Payment Policy
Prices, payment confirmation, renewals and refunds.
1. When this policy applies
This policy governs payments made directly to Magpies News through https://magpies.in, an official app or an authorised invoice. It covers advertising and any paid digital service actually offered. It does not announce a subscription, free trial, wallet or premium plan. A paid feature exists only when its details are published and accepted at purchase.
The legal operator is identified in the address section. Transactions with an independent advertiser or an external seller are governed by that seller's terms, without excluding any responsibility the law places on us. App-store purchases also follow the store's billing and refund process.
2. Prices and purchase confirmation
Before payment, we will show the service, price, taxes, billing period, applicable recurring charge and material cancellation conditions. Amounts are in Indian rupees unless another currency is clearly specified. We will not add an undisclosed fee after confirmation. A bank, card issuer or app store may separately charge an amount under its own disclosed terms.
Keep the order number, invoice and payment reference. Payment success confirms receipt of funds; advertising still requires campaign acceptance and creative approval under the Advertisement Terms & Conditions. If payment is received for an order we cannot accept, the refundable balance will be returned under this policy.
3. Authorised payment methods
Use only payment options displayed in the official checkout or verified details on an official invoice. Payment providers may offer UPI, cards, net banking or other supported methods. No particular provider or method is guaranteed by this draft.
Use an account or instrument you are entitled to use. Verify an unexpected change of bank details through an independently known official contact. Staff must not ask you to pay a personal account or disclose a card PIN, UPI PIN, banking password or OTP. Cash is not an authorised payment method under this policy unless a separate lawful arrangement is confirmed and an official receipt is issued.
4. Pending, failed and duplicate transactions
If your account is debited but the order is unconfirmed, check the status and contact us with the transaction reference before paying again. We will trace the payment with the processor and either complete the accepted order or arrange the appropriate reversal or refund. A verified duplicate payment will be refunded for the excess amount. Mandatory banking reversal or compensation requirements take priority over our internal targets.
5. Subscriptions, trials and renewals - only if offered
A recurring plan requires a clear choice and valid payment authorisation. The price, frequency, trial end date and cancellation steps must be shown before enrolment. A free trial will not silently create an undisclosed charge. Any required pre-debit notice and mandate controls will apply.
Cancel through the channel used to purchase, such as the account settings, payment mandate controls or app-store subscription settings. We will provide assistance if a direct purchase has no working cancellation control. Uninstalling an app does not by itself cancel a recurring mandate. Cancellation normally stops the next renewal while access continues for the paid period.
Cancellation and refund decisions
6. General approach
Refunds depend on what was purchased, what was delivered, the cause of the problem and mandatory legal rights. We will not use a blanket "no refunds" rule to deny a remedy for non-delivery, a defective service, an unauthorised charge or another legally protected claim. A credit or replacement requires your agreement where a refund is due.
| Situation | Policy response |
|---|---|
| Verified duplicate or excess payment | Return the excess amount to the original payment source. |
| Order rejected or cancelled by Magpies News before delivery | Refund the amount for the unprovided service. Separately authorised completed production work may be charged only where validly agreed. |
| Service materially not supplied as purchased | Assess correction, replacement or an appropriate refund, preserving mandatory consumer remedies. |
| Advertising partly delivered | Settle actual delivery and valid, disclosed commitments. Refund the unused balance or provide an agreed replacement. |
| Advertiser cancels a booking | Apply only the cancellation conditions disclosed before acceptance. Provide an itemised explanation of any deduction. |
| Subscriber cancels for convenience after paid access begins | Stop future renewals. No routine pro-rata refund for an unused part of the current period unless the offer, law or a service failure provides one. |
| App-store purchase | Use the store's refund channel; Magpies News will provide reasonable supporting assistance and address failures within its control. |
7. How to request a refund
Write to [Official billing email] with the account or purchaser name, order or campaign reference, payment date, amount, transaction ID, reason and useful evidence. Redact unrelated financial information. Never send a full card number, CVV, PIN, password or OTP. We may request proportionate verification to prevent an unauthorised refund.
Please report the issue promptly. A delay in contacting us does not remove a mandatory remedy. A promotional discount is refunded by reference to the amount actually paid; refunding a purchase does not normally restore an expired coupon unless the offer says otherwise.
8. Review and processing targets
We aim to acknowledge a payment complaint within 24 hours and communicate a refund decision within 7 calendar days of receipt. If information is missing, we will explain what is needed and keep you informed; a shorter legal deadline still applies. For an approved direct refund, our proposed operating target is initiation within 7 business days after approval and receipt of necessary details.
Funds normally return to the original payment method. Bank or processor crediting may take an additional 5-10 business days; this is an estimate, not a guaranteed banking period. We will provide a reference where available and help trace a delayed credit. If the original method cannot receive funds, an alternative requires verification and lawful approval.
Billing support and safeguards
9. Disputes and chargebacks
You may contact your bank, payment provider, app store or a competent authority about a disputed payment. Our support process does not remove that right or require you to miss a provider's deadline. We may share relevant transaction and fulfilment evidence with the provider to resolve the dispute lawfully.
Tell us if a chargeback and a refund concern the same transaction so that the same amount is not reimbursed twice. If a duplicate reimbursement occurs, we will explain it and seek a reasonable, lawful correction. We will not retaliate against a good-faith complaint.
10. Price changes and renewal consent
Price changes apply to future purchases or renewals after the required notice and any renewed authorisation. They do not change an already confirmed one-time price. If a recurring payment fails, access may pause after appropriate notice; we will not create an undisclosed retry fee or debt. A change in plan requires clear information about any immediate charge or credit.
11. Invoices and statutory records
Provide correct billing details before purchase, including GST information where applicable. We will assess requests to correct invoices in accordance with tax rules. Any applicable withholding must be supported by the required certificate or record. We retain transaction and refund records for relevant accounting, tax, fraud-prevention and legal purposes as explained in the Privacy Policy.
The invoice must identify the lawful supplier. A payment statement may show the operator or processor rather than the trading brand. If a descriptor is unfamiliar, verify it using the official billing contact before making a further payment.
12. Payment security and service responsibility
Payment processors handle payment credentials under their own security and privacy arrangements. We collect only the transaction information needed for fulfilment, reconciliation, support and lawful records. The final Privacy Policy must accurately identify the processors used and the data they handle.
Report a suspected unauthorised transaction to your bank or payment provider immediately and notify us. We will cooperate in tracing the transaction and addressing issues within our control. Using an external processor does not by itself remove Magpies News's responsibility for a service we sell.
13. Complaints and policy changes
If billing support does not resolve the issue, contact the Grievance Officer using the Grievance Redressal Policy. This policy applies prospectively from its published effective date. Changes will not retrospectively remove an existing refund right. Mandatory payment, consumer and other applicable laws prevail over inconsistent wording.
14. Payment contact and address
Magpies News Operator and postal address: Cockatoo Pixels Private Limited [Building / door number, street and locality] Piravom, Kerala, India - [PIN code] Website: https://magpies.in Billing and refunds: [Official billing email] Telephone: [Official contact number]
Grievance Officer: [Name and designation]
Grievance email: [Official grievance email]