Last Updated: June 20, 2024
1. Introduction
At BalancedFlow Photography ("we," "our," or "us"), we are committed to ensuring your satisfaction with our services and products. This Refund Policy outlines the terms and conditions for refunds and cancellations for all services and products purchased through our website, balancedflow.sbs, or directly from our photography studio.
By purchasing our services or products, you agree to the terms of this Refund Policy. We reserve the right to amend this policy at any time by posting the updated version on our website. Any changes will be effective immediately upon posting.
2. Photography Services Refund Policy
2.1 Session Deposits
When booking a photography session with us, we require a non-refundable deposit to secure your date and time. This deposit serves as a commitment from both parties and helps us manage our scheduling effectively. The deposit amount is typically 25% of the total session fee and is applied toward your final payment.
Session deposits are non-refundable except in the following circumstances:
- If we (BalancedFlow Photography) need to cancel the session due to illness, emergency, or unavoidable circumstances, you will receive a full refund of your deposit or the option to reschedule at no additional cost.
- In case of severe weather conditions (for outdoor sessions) that would significantly impact the quality of your photographs, we will reschedule at no additional charge or provide a full refund if rescheduling is not possible within 90 days.
2.2 Cancellations and Rescheduling
Our cancellation and rescheduling policies are as follows:
- Cancellations made 14 or more calendar days before the scheduled session: The deposit is non-refundable, but you may apply it to a rescheduled session within the next 6 months.
- Cancellations made 7-13 calendar days before the scheduled session: The deposit is non-refundable, and a rescheduling fee of £50 will apply if you wish to book a new date.
- Cancellations made less than 7 calendar days before the scheduled session: The deposit is non-refundable, and a rescheduling fee of £100 will apply if you wish to book a new date.
- No-shows: If you fail to attend your scheduled session without prior notice, the deposit is forfeited, and you will be required to pay the full session fee before booking another appointment.
We understand that emergencies happen. In case of serious illness, family emergency, or other extenuating circumstances, please contact us as soon as possible, and we will work with you to find a suitable solution.
2.3 Satisfaction Guarantee
We take pride in our work and want you to be completely satisfied with your photography experience and final images. If you are not satisfied with your photographs due to technical issues (such as focus problems, improper exposure, or other technical errors on our part), we offer the following remedies:
- A complimentary re-shoot session
- A partial refund based on the extent of the issue
- A full refund in extreme circumstances where we cannot deliver images of acceptable professional quality
To qualify for our satisfaction guarantee, you must notify us of your concerns in writing within 14 days of receiving your final gallery of images, specifically detailing the technical issues.
Please note that artistic style, composition choices, or subjective preferences are not grounds for refunds. Before booking, we encourage clients to thoroughly review our portfolio to ensure our style aligns with your expectations.
3. Digital Product Refund Policy
3.1 Digital Downloads
Due to the nature of digital products (presets, templates, educational content, etc.), all sales of digital downloads are final. Once a digital product has been downloaded, we cannot accept returns or provide refunds.
However, if you experience technical difficulties with downloading or accessing the digital product you purchased, please contact our customer support team within 14 days of purchase, and we will assist you in resolving the issue or provide a replacement download link.
3.2 Online Photography Courses and Workshops
For our online photography courses and workshops:
- If you have not accessed more than 20% of the course content, you may request a refund within 14 days of purchase.
- If you have accessed more than 20% of the course content, no refund will be provided.
- For live online workshops, cancellations made 7 or more days before the scheduled workshop date will receive a full refund or the option to transfer to another available workshop date.
- Cancellations made less than 7 days before a live online workshop are not eligible for a refund but may be transferred to another available workshop date subject to a £25 transfer fee.
4. Physical Product Refund Policy
4.1 Printed Products
For printed products (prints, albums, canvases, etc.):
- If your printed product arrives damaged or with significant defects, please contact us within 7 days of receipt with photographs of the damage. We will arrange for a replacement at no additional cost.
- For custom printed products created to your specifications (such as personalized albums), we cannot offer refunds unless the product is defective or significantly different from what was ordered.
- Standard prints may be returned within 14 days if you are not satisfied with the quality. A refund will be issued upon receipt of the returned items in their original condition.
Please note that minor variations in color between digital images and printed products are normal due to differences in screen calibration and printing processes and are not considered defects.
4.2 Photography Merchandise
For photography merchandise (camera straps, t-shirts, etc.):
- Unused merchandise in its original packaging may be returned within 30 days of purchase for a full refund (excluding shipping costs).
- Items showing signs of use or with damaged packaging may be subject to a restocking fee of up to 20% or may not be eligible for a refund.
- Personalized merchandise cannot be returned unless defective.
To return merchandise, please contact us first to obtain a return authorization and shipping instructions.
5. Wedding and Event Photography Refund Policy
Due to the unique nature of wedding and event photography, we have a specific refund policy for these services:
- The initial booking fee/retainer (typically 30% of the total package price) is non-refundable as we reserve your date exclusively for you and turn away other potential bookings.
- Cancellations made more than 90 days before the event date: The booking fee is non-refundable, but no additional payments will be due.
- Cancellations made 30-90 days before the event date: The booking fee is non-refundable, and 50% of the remaining balance will be due.
- Cancellations made less than 30 days before the event date: The full package price is due and non-refundable.
If you need to reschedule your event:
- Rescheduling requests made more than 90 days before the original event date: We will apply your booking fee to the new date, subject to our availability, with no additional fees.
- Rescheduling requests made less than 90 days before the original event date: A rescheduling fee of £250 will apply, in addition to any price differences if the new date falls in a higher-priced season.
If we are unable to accommodate your new date, our standard cancellation policy will apply.
6. Refund Process and Timeframes
6.1 How to Request a Refund
To request a refund, please contact us through one of the following methods:
Please include the following information in your refund request:
- Your full name and contact information
- Order/booking reference number
- Date of purchase/service
- Reason for requesting a refund
- Any relevant supporting documentation (e.g., photos of damaged products)
6.2 Refund Processing Timeframes
We process refund requests as follows:
- We will acknowledge your refund request within 2 business days.
- We will review your request and make a decision within 5-7 business days.
- If approved, refunds will be processed within 10 business days of approval.
- The time it takes for the refund to appear in your account depends on your payment method and financial institution, typically 3-10 business days after processing.
6.3 Refund Methods
Refunds will be issued using the same payment method used for the original purchase:
- Credit/debit card payments: Refunded to the same card
- PayPal: Refunded to your PayPal account
- Bank transfer: Refunded to the originating bank account
- Cash payments: Refunded by check or bank transfer
7. Exceptions to the Refund Policy
The following circumstances are generally not eligible for refunds:
- Subjective dissatisfaction with the artistic style or creative direction when the delivered images are consistent with our portfolio
- Changes in personal preference after services have been delivered
- Digital products that have been downloaded or accessed
- Custom-created products that meet the specifications provided
- Failure to follow preparation guidelines or recommendations provided before the photography session
- Services cancelled by the client with insufficient notice as specified in this policy
We reserve the right to evaluate refund requests on a case-by-case basis and may make exceptions to this policy at our discretion, particularly in cases of extenuating circumstances.
8. Contact Information
If you have any questions about our Refund Policy, please contact us:
- By email: [email protected]
- By phone: +44 8130 652618
- By mail: 62 Frank Burg, Port Reecebury, LL14 5NR