Refunds and cancellations

The short version

• When you pay, your card is held, not charged.
• You are charged only when the person you are sending to accepts the gift.
• Until then you can cancel, and the hold is released in full.
• If they decline, or the link runs out, you are not charged.

When your card is charged

At checkout we place a hold on your card for the full price, in US dollars. The money stays on your card while you share the link. It is only taken when the person you are sending to accepts the gift. If they never accept, it is never taken.

Cancelling a gift

You can cancel any gift that has not been accepted yet. In the Vela app, open the gift and tap Cancel gift. The link stops working at once and the hold on your card is released. Your bank decides how quickly the held amount shows as available again, usually within a few days.

Once the person has accepted and told us where to deliver, you can no longer cancel from your side. Someone has trusted us with their address because of your gift, and we will not let it be taken back from them. If something has genuinely gone wrong, contact us.

If they decline, or the link runs out

Anyone can decline a gift, and we do not ask them why. A gift link also stays open for up to three days from when you pay, so it is worth sharing it soon. Some cards ask us to settle a hold sooner, and then the link closes a little earlier. If the gift is declined, or nobody accepts it in time, we cancel it for you and release the hold. You do not have to ask.

If they choose something else

Sometimes the gift you chose cannot be made where they are, and they are offered alternatives instead. If they pick one that costs less than what you paid, we refund the difference to your card. If none suits them, they can decline and you are not charged, or you are refunded in full if the charge had already gone through.

How refunds reach you

A refund always goes back to the card you paid with, in US dollars. It usually takes five to ten business days to appear, depending on your bank. We cannot refund to a different card or as cash.

If something is wrong with a delivered gift

If a gift arrives damaged, or is not what you chose, tell us and we will look into it with the local supplier straight away.

These rules sit alongside our Terms. Questions go through our support page.