Refund & Cancellation Policy

1. General Refund Policy

Connect Mavumium ("the Platform", "we", "us", "our") is operated by Mavumium. We are committed to providing a high-quality business discovery and connection service to entrepreneurs, businesses, and service providers across Southern Africa.

By making any purchase on Connect Mavumium — including but not limited to AI credits, verification fees, subscription plans, or premium listing fees — you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to the terms set out in this Refund Policy.

All purchases are processed securely through Paddle, our authorised merchant of record and payment processor. Paddle handles all billing, taxation, and payment disputes on our behalf.

2. AI Credits — Non-Refundable

Connect Mavumium offers AI-powered features (including but not limited to: AI-generated quotes, AI business matching, AI market analysis, and AI-assisted profile optimisation) that are powered by purchased AI credits.

By purchasing AI credits, you explicitly acknowledge and agree that:

• Credits are consumed upon use. Once AI credits are applied to a query, analysis, or feature, they are consumed and cannot be recovered or refunded regardless of the output quality or your satisfaction with the result.
• No expiry refunds. Unused AI credits do not entitle you to a refund if they expire or if you choose to close your account.
• Account deletion. If you delete your account, any remaining unused AI credits are forfeited. Connect Mavumium is not liable for any lost credits due to voluntary account deletion.
• Service interruptions. In the unlikely event of a confirmed platform-side technical failure that prevented credit consumption (not user error), credits may be restored at our sole discretion — but cash refunds will not be issued.
• No liability for outcomes. Connect Mavumium provides AI-generated content as a tool to assist decision-making. We make no guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or business suitability of AI outputs. Dissatisfaction with AI outputs does not constitute grounds for a refund.

3. Business Verification Fees

Business verification fees are charged to cover the cost of our human verification team reviewing your submitted documents and credentials.

• Refund void once the badge is awarded. Once your business has been verified and the verification badge has been awarded to your account, the verification fee is fully non-refundable. The service you paid for has been delivered in full.
• Non-refundable after review begins. Once your verification fee has been paid and our team begins processing your documents, the fee is non-refundable — regardless of whether verification is successful or denied.
• Refund before processing: If you request a refund within 48 hours of payment AND before our team has begun reviewing your documents, we may issue a full refund at our discretion. Contact support immediately at support@mavumium.com.
• Verification denial. If your application is denied (due to failure to meet verification criteria, fraudulent documents, or misrepresentation), the fee is forfeited. You may reapply with correct documentation, which will require an additional fee.
• Document submission delays. If you fail to submit required documents within 30 days of payment, your verification fee may be forfeited.

4. Subscription Plans

Connect Mavumium may offer monthly or annual subscription plans for premium features. The following terms apply:

• Monthly billing until cancelled. Premium subscriptions are charged per month and renew automatically each billing period until you cancel. All billing is processed securely by Paddle, our merchant of record.
• No refund once AI features are used. If you have started using your AI credits or any AI functionality included in a premium plan during a billing period, that period's payment is non-refundable.
• 14-Day Refund Window (New Subscriptions Only). For first-time subscribers, you may request a full refund within 14 days of your initial subscription payment if you are unsatisfied, provided you have not used any AI credits or AI functionality. Contact us at support@mavumium.com.
• Renewals are non-refundable. Automatic subscription renewals are not eligible for refunds. You may cancel your subscription at any time to prevent future billing, but no refund is issued for the current billing period.
• Cancel anytime — keep what you paid for. Cancel your subscription at any time through your Dashboard > Settings. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period, and your premium access continues for the full duration you have already paid for.
• Account deletion cancels your subscription. If you delete your account, any active subscription is automatically cancelled, and your account and personal data are completely deleted from our systems within 48 hours. No refund is issued for the remaining portion of the current billing period.
• Free accounts. Creating a free account on Connect Mavumium is free of charge. There are no refund obligations associated with free accounts.

5. Premium Listing & Promotion Fees

Fees paid for featured listings, promoted placement, or advertising on the Connect Mavumium platform are non-refundable once the listing period has commenced.

• If a technical error on our part causes your listing not to appear, we will restore your listing duration or provide platform credit equivalent to the affected period.
• Listing fees are not transferable to other accounts or listings.
• Cancellation of a listing before it commences may be eligible for a refund at our discretion.

6. How to Request a Refund

Where refunds are applicable under this policy, submit your request through the following process:

1. Email support@mavumium.com with subject line: "Refund Request - [Your Account Email]"
2. Include: your full name, registered email, the purchase date, the amount paid, and the reason for the refund request.
3. Attach proof of purchase (Paddle receipt or order number).
4. We will review your request within 5–10 business days and respond via email.
5. Approved refunds are processed by Paddle and may take 5–14 business days to appear on your statement, depending on your bank or card provider.

7. Chargebacks & Disputes

We strongly encourage you to contact us directly before initiating a chargeback with your bank or card provider. Filing a chargeback without first attempting resolution with us may result in:

• Immediate suspension or permanent termination of your account.
• Removal of your business listing and all associated data.
• Being banned from future use of the Connect Mavumium platform.
• Legal action to recover disputed funds plus costs.

We take fraudulent chargebacks seriously and reserve the right to contest all disputes in accordance with Paddle's dispute resolution process.

8. Exceptions & Special Circumstances

We understand that exceptional circumstances arise. The following situations may be considered on a case-by-case basis:

• Duplicate charges: If you were charged twice for the same purchase due to a technical error, we will immediately refund the duplicate charge.
• Unauthorised transactions: If you believe a purchase was made fraudulently without your authorisation, notify us immediately. We will work with Paddle to investigate.
• Service unavailability: If the platform is unavailable for more than 72 consecutive hours due to our systems, subscription holders may be eligible for a pro-rated credit.
• Regional compliance: Where applicable laws in your jurisdiction mandate specific refund rights that exceed those stated here, those legal rights will apply.

9. Limitation of Liability

Connect Mavumium is a marketplace platform. We connect businesses with potential customers, partners, and suppliers — we are not a party to any transactions that occur between users.

We are not liable for:

• Disputes between buyers and service providers/businesses found on our platform.
• The quality, legality, or delivery of goods or services provided by businesses listed on the platform.
• Business outcomes resulting from connections made through the platform.
• Loss of profits, data, or business opportunities arising from use of the platform.

Our maximum liability for any claim shall not exceed the amount paid by you to Connect Mavumium in the 12 months preceding the claim.

10. Changes to This Policy

We reserve the right to modify this Refund Policy at any time. Changes will be communicated via:

• Email notification to registered account holders.
• A notice on this page with the updated date.

Continued use of the platform after changes take effect constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.