Refund Policy

At Piclelo, we believe in complete transparency and fairness when it comes to refunds. This comprehensive refund policy has been designed with your interests in mind, ensuring you receive prompt, full refunds without bureaucratic hurdles or hidden deductions.

1. Overview of Our Refund Commitment

1.1. Customer-First Philosophy:
Our refund policy is built on the principle that you should never feel trapped by your booking. We want every customer to feel confident that their financial interests are protected when they choose Piclelo. This policy represents our commitment to ethical business practices and customer satisfaction.

1.2. Scope of This Policy:
This refund policy applies to all services offered by Piclelo, including but not limited to photobooth rentals, add-on services, package upgrades, equipment rentals, and any promotional offerings. All refund provisions outlined herein are legally binding contractual obligations.

2. Full Refund Scenarios

2.1. Cancellation-Based Refunds:
When you cancel your booking for any reason, you are entitled to a 100% full refund of all amounts paid. This includes:

• Initial deposit (typically 10% of booking value)
• Final payment or any interim payments made
• Add-on service fees
• Package upgrade charges
• Any promotional or special service fees
• Transaction charges or payment processing fees (we absorb these costs)

2.2. Pre-Event Cancellations:
Regardless of when you cancel - whether months in advance or days before your event - you will receive a complete refund. There are no tiered refund percentages based on cancellation timing. Every cancellation receives 100% refund.

2.3. Day-of-Event Cancellations:
Even if you cancel on the day of your event before service begins, you will receive a full refund. We understand that last-minute emergencies occur, and we will not penalize you financially for circumstances beyond your control.

3. Service Quality Refunds

3.1. Equipment Malfunction Refunds:
If our equipment experiences technical difficulties during your event:

• Issues resolved within 30 minutes: No charge reduction, complimentary 30-minute service extension
• Downtime 30-60 minutes: 25% refund of total booking value
• Downtime exceeding 60 minutes: 50% refund of total booking value
• Complete service failure: 100% refund plus 50% compensation credit
• Failure in first hour: 100% refund regardless of resolution time

3.2. Service Quality Issues:
If you are dissatisfied with the quality of service provided, including but not limited to:

• Print quality below professional standards
• Attendant unprofessionalism or absence
• Equipment setup delays exceeding 30 minutes
• Promised features not delivered
• Inadequate photo quality or lighting

You may request a partial or full refund based on the severity of the issue. We will review your concern in good faith and provide an appropriate refund within 72 hours of receiving your complaint.

3.3. No-Show by Piclelo:
In the extremely unlikely event that Piclelo fails to appear at your event, you will receive:

• Immediate 100% refund of all payments
• Additional compensation equal to 50% of booking value
• Reimbursement for any expenses incurred due to our no-show (up to ₹25,000)
• Written apology and incident report
• Lifetime 30% discount on any future services

4. Refund Processing Methods

4.1. Original Payment Method Refunds:
By default, all refunds are processed to the original payment method used for booking:

• Credit/Debit Cards: Refund initiated within 5 business days; reflects in account within 5-7 business days thereafter
• UPI Payments: Refund initiated within 3 business days; typically reflects instantly to 24 hours thereafter
• Net Banking: Refund initiated within 5 business days; reflects in account within 3-5 business days thereafter
• Digital Wallets: Refund initiated within 3 business days; typically reflects within 24-48 hours thereafter

4.2. Alternative Refund Methods:
If you prefer a different refund method than the original payment, we can accommodate:

• Bank account transfer (requires account details verification)
• Company check (mailed within 7 business days)
• UPI transfer to different account (requires verification)
• Service credit for future bookings (with 10% bonus value added)

4.3. International Payment Refunds:
For international cards or payment methods, refunds are processed in the original currency. Exchange rate fluctuations will not result in reduced refund amounts - we absorb any currency conversion losses.

5. Refund Timeline and Guarantees

5.1. Standard Processing Timeline:
- Refund request acknowledgment: Within 24 hours
- Refund initiation: Within 5-7 business days from cancellation
- Credit to account: Within 3-10 business days from initiation (varies by payment method and bank)

5.2. Expedited Refunds:
In cases of financial hardship, emergency situations, or service failures, we offer expedited refund processing:

• Emergency requests: 48-hour processing guarantee
• Service failure refunds: 72-hour processing guarantee
• Financial hardship cases: 3-business-day guarantee (upon verification)

5.3. Maximum Refund Timeframe Guarantee:
Under no circumstances will any refund take longer than 15 business days from the date you submit your refund request to the date funds are credited to your account. If this timeline is exceeded, we will add a 10% compensation payment to your refund amount.

6. Pro-Rated Refunds

6.1. Partial Service Delivery:
If your event goes ahead but service is interrupted or reduced, you will receive a pro-rated refund calculated as follows:

Example: If you booked 4 hours of service for ₹20,000 but equipment was non-functional for 1 hour, your refund would be: (1/4) × ₹20,000 = ₹5,000

6.2. Reduced Service Scope:
If you modify your booking to reduce the service scope (fewer hours, downgraded package, removed add-ons), you will receive a refund of the difference between the original and modified booking values, minus any promotional discounts that are no longer applicable.

6.3. Early Service Termination:
If you choose to end the photobooth service early for any reason:

• Within first hour: Full refund available
• After first hour: Pro-rated refund for unused time (minimum 1 hour must be used)
• Termination due to Piclelo service issues: Full refund regardless of time used

7. Promotional and Discount Refunds

7.1. Promo Code Refunds:
If you used a promotional code or discount at booking:

• You will be refunded the actual amount you paid (after discount)
• The promotional code remains valid and can be reused on a future booking
• No penalties for canceling discounted bookings

7.2. Seasonal Offer Refunds:
Bookings made during special promotional periods (e.g., "10% off Monday-Thursday") are eligible for full refunds. The promotional rate will remain honored if you choose to reschedule rather than cancel.

7.3. Package Deal Refunds:
If you booked a bundled package with multiple services:

• Full cancellation: 100% refund of entire package value
• Partial cancellation: Refund of canceled services at their standalone rates (you keep package discount on remaining services)
• Package cannot be "unbundled" to increase refund amount beyond what was paid

8. Special Event Refund Protections

8.1. Wedding Booking Refunds:
Wedding bookings receive enhanced refund protections:

• Expedited 3-day refund processing
• Option for partial refund with future booking credit at 120% value
• Extended 2-year rescheduling window with pricing locked in
• Transferable refund to other family member bookings
• No reduction in refund amount for postponed weddings

8.2. Corporate Event Refunds:
Corporate clients receive business-friendly refund terms:

• Company account credits as alternative to direct refunds
• Bulk refund processing for multiple canceled events
• Extended payment terms for rescheduled events
• GST-compliant refund documentation provided immediately

9. Weather and Force Majeure Refunds

9.1. Weather-Related Cancellations:
For outdoor events affected by severe weather:

• 100% refund for cancellations due to severe weather warnings
• Free rescheduling to any available date within 1 year
• No documentation required for weather-related cancellations
• Refund processed within 48 hours of cancellation notice

9.2. Pandemic and Health Emergency Refunds:
In case of pandemic, public health emergency, or government-imposed restrictions:

• Automatic full refund eligibility for all affected events
• Extended rescheduling options up to 24 months
• Waived deposit requirements for rescheduled dates
• Upgraded package offerings at original pricing

9.3. Venue-Related Refunds:
If your venue cancels or becomes unavailable:

• Immediate full refund upon notification
• No waiting period for refund processing
• Assistance with alternative venue suggestions
• Priority rebooking at alternative venue
• 15% discount on any future rebooked service

10. Disputed Charges and Chargebacks

10.1. Billing Dispute Resolution:
If you identify any billing errors or disputed charges:

• Report the issue within 90 days of charge
• We will investigate and respond within 5 business days
• Provisional credit issued during investigation if warranted
• Full refund of any confirmed erroneous charges plus 10% compensation

10.2. Chargeback Process:
While we encourage you to contact us directly before initiating a chargeback, we respect your right to dispute charges through your bank. If a chargeback is filed:

• We will not contest valid chargeback claims
• We will provide full documentation to support your claim
• Your account will not be penalized or banned for filing a chargeback
• Future booking privileges remain intact

10.3. Double-Charge Refunds:
In the rare event of accidental double-charging:

• Immediate reversal of duplicate charge upon notification
• Express refund processing within 24 hours
• Written apology and incident explanation
• ₹1,000 compensation credit for the inconvenience

11. Refund Request Process

11.1. How to Request a Refund:
Submit your refund request through any of the following channels:

• Email: hello@piclelo.in with subject line "Refund Request - [Your Booking Reference]"
• Phone: Call 8200232407, 9909285739, or 9354823493
• WhatsApp: Message any of the above numbers
• Written Request: Mail to U24A/8, Pink Town House, Gurgaon, Haryana 122010
• Online Form: Available on our website under "Support" section

11.2. Required Information:
To expedite your refund, please provide:

• Booking reference number or confirmation email
• Event date and name
• Full name and contact information used during booking
• Reason for refund (optional but helpful)
• Preferred refund method (if different from original payment)
• Bank details (if requesting bank transfer refund)

11.3. Acknowledgment and Confirmation:
Upon receiving your refund request:

• Automatic email confirmation within 1 hour (during business hours)
• Personal follow-up call or message within 24 hours
• Detailed refund timeline and process explanation
• Unique tracking reference for your refund request
• Weekly status updates until refund is completed

12. Refund Alternatives and Options

12.1. Service Credit Option:
Instead of a cash refund, you may opt for service credit with added benefits:

• 110% value credit (₹11,000 credit for ₹10,000 refund)
• No expiration date on credit
• Fully transferable to friends or family
• Combinable with other promotions and discounts
• Can be split across multiple bookings

12.2. Donation Option:
You may choose to donate your refund to a charity partner:

• Piclelo will match your donation up to ₹5,000
• Tax receipt provided for your donation
• 15% discount coupon for your generosity
• Recognition on our charitable giving page (if desired)

12.3. Partial Refund with Reschedule:
Take a 50% immediate refund and reschedule the remaining 50% value:

• Immediate 50% cash refund processed within 48 hours
• Remaining 50% as 60% value service credit
• Extended 2-year validity for rescheduled booking
• Flexibility to take remaining refund later if needed

13. Tax and Documentation

13.1. GST on Refunds:
All refunds include the full GST amount paid. You will not lose any tax component on refunds.

13.2. Refund Documentation:
We provide comprehensive documentation for all refunds:

• Official refund confirmation letter
• Updated GST-compliant tax invoice showing credit
• Bank transaction reference numbers
• Cancellation certificate (if required for insurance or other vendors)

13.3. Corporate Refund Documentation:
Business clients receive additional accounting documentation:

• Formal credit notes
• Revised tax invoices
• Detailed transaction statements
• Audit trail documentation

14. International Client Refunds

14.1. Currency Conversion Protection:
International clients are protected from exchange rate losses:

• Refund calculated at original booking exchange rate
• If current rate is more favorable, you benefit from the improvement
• If current rate is less favorable, we absorb the loss
• Clear currency conversion breakdown provided

14.2. International Transfer Fees:
All international wire transfer fees and charges are borne by Piclelo, not deducted from your refund amount.

15. Refund Guarantee Summary

16. Refund Policy Enforcement

16.1. Legal Binding:
This refund policy constitutes a legally binding agreement between you and Piclelo. All terms are enforceable under Indian consumer protection laws and contract law.

16.2. Policy Precedence:
In any conflict between this refund policy and other terms, the more customer-favorable interpretation will apply. Our goal is always to honor the spirit of customer protection.

16.3. Dispute Resolution:
If you believe your refund rights have been violated:

• Escalate to management immediately
• Request written explanation within 48 hours
• Invoke consumer protection dispute mechanisms
• Seek legal recourse under Delhi jurisdiction if needed

17. Contact for Refund Inquiries