Refund & Cancellation Policy
Because payments sit in escrow rather than going straight to the traveller, a refund is a release back to you — not a clawback from someone who's already been paid.
How escrow changes the picture
The delivery fee is paid to CarryBuddies at booking and held by our payment partner throughout the shipment. It is released to the traveller only once delivery has been verified through the receiver's OTP.
Sender cancellations
| When you cancel | Refund | Fee retained |
|---|---|---|
| Before a traveller accepts | 100% | None |
| After acceptance, more than 12 hours before pickup | 100% | None |
| Within 12 hours of the agreed pickup | 90% | 10% cancellation fee |
| After the traveller has arrived at pickup | 75% | 25% — paid to the traveller |
| After the parcel has been collected | Case by case | Assessed on the circumstances |
Cancellation fees exist because a traveller has planned around your parcel and may have travelled to meet you. Where a fee is charged after the traveller arrived at the pickup point, it is passed to them, not retained by us.
Traveller cancellations
- You are refunded in full, always. If a traveller cancels at any point before collection, 100% of your payment is released back to you.
- We re-open your request to other travellers on the same route and prioritise it in matching.
- The cancellation is recorded against the traveller's cancellation rate and trust score.
- Repeated late cancellations lead to reduced visibility and, ultimately, suspension.
- Cancellation after the parcel has been collected is treated as a serious breach and is handled as a dispute, not a cancellation.
Failed pickup or failed delivery
Sender not available at pickup
The traveller records a failed attempt with photo and location. You may reschedule within the traveller's stated availability. If it cannot be rescheduled, the booking is cancelled with the "traveller arrived at pickup" fee applied.
Receiver not available at delivery
The traveller records a failed handover attempt. You will be prompted to nominate an alternative receiver or agree a new time within the traveller's remaining availability. A traveller is never required to leave a parcel unattended, to hand it to a person who cannot provide the OTP, or to make a return journey.
Where delivery cannot be completed for reasons attributable to the sender or receiver, a return or redelivery may be arranged by agreement and is chargeable. The delivery fee for the completed outbound leg remains payable.
Parcel refused at pickup for misdeclaration
Where the parcel does not match the declaration, the traveller may refuse it. The booking is cancelled, the traveller receives the cancellation fee, and the sender's account is reviewed under our Prohibited Items Policy.
Disputes over loss, damage or non-delivery
- Raise it in time. Before confirming delivery, or within 48 hours of delivery where the issue could not reasonably have been seen at handover.
- Escrow freezes. Nothing is released to the traveller while a dispute is open.
- We review the evidence. The declaration, OTP records, pickup and delivery photographs, trip log and both parties' accounts.
- We determine the outcome. Full release to the traveller, full refund to the sender, a partial split, or — once parcel protection is available — a protection payout.
- Funds move. The determination is applied to the escrowed amount and to any protection payable once that cover is live.
Our determination governs how the escrowed funds are applied. It does not restrict either party's independent legal rights against the other.
Parcel protection claims
Once available, to claim under the protection tier purchased at booking, submit within 48 hours of the delivery or expected delivery:
- A description of the loss or damage;
- Photographs of the item and its packaging as received;
- Proof of value — invoice, receipt or equivalent evidence;
- Any relevant correspondence with the traveller.
Payouts are capped at the lower of the declared value and the limit of the protection tier purchased. Claims are ordinarily assessed within 7 working days of receiving complete documentation.
What is not refundable or covered
- Parcels containing prohibited items, or items whose carriage is unlawful;
- Contents that were misdeclared or under-declared at booking;
- Cash, bullion, jewellery, negotiable instruments and other bearer valuables;
- Loss or damage caused by inadequate packaging by the sender;
- Items with no reasonable proof of value or ownership;
- Consequential or indirect losses — missed meetings, business impact, opportunity cost;
- Delay alone, where the parcel was delivered intact;
- Shipments where the OTP handover process was bypassed or not completed;
- Any arrangement made outside the platform.
Processing times
| Action | Indicative timeline |
|---|---|
| Refund approved → initiated | Within 24 hours |
| UPI & netbanking | 2–5 working days |
| Card refunds | 5–10 working days (issuer dependent) |
| Dispute acknowledgement | Within 24 hours |
| Dispute determination | Within 7 working days of full evidence |
| Protection claim assessment (once cover launches) | Within 7 working days of complete documentation |
Refunds are always returned to the original payment method. We cannot redirect a refund to a different account or instrument.
How to request a refund or raise a dispute
- Open the shipment in the app;
- Select Report a problem or Raise a dispute;
- Choose the reason and attach photographs and any supporting documents;
- Submit — escrow freezes immediately and our team is notified.
If you cannot access the app, email support@carrybuddies.com with your shipment ID. For anything involving safety or a suspected crime, contact safety@carrybuddies.com, and call 112 first if anyone is in danger.
This policy should be read with our Terms of Service, Prohibited Items Policy and Privacy Policy.