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Payments & Refunds

How payments work on Makenot.work.

The Short Version

Stripe handles all payments. You’re the merchant of record. We don’t take a cut of your revenue. Fans handle refunds with you or dispute via their bank.

How Payments Work

Fan Payments

When fans buy your content or join a membership:

  1. Fan pays via Stripe (~2.9% + $0.30 per transaction)
  2. Funds go directly to your connected Stripe account
  3. Deposits to your bank on your chosen schedule
  4. We never touch or hold your money

Platform Membership

Your monthly Makenot.work membership ($10-60) is separate:

  • Billed to your payment method
  • Goes to us for platform access
  • Has nothing to do with your fan revenue

You’re the Merchant of Record

When you connect Stripe, it creates an account for you:

  • You are the merchant - Fans are paying you, not us
  • You set prices - Including pay-what-you-want options
  • You handle disputes - Chargebacks and refunds are your responsibility
  • Your Stripe account is yours - If you leave, it stays with you

The tradeoff: you absorb the (typically rare) chargeback risk.

Payouts

You control payout timing from your Stripe dashboard: standard (2-3 days), daily, weekly, monthly, or instant (1% fee in CA/EU/UK/SG/NO/HK/MY; 1.5% fee in US/AU/NZ/AE; min $0.50 USD or local equivalent, per Stripe Instant Payouts docs). See Receiving Payouts for full details on schedules, minimums, and international payouts. Payout schedule options are documented at https://docs.stripe.com/payouts.

Refunds

Our Policy

We don’t process refunds on your behalf. You’re the merchant, and refund decisions are yours.

How Fans Request Refunds

Fans should contact you directly. You can:

  • Issue a full or partial refund via your Stripe dashboard
  • Offer alternative resolution (access fix, different content)
  • Decline if the purchase was delivered as promised

Our Recommendation

Clear refund policies reduce disputes. Consider:

  • Stating your policy on your page
  • Being generous with genuine mistakes
  • Responding promptly to requests

A $5 refund is cheaper than a $15 chargeback fee.

Chargebacks

If a fan disputes a charge with their bank:

  1. Your balance is debited - Disputed amount plus fee (~$15)
  2. You respond through Stripe - Provide evidence the charge was legitimate
  3. Bank decides - You either get the money back or lose it

Why This Model

The alternative (us being merchant of record) would mean we’d take on chargeback risk and price that into fees, hold reserves from your earnings, and have incentive to restrict what you can sell.

Reducing Chargeback Risk

Most chargebacks come from:

  • Unrecognized charges (fan forgot they joined a membership)
  • Unauthorized use (stolen card)
  • Dissatisfaction (fan expected something different)

Clear communication prevents most disputes. Make sure fans know what they’re paying for, how your billing descriptor appears on statements, and how to cancel memberships. See Receiving Payouts for dispute resolution details.

Taxes

What We Provide

  • Transaction records - Exportable history of all payments
  • 1099-K (US creators) - Issued by Stripe if you meet reporting thresholds
  • Invoices - For your platform membership

Your Responsibilities

You’re responsible for:

  • Reporting income from fan payments
  • Collecting and remitting sales tax if required in your jurisdiction
  • Understanding tax obligations for digital goods in your location

VAT, GST, and Sales Tax

If you sell digital goods to fans in the EU, UK, Australia, Canada, or other jurisdictions with digital sales tax, you may be required to collect and remit VAT, GST, or sales tax, even if you are outside those jurisdictions.

Stripe may collect sales tax automatically in some regions depending on your account configuration. Check your Stripe Tax settings to see what’s enabled.

Since we do not act as Merchant of Record, tax collection and remittance is your responsibility. Consult a tax professional if you’re unsure.

Platform Fee Deductions

Your Makenot.work membership fee may be deductible as a business expense. Keep your receipts.

International Payments

Stripe supports creators in 46+ countries and payments in 135+ currencies. See Receiving Payouts for currency conversion details and country-specific notes.

What We Don’t Do

  • Hold creator funds - Money goes directly to your Stripe account
  • Take a percentage - Our fee is flat monthly membership only
  • Control your pricing - Set whatever prices you want
  • Process payments ourselves - Stripe handles everything
  • Provide tax advice - Consult a professional

See Also