Dispute Policy

This policy explains how HotInfluencer decides disputes between an Influencer and a Brand about a deal. It adds detail to section 6 of our Payment Protection Policy and is part of our Terms of Service. Words like "Deal Terms" have the meaning given there.

1. What a dispute is for

A dispute is how either side asks us to decide what happens to a payment we're holding, when they can't agree. We decide only where the money we hold goes: to the Influencer, back to the Brand, or split between them. We don't award damages or decide anything beyond that payment.

Try the deal's message thread first. Most problems are misunderstandings that a short message fixes, and the thread becomes part of the record if you can't agree.

2. When a dispute can be opened

A dispute can be opened after the Brand has paid and before the payment is released, while the work is in progress or under review.

  • Brands open a dispute from the deal page with "Report a problem", after confirming the one-time code sent to their email.
  • Influencers open a dispute from their deal page with "Open a dispute".

A dispute can't be opened after the work is approved, whether by the Brand or automatically when the review period ends, because the payment is then released.

3. What happens when a dispute is opened

  1. The deal is paused. No money moves, and the review period stops.
  2. We ask both sides for their account and any evidence, which each side gives on the deal page. Each side has 5 business days to reply. If one side doesn't reply, we decide on what we have.
  3. We review the Deal Terms, the submitted work, the deal record and the evidence. We may ask follow-up questions.
  4. We decide, aiming to do so within 10 business days after both sides have replied, and email both sides with the outcome and a short reason.

4. How we decide

We decide on what the Deal Terms say was agreed and what was delivered. Every deal records the platforms, number of posts, how long posts stay up, the Brand's usage rights and any exclusivity as fixed choices, plus a written brief. The more specific the brief (length, key messages, links or tags), the easier this is.

We don't judge creative taste. "We don't like it" isn't enough if the work matches the Deal Terms. Requests for changes that go beyond the Deal Terms, or beyond the number of revisions included, aren't grounds for a refund.

These are the situations we see most, and how we usually decide them. Every dispute is decided on its own facts.

  • The Influencer objects to a late-delivery cancellation: we check whether the Brand agreed a new date, for example in the message thread. If they did, the deal usually continues with that date; if not, usually a refund.
  • Part of the work was delivered (for example two of three posts): usually a split in proportion to what was delivered as agreed.
  • The work doesn't match the Deal Terms (wrong platform, missing required content, much shorter than agreed): usually a split or refund, depending on how far it falls short. If revisions were still available, we may first give the Influencer a chance to fix it.
  • A post was deleted, hidden or made private before the period the Deal Terms require it to stay up: usually a split or refund.
  • The sponsored content wasn't labelled as an ad where the law or the platform requires it: we may ask the Influencer to fix it, and may split or refund if they don't.
  • The Brand asks for a refund after the work was delivered as agreed: usually a release to the Influencer.

When we split a payment, we refund the Brand's share as described in section 8 of the Payment Protection Policy, so it is reduced by the matching share of Stripe's processing fee.

5. Evidence

We automatically have the deal record: the Deal Terms both sides accepted, the submitted links and files, every approval, change request and decision, and the messages on the deal.

You can also add links on the deal page to screenshots, platform analytics or messages from outside HotInfluencer. Both sides can see what the other adds. We give more weight to evidence we can verify, such as the deal's own message thread and posts we can still see. Don't send us passwords, bank details or anyone else's personal data beyond what the dispute needs.

6. After the decision

We carry out the decision by releasing, refunding or splitting the payment. Our decision is final as to the payment we hold. It doesn't stop either side from taking legal action against the other about the deal itself.

7. Chargebacks

Brands agree to use this dispute process before asking their bank for a chargeback. If a chargeback is filed, the deal is frozen as described in section 9 of the Payment Protection Policy, and we may use the deal record to contest it.

8. Misuse

Opening disputes in bad faith, for example to get work for free after receiving it as agreed, or to pressure the other side, breaks our Terms. We may decide such a dispute against the side that opened it and suspend their access.

9. Contact

Questions about a dispute: support@hotinfluencer.com