Customer Policies

Payeena helps buyers and sellers coordinate transactions through an agreed transaction process.

1.1 Creating a Deal: The person creating a deal is the deal creator. The creator specifies the transaction terms, including relevant details such as:

• What is being sold or provided
• Transaction amount
• Delivery or completion requirements
• Delivery deadline
• Applicable terms and conditions
• Any milestones, where applicable

The other party, the counterparty, must review and agree to the terms before proceeding.

1.2 Agreed Terms Cannot Be Changed: Once both parties have agreed to a deal, the agreed transaction terms cannot be edited. If the parties need different terms, they may need to cancel or otherwise resolve the existing transaction and create a new deal with the correct terms.

1.3 Payment: The buyer makes payment through a payment method supported by Paystack. A transaction is considered paid only after Payeena receives and verifies the payment confirmation from Paystack. Until Payeena confirms payment:

• The transaction remains unpaid.
• The seller should not treat the transaction as funded.
• The seller should not proceed with delivery based solely on a buyer's claim that payment was made.

1.4 Seller Delivery: After payment is confirmed, the seller proceeds according to the agreed terms and delivery deadline. When the seller marks the transaction as delivered or completed, the seller must provide relevant delivery evidence.

1.5 Confirmation: The buyer's confirmation window starts automatically when the seller marks the transaction as delivered. The confirmation period is:

• Physical goods: 42 hours
• Digital products: 24 hours
• Services: 24 hours

During this period, the buyer may confirm the transaction, or raise a dispute if there is a problem. If the buyer does nothing before the confirmation period expires, the transaction automatically completes. Once the transaction completes, the normal Payeena dispute, refund, and cancellation workflow is no longer available.

Payeena charges a transaction service fee based on the transaction amount.

2.1 Payeena Fee: The current fee structure is:

2.2 Who Pays the Fee?: Depending on the deal, the Payeena fee may be:

• Paid by the buyer
• Paid by the seller
• Split between the buyer and seller

Where the fee is split, it is divided according to the applicable transaction arrangement.

2.3 Payment Provider Charges: Payment processing may involve charges from the payment provider. Payment-provider or gateway charges may not be fully refundable when a transaction is refunded. The applicable refund amount is calculated according to Payeena's refund rules.

2.4 Fees Before Payment: Before payment, Payeena will show the buyer the applicable transaction amount, Payeena fee, and total amount payable so the buyer can review the charges before confirming payment.

3.1 Supported Payment Methods: Payeena accepts payment methods made available through Paystack. Available payment methods may change depending on Paystack's supported payment options.

3.2 Payment Confirmation: A buyer's payment is not considered confirmed merely because the buyer sees a successful payment screen. Payeena must receive and verify the payment confirmation from Paystack. Once confirmed, the transaction can proceed to the seller delivery stage.

3.3 Failed or Declined Payments: If a payment fails or is declined:

• The transaction remains unpaid.
• The buyer may retry the payment.
• The seller should not deliver the product or begin the service.
• The buyer's account is not automatically suspended because of a normal failed payment.
• If payment is not successfully completed within 72 hours, the unpaid deal expires.

3.4 Payment Deadline: A buyer must complete payment within 72 hours of the applicable payment period beginning. If payment is not completed within that period, the transaction may expire or be cancelled.

3.5 Chargebacks: A chargeback is different from a normal failed payment. If a chargeback is initiated while a transaction is active:

• The transaction is placed on hold.
• Any pending seller payout is suspended.
• The buyer's account may be temporarily restricted while the chargeback is investigated.
• Payeena reviews the transaction and available evidence.
• Payeena cooperates with the payment provider in resolving the chargeback.
• Where intentional chargeback misuse or fraud is established, the buyer may be permanently suspended.
• Where misuse is not established, account restrictions are reviewed according to the investigation outcome.

If a chargeback occurs after the seller has already received their payout, Payeena handles the matter case by case and may provide transaction, delivery, completion, and other relevant evidence to the payment provider.

4.1 Delivery Deadline: The deal creator specifies the delivery or completion deadline. The counterparty agrees to that deadline as part of accepting the deal. Both parties are expected to follow the agreed terms.

4.2 Delivery Evidence: The seller must provide appropriate evidence when marking a transaction as delivered or completed. The evidence depends on the transaction type.

Physical goods: Examples include:

• Tracking details
• Delivery receipt
• Proof of delivery
• Delivery photograph
• Other relevant delivery evidence

Digital products: Examples include:

• Proof that the digital product was delivered
• Evidence that access was provided
• Relevant delivery records

Services: Examples include:

• Evidence that the agreed service was completed
• Relevant work records
• Other evidence appropriate to the service

Other transactions: The seller should provide evidence relevant to the particular transaction.

4.3 Confirmation Window: The confirmation window begins automatically when the seller marks the transaction as delivered.

The buyer can confirm the transaction or raise a dispute during this period.

4.4 Automatic Completion: If the buyer does not raise a dispute before the confirmation window ends, the transaction automatically completes. After completion:

• The transaction is closed.
• The normal Payeena dispute process is no longer available.
• The normal Payeena refund process is no longer available.
• The normal Payeena cancellation process is no longer available.
• The seller becomes eligible for payout.

A buyer who later has an issue should contact the seller directly. The buyer may still report the matter to Payeena for record-keeping, but Payeena will not reopen the completed transaction through the normal transaction workflow.

Cancellation rights depend on the stage of the transaction.

5.1 Buyer Cancellation Before Payment: A buyer may cancel a transaction before payment has been made, subject to the applicable transaction rules.

5.2 Buyer Cancellation After Payment: After payment has been made, the buyer cannot simply cancel the transaction through Payeena. The buyer may:

• Contact the seller and request cancellation, or
• Raise a dispute where the transaction qualifies for the dispute process.

If the seller agrees to cancel, the outcome may depend on:

• Transaction stage
• Whether the seller has dispatched the item
• Whether the seller has started the service
• Work already completed
• Costs already incurred
• The applicable Payeena refund rules

5.3 Seller Cancellation: A seller may cancel before delivery. If the seller cancels after the buyer has paid but before delivery, the buyer is generally eligible for a refund. The final refund amount is determined according to the applicable refund rules and circumstances.

5.4 Buyer-Caused Cancellation or Failure: Where the transaction cannot proceed because of the buyer's actions, Payeena handles the matter case by case. Examples may include:

• Incorrect information provided by the buyer
• Failure to provide required information or materials
• Refusing a valid delivery
• Failure to cooperate with the transaction
• Other buyer-caused circumstances

A refund is not automatically guaranteed.

5.5 Completed Transactions: Once a transaction has completed, it cannot be cancelled through Payeena's normal transaction workflow.

6.1 When a Refund May Apply: A refund may apply where, for example:

• The seller fails to deliver within the agreed deadline.
• The seller cancels the transaction.
• The parties mutually agree to cancel.
• The wrong item is delivered.
• The item is significantly different from what was agreed.
• The item arrives damaged.
• A digital product is not delivered.
• A service is not delivered or completed as agreed.
• The transaction cannot proceed.
• Other circumstances justify a refund under Payeena's dispute process.

Refund eligibility depends on the circumstances and available evidence.

6.2 Refund Outcomes: A dispute or cancellation may result in:

• Full refund: where the transaction cannot proceed or the circumstances justify returning the applicable refundable amount.
• Partial refund: where only part of the transaction is affected or part of the product/service was validly delivered.
• No refund: where the seller fulfilled the agreed terms or the circumstances do not justify a refund.

6.3 Refund Calculation: The amount refunded depends on the transaction stage and reason for the refund.

Funding Failure: Where money has been successfully collected from the buyer but the transaction cannot be successfully funded, the refund is calculated by deducting the applicable non-refundable payment gateway fee and an additional ₦200 charge from the amount paid. Payeena does not retain its regular transaction service fee in this situation.

Full Refund After Funding: Where a successfully funded transaction qualifies for a full refund or cancellation, the refund is calculated by deducting the applicable non-refundable payment gateway fee and a ₦500 charge from the total amount paid.

Partial Refund: Where only part of a successfully funded transaction qualifies for a refund, Payeena determines the refundable amount based on the agreed transaction terms, available evidence, and applicable policies. Payeena retains its applicable service fee. The partial refund must undergo internal review and approval before payment is initiated.

Refund deductions and the applicable refund amount are calculated automatically where fixed rules apply. A refund cannot exceed the eligible amount or result in a negative payment. The applicable charges are disclosed to users before payment.

6.4 Refund Account: Approved refunds are paid only to the buyer's verified bank account saved with Payeena. An unverified or alternative account cannot be substituted for the refund.

6.5 Refund Processing: Once a refund has been approved and all required internal processing has been completed:

• Payeena initiates the refund.
• The buyer is notified.
• The refund is processed through the applicable payment/banking channel.
• The buyer should generally allow 1–3 business days for the refund to be received after initiation.
• Actual timing may depend on payment provider and bank processing.

6.6 Pending or Failed Refunds

• If a refund is still processing, the buyer normally does not need to submit another request.
• If a refund fails, Payeena may retry the refund.
• If the refund continues to fail, Payeena may investigate and contact the buyer.
• The buyer may need to correct or verify their bank details before the refund can be completed.
• A buyer should not submit duplicate refund requests for the same transaction after a refund has already been initiated.

6.7 Physical Product Returns: When a physical product must be returned before a refund can be completed, the buyer must return the item as required.

• If the seller is responsible for the issue, the seller is generally responsible for the return delivery cost.
• If the buyer is responsible for the return, the buyer is responsible for the applicable return/delivery cost.
• If Payeena determines that a return is required, both parties are expected to cooperate with the return process.
• If the seller refuses or obstructs an otherwise valid return, Payeena may review the delivery evidence and determine the appropriate resolution under its dispute and refund policy.
• If the buyer refuses or fails to complete a required return, the refund may be withheld and the seller's eligible payout may proceed.

6.8 Milestone Transactions: Transactions involving milestones are subject to the following refund rules:

• Each milestone represents an agreed portion of the transaction.
• Once a milestone has been approved by the buyer, that milestone is final and non-refundable through Payeena.
• Unapproved milestones may qualify for refunds under Payeena's applicable dispute and cancellation rules.
• If no milestone has been approved and the transaction qualifies for a full refund after funding, the buyer receives the amount paid less the applicable non-refundable gateway fee and a ₦500 charge.
• If one or more milestones have been approved, the approved milestone amounts are not refundable.
• Where at least one milestone has been approved, Payeena retains its applicable service fee. No portion of that service fee is refunded.
• The refundable principal for any eligible unapproved milestone is determined by Payeena based on the circumstances and available transaction evidence.
• A partial refund arising from a dispute requires internal approval before financial execution.

6.9 Completed Transactions: Once a buyer has confirmed delivery or the confirmation window has expired and the transaction has completed, the normal Payeena refund process is no longer available. The buyer should contact the seller directly regarding any later issue.

7.1 When a Buyer Can Open a Dispute: A buyer can open a dispute only while the transaction is still active and before the confirmation window closes. A buyer should not confirm delivery if there is an unresolved issue.

7.2 Examples of Disputable Problems: A buyer may raise a dispute where, for example:

• The item was not received.
• The wrong item was received.
• The item is significantly different from the agreed description.
• The item is damaged.
• Parts are missing.
• A digital product was not delivered.
• A service was not completed.
• A service was materially different from what was agreed.
• The seller marked a transaction as delivered but delivery did not actually occur.
• Other circumstances materially conflict with the agreed transaction terms.

7.3 Evidence: Both parties may be required to provide relevant evidence. Payeena reviews the available evidence together with the agreed transaction terms.

The buyer may provide:

• Photos
• Videos
• Screenshots
• Messages
• Delivery information
• Other relevant evidence

The seller may provide:

• Tracking information
• Delivery receipts
• Photos
• Service records
• Messages
• Proof of completion
• Other relevant evidence

7.4 Response Deadlines: There is no single fixed response period for every dispute. Payeena sets the response or evidence deadline based on the circumstances of each case. If either party fails to respond within the specified deadline, Payeena may resolve the dispute using the available evidence and transaction records.

7.5 Seller Payout During a Dispute: While a dispute is open, the seller's payout is placed on hold. The seller does not receive the disputed payout until the dispute has been resolved and all required internal processing has been completed.

7.6 Dispute Outcomes: A dispute may result in:

• Full refund
• Partial refund
• No refund

The applicable financial outcome is calculated according to Payeena's refund rules.

7.7 Internal Approval: A dispute resolution involving a refund or seller payout requires internal review and approval before the financial outcome is processed. Once the necessary approval and processing requirements have been completed, the applicable refund or payout can be initiated.

7.8 Dispute Resolution Is Final Within Payeena: Once Payeena resolves a dispute, the Payeena dispute process for that transaction is closed. The parties may pursue the matter outside Payeena through any other lawful avenue available to them.

7.9 Issues Reported After Completion: If a buyer reports an issue after the transaction has completed:

• Payeena will treat the transaction as closed.
• The buyer should contact the seller directly.
• The buyer may report the issue to Payeena for record-keeping.
• Payeena will not reopen the transaction through the normal dispute, refund, or cancellation workflow.

7.10 Fraud and Suspicious Activity: If Payeena identifies fraud, suspicious activity, or a serious policy violation during an active transaction, Payeena may:

• Place the transaction on hold.
• Temporarily restrict one or both accounts.
• Investigate the activity.
• Review relevant evidence.
• Determine the appropriate transaction outcome.

8.1 Verified Bank Account Requirement: A seller must have a verified bank account saved with Payeena before creating or joining a deal. This ensures that an eligible payout account is available before the transaction begins.

8.2 When Seller Payout Becomes Available: After a transaction completes, the seller becomes eligible for payout, subject to any applicable hold, dispute, fraud review, chargeback, or other transaction restriction.

8.3 Automatic Seller Payout: Seller payouts are automatically initiated once the seller becomes eligible. The seller does not need to manually request the payout. After Payeena initiates the payout, the seller should generally receive the funds within 1–2 business days, subject to payment provider and bank processing.

8.4 Failed Seller Payouts: If Payeena cannot complete a seller payout because of a bank-account, verification, payment-provider, or other issue:

• Payeena may retry the payout.
• The seller may need to correct or verify their bank details.
• Payeena may contact the seller.
• Payeena may handle the issue manually if it remains unresolved.

8.5 Chargebacks Before Seller Payout: Where a chargeback is initiated before the seller receives payment:

• The affected transaction is placed on hold.
• The seller's pending payout is suspended.
• The buyer's account may be temporarily restricted during the investigation.
• Payeena reviews the transaction, payment history, and evidence.
• Payeena handles the chargeback process with the applicable payment provider.
• Permanent account suspension may apply where intentional misuse or fraudulent activity is established.
• Account restrictions may be reviewed or lifted where the investigation does not establish misuse.

8.6 Chargebacks After Seller Payout: If a chargeback occurs after the seller has already received their payout, Payeena handles the matter case by case. Payeena may provide the payment provider with relevant evidence, including:

• Transaction records
• Agreed terms
• Payment records
• Delivery evidence
• Confirmation records
• Dispute records
• Other relevant information

Any financial recovery or further action involving the seller is determined based on the circumstances and outcome of the chargeback process.

8.7 Payment Provider Resolution: Chargeback decisions may depend on the payment provider's process and requirements. Payeena will provide relevant evidence and cooperate with the payment provider during the chargeback process.

9.1 Before paying

• Review all deal terms carefully.
• Confirm the amount and applicable fees.
• Check the delivery deadline.
• Make sure the transaction terms accurately describe what you are agreeing to.

9.2 As a seller

• Do not deliver until Payeena confirms payment.
• Follow the agreed transaction terms.
• Deliver within the agreed deadline.
• Provide appropriate delivery/completion evidence.

9.3 As a buyer

• Review the delivered product or service during the confirmation window.
• Do not confirm delivery if there is an unresolved issue.
• Raise a dispute before the confirmation window closes if something is wrong.
• Understand that once the transaction completes, Payeena's normal dispute, refund, and cancellation process is closed.

9.4 For both parties

• Payeena's transaction system is based on the terms both parties agree to before payment. Carefully review those terms before accepting a deal.