Refund, Chargeback and Reserve Policy
CIQRA OÜ · Version 2.4 · Last updated: 3 November 2026 Effective date for existing customers: the changes in this version take effect, for a customer who accepted an earlier version, on the date stated in CIQRA's notice of this version, at least 30 days after the notice (Terms of Service, Section 14.2); until then the earlier version applies to that customer. A customer that objects may terminate without charge before that date (Terms of Service, Section 14.3).
This Policy forms part of the Merchant Agreement. It explains, for payments made through CIQRA Pay (Stripe Connect direct charges): (A) refunds on Storefront sales; (B) chargebacks and disputes; (C) reserves; (D) negative balances; and (E) refunds of CIQRA's own subscription fees. Section F contains a summary for Shoppers.
Provider: CIQRA OÜ, registry code 16465907, Veskiposti tn 2, 10138 Tallinn, Harju maakond, Estonia
Each Merchant is the merchant of record for its sales. Payments are charged directly to the Merchant's own Stripe account, with CIQRA's fee collected as an application fee. Responsibility for refunds and chargebacks on Storefront sales therefore rests with the Merchant, not with CIQRA.
A. Refunds on Storefront sales
A.1 Merchant's refund policy. Each Merchant publishes and honours its own refund and returns policy, which must meet mandatory consumer law. For consumers in the European Union and European Economic Area, this includes the right to withdraw from a distance contract within 14 days without giving a reason, subject to the statutory exceptions (for example, goods made to the consumer's specifications, sealed goods unsealed after delivery for health or hygiene reasons, and digital content or services whose supply began with the consumer's prior express consent and acknowledgement that the right of withdrawal would be lost). Merchants may offer more generous terms. Where a market's mandatory consumer law is stricter, that law applies.
A.2 Online withdrawal function. Storefronts on CIQRA Commerce provide an online withdrawal function through which a consumer can withdraw from a purchase from their order page, as required by Estonian law from 1 September 2026 under Directive (EU) 2023/2673. The Merchant cannot refuse a withdrawal made in this way on the ground of the channel used, and remains responsible for handling each withdrawal lawfully. The function should be available in each language in which the Storefront allows consumers to complete a purchase.
A.3 Orders with exempt and non-exempt items. Where an order contains at least one item for which the consumer has a right of withdrawal, the withdrawal function is offered for that order and covers the eligible items. Items covered by a statutory exception are identified, with the reason, when the consumer withdraws. The Merchant classifies its products; a product that the Merchant has not marked as exempt is treated as eligible for withdrawal. Where several goods from one order are delivered separately, the withdrawal period runs from delivery of the last item.
A.4 Processing refunds. Refunds are issued by the Merchant, or by CIQRA on the Merchant's instruction, through Stripe against the original charge and up to the captured amount, and are debited from the Merchant's balance or next payout. Following a valid withdrawal, the Merchant must refund within the period required by law (in the EU, generally within 14 days of being informed of the withdrawal, with the right to withhold the refund until the goods are returned or proof of return is provided).
A.5 Fees on refunds. On a full refund, CIQRA returns to the Merchant the part of the CIQRA Pay rate it collected as its application fee. On a partial refund, it returns that part in proportion to the amount refunded. The rest of the CIQRA Pay rate is not returned.
A.6 CIQRA's role. CIQRA provides refund tools and records. It is not a party to the contract between the Shopper and the Merchant and is not liable for the Merchant's refund obligations, except that a loss resulting from CIQRA's breach of the Terms of Service is a direct loss for which CIQRA is liable under, and subject to, Section 11 of the Terms of Service (Merchant Agreement, Section 6.3).
B. Chargebacks and disputes
B.1 What a chargeback is. A Shopper's card issuer may reverse a payment (a chargeback or dispute). When a dispute is opened, the disputed amount and the dispute fee published with the CIQRA Pay rate are debited from the Merchant's balance.
B.2 Merchant's responsibility. The Merchant is responsible for chargebacks on its sales and for submitting evidence (such as proof of delivery, the terms accepted by the Shopper and correspondence) before the deadline. CIQRA and Stripe provide dispute tools but do not guarantee the outcome, which is decided by the card networks.
B.3 Fees and losses. If a dispute is lost, the Merchant bears the transaction amount and the dispute fee. If it is won, the disputed amount is returned; the dispute fee is not, but a published fee for contesting a dispute is returned when the dispute is won. Losses from fraudulent transactions on a Merchant's sales are borne by the Merchant. As between CIQRA and Stripe, Stripe is the loss-bearer of the Merchant's connected account and CIQRA does not bear these losses (Merchant Agreement, Section 6.4). No dispute fee applies other than those published with the CIQRA Pay rate or stated in an Order Form.
B.4 Excessive disputes. A Merchant whose dispute or fraud levels approach or exceed the dispute-monitoring thresholds set by Visa or Mastercard from time to time, or whose fraud or refund rates are disproportionate, may be placed under review and may be required to provide a reserve (Section C) or additional verification, or may be subject to the CIQRA Pay measures in Section 10.2 of the Merchant Agreement; a Storefront is suspended or the Services terminated only under Sections 7.2 and 13.1 of the Terms of Service.
B.5 Refunds to prevent or resolve disputes. To prevent or resolve a dispute, to reduce chargeback exposure, to comply with consumer law or to meet the requirements of Stripe or a card scheme, CIQRA or Stripe may issue a refund on a transaction or require the Merchant to do so — including where the Merchant does not respond to a valid complaint or dispute from a Shopper — and may debit the corresponding amount from the Merchant's balance or reserve. CIQRA acts reasonably and, where practicable, consults the Merchant first.
C. Reserves
C.1 Only where risk warrants it. CIQRA does not apply a reserve to low-risk Merchants by default. CIQRA may require a reserve where risk warrants it, including where there are elevated or rising chargeback, refund or fraud rates; a business model with a high-risk profile or long fulfilment times (such as pre-orders, deposits, tickets, travel or subscriptions); sudden increases in volume; incomplete verification; investigations; or a requirement from Stripe, a bank, a card scheme or a competent authority.
C.2 Types of reserve.
- Rolling reserve — up to 10% of processed volume, held for a rolling period of up to 90 days and then released; the exact percentage and period reflect the assessed risk and are communicated to the Merchant.
- Fixed reserve — a set amount held.
- Hold of up to 100% — of specific funds, where fraud or serious risk is suspected.
C.3 Notice. When CIQRA sets or changes a reserve, it tells the Merchant the type, the amount or percentage, the reason and the conditions for release, unless giving that information would undermine fraud prevention or breach the law or card-scheme rules.
C.4 Purpose and release. A reserve secures the Merchant's obligations for refunds, chargebacks, reversals, fees, negative balances and indemnities. Funds are released when the risk period ends and no liability remains to be covered. No interest is payable on reserved funds, except where the law requires it.
C.5 After termination. After termination, CIQRA may keep a reserve or hold for up to 180 days to cover late chargebacks and refunds before the final release of funds.
D. Negative balances and recovery
If refunds, chargebacks, reversals, fees or reserves exceed the Merchant's available balance, the balance may become negative and the Merchant must repay the shortfall promptly. Stripe may recover the amount on the Merchant's connected account as its agreements with the Merchant provide, and CIQRA may recover the amounts the Merchant owes CIQRA; each of them may do so by setting it off against current or future payouts, drawing on any reserve, charging the payment method or bank account on file and, if the amount remains unpaid, pursuing the debt together with reasonable recovery costs and statutory interest, as set out in Section 7 of the Merchant Agreement.
E. Refunds of CIQRA subscription fees
E.1 CIQRA subscription fees are billed in advance. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current paid period, and fees already paid are not refunded pro rata, except as provided in Sections 3.6, 3.7, 3.8 and 16.7 of the Terms of Service and Section 5.2 of the Data Processing Agreement, and except where mandatory law requires a refund.
E.2 Where mandatory law nevertheless treats a Merchant as a consumer and gives it a right to withdraw from the subscription, that right applies.
F. Summary for Shoppers
When you buy from a store on CIQRA, your contract is with the store (the Merchant), which is the seller. Requests for refunds and returns, and consumer rights such as the 14-day right of withdrawal where it applies, are handled by the store under its published policy and the law. Payments are processed securely by Stripe. The store — not CIQRA — is responsible for the goods or services and for refunds.