Resolution policy

1. What payment protection means here

When you fund an order, the money leaves your hands but does not reach the provider. It is held against that specific order and only moves on three events: fund, release, and refund. Nothing else touches a balance.

2. Approval and auto-release

After a delivery lands you have 72 hours to approve, request a revision, or open a dispute. If you do nothing, the funds auto-release to the provider. Both parties see the same countdown. Opening a dispute freezes it.

3. Revisions

Revisions are capped per order (0–3, set by the provider and frozen into the order at purchase). Past the cap your options are approve or dispute.

4. Tier 0 — direct resolution, 48 hours

Every dispute starts here. You pick a reason; the provider has 48 hours to offer a fix, a partial refund, or a full refund. If you agree, it ends with no admin involved.

5. Tier 1 — arbitration, 72-hour target

• Both sides write a 200–2000 character statement and upload up to 5 files each.
• Neither side sees the other's statement until both have submitted.
• The arbiter reads the frozen scope, every delivery version, and the full message thread.
• Outcomes: release in full, refund in full, a split at a stated percentage, or a redo with an extended deadline.
• Every decision carries a written reason of at least 100 characters, shown to both.

6. Tier 2 — appeal, once, within 7 days

An appeal needs grounds, not just disagreement: new evidence, a procedural error, a decision that contradicts the agreed scope, or a conflict of interest. A different senior reviewer decides, and that decision is final.

7. Sanctions ladder

Warning → listing suspension → payout hold → account suspension → ban. Balance forfeiture happens only for proven fraud. Every step is logged and every notice states the reason and the appeal route.

8. Off-platform payment

Asking anyone to pay outside StudyMate removes every protection on this page and is an instant ban. Report it and your order is refunded.