem, seal, flag, insignia, coat-of arms, such as State emblem, insignias like Balidan Badge
• Products with the name or pictorial representation of eminent Indian personalities such as the following:
  • The Prime Minister of India
  • The President of India
  • Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (Nehru)
  • Mahatma Gandhi (Gandhi)
  • Shrimati Indira Gandhi
  • Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri (Lal Bahadur Shastri)
  • Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj
  • Rashtrapati Bhavan (Raj Bhavan)
• Products which are restricted from being listed and sold within certain regions in India, such as:
  • Sky lanterns (Gujarat)
  • Areca nuts (Maharashtra)
  • Drones (Delhi NCR & Srinagar)
  • Halal labelled/certified food products, drugs and cosmetics (Uttar Pradesh)
  • Bottled correcting fluids and bottled thinners (Chandigarh)
• Sex and sensuality products
• Products containing prohibited images of children and any other violent, offensive, obscene or sexual content that is unlawful
• DVDs other than region 2, region 0 or region All and Blu-ray discs other than region B or region free
• Products that cannot be lawfully shipped to or sold in India
• Any product that is subject to a product recall
• Products that infringe another party’s Intellectual Property Rights
• Any product that contains other ingredients that are prohibited, restricted or regulated under applicable law
• Any other types of products that, at our discretion, are not supported for sale through the Services (including any prohibited items listed in the “Policies and Agreements” section of Seller Central or your account respectively), provided that an Excluded Product will cease to be an Excluded Product when we inform you so

Restricted Products

Restricted Products may be listed and sold on Site only after fulfilment of certain compliance parameters. Examples of Restricted Product listings which may be sold subject to fulfilment of conditions are as follows:

• Homeopathic products
• Large furniture
• Medical devices and accessories
• Over The Counter drugs (OTC drugs)
• Sale of large appliances
• School Bundles
• Television sets
• Fertilisers
• Entertainment Collectibles
• Collectible coins and paper money
• Fine Art

The examples provided in these help pages are not all-inclusive and are provided solely as an informational guide. In addition, any links provided are for informational purposes only, and We does not warrant the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information provided in these links.

Consequences for Violations

Listing of products in violation of policies or violation of applicable laws and regulations may result in actions, such as:

• Cancellation of listing
• Limits on listing privileges
• Suspension of listing privileges
• Removal of your listing privileges
• Termination of your agreement and such other arrangement; or
• Informing the relevant governmental, legal and regulatory authorities for necessary action

We reserves the right to make judgments in its sole discretion about whether or not a listing is appropriate and whether the same is in contravention of  policy.

Prohibited Content

• Items not intended for distribution within India: Products that are specifically manufactured for, and identified as “not for distribution within India” cannot be sold on Aaksha.in. This includes the following; imported text books, non-Region 5 DVDs, and non-PAL format videotapes.
• Illegal and potentially illegal products: Products sold on Aaksha.in must adhere to all applicable laws. As sellers are legally liable for their actions and transactions, they must know the legal parameters surrounding any product they display on our website.
• Offensive material: We reserves the right to determine the appropriateness of listings posted to our website.
• Nudity: In general, images that portray nudity in a gratuitous or graphic manner are prohibited.
• Items that infringe upon an individual’s privacy. We holds personal privacy in the highest regard. Therefore, items that infringe upon, or have potential to infringe upon, an individual’s privacy are prohibited.

Intellectual Property Violations

• Counterfeit merchandise: Products displayed on our website must be authentic. Any product that has been illegally replicated, reproduced or manufactured is prohibited.
• Unauthorized and unlicensed merchandise: All items displayed on our Site must be commercially produced and authorized or licensed for sale as a retail product.
• Recopied media: Media products (books, movies, CDs, television programmes, software titles, videogames, and so on) that have been recopied, dubbed, duplicated, or transferred without permission of the rights holder are illegal to sell and are prohibited. This includes:
  • Books – Unauthorised copies of books are prohibited.
  • Music – Bootlegs, unauthorised live concerts, unauthorised soundboard recordings, unauthorised merchandise, etc., are prohibited.
  • Movies – Unauthorised copies of movies in any format are prohibited. Unreleased/prereleased movies, screeners, trailers, unpublished and unauthorized film scripts (no ISBN number), electronic press kits, and unauthorised props are also prohibited.
  • Photos – Unauthorised copies of photos are prohibited.
  • Radio programs & Concerts – Unauthorised recordings or copies of recordings of radio programs are prohibited.
  • Software – Recopied or duplicated software in any format is prohibited. Academic, OEM, back-up, fulfillment, promotional, beta (prerelease), unauthorised freeware/shareware, and “softlifted” versions of software are prohibited.
  • Television programmes – Unauthorised copies of television programmes (including pay-per-view events), programmes never broadcast, unauthorised scripts, unauthorised props, and screeners are prohibited.
  • Video games – Video games displayed on our website must be full retail versions. Recopied and transferred video games are prohibited. Mod chips, silver disks, video game emulators, Sega bootdisks, game enhancers, unauthorized video game compilations, unauthorized bundles of video game products, and unauthorized accessories are also prohibited.
• Transferred media. Media transferred from one format to another is prohibited. This includes but is not limited to: films converted from NTSC to Pal and Pal to NTSC, laserdisc to video, television to video, CD-ROM to cassette tape, from the Internet to any digital format, etc.
• Promotional media: Promotional versions of media products, including books (advance reading copies and uncorrected proofs), music, and videos (screeners) are prohibited. These products are distributed for promotional consideration and generally are not authorized for retail distribution or sale.
• Rights of Publicity: Celebrity images and/or the use of celebrity names cannot be used for commercial purposes without permission of a celebrity or their management. This includes product endorsements and use of a celebrity’s likeness on merchandise such as posters, mouse pads, clocks, image collections in digital format, and so on.

Prohibited Products (Media)

The following media items must not be listed for sale through the Aaksha.in Marketplace programme:

• Promotional media: promotional versions of all media–including books (advance reading copies and uncorrected proofs), music, software, PC & video games, DVDs and videos (screeners)–are prohibited. These items are distributed for promotional consideration and are not authorised for retail distribution or sale.
• Unauthorised and unlicensed merchandise: all media–including books, CDs, VHS tapes, DVDs, software and PC & video games sold through Marketplace program–must be fully licensed and authorised versions. All items sold through the Marketplace program must be commercially produced and authorised or licensed as a retail product. Only full retail versions of software may be sold through Aaksha.in.
• Software: software that has been copied or duplicated in any format is prohibited. Additionally, academic, OEM, back-up, fulfillment, promotional, beta (prerelease), unauthorised freeware/shareware and “softlifted” software versions are prohibited. The majority of software licence agreements permit the initial licensee of the software to make a one-time permanent transfer of the licence directly to an end user. Sometimes the licence requires the transfer to include all of the software product (including all component parts, the media and printed materials, any upgrades, the licence itself and, if applicable, the Certificate of Authenticity). You should refer to your software’s licence agreement to ensure that any software posted for sale is permitted to be transferred.
• Video games: video games sold through Aaksha.in must be full retail versions. Recopied and transferred video games are prohibited. Mod chips, silver disks, video game emulators, Sega bootdisks, game enhancers, unauthorised video game compilations, and accessories are also prohibited.
• Region 1 DVDs: new region 1 DVDs are [restricted products] and may not be sold unless you have received pre-approval for such sales generally from Aaksha.in.
• Recopied media: copies, dubs, duplicates or transfers of books, music, videos, television programmes, radio programmes, concerts, DVDs, software etc., are prohibited. Recopied media infringe upon copyrights and trademarks and are illegal to sell. Just as you cannot sell a photocopied book without the author’s permission, you cannot sell copies or duplicates of videos, music, video games, software, photos or any copyrighted material without the permission of the copyright holder. The following list of prohibited products comprises two sections: General Prohibited Content and Intellectual Property Prohibited Content Violations. Listing products from the Prohibited products list can result in cancellation of listings, suspension from use of Aaksha.in tools and reports, or permanent suspension of selling privileges. Sellers are responsible for ensuring that the products they offer are legal and authorized for sale or re-sale.
• Cigarette substitutes: Electronic cigarettes and other nicotine-based products that are not approved as aids to smoking cessation by the relevant authority or agency.
• Electronic Surveillance Equipment: Any electronic surveillance equipments are prohibited from sale.
• Batteries: Mercuric oxide button batteries (button-shaped batteries used in vintage camera equipment), alkaline-manganese batteries containing mercury, and zinc-carbon batteries containing mercury are prohibited from sale.
• Mod chips: Mod chips or similar devices used to facilitate the use of copied or imported games etc are prohibited.
• Lock breaking devices: All devices used for lock picking, jamming, code reading, etc. are prohibited from sale. Lock picking guns, cards bypass keys and tryout keys are prohibited.

 

SECTION – 20 – PRODUCT LISTING APPROVAL PROCESS

Grocery & gourmet foods

For certain high sensitive categories like food, UASPL has a high bar for sellers to list products on Aaksha.in. In order to ensure that our customers are able to buy food products with confidence on Aaksha.in, we have implemented additional compliance checks for sellers. The requirements for selling in the Grocery & Gourmet Food category reflect customer concerns about product quality, product branding and consumer safety.

Sellers must meet the requirements listed below to sell products in the Grocery & Gourmet Food category. In order to sell Grocery & Gourmet Food, you must submit the following:

Mandatory requirements: All the requirements/documents listed in serial no. 1 to serial no. 5 are mandatory for every food product/product type.

1. FSSAI Licence, in compliance with below requirements:
   • FSSAI Licence should be in your name or your company name.
   • FSSAI Licence should be valid for more than 2 months at the time of requesting approval.
   • The ‘scope’ of the licence should include all food products or food product categories that you intend to list on Aaksha.in. In case of “Proprietary Foods”, the term ‘Proprietary Food’ should be specified against the food product category/sub-category.
2. Display your FSSAI Licence Number on your storefront.
   • As per FSSAI regulations it is mandatory for a seller to display FSSAI Licence number on an e-commerce store.
3. List of products that you are applying to sell, their shelf life, storage temperature, if products are organic, fortified, vegan, Ayurveda aahara.
4. Food Declaration as per template.
5. All side images of the products in accordance to the guidelines mentioned in Imaging Guideline for Food ASINs help page and FSSAI requirements. The listing shall be in accordance to the grocery style guide
6. Valid Purchase Invoice [Resellers only].

Additional requirements: Refer to the below table to understand additional document requirements for certain food products/product type.

S.No	Product/Product type	Additional listing requirements
1.	Imported Products	All side images of the product or its packaging clearly displaying all the text.
2.	Organic Food Product	‘National Programme for Organic Production’ (Organic Food Product NPOP) certificate or Participatory Guarantee System for India (PGS-India). In case of imported products, a certificate by an approved organic certification body of that country/region.
3.	Vegan Food	“FSSAI vegan approval certificate” which includes the products to be listed. “Vegan logo” is present on the product images for all the individual products which fall under vegan products. In cases of vegan imported products, a “vegan approval certificate” from the recognised authorities of the exporting countries in the format as specified by the authority.
4.	Fortified Foods	Every package of fortified food should include the words “fortified with (name of the fortificant)” and the logo on the product label. It should also carry the tagline: “Sampoorna Poshan Swasth Jeevan” under the logo. Every package of food, fortified with iron, should include the statement: “People with Thalassemia may take under medical supervision”.
5.	Ayurvedic Aahara	All side images of the products required with the following: The words “AYURVEDA AAHARA” printed in the immediate proximity of the name or brand name of the product; and the logo on the front of the pack of the label. A prominent, advisory warning: ‘ONLY FOR DIETARY USE’. A statement that the Ayurveda Aahara is not to be used as a substitute for a varied diet. A warning or any other precautions to be taken while consuming, known side effects, if any, contraindications, and published product or drug interactions, as applicable. A statement that the product should be stored out of reach of children. A warning that the product is for oral consumption only and not for parenteral use.
6.	Chocolates	Declaration on your letterhead that you will ship chocolates using gel packs, so that chocolates do not melt during transit.
7.	Condensed Milk	Valid BIS Certificate–IS 1165
8.	Standard Grade Skimmed Milk Powder	Valid BIS Certificate–IS 13334 (Part 1)
9.	Extra Grade Skimmed Milk Powder	Valid BIS Certificate–IS 13334 (Part 2)
10.	Packaged Drinking Water	Valid BIS Certificate–IS 14543
11.	Packaged Natural Mineral Water	Valid BIS Certificate–IS 13428
12.	1Temperature Sensitive Food Products	Invitation Basis only [refer to footnote 1]
13.	2 Dry Fruits (Almonds, Cashews, Raisins, Figs, Walnuts, Dates, Pistachio, Pine nuts)	Lab test to be carried out in a NABL accredited laboratory notified by FSSAI with valid scope of Biological and Chemical testing (For lab list, refer to the Order Notice issued by FSSAI or go to FSSAI.
		As per FSSAI Food Safety Standards (Food product standards and Food Additives) Regulations (Appendix B), and Food Safety Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, the following tests are required for Dry Fruits from FSSAI notified NABL accredited laboratory. (Refer to footnote 2 for lab test parameters)
14.	Product Shelf life For MFN sellers	As per FSSAI regulations Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulation, 2011, the minimum remaining shelf life of any product sold through E-commerce should be at least 30% or more when a customer receives the product. This is to ensure that customers receive fresh products and not expired or near expiry products.
15.	Fresh fruits and vegetables1	Invitation basis only (refer to footnote 1).
16.	Dietary supplement	Central FSSAI licence requirement
17.	Fresh eggs	Invitation basis only (refer to footnote 1).

 

The compliances listed above are merely indicative, and are subject to modifications, amendments, deletion as may be notified by the relevant authority, from time to time. The seller remains fully liable to ensure that the food products offered for sale on www.aaksha.in are at all times compliant with all applicable laws and regulations.

¹Temperature sensitive food products, fresh eggs, and fresh fruits and vegetables

Listing and sale of “Temperature sensitive food products”, “Fresh eggs” and “Fresh fruits and vegetables” are through an invite-only model at this point. Invited sellers are allowed to list “Temperature sensitive food products” only after physical verification of necessary licences, documents or QC processes in accordance with the following guidance:

• Schedule 4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Business) Regulations, 2011
• Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulation, 2011
• FSSAI guidance note on artificial ripening of fruits, February 10, 2020

This involves an intensive process.

²Dry Fruits Lab Test Parameters

FOOD SAFETY AND STANDARDS (CONTAMINANTS, TOXINS AND RESIDUES) REGULATIONS, 2011

OR

Latest Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations

Next steps

If you are able to meet all of the requirements listed above, click the Request approval link below. By clicking on the link you are confirming that you have reviewed the requirements above and that you want to apply to sell in the Grocery & Gourmet Food category. We will contact you to request additional required information after you submit your request to sell.

If you need any help getting licences, testing and certifications, you can avail services from qualified third-party service providers for your product testing, product certification, inspection and audit requirements.

Request approval

Note: By applying to sell these products, you certify that all materials that you submit in conjunction with your application are true, authentic and accurate and you will adhere to the Grocery & Gourmet Food Listing Policy

We may remove your selling privileges for failure to meet the requirements.

Contact Selling Partner Support if you are unable to submit your application or need any additional details.

Grocery references

• Labelling of Pre-packaged Foodstuff GSO-9-2013

 

SECTION – 21 – ADVERTISEMENT PROCESS

 

WILL UPDATE SOON

 

SECTION – 22 – MARKETPLACE PRICING ERROR POLICY

 

Sellers are responsible for setting their own prices and play an important role in providing our customers with the largest selection, at competitive prices along with fast delivery.

To ensure that sellers do not face pricing errors and the same are removed from the marketplace, We regularly monitors the prices of items, including the shipping charges. We compares prices added by sellers with past selling prices and other prices available on the marketplace to filter and remove erroneous prices. If we finds seller pricing instances/practices that harm customer trust, we may remove the Buy Box, remove the offer, or in serious or repeated cases, suspend or terminate selling privileges of the seller.

Pricing practices of the seller that harm customer trust include, but are not limited to:

• Setting a reference price on a product or service that cannot be ordinarily commercially justified, and may mislead customers
• Setting a price on a product or service that is significantly higher than recent prices offered on Aaksha.in

Reiterating, while sellers are free to price their products as per their business strategy, to protect customer interests, we might remove egregious prices or restrict their visibility on the marketplace.

Sellers can reach out to Seller support to appeal against offer suppression and we will review the case. For feedback on policy, you can write to pricing-error-feedback@aaksha.in