This topic describes the refund rules for ApsaraVideo VOD and how refunds are processed.
Refund rules
Only the amount you paid is refunded. Used cash coupons are not refunded.
If you purchase a product during a promotion, the rules of the promotion take precedence over the general refund rules in case of a conflict. If a refund occurs, any gifts, such as cash coupons or extended service periods, are forfeited.
Billing method | Refund description | Refund method |
Pay-as-you-go | The pay-as-you-go billing method generates bills in real time based on actual usage. Therefore, refunds do not apply. | Not applicable. |
Resource plan | To unsubscribe from a resource plan, see Unsubscription rules. | After you understand the unsubscription rules, submit a ticket to request a refund. For more information about how to submit a ticket, see Contact us. |
Short video SDK (yearly purchase) | Unsubscriptions are not supported. | Not applicable. |
Refund Flow
For orders paid with Alipay after March 29, 2019, refunds can be returned to the original payment method for up to 18 months (548 days). However, the processing time varies by bank, so this 18-month period is not guaranteed. If the refund is requested after 18 months, or if the refund to your Alipay account fails, the amount is credited to your Alibaba Cloud account balance.
In some cases, a refund to the original payment channel may fail. This can happen if the account is closed or the number of refunds exceeds the channel's limit. In these cases, the amount is credited to your Alibaba Cloud account balance.
After a product is successfully unsubscribed, the refund is typically processed within two business days. The portion paid with cash coupons is not refunded.
For orders paid by online banking that are eligible for a refund to the original payment method, the refund usually arrives within two to three business days, depending on the bank's processing time.
If you purchase many resource instances in a single order, Alibaba Cloud allows refunds for individual instances. However, this can cause the number of refund requests to exceed the payment channel's limit. To prevent this, Alibaba Cloud merges multiple refund requests for the same order that are made within a two-minute period into a single request.