Refund & Payment Policy | Smart CV Builder

Refund & Payment Policy

Our commitment to fair, transparent payment terms and how we handle refund requests for our once-off paid products.

Effective: 1 January 2025 Last Updated: March 2026 CPA & ECT Act Compliant

Overview

Smart CV Builder operates on a once-off, pay-per-use payment model. There are no recurring subscriptions or automatic charges. You pay a single once-off fee per product and retain access to that product including the ability to re-edit and re-download for as long as your account is active.

Because digital products are delivered immediately upon payment and you can access and use them right away, we do not offer routine change-of-mind refunds. However, we are committed to treating our customers fairly and will always investigate and assist where our platform has failed to deliver what you paid for.

Our Products & Prices

ProductPrice (ZAR)What You Get
CV BuilderR250 once-offProfessional CV created using our templates. Save, re-edit, and re-download anytime.
Cover Letter BuilderR50 once-offProfessional cover letter tailored to your role. Save, re-edit, and re-download anytime.
Combo (CV + Cover Letter)R300 once-offBoth CV and Cover Letter. Save, re-edit, and re-download both documents anytime.

All prices are in South African Rand (ZAR). Elite CV is not currently VAT-registered; no VAT is added to these amounts.

The Free ATS CV Scanner is provided at no charge. No payment is required to use this tool.

When We Will Assist or Refund

We will always investigate your situation and do our best to assist. A partial refund (after deduction of PayFast payment gateway fees) may be issued in the following circumstances:

✓ Eligible for Investigation & Possible Refund

  • Critical system failure that prevented you from downloading your completed CV or cover letter
  • A technical error caused your document to be lost, corrupted, or not generated correctly
  • You were charged more than once for the same product due to a payment system error
  • You did not receive access to the product you paid for due to a platform malfunction
  • Purchase made as a result of direct marketing 5-day cooling-off right applies (see below)

✗ Not Eligible for Refund

  • You changed your mind after payment and have accessed the product
  • You are dissatisfied with the design outcome but the tool functioned correctly
  • You purchased the wrong product and have accessed it
  • The CV did not result in a job interview or employment offer
  • You no longer need the product
  • You experienced difficulty using the platform due to your own device, browser, or internet connection
Gateway Fee Deduction Where a partial refund is approved, it will be processed net of PayFast's transaction fees, which are deducted by the payment gateway at the time of the original transaction and are non-recoverable by us. We will be transparent with you about the net amount before processing.

Direct Marketing Cooling-Off Period

In terms of Section 16 of the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008, if you made a purchase as a direct result of unsolicited direct marketing for example, you received an unexpected email or SMS from us and purchased immediately as a result you have the right to cancel your purchase within 5 business days of the transaction and receive a full refund, without any penalty.

To exercise this right, please contact us within 5 business days at [email protected], stating that you are exercising your cooling-off right under the Consumer Protection Act. Please include your order reference number.

This cooling-off right does not apply to purchases you initiated yourself by visiting our website and choosing to purchase a product.

How to Request a Refund

If you believe you qualify for a refund or assistance based on the criteria above, please follow these steps:

1

Contact us by email

Send your request to [email protected] with the subject line: "Refund Request [Your Order Number]".

2

Include the following information

Your full name, the email address used to register, your PayFast order or payment reference number, the date of purchase, the product purchased, and a clear description of the issue you experienced.

3

We investigate

We will acknowledge your request within 2 business days and complete our investigation within 5 business days. We may contact you for additional information or screenshots.

4

Outcome communicated

We will inform you of the outcome in writing. If a refund is approved, we will confirm the net amount (after gateway fees) and process it via the original payment method. Refunds typically reflect within 5–7 business days, depending on your bank.

Payment Information

How payment works

All payments on Smart CV Builder are processed by PayFast, a registered South African payment service provider. PayFast accepts major credit and debit cards, EFT, and other supported payment methods.

When you proceed to checkout, you will be redirected to PayFast's secure payment page. Your card and banking details are entered directly on PayFast's platform Elite CV never sees, stores, or has access to your card information.

Payment security

PayFast is PCI-DSS compliant and uses industry-standard encryption to protect your payment data. The padlock icon in your browser confirms you are on a secure connection throughout the checkout process.

Order confirmation

Following successful payment, you will receive an automated confirmation email from Smart CV Builder. Please retain this as your proof of purchase. If you do not receive a confirmation within 30 minutes, please check your junk/spam folder before contacting us.

Pricing and currency

All prices are displayed in South African Rand (ZAR) and are the full amount payable. There are no hidden fees or additional charges. Elite CV is not currently VAT-registered; therefore no VAT is added to our prices.

Failed or incomplete payments

If your payment fails or is cancelled, you will not be charged and will be returned to the Smart CV Builder checkout page. Please try again or contact us at [email protected] if you experience persistent payment issues.

Unresolved Disputes & Complaints

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your refund request, you may escalate your complaint to:

These bodies provide free alternative dispute resolution for consumers in South Africa. We commit to cooperating fully with any legitimate consumer complaint or investigation.

Need Help With a Payment or Refund?

Contact our support team and we'll investigate your situation promptly and fairly.

✉ Email [email protected]