Refund & cancellation policy

How refunds and cancellations actually work.

Three windows from drop-off, one insurance pool that covers condemnation events, and a public balance so you can see we mean it. This page is the source of truth — every reservation links here.

Three windows. One clear rule each.

The further out from drop-off, the more flexibility. The closer to drop-off, the more committed you are — because the animal is being scheduled, the processor's slot is being held, and the farmer is making real-life decisions on your behalf.

Free cancel

More than 21 days before drop-off

Cancel for any reason. Full refund of your deposit and any prepaid balance. We re-list the share without impact to the farmer.

Deposit forfeit

21 to 7 days before drop-off

You can still cancel, but your deposit is forfeit. We hold it as platform credit toward a future reservation if you want one within 12 months.

Full balance

Less than 7 days before drop-off

The animal is locked into the processor's calendar. Full balance is owed, regardless of pickup. This protects the farmer and processor who have committed real labor.

Condemnation insurance pool

If the animal fails inspection, you don't lose money.

Every reservation contributes a small per-pound amount to a dedicated Stripe-managed pool. When a USDA inspector condemns an animal — pre-kill, post-kill, or during fabrication — the pool refunds the buyer in full and pays the processor's kill fee so the farmer doesn't eat the loss either. The pool is real money in a real account. Here's the live balance.

—Pool balance

—Events covered (12 mo)

—Reimbursed to date

—Contribution per lb

What counts as condemnation?

Three timing variations, each handled differently:

Ante-mortem — animal arrives sick or injured, fails inspection before kill. Buyer fully refunded; no kill fee charged; animal goes back to the farmer (or is destroyed at the farmer's election).
Post-mortem (full) — entire carcass condemned during inspection. Buyer fully refunded; pool pays the processor's kill fee. Farmer is not flagged unless this is repeat behavior (3+ events in 12 months).
Post-mortem (partial / fabrication) — disease found in a single primal during cutting. Buyer gets pro-rata refund on the affected portion; processor gets full kill fee + processing on the salvaged portion.

Quality complaints (post-pickup)

If the meat you receive is not as described — wrong cuts, off-spec, off-flavor, freezer burn from delayed pickup, etc. — you have 7 days from pickup to flag it through your account. Submit photos and a description; our support team reviews within 2 business days. Outcomes are refund, replacement, or platform credit, depending on what we and the processor can verify.

Card chargebacks

If you initiate a chargeback through your bank instead of cancelling in-app, Stripe forwards the dispute. We have 7–21 days to respond depending on the reason code. Our default policy: for amounts under $250 without airtight evidence, we accept the chargeback rather than fight it. For amounts over $250 with strong documentation (delivery proof, signed receipt, cut-sheet match, chain-of-custody), we contest with an evidence packet. Stripe's win rate when contested with documentation is around 35%.

When refunds are not available

You changed your mind inside the 7-day window.
You missed your pickup window and didn't contact the processor.
The cuts you received match the cut sheet you submitted (or "Processor's Choice" if you skipped the cut sheet).
Cosmetic differences in fat color, marbling, or trim that fall within USDA grade tolerances.

How to start a refund or complaint

Sign in at /account, find the reservation, and tap "Cancel" or "Flag a quality issue." For complex situations email hello@proteinoutfitters.com. We respond same business day.