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About refund process in pay later payout mode

A topic by Project_Unplayed created Jul 25, 2024 Views: 289 Replies: 5

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Suppose I published a non-free game that mentions common device requirements(like RAM, CPU, GPU, driver, storage), and my payout mode is "Collected by itch.io, paid later". my questions are:

If somebody bought my game and could not run it due to any issues on their machine, would they deserve a refund?
If someone deserves a refund, did Itch automatically refund it, as all payments are collected by Itch? or can I somehow refund(pay the money back to people who bought) without the need to first transfer the money to my bank?
If I need to refund, will there be any time restrictions?

I have not set any payment methods with my Itch account, I think it is better to integrate payment once I get some revenue from my games. So, is it safe to sell games before setting payment with itch? I'm planning to set payment on itch within a year after I get some revenue(will the refund time restriction be under a year?)

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Evolutionary Games141 days ago(+1)

I can't officially answer you, but from reading the forums I can tell you:

If the game doesn't work, the person will be directed to you first, to try and help them.
The person who bought your game can request a refund from support.
I think itch.io support issues refunds on a case-by-case basis - they don't have publicly announced rules. For example, where someone typed in the wrong amount (added a zero), or where the person claimed the item was misrepresented (they didn't get what the description said they would get).
Itch.io would refund it, and deduct it from either your earnings.
Itch.io generally has a 7-day window before they release the earnings, so I assume the buyer has that many days to request a refund, but again, I think it would be at the discretion of itch.io support.

For the last part, I'm not sure if you can receive a payment if you haven't setup any payment methods.

Itch.io has said they're not a bank and would like developers to claim their payments within a reasonable time frame. But there is a minimum amount to qualify for a pay out. Only if you're going to receive at least $5 after deductions will Itch.io pay out the money to you. Deductions include a one-off fee for a tax interview, pay out costs, itch.io's share, payment processor fees, and taxes (if applicable). More information here

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Project_Unplayed141 days ago

Thanks for the reply😊. From reading docs I think we can sell games before setting payment, but we must payout money collected by itch within an year

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falkbork141 days ago(+1)

If someone bought your game and couldn't run it due to issues on their machine (like not meeting the minimum device requirements), they might be eligible for a refund. Itch.io generally has a refund policy that accommodates customers who are unable to run a game due to technical issues. However, specific refund policies can vary, so it's essential to clearly state your game's system requirements and any refund policies on your game page.

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Project_Unplayed141 days ago (1 edit)

Thanks for the reply😊.But I haven't seen such refund policies on any game pages I saw. This is what confuses me

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redonihunter140 days ago(+1)

There is no drm on Itch. "Refunds" are a delicate topic therefore. Especially for works in progress. Even if your project does not run on the buyer's rig, it might run with the next version or the actual release version.

And if you do have a release version, you should know the specs pretty well.

I would upload a demo version to specifically give people an opportunity to test if they can run the game. And would consequently decline any refund claim for not being able to run the game. Should bugs be found, those can be fixed.

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