Refunds & cancellation
Last updated: July 27, 2026
The build is only paid after we demo it and you accept, so there is no "build refund" scenario for a demo you declined. The monthly subscription is month-to-month; cancel any time with 30 days' notice. We do not refund partial months. If a 30-day guarantee claim cannot be resolved, we refund your subscription payments rather than the build fee. You keep the source code and the tool in every case.
Build payment: no charge if you decline at demo
Under our engagement model, you don't pay the build cost until after we've demoed the tool running on your real workflow and you've accepted it. If you decline at the demo stage, no payment is owed and no tool is delivered. Nothing to refund because nothing was charged.
Once you accept the demo, the build cost becomes due within 7 business days by check. See the 30-day guarantee for what happens if issues surface after that point.
Monthly subscription: cancel any time
Your monthly subscription is billed month-to-month at the fixed rate quoted in your engagement contract. It renews on the same day of the month it started, indefinitely, until you cancel.
To cancel, email support@shipatelier.com with subject "Cancel subscription: [your business name]" at any point. Your cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period. You continue to have full access to maintenance and support during that period.
Standard notice period is 30 days. If you cancel with less than 30 days to your next renewal, the next payment will still be billed to cover the notice window, then the subscription ends.
No prorated refunds on partial months
If you cancel mid-month, the current month is not prorated or refunded. This is a deliberate choice: it keeps billing simple, avoids disputes over "how much of the month did you get value from," and lets us focus on the work rather than on refund arithmetic.
Practically, if you notify us early in a billing period that you intend to cancel, we recommend timing the cancel notice so the effective end date lines up with a renewal date. That way you get the full value of the last month you pay for.
What you keep after cancellation
All of it. Cancellation stops the ongoing maintenance and support relationship; it does not revoke anything you already have. Specifically:
- The source code of your tool, in whatever state it exists at the moment of cancellation.
- The right to run, host, modify, and continue using the tool indefinitely for your business.
- Any data the tool has stored (orders, accounts, shipment history, all of it) exportable through the tool's own export functionality.
- Documentation and internal notes we created during the build.
What stops on cancellation:
- Bug fixes and maintenance from ShipAtelier.
- Free integration updates when third-party vendors change their APIs.
- Ongoing evolution of the tool alongside your business changes.
- Email-based support.
Refunds in special cases
A few situations where a refund does apply, in whole or part:
- Guarantee invocation. If a 30-day guarantee claim cannot be resolved within the window, we refund every subscription payment made since delivery and cancel the subscription. The build fee is not refunded and you keep the tool. See the 30-day guarantee page for the full mechanics.
- Billing error. If we charge the wrong amount, we refund the difference within 3 business days of noticing.
- Duplicate payment. If a check clears twice due to bank error, we refund the duplicate the same week.
- Client business closure. If your business closes down entirely mid-engagement, contact us before the next billing cycle and we'll work out a graceful exit. Case-by-case.
Payment method
We accept payment by check, mailed to the address provided in your engagement contract. We do not currently accept credit cards, PayPal, wire transfers, or crypto. When we implement recurring subscription billing (planned for a future update), it will be by ACH bank transfer with your explicit authorization. Card processing is not on our roadmap.
Disputes
If you disagree with a charge, an invoice, or the terms of your engagement, please email support@shipatelier.com with subject "Billing dispute" before contacting your bank or taking other action. We read disputes within one business day and respond within two. Almost all billing issues resolve faster in email than through a bank chargeback process.
If a dispute cannot be resolved between us, your engagement contract specifies the governing law and dispute resolution forum. Refer to your signed contract for those specifics.
Questions
If any part of this policy is unclear, ask before you sign your engagement contract or start the subscription. Email support@shipatelier.com and we'll clarify in writing.