# Handling Refunds

This guide explains how to process refunds for customer orders through your Stripe Express account.

## Refund Basics

When you need to return money to a customer:

1. Refunds should be initiated through the retailer
2. The refund will be processed through your Stripe account
3. The refunded amount is deducted from your available balance
4. If a payment has already been paid out, the refund amount may create a negative balance


## Initiating a Refund

To issue a refund:

1. Log in to the Stripe Express Dashboard
2. Locate the order you need to refund
3. Select "Issue Refund" from the order actions
4. Choose between a full refund or partial refund
5. For partial refunds, specify the amount to refund
6. Add a reason for the refund (optional)
7. Confirm the refund


The Jay marketplace will then trigger the refund payout through Stripe.

## Full vs. Partial Refunds

- **Full refund**: Returns the entire payment amount to the customer
- **Partial refund**: Returns only a portion of the payment


Partial refunds are useful when:

- Only some items in an order need to be refunded
- You're providing a partial refund for service issues
- You're keeping a portion of the payment as a restocking fee
- You don't refund paid shipping costs


## Refund Timeline

Refunds typically process as follows:

1. **Initiated**: The refund request is submitted to Stripe
2. **Processing**: Stripe is processing the refund (usually 1-2 business days)
3. **Completed**: The refund has been issued to the customer's payment method


While Stripe processes refunds immediately, it may take 5-10 business days for the funds to appear in the customer's account, depending on their payment method and bank.

## Refund Limitations

Be aware of these important limitations:

- Refunds can only be issued for payments processed within the past 90 days
- You cannot refund more than the original payment amount
- Refunds may be subject to time limits set by card networks or banks
- Processing fees are typically not returned on refunds


## Viewing Refund History

To view your refund history:

1. Log in to your Stripe Express Dashboard
2. Go to the "Payments" section
3. Use the filters to show refunded payments
4. Click on any refunded payment to see details


## Refund Impact on Your Balance

When you issue a refund:

1. The refunded amount is deducted from your Stripe balance
2. If the original payment was already paid out to your bank account, the refund may create a negative balance
3. Future payments will be used to cover any negative balance


## Refund Fees

The fee structure for refunds is as follows:

- Stripe processing fees are not refunded for most payment methods
- Jay marketplace fees follow the policy outlined in your retailer agreement


## Disputes vs. Refunds

Voluntary refunds differ from disputes (chargebacks) in important ways:

- **Refunds**: You voluntarily return funds to the customer
- **Disputes**: The customer forces a refund through their bank or card issuer


Proactively refunding dissatisfied customers can help prevent disputes, which carry additional fees and can negatively impact your account standing.