Refund Policy - Spongle

In short Only the Creator fee can be refunded to a Brand. The platform fee, VAT, and Spongle handling fee are non-refundable (except where the law requires it), because they pay for services already provided. Refunds can only happen while campaign funds are still held — during the Chargeback Protection Window (7 working days for card, 12 working days for bank transfer). Funds are never held for more than 85 days after the Brand pays: anything still open by then, such as a dispute or a review, is decided by that date (Terms, Section 8.6B). The only exception is a Creator's pay that the law requires us to withhold because their tax details are missing, which does not affect the Brand. Once you approve the content, release the payment early, or the window closes without a dispute, the outcome is final. 1. What can be refunded When a Brand funds a campaign it pays four things: the Creator fee, a platform fee (18% of the Creator fee, the same for every Brand), a Spongle handling fee (6% for euro card payments; 8% for pounds sterling, US dollars, and other currencies), and any applicable VAT on the platform fee and the handling fee -- never on the Creator fee. Only the Creator fee is ever refundable. The platform fee, the Spongle handling fee, and the VAT charged on them are non-refundable in all circumstances, except where a refund is required by applicable law. These charges cover services Spongle has already delivered — campaign listing, pitch facilitation, contract generation, and payment processing — regardless of how a campaign or dispute ends. Any refund is returned to the Brand's original payment method. 2. When the Creator fee is refunded to a Brand Spongle applies objective, pre-agreed rules and does not judge creative quality, style, or taste. The Creator fee is returned to the Brand when: Content is rejected before it is posted — during pre-publication review (after up to two rounds of requested changes), the Brand rejects the submitted content. The campaign ends and the Creator fee is refunded. No fee is charged for this. Published content diverges and the Brand declines it — the published post does not match the approved content in a required respect (hashtags, mentions, or platform) and the Creator does not correct it. Caption wording differences are not a divergence. If the Brand does not respond within 72 hours, the post is treated as accepted. A referred dispute is confirmed in the Brand's favour — Spongle compares the approved content against the published post and the monitoring record. Where the position is balanced, the default outcome is release to the Creator. A Brand may refer no more than two disputes per campaign. The Creator breaches the display requirement — the Creator deletes or materially changes the post during the Minimum Display Period (until the campaign end date, or 30 days from posting if the campaign has no end date) and, after a 30-minute grace period and a 48-hour cure period, does not restore it. 3. Conditions that apply to every campaign refund Timing — a Brand can review, reject, decline, or dispute only while funds are held, during the Chargeback Protection Window (7 working days for card, 12 for bank transfer), beginning on the later of the campaign end date or the last verified delivery. Funds are released on the first Monday at or after the end of the window, and never later than 85 days after the Brand's payment (Terms, Section 8.6B). Approval is final — once a Brand approves the content, releases the payment early, or lets the window close without a dispute, that acceptance is final and irrevocable. No refund is available afterwards. Objective grounds only — dissatisfaction with creative quality or style is not, by itself, a ground for a refund. No dispute fee — Spongle does not currently charge any fee to raise or handle a dispute. Early release — once the post is live and verified, a Brand may release the held Creator fee before the window ends, from Account, then Payments, then Recent Activity (Terms, Section 8.6A). Releasing early is final: it ends the dispute window for that campaign and no refund is available afterwards. 4. Chargebacks If a Brand asks its card issuer or bank to reverse a payment instead of using the platform's dispute process: Related held funds are frozen until the chargeback is resolved. If resolved in the Brand's favour, funds go back to the cardholder; if resolved against the Brand, funds are released normally. While a chargeback is open, the disputed amount is taken back by Stripe, so it is not held on Spongle's account during that time (Terms, Section 8.6B(d)). The Brand remains responsible for losses, fees, and fines imposed by the payment processor or card network. Chargeback fees are non-refundable and are charged in addition to any amount returned. Spongle may submit evidence to contest a chargeback but does not guarantee the outcome, and may recover chargeback losses and fees caused by a Brand's conduct.

1. Subscriptions Spongle does not currently sell any subscription. If a paid plan is introduced later, its cancellation and refund terms will be set out at the point of purchase and in the Terms. No refund is given for the unused part of a paid period, except where the law requires it (see "Your consumer rights" below). 2. Boosts Where Spongle offers Boosts, a Boost runs for seven days from the moment payment is confirmed, or until your campaign's end date if that is sooner. Before you pay, you ask for it to start straight away. The full description is in section 9.6 of our Terms. Bought on the Spongle website. A Boost costs €29.99 or £29.99, according to the currency set by the country on your account. The price includes any VAT that applies. It is a fixed price in each currency, not a converted equivalent. Bought in the Spongle iOS or Android app. Apple or Google sells the in-app purchase and sets the price for your country. Refunds for in-app purchases are decided by Apple or Google under their own policies, so ask them, not us. If Apple or Google refunds or revokes the purchase, the Boost ends. When a Boost is refunded. Brand accounts are for business use only (Terms, section 2.2), so a Boost that has started is not refundable, except where: it was charged in error; Spongle ends it early for a reason that is not your fault; or a refund is required by law. To ask for a refund on one of these grounds, contact [email protected] and we will process it to your original payment method. No refund is given where a Boost ends because your campaign is closed, removed or restricted for breaching our Terms or Code of Conduct; you will get a statement of reasons and can appeal (Terms, sections 20.3 and 16.3). If a Boost payment is refunded in full or disputed with your card issuer, the Boost ends. 3. Your consumer rights (14-day cancellation) If you are a consumer in the EU or UK, you have a statutory right to cancel certain purchases within 14 days, under the EU Consumer Rights Directive and the UK Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. If you validly cancel, we refund you without undue delay and no later than 14 days after we receive your notice, using your original payment method. If you asked the service (such as a subscription or Boost) to start during the 14-day period, you agree to pay a proportionate amount for what was provided up to the point you cancelled, and once the service has been fully performed with your consent the right to cancel is lost. This statutory right applies to consumers only, not to businesses. Brand accounts are for business use only (Terms, section 2.2), so it applies to a Brand only where the law treats it as a consumer despite that. For a Boost, if you cancel before it has run in full, you pay for the days, or part days, it ran. For a Boost bought in the app, cancellation is handled by Apple or Google. To cancel, contact us at [email protected] or use the model cancellation form in section 21 of our Terms.