Refund & Cancellation Policy

1.1 Before Expert Responds:

• Full Refund: Cancel within 30 minutes of booking for a 100% refund
• Processing Time: 5-7 business days to original payment method

1.2 After Expert Responds:

• No Refund: Once the expert has sent their first message, the consultation is considered delivered
• Quality Issues: If unsatisfied with the response quality, contact support within 24 hours for review

1.3 Expert No-Show:

• Automatic Refund: If expert doesn't respond within 24 hours, you'll receive a full refund automatically
• Platform Credit: Option to receive 110% platform credit instead of refund

2.1 Cancellation by User:

• 24+ Hours Before: 100% refund (minus $5 processing fee)
• 12-24 Hours Before: 50% refund
• Less than 12 Hours: No refund (expert has reserved time)
• Rescheduling: Free within 24 hours, $10 fee within 12 hours

2.2 Cancellation by Expert:

• Full Refund: 100% refund + $20 platform credit for inconvenience
• Rescheduling Priority: Priority rebooking at no extra cost

2.3 Technical Issues:

• Platform Issues: Full refund if our system fails
• User/Expert Connection: Partial refund based on call duration completed
• Grace Period: First 5 minutes are free to resolve technical issues

3.1 Before Expert Submits Answer:

• Full Refund: Cancel anytime before expert submits the recorded answer
• Instant Processing: Refund processed within 1 hour of cancellation

3.2 After Answer Submitted:

• Review Period: 48 hours to review and request refund if unsatisfied
• Quality Criteria: Refund granted if answer is off-topic, incomplete, or significantly below quality standards
• Partial Refund: 50% refund if answer is partially helpful but not fully satisfactory

3.3 Expert No-Delivery:

• Timeline: Experts must deliver within agreed timeframe (typically 24-72 hours)
• Automatic Refund: 100% refund + $50 platform credit if expert misses deadline

4.1 How to Request:

1. Go to "My Bookings" in your dashboard
2. Select the booking you want to cancel/refund
3. Click "Request Refund" and provide reason
4. Support team reviews within 24-48 hours

4.2 Processing Times:

• Platform Credit: Instant (available immediately)
• Original Payment Method: 5-10 business days
• Bank Transfers: 7-14 business days

4.3 Refund Methods:

• Same Payment Method: Default option
• Platform Credit: 110% of refund amount (10% bonus)
• Bank Transfer: Available for refunds over $100

5.1 Mediation:

• For disputed refunds, our support team acts as neutral mediator
• Both parties provide evidence (chat logs, call recordings, etc.)
• Decision made within 5 business days

5.2 Quality Review:

• Independent expert reviews the consultation quality
• Evaluation based on clarity, accuracy, relevance, professionalism
• Final decision binding on both parties

5.3 Appeal Process:

• Submit appeal within 7 days of decision
• Provide additional evidence or context
• Senior support manager reviews appeal

The following are NOT refundable:

• Platform Fees: Booking and processing fees ($5-10 per transaction)
• Completed Services: Consultations that were fully delivered as promised
• Late Cancellations: Video calls cancelled less than 12 hours before scheduled time
• User No-Show: If you miss your scheduled consultation without cancelling
• Promotional Credits: Used promotional or referral credits are non-refundable
• Subscription Fees: Monthly/annual memberships (see separate subscription terms)

7.1 Medical Emergencies:

Full refund granted with documentation (hospital admission, doctor's note).

7.2 Natural Disasters:

Full refund or free rescheduling during officially declared emergencies.

7.3 Platform Downtime:

100% refund + 1 month free premium membership for extended outages.

7.4 Expert Misconduct:

Immediate full refund + platform credit + expert disciplinary action for violations (harassment, unprofessionalism, breach of confidentiality).

Benefits of Platform Credit:

• Instant Availability: Use immediately for new bookings
• 10% Bonus: Receive 110% of refund value
• No Expiry: Credits never expire
• Stackable: Combine with promotional offers

Limitations:

• Non-transferable between accounts
• Cannot be converted back to cash
• Not redeemable for third-party services

For refund requests or questions about this policy:

Email: [email protected]
Support Hours: 24/7
Average Response Time: 2-4 hours
Phone: +1 (800) MERGE-HELP (available 9 AM - 6 PM EST)

Pro Tip: Include your booking ID, payment receipt, and detailed reason for refund request to speed up processing.