Refund Policy & Money-Back Guarantee
We believe in fair and transparent business practices. Our comprehensive Money-Back Guarantee ensures your investment is safe, covering everything from accidental orders to quality disputes.
Last Updated: October 24, 2024
1. General Terms
Smart Academic Writing is committed to delivering high-quality academic assistance. We have a clear, transparent Money-Back Guarantee to protect your interests. If our service fails to meet its obligations, you are entitled to a refund.
We treat every refund request seriously. All claims are reviewed by our independent Quality Assurance (QA) team, who compare the delivered product against your initial instructions and the academic standards required. This ensures a fair resolution based on facts, not just subjective opinion.
2. Revisions vs. Refunds
We believe that most issues can be resolved through communication and correction. Before a refund is processed for quality issues, we strongly encourage you to utilize our free revision policy.
If the first draft does not meet your expectations, you are entitled to unlimited free revisions within your eligibility period (14 or 30 days). A refund for quality issues is typically considered only after at least one revision attempt has failed to correct the specific errors pointed out by the customer.
3. 100% Refund Scenarios
You are eligible for a full reimbursement in the following situations where we have clearly failed to deliver the service or a technical error occurred:
Double Payment
If you accidentally paid twice for the same order, the duplicate payment will be refunded immediately upon your request.
No Writer Found
In the rare event that we cannot find a suitable expert for your specific topic within a reasonable timeframe, we will notify you and issue a full refund to your original payment method.
Cancellation (Pre-Assignment)
If you decide to cancel the order before a writer has been officially assigned to your project, you are eligible for a 100% refund as no work has commenced.
Proven Plagiarism
If you provide a valid Turnitin report showing significant unoriginal content (excluding references, quotes, and common phrases), we will issue a 100% refund immediately.
Deadline Missed (Not Delivered)
If the deadline has passed and the paper was not delivered at all, and you no longer need the work, you are entitled to a full refund.
4. Partial Refund Scenarios
In some cases, a partial refund is issued to compensate for work already completed or specific inconveniences. The exact percentage is determined by the QA team based on the stage of the order:
- Cancellation After Assignment (70% Refund): If a writer has been assigned and has just started working (less than 50% of the deadline has passed), we retain 30% to compensate the writer for their initial effort and research.
- Late Cancellation (50% Refund): If you cancel when more than 50% of the deadline has passed, the writer has likely completed a significant portion of the work. In this case, a 50% refund is issued.
- Late Delivery (Standard): If a deadline is missed but you still wish to use the paper, we will refund a percentage (typically 10-20%) to account for the inconvenience.
- Quality Disputes: If you are unsatisfied with the quality, our QA team will review the paper against your initial instructions. If they find that instructions were partially met but the paper is still usable with edits, a percentage refund (e.g., 20-40%) will be offered.
5. Non-Refundable Scenarios
Refunds are generally not applicable in the following situations due to the nature of custom services or third-party involvement:
- Order Approval: Once you click “Approve” on the order page or release funds to the writer, you confirm satisfaction with the product. Only the free revision period applies thereafter; refunds are no longer possible.
- Store Credit Payment: Orders paid for using store credit or bonus balance are not refundable to a bank account. They can only be returned to the store credit balance.
- Lower Grade than Expected: We guarantee adherence to instructions and academic standards. However, grading is subjective and depends on your professor. We do not guarantee specific grades (e.g., “A” or “B”), and refunds are not issued solely based on grades received.
- Editing/Proofreading Services: For editing orders, we work with content you provide. We cannot guarantee the quality of the original research or arguments you wrote, only the improvements we make to grammar and flow. Therefore, full refunds for editing are rare.
- VAT/Transaction Fees: Third-party transaction fees and taxes (VAT) collected by payment processors are non-refundable as we do not retain these funds.
6. Dispute & Refund Procedure
To initiate a refund, please follow these steps to ensure a quick resolution:
- Contact Support: Message our support team via Live Chat or email, or use the “Refund” button in your dashboard within 14 days of delivery.
- Provide Evidence: For quality disputes, you must provide specific examples or feedback. Vague claims like “it’s bad” are insufficient. Attach proof such as a professor’s graded feedback or a plagiarism report.
- Investigation: Our Quality Assurance team will investigate the claim. They compare the final paper against your initial instructions. This investigation typically takes 3-5 business days depending on the complexity of the order.
- Resolution: You will receive a formal resolution email. If approved, funds are returned to the original payment method.
7. Chargebacks
We strongly encourage clients to contact our support team to resolve issues before initiating a chargeback with their bank. We are always willing to work towards a fair solution.
Please note: Initiating a chargeback without contacting us first is considered a violation of our terms. Upon a chargeback initiation, your account will be immediately suspended, and we reserve the right to report the case to relevant academic databases as a fraudulent transaction.
8. Refund FAQs
How long does the refund take to appear?
Once processed on our end, it typically takes 3-7 business days for the funds to appear in your bank account, depending on your bank’s policies.
Can I get a refund if I just change my mind?
If you cancel before a writer is assigned, yes, you get a 100% refund. If a writer has already started working, only a partial refund is possible to compensate them for their time.
What evidence do I need for a quality dispute?
You need concrete proof that instructions were ignored. This could be a Turnitin report showing plagiarism, a highlighted document showing grammar errors, or a professor’s feedback form detailing missing requirements.
Where is the refund sent?
Refunds are strictly sent back to the original payment method used for the transaction. We cannot send refunds to a different card or account for security reasons.
What happens to the copyright of a refunded paper?
If a 100% refund is issued, the copyright reverts to us. You may not use the paper. We may publish it online to protect our IP, meaning it will show up as plagiarized in future scans.
Can I request a refund to my Store Credit balance?
Yes! This is often the fastest option. Refunded credits appear instantly in your account and can be used for future orders immediately.
Do I get a refund for a bad grade?
No service can guarantee a specific grade as grading is subjective. However, if the paper failed to meet objective instructions (e.g., wrong topic, missing sources), you may be eligible for a refund.
Is the service fee refundable?
No. Transaction fees and service fees charged by payment processors are non-refundable as these are third-party costs incurred at the time of purchase.
Fair & Transparent
We value your trust. Our policies are designed to be fair to both students and writers.
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