A clear path when an acceptance payment does not go to plan.

1. How the payment flow works

1. The buyer publishes the bounty for free and reviews platform-selected samples.
2. Choosing “Accept & pay” opens Stripe Checkout for the advertised reward.
3. Until Stripe confirms payment, there is no accepted winner, full-bundle access, transaction license, or contributor transfer.
4. After confirmation, the complete winning bundle unlocks and a separate Stripe transfer begins: 85% to the contributor and 15% retained by ineeddata.

The reward charge is made on the ineeddata platform account. It is not deposited into legal escrow or a trust account. Because the buyer charge and contributor transfer are separate operations, refunding a charge does not automatically undo a completed contributor transfer.

2. Before acceptance payment

There is normally no payment to refund before the buyer attempts to accept a submission. A buyer may close an unpaid bounty without a reward charge. Closing does not erase marketplace records or create a right to use submitted work.

3. Cancelled, failed, or stale Checkout

If the buyer cancels Checkout or payment fails, the submission remains unaccepted, the complete bundle remains locked, competing submissions remain open for review, and no contributor transfer begins.

If an older or duplicate Checkout succeeds after the acceptance state has changed, the platform attempts to return that unmatched charge automatically. Contact Support promptly if your payment method shows a charge but no submission becomes accepted and unlocked.

4. After a winner is accepted

Payment-confirmed acceptances are generally final because confirmation unlocks the full bundle and starts contributor payment. Buyer dissatisfaction, a change of plans, failure to review the sample, or a preference that was not in the published contract is not normally a refund basis.

A full or partial refund may still be considered when:

• The payment was duplicated or charged in error.
• A verified unauthorized payment occurred.
• A platform error caused the wrong submission or amount to be accepted or transferred.
• Material fraud, fabricated provenance, malware, or a serious rights violation is established.
• The accepted bundle is materially different from the frozen bundle reviewed under the bounty.
• Applicable law requires a refund.

A failed business outcome or later change in data conditions is not proof that a submission breached its contract at the time of delivery.

5. Contributor transfers and reversals

We may pause a pending contributor transfer while investigating a timely payment, fraud, safety, or rights claim. If Stripe has already completed a transfer, Stripe may permit a full or partial transfer reversal for a related refund, dispute, or transfer error.

A contributor agrees to cooperate with a legitimate investigation and, where permitted by law, return amounts tied to proven fraud, a material rights breach, an unauthorized transaction, or a payment dispute that is finally lost. We will not reverse a transfer merely because a buyer regrets accepting compliant work.

If a dispute is resolved in the transaction’s favor after funds were recovered from a contributor, we will make a reasonable effort to restore the contributor amount, subject to Stripe availability and legal restrictions.

6. Card and bank disputes

Contact Support before filing a chargeback when possible; many mistaken or duplicate payments can be resolved faster directly. Nothing in this policy waives a right you have to dispute a payment with your card issuer, bank, Stripe, or a regulator.

If a payment dispute is filed, we may pause the bounty, account access, acceptance, refund, or contributor transfer; preserve and provide relevant transaction evidence to Stripe and the financial institution; and temporarily restrict related credentials while the dispute is open. The card issuer or bank, not ineeddata, decides the formal dispute.

Do not file a chargeback to obtain both the accepted dataset and the reward money. Fraudulent or abusive disputes may lead to account restriction and recovery action.

7. How to request a refund or review

Email hello@ineeddata.ai from the address tied to your account with:

• The bounty and, if relevant, submission ID.
• The reward amount, currency, and approximate payment date.
• The reason for the request and the outcome you want.
• Relevant screenshots, validation results, or correspondence.
• A Stripe payment, charge, or transfer reference if available—never a full card or bank-account number.

We may ask for identity, account, or transaction verification and input from the other participant. Report an unauthorized payment as soon as you discover it.

8. Method, timing, and fees

Approved buyer refunds are sent through Stripe to the original payment method where possible. Bank and card processing times vary and are outside our control. We will identify any approved amount before processing it.

If a payment processor does not return a processing fee, that amount may be excluded from a discretionary refund only where law permits and the exclusion is disclosed in the refund decision. Platform success fees are not retained on a transaction that is fully unwound.

9. Related rules

Review the Terms, Contributor Rights Policy, and Safety Policy. Those policies help determine whether a claim involves noncompliance, fraud, prohibited material, or a rights violation rather than ordinary dissatisfaction.