Refund Policy

This Refund Policy sets out the formal rules governing refunds applicable to all users of the Private E-Marketplace platform (“Private E-Marketplace”, “PEM”, “Platform”, “we”, “us”, or “our”).

Private E-Marketplace operates solely as a digital procurement marketplace and intermediary connecting registered buyers and sellers. The Platform does not manufacture, own, stock, transport, or deliver goods, and does not collect or settle commercial payments for the price of goods. Commercial payment for goods remains a private arrangement between the buyer and the seller.

This Refund Policy applies only to Private E-Marketplace platform service fees and related wallet transactions. It does not govern refunds of the commercial price of goods. This Policy must be read together with the General Terms and Conditions (GTC), Payment Policy, Cancellation Policy, and any applicable Special Terms and Conditions (STC) or Additional Terms and Conditions (ATC). All refunds under this Policy are governed exclusively by Private E-Marketplace administration in accordance with the GTC and applicable laws.

Platform fees covered under this Policy include, without limitation:

• Seller registration and annual subscription fees
• Buyer and seller tender-related platform fees
• Buyer and seller direct order (direct purchase) platform fees
• Any other service fees charged by Private E-Marketplace for use of its procurement infrastructure

Unless expressly approved by Private E-Marketplace administration under this Policy:

• All platform fees paid to Private E-Marketplace are non-refundable once the corresponding platform service has been rendered or initiated.
• A wallet credit, release of blocked funds within the User Wallet, or conversion of a Blocked Amount to an Available Amount does not constitute a cash refund to a bank account or any external payment instrument.
• Wallet funds may be used only for future Private E-Marketplace platform fee payments and cannot be transferred to a bank account or any external method.
• Private E-Marketplace does not provide escrow, payment guarantee, or settlement services for the commercial price of goods.
• All platform fee payments are processed through an RBI-authorized payment aggregator. Applicable taxes, including GST and TDS, shall be governed by the Duties & Taxes provisions in the GTC and applicable laws.

3.1 Non-Refundability of Seller Fees

In accordance with the General Terms and Conditions, seller platform fees—including registration fees, subscription fees, direct-order acceptance fees, and tender acceptance fees—are strictly non-refundable under any circumstances once payment has been successfully completed and the related platform service has been activated or rendered.

Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, seller fees shall not be refunded on account of:

• Non-utilization of the seller account during the subscription period
• Voluntary decision to discontinue selling on the Platform
• Inability to delete an account during an active subscription period
• Rejection, cancellation, or non-completion of any order or tender after the seller has paid the applicable platform fee
• Commercial disputes between the seller and any buyer regarding goods, delivery, quality, or offline payment
• Suspension, restriction, or termination of the seller account for breach of platform policies

3.2 Exceptional Refunds for Sellers

Seller fees remain generally non-refundable. If, in an exceptional case, Private E-Marketplace administration finds a refund request valid and justifiable and expressly approves a refund, the approved amount shall be credited to the seller’s User Wallet as Available Amount (Status IN) and shall be restricted to future platform use only. Such credit shall not be transferable to any bank account or external instrument.

4.1 Tender Platform Fees

Tender-related platform fees are charged for use of Private E-Marketplace’s tendering, bidding, reverse auction, and bid-to-reverse-auction infrastructure. Applicable fee rates and structures are as prescribed in the General Terms and Conditions and Duties & Taxes guidelines and are not restated in this Policy.

4.2 Buyer Tender Fees – Non-Refundable

Buyer tender platform fees are non-refundable. Where a tender is cancelled for any reason—including non-acceptance by any seller, failure to achieve the minimum number of bids after all configured extensions, or system cancellation—the buyer shall not be entitled to ask for payback of the platform fees paid, as set out in the GTC.

Subject to platform wallet rules:

• Upon tender cancellation, a Blocked Amount may be released to the buyer’s Available Amount (Status IN) for future Private E-Marketplace platform fee payments only.
• Upon tender completion, the relevant Blocked Amount moves to Status OUT and is paid to Private E-Marketplace as earned platform fees.
• A wallet release or Available Amount credit is not a cash refund.

4.3 Seller Tender Fees – Non-Refundable

Seller tender acceptance fees are strictly non-refundable once paid, including where the subsequent supply is delayed, disputed, cancelled by mutual agreement of the parties, or not completed for reasons outside Private E-Marketplace’s control.

5.1 Direct Order Platform Fees

Direct purchase (direct order) transactions attract Private E-Marketplace platform fees as prescribed in the General Terms and Conditions and Duties & Taxes guidelines. Fee amounts and percentages are not restated in this Policy.

5.2 Buyer Direct Order Fees – Non-Refundable

Buyer direct-order platform fees are non-refundable once the order-creation service has been rendered. If a direct order is cancelled by the seller prior to fulfillment, the buyer’s Blocked Amount may be released to Available Amount (Status IN) for future platform fee payments only. Such release does not constitute a cash refund.

Upon successful completion of the order, the Blocked Amount moves to Status OUT and is paid to Private E-Marketplace as earned platform fees.

5.3 Seller Direct Order Fees – Non-Refundable

Seller direct-order platform fees paid upon order acceptance are strictly non-refundable. Once the seller has paid the applicable platform fee, no cash refund shall be due.

5.4 No Changes After Seller Acceptance

Buyers must carefully review product details, specifications, quantities, and delivery terms before placing a direct order. No changes are permitted after the seller accepts the order. Incorrect specifications or buyer error shall not entitle the buyer to a refund of platform fees.

In accordance with the General Terms and Conditions: for sellers, platform fees are strictly non-refundable under any circumstances; for buyers, platform fees are generally non-refundable.

However, a refund may be issued only if Private E-Marketplace administration finds the refund request valid and justifiable under platform policies and expressly governs and approves the refund. In all such approved cases:

• Two percent (2%) of the refundable platform fee amount shall be deducted as processing charges
• The balance amount, after deduction of the 2% processing charges, may then be refunded or credited as approved by Private E-Marketplace
• Where credited to the User Wallet, the amount shall remain restricted to future platform fee use only and shall not be transferable to any bank account or external method

No user shall be entitled to a refund unless and until Private E-Marketplace administration has reviewed and approved the request. Private E-Marketplace’s decision on any refund request shall be final and binding, subject to applicable law.

Exceptional refund requests may be considered only in limited circumstances, including:

• Verified duplicate payments arising from system error
• Payment failures where funds were debited but the corresponding platform service was not activated
• Confirmed technical errors attributable to the Platform that prevented tender publication or order creation despite successful payment

Processing of approved refunds or wallet adjustments may take fifteen (15) to thirty (30) working days. Applicable bank or payment-gateway charges may be deducted where permitted by law.

The User Wallet is an on-platform mechanism for managing platform fee payments, blocked amounts, and approved fee adjustments. Wallet Balance = Available Amount + Blocked Amount.

• IN (Available Amount): Amount available for use in future Private E-Marketplace fee payments, including amounts released from cancelled tenders or orders, and exceptionally approved refunds credited to the wallet.
• On Hold (Blocked Amount): Amount reserved for an ongoing tender, reverse auction, or direct-order process; unusable until the process concludes.
• OUT: Amount successfully paid to Private E-Marketplace as a platform fee upon transaction completion.

Users are prohibited from transferring Available Amount balances to any bank account or external payment method. Wallet funds are strictly for platform payments within Private E-Marketplace.

Private E-Marketplace does not process, hold, or control payments for the commercial price of goods. All such payments are direct, offline transactions between buyers and sellers at the parties’ own risk.

Accordingly:

• Private E-Marketplace does not hold buyer funds for goods
• Private E-Marketplace does not provide escrow or payment-guarantee services
• Private E-Marketplace cannot process, authorize, or enforce refunds of the commercial price of goods
• Any refund, return, replacement, or commercial settlement relating to goods must be resolved directly between the buyer and the seller

Disputes concerning delivery, quantity, quality, or offline payment may be raised through the Incident Management system. Private E-Marketplace may facilitate communication but does not assume liability for, or guarantee the outcome of, any commercial refund.

Users must ensure that platform fee payments are made correctly and through authorized channels. If a user initiates a chargeback, unauthorized reversal, or fraudulent refund claim, Private E-Marketplace reserves the right to suspend or terminate the account, restrict platform access, recover fees and costs, and pursue remedies available under applicable law.

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law:

• Private E-Marketplace shall not be responsible for refunds relating to goods purchased through the Platform.
• Private E-Marketplace shall not be liable for payment defaults, fraudulent transfers, or financial losses arising from offline settlements between buyers and sellers.
• Private E-Marketplace shall be responsible only for platform-fee refunds or wallet adjustments expressly approved and governed by Private E-Marketplace under this Policy.
• Release of Blocked Amounts to Available Amount upon cancellation does not create any entitlement to cash withdrawal or bank transfer.

Private E-Marketplace reserves the right to amend this Refund Policy at any time. Updated versions shall be published on the Platform and shall apply prospectively from the date of publication, unless otherwise required by law.

For queries relating to platform fee payments, wallet adjustments, or refund requests under this Policy, please contact: Private E-Marketplace Support Team Email: support@pem.co.in