Refund Policy & Handling Disputes
How BookAuth handles refund requests and payment disputes — what happens to your revenue, how to prevent chargebacks, and your rights as an author.
Occasionally, readers may request refunds or file payment disputes. Understanding how this process works helps you protect your revenue and maintain a professional author reputation.
What You'll Learn
- BookAuth's refund policy
- How refunds affect your revenue
- What chargebacks are and how to prevent them
- Your rights as an author
BookAuth's Refund Policy
BookAuth offers a 14-day refund policy for digital book purchases:
- Readers can request a refund within 14 days of purchase
- Refunds are processed through Stripe
- The reader loses access to the downloaded book file
Refund Eligibility
| Scenario | Refund Eligible? |
|---|---|
| Reader purchased by mistake | ✅ Yes |
| Reader didn't enjoy the book | ✅ Yes (within 14 days) |
| Technical issue (corrupted file) | ✅ Yes |
| Request after 14 days | ❌ No (case-by-case exceptions) |
| Free book downloads | N/A (no payment was made) |
How Refunds Affect Your Revenue
When a refund is processed:
| Fee Type | Refunded to You? |
|---|---|
| Sale price | ✅ Yes — full price refunded to the reader |
| BookAuth platform fee | ✅ Yes — BookAuth's fee is returned to you |
| Stripe processing fee | ❌ No — Stripe retains their processing fee |
Example: Refund on a $9.99 Sale (Pro Plan)
Original sale:
Stripe fee taken: -$0.59
BookAuth fee taken: -$0.30
Your net: $9.10
After refund:
Reader refunded: $9.99
BookAuth fee returned: +$0.30
Stripe fee NOT returned: -$0.59
Your net cost: -$0.59 (you lose the Stripe processing fee)
Chargebacks (Payment Disputes)
A chargeback occurs when a reader disputes a charge directly with their bank instead of requesting a refund through BookAuth.
Why Chargebacks Happen
- Reader doesn't recognize the charge on their statement
- Unauthorized use of the reader's payment method
- Reader forgot they made the purchase
How BookAuth Handles Chargebacks
- Stripe notifies BookAuth of the dispute
- BookAuth provides transaction evidence to Stripe
- Stripe submits evidence to the reader's bank
- The bank makes a final decision (typically 30-90 days)
Preventing Chargebacks
- Clear book descriptions prevent "not what I expected" disputes
- Recognizable billing descriptor (readers see "BOOKAUTH" on their statement)
- Easy refund process — readers who can easily get a refund are less likely to file chargebacks
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Am I notified when a reader requests a refund?
A: Yes. You receive a notification and can see refund details in Revenue > Transactions.
Q: Can I reject a refund request?
A: BookAuth processes refunds automatically within the 14-day window. Requests outside this window are reviewed case-by-case.
Q: Do refunds affect my review count?
A: If the reader left a review, the review remains visible regardless of refund status.
Q: How common are refunds?
A: Typical refund rates on digital book platforms are 1-3% of total sales. Rates above 5% may warrant review of your book descriptions.
Related Articles
- Understanding Payouts & Revenue
- Connecting Stripe for Payouts
- Understanding Platform Fees by Plan