Pre-launch note. Eliopi has not yet been approved as a Stripe Connect platform; no charges have been processed and no disputes are open. The policy below describes how refunds and disputes will be handled once the platform goes live.
§ 01 — Charge model
All Eliopi charges will be created on Stripe using the destination charge pattern with on_behalf_of set to the connected merchant account. Concretely:
- The PaymentIntent is created on Eliopi's Stripe platform.
transfer_data.destination= the connected merchant account.on_behalf_of= the connected merchant account, so the cardholder's statement descriptor reflects the merchant.application_fee_amount= Eliopi's platform fee.
This means: the merchant is the merchant of record on the cardholder's statement. Funds settle on the connected account's Stripe balance after Stripe's standard pending-to-available rolling delay.
§ 02 — Merchant-initiated refunds
The merchant initiates refunds through the Eliopi dashboard. Eliopi calls Stripe's Refund API with reverse_transfer=true and refund_application_fee=true by default, so:
- The customer is refunded the requested amount (full or partial) from Eliopi's platform balance.
- The corresponding amount is reversed from the connected merchant account back to the platform via a
TransferReversal. - Eliopi's application fee is refunded back to the connected merchant account proportionally.
Net effect: the merchant absorbs the refund (plus Stripe's processing fee, which Stripe does not refund — see § 04).
§ 03 — Refund timing
- Card refunds: typically 5–10 business days for the customer to see the credit on their statement.
- ACH refunds: typically 1–3 business days.
- Wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay): same as the underlying card.
If the connected merchant account does not have sufficient available balance to cover the refund, Stripe places the refund in pending status; it processes automatically once the balance is sufficient or on the next inbound charge that funds the balance.
§ 04 — Fee handling on refund
On a full or partial refund:
- Eliopi's application fee — refunded proportionally to the connected merchant account.
- Stripe's processing fee — not returned to the merchant. This is Stripe's policy, not Eliopi's. The merchant absorbs Stripe's per-charge processing cost on every refunded transaction.
- Currency conversion fee (if applicable) — not returned by Stripe.
See the refund example on the pricing page for a worked illustration.
§ 05 — Disputes & chargebacks
A dispute (also called a chargeback) is initiated by the cardholder's bank when the cardholder challenges a charge. Disputes flow through Stripe and surface in the Eliopi dashboard. Per the Stripe Connect destination-charge model:
- The disputed amount and Stripe's dispute fee debit Eliopi's platform balance.
- Eliopi recoups the disputed amount from the connected merchant account via a transfer reversal.
- The connected merchant account effectively bears the financial liability for the dispute.
- If the dispute is won, Stripe credits the platform balance, and we reverse the recoupment to the merchant.
- If the dispute is lost, the merchant absorbs the disputed amount + dispute fee, and Eliopi's application fee is also reversed back to the merchant (we do not retain a fee on a lost dispute).
Stripe's dispute fee is currently $15 USD (or local equivalent — see Stripe pricing). It is retained on a lost dispute; some regions credit it back on a won dispute, others do not.
§ 06 — Dispute response
The merchant submits dispute evidence directly through the Eliopi dashboard within Stripe's response window (typically 7–21 days depending on the card network). Stripe pre-populates the evidence object with what we already have (charge metadata, customer email, IP address, billing address); the merchant supplements with:
- Receipt or order confirmation;
- Shipping or delivery documentation (tracking number, signed proof of delivery);
- For digital goods/services: usage logs, login records, content-access records;
- Customer correspondence relevant to the dispute;
- The merchant's own refund / cancellation policy as published.
Failure to respond within Stripe's window results in automatic loss. Eliopi sends reminder emails at 7 days, 3 days, and 1 day before the deadline, but the merchant is responsible for timely submission.
Where 3DS authentication was completed (which Eliopi enforces on every charge — see /security), Visa 10.4 / Mastercard 4837 ("unauthorized transaction") disputes carry a strong issuer-side defence due to liability shift; merchants typically prevail when the evidence is complete.
§ 07 — Cardholder contact
If you are a cardholder who paid through a merchant using Eliopi and you wish to dispute or refund a charge, the first contact should be the merchant directly (their support address typically appears on the receipt or near the merchant's name on your bank statement). The merchant is the merchant of record and has direct authority to refund.
If the merchant is unresponsive after a reasonable period (typically 7 days), you can escalate to Eliopi at support@eliopi.com with subject line [cardholder dispute] and the following information:
- The statement descriptor as it appears on your bank statement.
- The transaction date and amount.
- Last 4 digits of the card used.
- The reason for your refund or dispute request.
We will route your message to the relevant merchant's compliance contact and follow up within 3 business days. For unauthorised charges, you should also contact your bank — the bank can open a formal dispute with Visa, Mastercard, or your local equivalent.
§ 08 — Merchants' own refund policies
Each merchant on Eliopi maintains and publishes their own refund policy as part of their site terms. Eliopi requires every merchant to:
- Display a clear refund policy on their checkout or website footer.
- Process refund requests within a reasonable window (we recommend 7 days from receipt).
- Comply with applicable consumer-protection law in the cardholder's jurisdiction (e.g. EU 14-day distance-sales right of withdrawal, US state consumer law).
Persistent failure to process legitimate refund requests is a material breach of Eliopi's Terms of Service and grounds for suspension.