Last Updated: December 19, 2024
This Refund Policy explains when and how you can request a refund for your Remembrance subscription. Please read this policy carefully before subscribing.
Operator: Individual Sole Proprietor trading as "Remembrance"
Contact: hello@remembrancejournal.com
Response Time: Within 48 hours
Standard Policy:
Subscriptions are generally non-refundable due to the instant digital nature of our service. When you subscribe, you immediately gain access to premium features, and the service is delivered instantly.
Why Limited Refunds?
- Digital service delivered immediately
- Cannot "return" digital access
- Small, individual-operated business
- Prevents abuse of refund system
Eligible Situations:
- Duplicate charges (charged twice for same subscription)
- Incorrect amount charged (charged more than stated price)
- Charged after cancellation (subscription continued after you cancelled)
- Charged for wrong plan (Basic charged but Premium selected, or vice versa)
- Technical error in payment processing
Requirements:
- Report within 60 days of charge
- Provide transaction ID or invoice number
- Explain the error clearly
Refund Amount: Full refund of incorrect charge
Processing Time: 5-10 business days
Eligible Situations:
- Service completely unavailable for 72+ consecutive hours
- Critical features non-functional for 7+ consecutive days
- Unable to access your account due to our technical issues (not your password/login issues)
- Data loss due to our fault (not recoverable from backups)
Requirements:
- Report within 30 days of issue
- Provide evidence (screenshots, error messages, dates/times)
- Must have attempted to contact support during outage
Refund Amount: Prorated refund for downtime period
Example:
- Monthly subscription: $20 (Pro monthly)
- Service down for 10 days
- Refund: ($20 / 30 days) × 10 days = $6.67
Processing Time: 5-10 business days after investigation
Eligible Situations:
- Account hacked and subscription purchased without your consent
- Fraudulent transaction (someone used your payment method)
- Identity theft
Requirements:
- Report within 90 days of charge
- File police report (for identity theft)
- Provide evidence of unauthorized access
- Cooperate with investigation
Refund Amount: Full refund after investigation confirms fraud
Processing Time: 10-15 business days (includes investigation)
Eligible Situations:
- You are located in the European Union or European Economic Area
- First-time subscription (not renewals)
- Within 14 days of purchase
Requirements:
- Request within 14 days of purchase date
- Email hello@remembrancejournal.com with "EU Cancellation" in subject
- Provide proof of EU residency (if requested)
Refund Amount:
- Full refund if you have NOT used the service
- Prorated refund if you HAVE used the service (you pay for days used)
Example:
- Subscribed on January 1 for $17/month (Pro yearly billing)
- Used service for 5 days
- Cancelled on January 6
- Refund: $17 - (($17 / 30) × 5) = $17 - $2.83 = $14.17
Processing Time: 14 days from cancellation request
Legal Basis: EU Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU
Eligible Situations:
- Purchased wrong plan by mistake (Basic instead of Premium, or vice versa)
- Accidentally clicked "Subscribe" button
- Duplicate subscription (subscribed twice by mistake)
Requirements:
- Contact us within 24 hours of purchase
- Have NOT used premium features
- Explain the mistake clearly
Refund Amount: Full refund OR plan change (your choice)
Processing Time: 1-3 business days
Not Eligible:
- You simply changed your mind
- You decided you don't want the service anymore
- You found a cheaper alternative
- You're not using the service (non-usage is not grounds for refund)
Why: Digital services are delivered instantly. Try the free tier first to evaluate the service.
Not Eligible:
- You don't like the features
- Features don't meet your expectations
- You expected different functionality
- You don't like the user interface
Why: Free tier is available to test features before subscribing. Feature descriptions are clearly stated on pricing page.
Not Eligible:
- You cancelled mid-billing cycle and want refund for remaining days
Why: When you cancel, you retain access until the end of your billing period. You're paying for access, not usage.
Example:
- Monthly subscription: $20 (Pro monthly)
- Subscribed January 1
- Cancelled January 15
- Access continues until January 31
- No refund (you keep access for remaining 16 days)
Not Eligible:
- Account terminated for violating Terms of Service
- Account banned for abuse
- Account suspended for fraudulent activity
- Multiple chargebacks filed
Why: Refunds are not provided when you violate our terms.
Not Eligible:
- More than 60 days have passed since charge (except fraud/unauthorized charges)
Why: Reasonable time limit for disputes. Check your statements regularly.
Email: hello@remembrancejournal.com
Subject: "Refund Request - [Your Account Email]"
Include in Your Email:
1. Your account email address
2. Transaction ID or invoice number (found in billing history)
3. Date of charge
4. Amount charged
5. Reason for refund request (be specific)
6. Supporting evidence:
- Screenshots of errors
- Error messages
- Dates and times of issues
- Any relevant documentation
Timeline: 5 business days
What We Do:
- Verify your account and transaction
- Review your refund reason against policy
- Investigate technical issues (if applicable)
- Check service logs and records
- May request additional information from you
Communication:
- We'll email you within 48 hours acknowledging receipt
- We'll email you within 5 business days with decision
Possible Outcomes:
Approved:
- Refund processed within 5-10 business days
- Email confirmation sent with refund details
- Refund amount and method specified
Denied:
- Email explanation with specific reason
- Reference to relevant policy section
- Alternative solutions offered (if applicable)
Partial Refund:
- Prorated refund offered (if applicable)
- Calculation explained
- You can accept or decline
Refund Method:
- Refunded to original payment method
- Same card/account used for purchase
- Cannot refund to different method
Processing Time:
- Stripe (International): 5-10 business days
- Razorpay (India): 5-7 business days
- Bank Processing: Additional 5-7 days (varies by bank)
Total Time: Up to 15-20 business days from approval to funds in your account
Confirmation:
- Email confirmation when refund is initiated
- Transaction ID provided for tracking
- Check with your bank if not received within timeframe
Prorated refunds are calculated when:
- Service unavailability for extended periods
- EU customers exercising 14-day right after using service
- Partial billing period refunds
Formula:
Prorated Refund = (Total Amount Paid / Total Days in Billing Period) × Unused Days
Example 1: Monthly Subscription
- Subscription: $20/month (Pro monthly - 30 days)
- Used: 10 days
- Unused: 20 days
- Calculation: ($20 / 30) × 20 = $13.33
- Refund: $13.33
Example 2: Annual Subscription
- Subscription: $204/year (Pro yearly - 365 days)
- Used: 100 days
- Unused: 265 days
- Calculation: ($204 / 365) × 265 = $148.27
- Refund: $148.27
What Happens:
- You cancel subscription
- Access continues until end of billing period
- No refund for remaining days (you keep access)
- No charge at next renewal
How to Cancel:
1. Account Settings → Subscription
2. Click "Cancel Subscription"
3. Confirm cancellation
4. Receive email confirmation
What Happens:
- You request refund (if eligible)
- Subscription is cancelled
- Access may be revoked immediately (depending on reason)
- Refund processed if approved
When to Request:
- Billing error
- Service unavailability
- Unauthorized charge
- EU 14-day right
- Accidental purchase
What is a Chargeback?
Disputing a charge directly with your bank/card issuer instead of contacting us first.
Our Policy:
Filing a chargeback without contacting us first will result in:
1. Immediate account termination
2. Permanent ban from service
3. Chargeback fee charged to you ($15 USD or ₹500 INR)
4. Negative mark on your payment history
5. Possible legal action for fraudulent chargebacks
Costs to Us:
- Stripe charges us $15 per chargeback
- Razorpay charges us ₹500 per chargeback
- Time and resources to contest
- Damage to payment processor standing
Better Alternative:
- Contact us first: hello@remembrancejournal.com
- Most issues resolved within 48 hours
- Faster than chargeback process (30-90 days)
- No penalties or account termination
When Chargebacks Are Acceptable:
- You contacted us first and we didn't respond within 10 business days
- We denied your legitimate refund request unfairly
- Fraudulent charge and we're unresponsive
Process:
1. Contact us first (required)
2. Wait 10 business days for response
3. If unresolved, file chargeback
4. We will not penalize legitimate disputes
What is Fraud:
- Filing chargeback for service you received and used
- Claiming "unauthorized" when you authorized it
- Claiming "not received" when you accessed the service
- Using chargeback as "free refund"
Consequences:
- We provide evidence to payment processor (access logs, usage data, IP addresses)
- We contest the chargeback vigorously
- Your account permanently banned
- Possible legal action for fraud
- Reported to fraud databases
Policy:
In the event of a subscriber's death, immediate family members may request:
- Account cancellation
- Prorated refund for unused period
- Data export (if desired)
Requirements:
- Death certificate (copy)
- Proof of relationship
- Contact: hello@remembrancejournal.com
Processing: Handled with sensitivity and priority
Policy:
We understand financial difficulties happen. While we cannot offer refunds for past charges, we can:
- Cancel subscription immediately
- Downgrade to free tier
- Provide payment plan (case-by-case)
- Extend grace period for payment
Contact: hello@remembrancejournal.com with "Financial Hardship" in subject
Policy:
If we discontinue Remembrance:
- 30 days advance notice
- Prorated refund for unused period (automatic)
- Data export provided
- No action required from you
Email: hello@remembrancejournal.com
Subject: "Refund Request - [Your Account Email]"
Response Time: Within 48 hours
Decision Time: Within 5 business days
Email: hello@remembrancejournal.com
Subject: "Refund Status - [Transaction ID]"
Include: Transaction ID, date of refund request
If Unsatisfied with Decision:
- Reply to our decision email
- Explain why you disagree
- Provide additional evidence
- Request manager review
Second Review: Within 5 business days
We may update this Refund Policy:
- To comply with new laws
- To improve clarity
- To add new refund scenarios
- To adjust timeframes
Material Changes:
- 30 days advance notice
- Email notification
- In-app notification
- Posted on website
Minor Changes:
- Updated immediately
- "Last Updated" date changed
- No advance notice required
Policy Changes Apply:
- To new subscriptions immediately
- To existing subscriptions at next renewal
- Existing refund requests processed under old policy
This Refund Policy complies with:
- EU Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU
- California Automatic Renewal Law (Business and Professions Code § 17602)
- India Consumer Protection Act, 2019
- FTC regulations (United States)
- Payment Card Industry standards
Governing Law: [Your Country/State]
Disputes:
- Resolved through Terms of Service dispute resolution process
- Arbitration (as specified in Terms of Service)
- Small claims court (if applicable)
Q: Can I get a refund if I don't use the service?
A: No. Non-usage is not grounds for refund. You're paying for access, not usage. Try the free tier first.
Q: Can I get a refund if I cancel mid-month?
A: No. You retain access until the end of your billing period. No refund for remaining days.
Q: How long do refunds take?
A: 5-10 business days to process, plus 5-7 days for bank processing. Total: up to 15-20 business days.
Q: Can I get a refund to a different payment method?
A: No. Refunds go to the original payment method only.
Q: What if I'm in the EU?
A: You have a 14-day cooling-off period. Full refund if not used, prorated if used.
Q: What if the service was down?
A: Contact us for a prorated refund if service was unavailable for 72+ hours.
Q: Can I get a refund for an annual subscription?
A: Yes, if eligible under this policy. Prorated refund calculated based on unused days.
Q: What if I was charged twice?
A: Contact us immediately. We'll refund the duplicate charge within 5-10 business days.
Q: What if my account was hacked?
A: Contact us and file a police report. We'll investigate and refund if confirmed fraudulent.
Q: Can I get a refund after 60 days?
A: Only for fraud/unauthorized charges. Other refunds must be requested within 60 days.
Last Updated: December 19, 2024
Next Review: December 19, 2025
Contact: hello@remembrancejournal.com
Thank you for using Remembrance.