Payment and Billing Policy

Payment and billing framework

This policy explains how starting prices, estimates, deposits, milestone payments, third-party costs, invoices, overdue amounts, and billing questions are handled for website design and development services.

The public project request cart is an inquiry-organizing tool. It does not collect payment-card information, charge the user, open Shopify Checkout, or create a paid Shopify order.

Starting prices and final quotes

All prices displayed on the website are starting rates. They are intended to identify the approximate entry point for a service category, not to provide a binding fixed-price offer.

Final pricing is determined after the project requirements are reviewed. Relevant factors may include platform, current website condition, page count, content volume, custom functionality, forms, applications, integrations, product count, variants, data migration, accessibility requirements, testing, schedule, revision rounds, and launch support.

Estimates, proposals, and authorization

An estimate or proposal may describe the scope, assumptions, exclusions, payment schedule, and expected delivery process. A project should not begin until the required written approval, deposit, or other stated authorization is received.

If the client requests work outside the confirmed scope, the company may issue a revised estimate, change order, supplemental invoice, or time-based charge before continuing.

Deposits and project reservation

A deposit may be required to reserve project time, begin discovery, prepare architecture, start design, or purchase approved project resources.

The deposit amount, due date, and treatment upon cancellation should be stated in the project agreement or invoice. A deposit is not automatically refundable merely because the client later changes direction, delays the project, or decides not to proceed, subject to applicable law and the written agreement.

Milestones and recurring services

Larger projects may be billed in stages tied to scheduling, discovery, design approval, implementation, review, launch preparation, or delivery.

Maintenance and support may be billed as a recurring service, a prepaid block, a fixed monthly scope, or time-based work. Recurring services should define included work, response expectations, unused time, renewal, and cancellation in writing.

The client remains responsible for payments due at each milestone even if the client does not immediately publish or use the completed work.

Third-party fees and purchases

Domains, hosting, Shopify plans, premium themes, applications, plugins, stock assets, fonts, email services, payment providers, shipping services, APIs, and other third-party products are separate unless expressly included.

Third-party purchases may be non-refundable and subject to the provider’s own terms. The client should own or control business-critical accounts whenever possible.

If the company purchases an approved third-party item on the client’s behalf, reimbursement or advance payment may be required.

Taxes, currency, and bank charges

Invoices may include applicable sales, use, or other taxes when required. The client is responsible for taxes, withholding, reporting, or registration obligations that legally apply to the client.

Unless otherwise stated, prices are expressed in United States dollars. Currency conversion, international transfer, intermediary bank, card, or payment-provider fees may be charged by third parties and remain the client’s responsibility.

Invoices and records

Invoices should identify the project or service, amount, due date, and payment instructions. The client should review billing details promptly and raise questions before the due date when possible.

Accounting records may include invoice identifiers, amounts, dates, status, approved expenses, refunds, credits, and transaction references. Full card details should be handled by the selected payment provider and should not be submitted through public website forms.

Overdue, failed, reversed, or disputed payments

Work may be paused when a required payment is overdue, failed, reversed, charged back, disputed, or incomplete.

The company may withhold launch, transfer, source files, credentials, rights, or further support until undisputed amounts are paid, to the extent permitted by law and the written agreement.

The client should contact the company before initiating a chargeback so a billing issue can be reviewed. A chargeback does not eliminate payment obligations for properly delivered work.

Credits and adjustments

A credit or billing adjustment may be issued when agreed in writing, required by law, or necessary to correct a billing error.

Credits are applied according to the written terms and may not be redeemable for cash unless required by law. Unused prepaid amounts, if any, are handled under the specific service agreement.

Payment security

The public website does not request or store full payment-card numbers, security codes, or online banking passwords.

When electronic payment is used, the selected payment processor or banking provider handles the payment information under its own security standards and privacy terms.

Clients should verify invoice instructions through a known contact method before sending a large payment or acting on an unexpected request to change bank details.

Billing questions and disputes

A billing question should identify the client, project, invoice number, disputed line item, amount, and reason for the concern.

The parties should attempt to resolve good-faith billing questions through written documentation and the confirmed project scope. Mandatory legal rights remain unaffected.