Refunds without platform escrow

Because we don't hold your money (see Payment goes directly to the seller), refunds work a little differently than on platforms that do.

The principle

A refund is the seller sending the money back to you using the same channel you used to pay. If you paid by PayPal, the seller refunds via PayPal. If you paid by SEPA, the seller transfers the funds back.

For first-party orders (VOD Records), the platform refunds via the original payment channel directly, just like a normal e-commerce store.

When refunds apply

• Item never arrived. After a reasonable delivery window has passed (see below), if the seller cannot prove shipment or provide a working tracking number, they are expected to refund.
• Item arrived damaged or significantly different from the listing. Photos required. If the grade was misrepresented, the seller is expected to refund (or offer a partial discount if you keep the item).
• Item never arrived as described in §312g BGB (EU consumer law). Applies for sales by business sellers only — not for private-collector sales. Private sales are "as is".
• Business sellers also offer a 14-day right of withdrawal for any reason. See Cancellation & returns for business sellers.

Timeline

• Allow 14 calendar days for a parcel to arrive within Germany, and up to 30 days internationally, before treating it as lost.
• After that window, message the seller via the platform.
• If the seller does not respond within 5 business days, contact us via support and we'll escalate.

What we do if a seller stops responding

• We mediate via the platform messaging
• We can pause the seller's account
• We rate them down internally and reflect that in their public seller score
• For repeated patterns, we revoke their seller status

What we cannot do is reach into the seller's bank account. That's why the timing of the seller's payment confirmation matters — and why we curate the seller base in the first place.

Chargeback options

If you paid by card via Stripe (Path A), your card issuer's chargeback process is available. If you paid by PayPal, PayPal's buyer protection may apply (PayPal terms are between you and PayPal). SEPA transfers and bank wires have fewer protections — only use them with sellers you trust.