# Refund Basics

> Understand refund availability and original-route refunds.

Canonical: https://stafiel.org/documentation/accept-payments/refund-basics
Version: v1.0.0

Refund Basics explains when a Stafiel checkout can use a supported
original-route refund based on the network, order state, configured after-sales
window, refundable amount, and how the customer originally paid.

![Refund basics diagram](/documentation/refund-basics-light.png)

## Original-Route Refunds

Supported refunds return value to the original on-chain payment source, not to a
new payout address. In plain terms, the original payment source is the wallet
address that sent the payment on-chain. This keeps the refund path aligned with
the payment path for anti-abuse, AML, and operational traceability.

Refunds are not a general-purpose payout tool. They are used to unwind a
supported payment when the original payment source can receive returned value.

## After-Sales Window

Merchant-initiated refunds use the configured after-sales window captured when
the checkout session is created. Later merchant setting changes apply to future
checkout sessions, not to existing orders.

After the payment window ends, Stafiel completes payment setup automatically.
The after-sales window opens when payment setup is complete. Refund availability
still depends on network support, refundable amount, and whether a refund has
already been recorded.

Once the after-sales window closes, the order is no longer eligible for a
merchant-initiated on-chain refund.

For the larger order timeline, see
[Order Lifecycle and Payment Status](/documentation/accept-payments/order-lifecycle-and-payment-status).

## Refund Amount And Status

The refund amount cannot exceed the payment value actually received for the
order. For original-route refunds, each payment source can receive back no more
than it paid.

Note: A merchant-initiated refund can be performed only once for a
checkout. A partial refund counts as that one merchant-initiated refund.

After a partial refund, the remaining payment value determines the order status:
Fullpaid when it matches the requested amount, Underpaid when it is below the
requested amount, and Overpaid when it remains above the requested amount. The
remaining value can continue through the normal downstream flow when the order is
otherwise eligible. Merchant Dashboard may also show Partial Refunded to indicate
that a partial refund was recorded.

When the full payment has been refunded, the order becomes Full Refunded and no
remaining payment value continues to settlement.

For settlement impact, see
[Settlement Basics](/documentation/accept-payments/settlement-basics).

## Network Support

Only supported networks can use Stafiel's on-chain refund flow. Refund
capabilities differ by network and payment rail. The table below describes
network-level support only; each refund still depends on order state, the
after-sales window, refundable amount, and refund history.

Network
On-chain refund support
Notes

Ethereum
Supported
Original-route refunds can be used when the order is eligible.

Base
Supported
Original-route refunds can be used when the order is eligible.

BNB Chain
Supported
Original-route refunds can be used when the order is eligible.

Polygon
Supported
Original-route refunds can be used when the order is eligible.

Solana
Supported
Original-route refunds can be used when the order is eligible.

Tron
Not supported
Stafiel's on-chain refund flow is not available on Tron.

Businesses that accept Tron payments should account for that limitation in
refund policy and customer support.

## Centralized Exchange And Custodial Wallet Risk

If a customer pays from a centralized exchange withdrawal flow or some custodial
wallet flows, the original on-chain source address is usually not controlled by
the customer. An original-route refund returns value to that on-chain source,
which may not return the value to the customer's account.

These customer-side recovery cases are outside Stafiel's refund scope.

For more detail, see
[Payment and Refund Risks](/documentation/risk-and-reference/payment-and-refund-risks).

## Merchant Policy

The merchant remains responsible for refund approval, customer communication,
refund policy, and handling cases where an on-chain refund is unavailable or
where a centralized exchange or custodial wallet payment creates customer-side
recovery issues.

Note: Merchant-initiated on-chain refunds require the merchant to pay the
applicable network transaction cost, such as a gas fee or transaction fee.

For Merchant Dashboard steps, see
[Refund Operations](/documentation/merchant-operations/refund-operations). For
integration refund status and history checks, see
[Refunds API](/documentation/developer-integration/refund-api).

## Platform-Initiated Refunds

Stafiel may, where appropriate or required, perform a platform-initiated refund
for legal, regulatory, sanctions, compliance, risk, security, dispute
resolution, service integrity, or operational reasons.