Hosting Purchase & Refund Policy — GridBlitz

1. About This Policy

Refunds come down to trust. You should be able to count on GridBlitz not to keep money for tools you never got to use — and you should know in advance where the line is.

This Hosting Purchase & Refund Policy ("Refund Policy") explains what hosts can buy from GridBlitz, when those purchases can be refunded, when they can't, and what happens when a Grid Credit expires. The policy covers the host-to-platform relationship only — what you pay GridBlitz for platform access.

What this policy does NOT cover. Any money that changes hands between a host and the players in that host's game — entry contributions, payouts, side arrangements — is entirely offline between the host and the host's players. GridBlitz is not a party to those arrangements and is not involved in them in any way. See Section 3 below for the full platform classification.

How this policy relates to the other legal documents. This policy is the more detailed companion to Section 9 (Purchases & Refunds) of the GridBlitz Terms of Service. The Terms of Service set out the overall contract; this Refund Policy fills in the specifics of host purchases and refunds. If the Terms and this Refund Policy ever appear to disagree, the Terms control on the overall contract questions, and this Refund Policy controls on the purchase-and-refund specifics it was written to govern. By making a purchase as a host, you agree to this Refund Policy in addition to the Terms.

The Privacy Policy covers how GridBlitz handles your purchase data (Stripe payment metadata, audit log retention, account-deletion mechanics). The Acceptable Use Policy covers prohibited behavior, including payment-misuse rules (Section 4.6 of the AUP).

2. Definitions

These capitalized terms have the meanings set out below. Definitions not repeated here are inherited from the Terms of Service Section 2.

• Hosting Purchase, Purchase — a one-time or subscription payment a host makes to GridBlitz in exchange for the digital tools to host one or more Grids on the Platform.
• Grid Credit — the internal unit that represents one host's ability to create one Grid. The host's dashboard shows the user-facing count ("You have 3 Grids"); the internal accounting uses Grid Credits. Different purchase tiers (Single Grid / Bundle / Season Pass) translate into Grid Credits differently — see Section 4.
• Tier — one of the five Grid Credit categories: Free Tier (Onboarding), Single Grid (Paid), Bundle (Paid), Season Pass (Paid Subscription), Promotional. Each tier is defined in Section 4.
• Pre-fill — the lifecycle window between when a Grid is created and when the first player tile is claimed on that Grid. (In Terms of Service Section 7.1 terminology: the Grid is in DRAFT or FILLING state with zero claimed tiles.)
• Post-fill — the lifecycle window starting when the first player tile is claimed on a Grid. (Terms of Service Section 7.1: the Grid is in FILLING state with one or more claimed tiles, or has progressed to LOCKED, LIVE, FINAL, or CANCELLED.)
• Stripe — the third-party payment processor GridBlitz uses to handle card transactions. Stripe is the same service many SaaS apps rely on. See Section 8 for the full Stripe terms reference.
• NFL Season — for the purposes of expiration mechanics in this policy, "the current NFL season" means the regular season plus playoffs plus the championship game ("Big Game"), ending with the championship game itself.
• Grace Period — the 14-day window after a Grid Credit's expiration date during which the credit remains usable. After the grace period, an automated sweep marks the credit permanently expired (see Section 6).
• Money-Back Window — the 7-day window after a Season Pass purchase during which a host may request a full refund regardless of whether they have used the Pass (see Section 4.4).

3. What You're Buying

When you pay GridBlitz as a host, you are paying for access to digital tools that help you organize a private football-squares game. Specifically: you are buying digital game-management tools — the Grid creation flow, the player invitation system, the tile-claiming coordination, the score display, the printable PDF, the host controls.

Required disclaimer per LEGAL §8 (verbatim). "You are purchasing platform access for game management tools. GridBlitz does not process, hold, or distribute money between game participants."

The host manages payments directly with the group. Per Brand Voice §17 (PLATFORM_MONEY copy constant) — any entry contribution, payout, prize, or other money among the host and the host's players is the host's responsibility, handled entirely offline, outside of GridBlitz. GridBlitz never collects entry money from players, never holds anyone's money, never distributes payouts, never determines winners in any monetary sense. This is by design, not by accident — see Terms of Service Section 4 for the full platform classification, and LEGAL_COMPLIANCE_FRAMEWORK_v1.md §1 and §3 for the rules built into the platform's architecture (not just its messaging).

This Refund Policy governs the host-to-platform purchase only. If you bought a Single Grid, Bundle, or Season Pass and want a refund from GridBlitz, this document tells you when and how. If you and your players have a money dispute among yourselves about a game-day arrangement, that is between you and your players — GridBlitz cannot refund money it never collected and is not a party to that arrangement.

4. Tier-Specific Refund Rules

GridBlitz offers five tiers of Grid Credits. Each tier has its own refund rules. The rules are summarized in the table below and detailed in the sub-sections that follow.

The tiers themselves and their pricing are described in PRD §37 (the canonical product spec for hosting allowance). The consumption order — which tier the platform draws from when a host has multiple sources — is defined in ADR-027 §3 (ONBOARDING → PROMOTIONAL → PAID → BUNDLE → SEASON).

4.1 Free Tier (Onboarding) — $0

Every account receives 1 free activation Grid at signup. This is your Onboarding Grid (CreditSource = ONBOARDING per ADR-027). Your activation Grid stays in your account until you use it; there is no expiry date on it.

Refund rule: Not refundable, because no payment was made. There is nothing to refund.

The Onboarding Grid does not consume any of your Paid, Bundle, Season, or Promotional Grids. It is the activation gift — the platform consumes it first when you host so your purchased Grids retain their season-bound value (per ADR-027 §3 consumption order).

4.2 Single Grid — $5

A Single Grid is a one-time purchase of one Grid Credit (CreditSource = PAID per ADR-027). The credit is added to your account and may be used to create any one Grid during the current NFL season + 14-day grace period.

Refund rule (per G-D.1 + PRD §37 Single Grid clause base rule):

• Pre-fill = full refund. If no tiles have been claimed on the Grid you created with this credit (or if you have not yet used the credit to create a Grid), you may request a full refund of the $5 purchase price.
• Post-fill = final. Once any tile has been claimed on the Grid created with this credit, the credit is considered used and the purchase is final. No refund is available at that point — the digital tools you paid for have been put to use.

Why it works this way. We understand the post-fill cutoff can feel rigid — but the moment a player claims a tile, our coordination tools have already done their work for your group, and that's what you paid for. A Grid where tiles have started being claimed is a Grid that is actively coordinating real participants. Refunding at that point would mean "use the tools, then ask for the money back" — a pattern that breaks the SaaS model GridBlitz runs on.

Single Grid expiration. Single Grids expire at the end of the current NFL season plus a 14-day grace period (see Section 6 for the full expiration mechanics). Refund eligibility ends with expiration — once the Grace Period passes and the credit is swept away, no refund is possible even if the Grid was pre-fill.

4.3 Bundle — $15 (5 Grids)

A Bundle is a one-time purchase of five Grid Credits in a single transaction (CreditSource = BUNDLE per ADR-027). The five credits are added to your account together, expire together at the end of the current NFL season + 14-day grace period, and are refunded together.

Refund rule (per G-D.2 — atomic per Bundle, meaning the Bundle is treated as one unit; all-or-nothing rather than per-Grid):

• Full Bundle refund until ANY Grid is used. If you have not yet used any of the five Grid Credits in the Bundle to create a Grid where a tile has been claimed, you may request a full refund of the $15 purchase price. The whole Bundle refunds; nothing is partial.
• Final once one Grid is used. Once any tile has been claimed on any Grid created with any credit from this Bundle, the Bundle is considered used and the full $15 purchase is final. You cannot refund only the unused Grids.

Why Bundle refunds are atomic. The Bundle was sold to you as a single unit at a per-Grid discount (40% savings vs. five Single Grid purchases at $5 each). The discount is the price of the per-Grid flexibility — atomic refunds reflect atomic pricing. The expiration mechanic is also atomic (all five Grids expire on the same date per ADR-004 amendment §4), so atomic refund matches atomic expiration.

If you need per-Grid refund flexibility, the Single Grid tier ($5 per Grid) is the right purchase shape for that — each Single Grid is refundable independently under Section 4.2 rules.

Bundle expiration. All five Grids in a Bundle expire together at the end of the current NFL season plus a 14-day grace period. See Section 6 for the full expiration mechanics.

4.4 Season Pass — $30 (unlimited Grids)

A Season Pass is a time-bound hosting subscription for the full NFL season — regular season, playoffs, and the championship game ("Big Game"). The Pass unlocks unlimited Grids for the entire season (CreditSource = SEASON per ADR-027). It is a per-account purchase and does not transfer between accounts.

Refund rule (per G-D.3 — 7-day money-back guarantee):

• Within 7 days of purchase = full refund. Within seven (7) days of your Season Pass purchase, you may request a full refund of the $30 purchase price for any reason. This applies whether or not you have used the Pass to host Grids during those seven days. This is the Money-Back Window defined in Section 2.
• After 7 days = final. Beyond the seven-day window, the Season Pass is final — non-refundable. The Pass continues to grant unlimited Grids for the rest of the NFL season per the original purchase terms.

Why 7 days. Seven days is the standard SaaS money-back guarantee window (the same window used by mainstream streaming and subscription services). It is long enough for a host to evaluate whether the Pass fits their hosting frequency for the season, and short enough to prevent the "use the Pass for half the season, then refund" pattern that would undermine the subscription model.

Active games at the time of refund. A Season Pass refund within the Money-Back Window cancels the host's Season Pass status going forward. If the host has Grids currently in LIVE state when they request the refund, the Pass remains valid through the end of those Live games (per PRD §37 "Expiration must not disrupt active live games"); subsequent Grid creation reverts to the free-allowance rules.

Season Pass expiration. The Season Pass expires at the end of the current NFL season. Mid-season purchases begin immediately and end at season end — there is no proration on the purchase price (a price adjustment for partial-season use — the $30 is the whole-Pass price regardless of when you buy in). The breakeven point is roughly six Single Grid purchases, so the Pass is value-positive for hosts hosting six or more times per season. Upon expiration, hosting reverts to free-allowance rules.

4.5 Promotional Grids — $0

Promotional Grids are free Grids granted via marketing campaigns, surveys, referrals, partner programs, or influencer codes (CreditSource = PROMOTIONAL per ADR-027; acquisition channel tracked separately via the campaign_source dimension). Promotional Grids expire at the end of the current NFL season + 14-day grace period.

Refund rule: Not refundable, because no payment was made. There is nothing to refund.

If you received a Promotional Grid via a campaign and the campaign itself is the subject of a complaint (for example, you completed a survey but the Grid was not granted), please contact GridBlitz support via the channel in Section 9 — that is a campaign-delivery question, not a refund question.

5. How Refunds Work

Quick reference — 4 things this section covers:

• §5.1 how to request a refund
• §5.2 how refunds are processed (timing + payment method)
• §5.3 what refunds don't cover
• §5.4 when GridBlitz can decline a refund

This section describes the operational mechanics of requesting and receiving a refund.

5.1 How to Request a Refund

To request a refund eligible under Section 4, contact GridBlitz support at (to be finalized before launch). Include in your request:

• Your account's registered email address
• The purchase you are requesting a refund on (Single Grid date, Bundle date, or Season Pass date)
• A brief note on the reason (optional but helpful — for example, "I created the Grid but never used it" or "Within 7-day window")

GridBlitz reviews refund requests against the rules in Section 4. If your request meets the eligibility criteria, the refund is processed (see Section 5.2).

5.2 How Refunds Are Processed

Eligible refunds are processed back to the original payment method via Stripe. GridBlitz initiates the refund on Stripe's side; Stripe processes the return to your card or bank in the standard timeframe.

Standard processing time. (to be finalized before launch). The actual time depends on your bank or card issuer and is outside of GridBlitz's control once Stripe has initiated the return.

No refund to a different payment method. Refunds go back to the card or account that was originally charged. GridBlitz cannot redirect a refund to a different card, account, or person.

Currency. Refunds are issued in the same currency as the original purchase.

5.3 What Refunds Don't Cover

The host-to-platform refund covers only what the host paid GridBlitz. It does not cover:

• Money the host collected from players for an offline arrangement (see Section 3 — that money never touched GridBlitz)
• Money the host distributed to players from any payouts or prize structures (same — never touched GridBlitz)
• Indirect costs the host incurred related to running their game (printing, hosting a watch party, etc.)
• Stripe processing fees from the original transaction (these are absorbed by GridBlitz, not deducted from your refund — but the timing of the refund mirrors the timing of the original transaction)

5.4 Bad-Faith Refund Patterns

GridBlitz processes eligible refund requests promptly and without fuss. Section 4 spells out when you qualify; if you do, we don't make you justify yourself further. We also reserve the right to decline refund requests that fall outside the eligibility rules in Section 4 — including but not limited to: refund requests for Grids that have been used to host games with claimed tiles (Section 4.2 post-fill, Section 4.3 atomic post-use), Season Pass refund requests outside the Money-Back Window (Section 4.4), refund requests for Promotional Grids (Section 4.5 — there is nothing to refund), repeat refund requests from accounts displaying a pattern of "use the credit, then request the refund" behavior, and refund requests for money that GridBlitz never collected (such as entry fees a host gathered from players offline — see Section 3; the platform never received that money in the first place, so it cannot refund it).

For repeat patterns, the underlying account may also be subject to suspension under the Acceptable Use Policy §4.6 (Payment Misuse and Chargeback Fraud). The refund-eligibility decision and any AUP enforcement decision are separate but may correlate.

6. Grid Credit Expiration

This section summarizes the expiration mechanics for each Tier. The canonical source of the expiration rules is PRD §37 plus the ADR-004 amendment (Expiration per PRD §37); this section translates that substance for host visibility.

6.1 When Credits Expire

• Onboarding Grid (your activation Grid): no expiry date — stays in your account until used.
• Single Grid: expires at the end of the current NFL season.
• Bundle Grids: all 5 expire together at the end of the current NFL season.
• Season Pass: expires at the end of the current NFL season.
• Promotional Grid: expires at the end of the current NFL season.

"The end of the current NFL season" for expiration purposes means the end of the championship game ("Big Game"). Credits remain usable up through that point.

6.2 The 14-Day Grace Period

Every expiring credit gets a 14-day Grace Period after the season-end expiration date. During the Grace Period, the credit is still usable — you can still create a Grid with it. After the Grace Period ends, an automated daily sweep job (running in the background) marks the credit permanently expired and the credit is removed from your account.

Why 14 days. Season-end timing can shift if a championship game runs into overtime, gets postponed, or otherwise lands slightly later than expected. The 14-day Grace Period absorbs that uncertainty plus gives hosts a buffer if they were planning a "one last game" after the season ends. We'd rather give you the slack than make you race the clock.

6.3 Pre-Expiration Notifications

Before a credit expires, GridBlitz sends pre-expiration notifications so you have time to decide whether to use it:

• 30 days before season end — first reminder
• 7 days before season end — second reminder
• On the day of season end — final reminder (you still have the 14-day Grace Period)

Notifications go to the email address on your account. The notification system is described in the Privacy Policy and is governed by your notification preferences in Account Settings.

6.4 Expiration Is Not a Refund Event

If your credit expires (after the Grace Period), the credit is removed from your account but the original purchase is not refunded. Refund eligibility is determined by Section 4 (the per-tier refund rules), not by Section 6 (expiration). If you want a refund instead of letting a credit expire, you must request the refund per Section 4 + Section 5.1 within the applicable window.

The exception is that expiration mechanics inform your refund window: a Single Grid you paid $5 for and never used is refundable up until the end of the Grace Period (because Section 4.2 makes pre-fill credits fully refundable, and expired credits become unusable). After the Grace Period, the credit no longer exists and no refund is possible.

7. Chargebacks

A chargeback (sometimes called a "dispute" or "payment reversal") is when you ask your bank or card issuer (the bank or card-network company that issued your card — Visa, Mastercard, Amex, your bank, etc.) — not GridBlitz — to reverse a charge. Chargebacks are a separate process from refunds.

(to be finalized before launch)

Before filing a chargeback, please request a refund first. Refunds eligible under Section 4 are processed by GridBlitz directly via Stripe and are typically faster and simpler than a chargeback. Section 5.1 describes the refund request channel.

If a refund is denied under Section 4 (for example, because the Grid was used post-fill), filing a chargeback for the same purchase is not a path to bypass the refund rules — it is a path to a card-issuer dispute that GridBlitz will respond to with documentation of the platform-tools-used pattern. Chargebacks on used credits may trigger AUP enforcement under Acceptable Use Policy §4.6 (Payment Misuse and Chargeback Fraud — chargeback fraud is a listed prohibited behavior).

To contact GridBlitz about a payment dispute before filing a chargeback, use the support channel in Section 9.

8. Stripe Payment Processor Terms

All hosting purchases on GridBlitz are processed by Stripe — a third-party payment processor that handles card transactions, the same service many SaaS platforms use. By making a purchase, you also agree to Stripe's terms of service as a payment processor.

What this means in practice. When you buy a Single Grid, Bundle, or Season Pass on GridBlitz, the card transaction itself is handled by Stripe's infrastructure (not GridBlitz's). Your card number is collected and stored by Stripe under their PCI-compliant infrastructure (PCI is the industry-standard security framework for handling card data — every legitimate online payment company has to follow it); GridBlitz never sees, stores, or transmits raw card data. GridBlitz receives only purchase metadata (transaction ID, amount, success/failure status, and a token identifying the payment method for future charges if applicable).

Stripe's terms. Stripe's terms of service are available at stripe.com/legal. They govern: how Stripe handles your card data, Stripe's fraud-prevention measures, Stripe's chargeback dispute process, and Stripe's data retention. GridBlitz's Privacy Policy Section 5 covers how GridBlitz interacts with Stripe and what purchase metadata GridBlitz receives.

If you have a payment issue. Card-side issues (declined cards, suspected fraud on your card, card-number-was-stolen issues) are between you, your bank, and Stripe — GridBlitz cannot resolve those directly. Purchase-side issues (refund eligibility, expiration mechanics, account-level refund requests) are GridBlitz's domain and are governed by this Refund Policy.

9. Changes to This Policy

GridBlitz may update this Refund Policy over time — adding new tiers, adjusting the per-tier rules, clarifying ambiguous language, complying with new laws or payment-processor requirements. When we make a material change — meaning a change that meaningfully affects what you pay, what you get, the refund rules for an existing tier, or your existing Grid Credits — we will notify hosts at least (to be finalized before launch) before the changes take effect, by:

• Email to the email address on file with your account, AND/OR
• An in-app banner or notification on next sign-in

Existing Grid Credits are not retroactively affected by policy changes. If you bought a Single Grid under v1 of this policy and v2 changes the refund rules, the Single Grid you already bought remains governed by v1's rules until it is used or expires. Future purchases (after the v2 effective date) are governed by v2.

Non-material changes (typo corrections, clarifications, contact-information updates) take effect immediately and are recorded in the changelog (top of this document).

Each version of this Refund Policy is preserved with its effective date. You may request the current and historical versions from GridBlitz at any time per Section 11.

10. Standard Clauses

This section covers standard contractual housekeeping clauses. Four short pieces.

Quick reference — 4 housekeeping rules:

• §10.1 Severability — if a court throws out one clause, the rest of the contract still applies
• §10.2 No Waiver — if GridBlitz lets something slide once, that's not permanent permission
• §10.3 Assignment — you can't transfer your rights to someone else; GridBlitz can transfer this Policy in M&A scenarios
• §10.4 Governing Law — refund disputes follow the law and forum from Terms of Service §12

(to be finalized before launch)

10.1 Severability

Plain English: if a court throws out one clause, the rest of the contract still applies.

If any provision of this Refund Policy is held by a court or arbitrator to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in effect to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law. The unenforceable provision is treated as if it were modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable.

10.2 No Waiver

Plain English: if we don't enforce a rule on a particular occasion, that doesn't mean we've given up the right to enforce it later. Letting something slide once isn't permanent permission.

GridBlitz's failure to enforce any provision of this Refund Policy on a particular occasion is not a waiver of that or any other provision for any future occasion.

10.3 Assignment

Plain English: you can't hand off your refund rights to someone else without our written OK. GridBlitz can transfer this Policy as part of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets (a standard SaaS provision).

You may not transfer or assign your rights under this Refund Policy without GridBlitz's prior written consent. GridBlitz may assign this Refund Policy in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets per Terms of Service Section 14.4.

10.4 Governing Law for Refund Disputes

The governing law and dispute resolution forum for disputes arising from this Refund Policy follow Terms of Service Section 12, (to be finalized before launch).

11. Contact Information

Questions about this Refund Policy or about a specific refund request may be directed to:

• Operating Entity: (to be finalized before launch)
• Refund requests: (to be finalized before launch)
• General support: (to be finalized before launch)
• Mailing Address: (to be finalized before launch)

Disputes are addressed per Section 10.4 above. General inquiries, refund requests, and account-related questions are addressed by the support channel.

Appendix A — Required Disclosures Summary

The following disclosures are made consistent with the GridBlitz LEGAL_COMPLIANCE_FRAMEWORK_v1.md governance authority:

1. Platform Classification (per CLAUDE.md §1 + LEGAL §1). GridBlitz is a SaaS coordination platform, not a gambling platform, betting service, financial intermediary, or prize authority. Refunds are for digital tools, not for participant money.
2. Money-Handling Statement (per LEGAL §3 Critical Rule 1 + Brand Voice §17 PLATFORM_MONEY). GridBlitz does not collect, process, hold, transfer, or distribute money between participants. All Player–Host money flows are offline and outside the Platform.
3. Checkout Disclaimer (per LEGAL §8, verbatim). "You are purchasing platform access for game management tools. GridBlitz does not process, hold, or distribute money between game participants."
4. Stripe Payment Processor (per LEGAL §1). Payments are processed by Stripe under Stripe's terms of service. GridBlitz never sees raw card data.
5. Grid Credit Expiration (per PRD §37 + ADR-004 amendment + ADR-027). Expiring credits get a 14-day Grace Period; pre-expiration notifications fire at 30 / 7 / 0 days; Onboarding Grids never expire.
6. Audit Log Retention (per ADR-022). Purchase events are recorded in the GridBlitz audit log with 7-year retention per the Privacy Policy + ADR-022.
7. Per-Tier Refund Rules Summary. Onboarding = not refundable (free). Single Grid = pre-fill full refund / post-fill final. Bundle = atomic per Bundle (refundable until any Grid used). Season Pass = 7-day money-back window from purchase. Promotional = not refundable (free).
8. Material-Change Notification (per §9 + LEGAL_PAGES_DRAFTING_CHARTER §7 G-A.6). Material changes to this Refund Policy require advance notice per the same notification mechanism as the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Appendix B — Definitions Cross-Reference

For convenience, defined terms in this document and where they live:

• Hosting Purchase / Purchase / Tier / Pre-fill / Post-fill / Stripe / NFL Season / Grace Period / Money-Back Window — Section 2
• Grid Credit — Section 2 (full canonical definition in PRD §37; CreditSource enum in ADR-027 §1)
• Onboarding Grid — Section 4.1 (CreditSource = ONBOARDING per ADR-027)
• Single Grid — Section 4.2 (CreditSource = PAID per ADR-027)
• Bundle — Section 4.3 (CreditSource = BUNDLE per ADR-027)
• Season Pass — Section 4.4 (CreditSource = SEASON per ADR-027)
• Promotional Grid — Section 4.5 (CreditSource = PROMOTIONAL per ADR-027)
• Chargeback — Section 7
• DRAFT / FILLING / LOCKED / LIVE / FINAL / CANCELLED (lifecycle states) — Terms of Service Section 7.1
• Acceptable Use Policy / Privacy Policy / Terms of Service — Section 1 + Terms of Service Section 2