Payment Terms & Refund Policy

1. Scope of Services

These Payment Terms apply to all services rendered by Short Stack (Pty) Ltd trading as Stacking Short, including but not limited to:

  • Website and application development
  • Graphic and visual design
  • Copywriting and content production
  • Project management and consulting
  • Any other service provided by the Company

By engaging with Short Stack (Pty) Ltd t/a Stacking Short, the Client agrees to these terms in full.

2. Payment Terms

2.1 Deposits and Work Commencement

  • No work will commence until:
    • A deposit (minimum 50% of the quoted project amount) has cleared in our bank account, or
    • Full payment is received, where required or agreed upon in writing.
  • This applies to all project-based, hourly, and retainer services.

2.2 Milestone Payments (where applicable)

  • For projects exceeding 30 days or R50,000 in value, milestone-based payments may be agreed upon in writing.
  • Work on subsequent milestones will not proceed until the prior milestone payment has been made in full.

2.3 Retainers & Monthly Services

  • Retainer and ongoing service fees are payable in advance by the 1st of each calendar month.
  • Late payments beyond 7 days may result in service suspension until payment is received.

2.4 Final Payment & Delivery

  • Final deliverables will only be handed over, uploaded, or published upon receipt of full and final payment.
  • Short Stack (Pty) Ltd t/a Stacking Short reserves the right to withhold access or delivery of work until all outstanding invoices are settled.

3. Refunds & Cancellations

3.1 General Refund Conditions

  • Refunds will be granted in line with the South African Consumer Protection Act (CPA) and industry norms.
  • A full refund will only be issued if no work or time has been spent on the project.
  • If any time, effort, or deliverables have been invested:
    • The refund will be prorated based on work completed or hours spent, including administrative and consultation time.
    • All work completed up to the cancellation point will be billed and deducted from the refundable amount.

3.2 Change of Provider or Project Termination

  • Clients are entitled to discontinue services or move to another provider.
  • In such cases, any outstanding fees for time and work delivered will be due before final assets are transferred.
  • Refunds will only be processed once written notice of termination is received and reviewed.

3.3 Non-Refundable Services

The following are non-refundable once work has commenced:

  • Graphic design assets already delivered
  • Website or software code already developed or deployed
  • Copywriting content already drafted
  • Time spent on discovery, strategy sessions, or project planning

4. Legal Compliance

  • All personal and business data collected is stored and processed in compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).
  • Contracts and transactions are governed by the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), Electronic Communications and Transactions Act (ECTA), and other applicable South African laws.
  • By proceeding with payment or signing a proposal/quotation, the Client enters into a legally binding agreement with Short Stack (Pty) Ltd t/a Stacking Short.

5. Dispute Resolution

In the event of a billing or service-related dispute:

  • The Client agrees to notify Short Stack (Pty) Ltd t/a Stacking Short in writing within 7 days of the issue arising.
  • We commit to resolving disputes in good faith through mediation or negotiation before legal action is considered.