Refund Policy - LinkWatcher Marketplace

1. Introduction

This Refund Policy applies to all purchases made through the LinkWatcher Marketplace, operated by RIUH PORTAL CO. L.L.C, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This policy outlines the circumstances under which refunds are available, the refund process, and important terms and conditions.

By placing an order on the LinkWatcher Marketplace, you agree to this Refund Policy.

2. Overview of Refundable Services

Our marketplace offers the following services, each with specific refund terms:

• Guest Post Placement: Content creation and publication with backlinks
• Link Insertion: Backlink insertion into existing published content
• Press Release Distribution: Press release writing and distribution services
• Featured Domain Listings: Premium placement for publisher domains (publishers only)
• Content Writing Services: Optional add-on service for guest posts

3. General Refund Eligibility

3.1 Eligible for Full Refund

You are eligible for a full refund in the following circumstances:

1. Before Publisher Acceptance: If you request cancellation before the publisher accepts your order
2. Publisher Rejection: If the publisher rejects your order for any reason
3. Non-Delivery: If the publisher fails to deliver the service within the agreed turnaround time plus a 7-day grace period
4. Service Not as Described: If the delivered service materially differs from the publisher's offering description
5. Platform Error: If there was a technical error resulting in duplicate charges or incorrect pricing

3.2 Eligible for Partial Refund

Partial refunds may be issued in these cases:

1. Content Quality Issues: If content quality is below acceptable standards but can be revised
2. Timeline Delays: If delivery is delayed but work is in progress
3. Partial Delivery: If only some aspects of the service were completed

3.3 Not Eligible for Refund

Refunds are not available in the following situations:

1. After Work Submission: Once the publisher marks the order as "submitted" (published/live)
2. After Buyer Approval: If you approved the final deliverable
3. Publisher Performance After Delivery: Issues with link performance, rankings, or traffic after publication
4. Change of Mind: Simple change of mind after publisher has started work
5. Buyer-Caused Delays: Delays caused by lack of buyer response or failure to provide required information
6. Platform Fees: The platform fee (2.5% of order total, minimum $2.50) is non-refundable in all cases
7. Completed Featured Domain Listings: Once your domain has been featured for the purchased period
8. Completed Press Releases: Once the press release has been distributed

4. Order Status and Refund Availability

4.1 Order Lifecycle Stages

Understanding order statuses is important for refund eligibility:

• Pending Payment: Order created but payment not completed - Full refund available
• Paid: Payment received, awaiting publisher acceptance - Full refund available
• Accepted: Publisher accepted the order and will begin work - Full refund available within 24 hours
• Article Writing: Content is being created (if applicable) - Partial refund possible
• Article Submitted: Content submitted for your approval - Partial refund possible
• Article Revision Requested: You requested changes to content - Partial refund possible
• Article Approved: You approved the content - No refund available
• In Progress: Publisher actively working on order - Partial refund possible
• Submitted: Work completed and published/live - No refund available
• Completed: Order finalized - No refund available
• Rejected: Publisher rejected the order - Automatic full refund

4.2 Automatic Refunds

Full refunds are processed automatically in these scenarios:

1. Publisher Rejection: When a publisher rejects an order before starting work
2. Order Deletion: When you delete an order in "pending_payment" status
3. Payment Failure: When payment processing fails or is declined

5. Refund Process

5.1 How to Request a Refund

To request a refund:

1. Log in to your LinkWatcher account
2. Navigate to your order history in the marketplace
3. Select the order you wish to refund
4. Click "Request Refund" button
5. Provide a detailed reason for your refund request
6. Submit the refund request

Alternatively, contact our support team at support@linkwatcher.io with:

• Your order ID
• Detailed reason for refund
• Any supporting documentation or screenshots

5.2 Refund Review Timeline

• Automatic Refunds: Processed immediately for publisher rejections
• Standard Refund Requests: Reviewed within 2-3 business days
• Disputed Refunds: May require up to 7 business days for investigation

5.3 Refund Decision

Our team will:

1. Review the order details and current status
2. Verify the refund eligibility based on this policy
3. Contact both buyer and publisher if clarification is needed
4. Make a decision and notify you via email

5.4 Refund Processing Time

Once approved:

• Stripe Payments: 5-10 business days to appear in your account
• Paddle Payments: 5-10 business days to appear in your account
• Bank Transfers: May take additional 3-5 business days depending on your bank

Refunds are issued to the original payment method used for the order.

6. Platform Fee Policy

6.1 Non-Refundable Platform Fees

The platform fee (2.5% of order subtotal, minimum $2.50) is non-refundable because it covers:

• Payment processing costs
• Platform maintenance and operation
• Dispute resolution and support services
• Transaction security and fraud prevention

6.2 Platform Fee in Refund Calculations

When calculating refunds:

• Service Amount: Refundable based on work completion
• Content Writing Fee: Refundable if content was not created
• Platform Fee: Not refunded
• Discount/Coupon: Applied proportionally to refund amount

7. Content Writing Refund Policy

7.1 Content Writing Add-On

When you purchase content writing as an add-on service:

• Before Content Creation: Full refund of content writing fee
• Content Submitted for Review: Full refund if content is completely unacceptable
• Revision Round: No refund, but free revisions as per publisher's terms
• Content Approved: No refund of content writing fee
• After Publication: No refund available

7.2 Content Quality Standards

Content is considered acceptable if it:

• Meets the specified word count (±10%)
• Is original and passes plagiarism checks
• Follows basic grammar and readability standards
• Covers the requested topic or keywords
• Complies with publisher's content guidelines

Subjective preferences about writing style do not qualify for refunds.

8. Featured Domain Listing Refunds

8.1 Publisher Featured Placement

If you purchased featured placement for your domain:

• Before Activation: Full refund available
• During Feature Period: Prorated refund based on remaining days
• After Feature Period: No refund available
• Poor Performance: No refund based on bidding outcomes or visibility results

8.2 Featured Listing Cancellation

To cancel a featured listing before activation, contact support at least 24 hours before the scheduled start date.

9. Press Release Refunds

9.1 Press Release Services

For press release orders:

• Before Distribution: Full refund available
• During Writing: Partial refund (50%) available
• After Approval: No refund, but free revisions available
• After Distribution: No refund under any circumstances
• Distribution Issues: If press release was not distributed to promised platforms, full refund available

9.2 Press Release Quality

Press releases must meet professional standards. Refunds for quality issues will only be considered if:

• Content contains factual errors you did not provide
• Distribution platforms were not as specified
• Press release was not published within agreed timeframe

10. Dispute Resolution

10.1 Disputes Between Buyers and Publishers

If a refund dispute arises:

1. Direct Communication: Try to resolve directly with the publisher through our messaging system
2. Mediation: Contact our support team to mediate the dispute
3. Review: Our team will review order details, communication history, and evidence from both parties
4. Decision: A final decision will be made within 7 business days
5. Final: Our decision on refunds is final and binding

10.2 Evidence for Disputes

Helpful evidence includes:

• Screenshots of communication
• Proof of non-delivery or quality issues
• Timeline of events
• Publisher's offering description
• Original order requirements

11. Contact Information

For refund requests or questions about this policy:

12. Governing Law

This Refund Policy is governed by the laws of the United Arab Emirates. Any disputes arising from refund matters will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Dubai, UAE.