Why the Refund Request Was More Emotional Than Expected

I wasn’t asking for something unreasonable. We’d taken only a handful of classes. My daughter hadn’t even completed half of the introductory lessons. I felt it was fair to request a refund — partly because of the scheduling issues, and partly because the online experience just wasn’t clicking for her.

But once I raised my concern, things didn’t go as smoothly as I had hoped.

Initially, the response was slow. Emails went unanswered for days. Calls weren’t returned. Even within the refund ticket system, I received generic responses that gave little clarity on what was happening next. It felt like my request was getting lost somewhere in the system — and as a busy parent, that uncertainty was incredibly frustrating.

What I Eventually Learned From the Refund Policy

At that point, I decided to actually read PlanetSpark’s published refund policy — not just rely on what was said verbally during enrollment.

According to the official PlanetSpark refund policy:

• Only 1:1 enrollments are eligible for refunds of unconsumed classes under certain conditions.

• No refund or cancellation is permitted once the customer has consumed 5 or more classes (including Learn, Practice, and Performance sessions).

• Refund requests are considered only after raising a query with customersupport@planetspark.in.

• For domestic Indian cases, cancellation charges of ₹1000 + GST per class are applicable, and a 20% processing fee is deducted from the total course fee.

• There’s no refund for down payments and registration fees.

• Refund processing time is 60–90 working days from the date the request is acknowledged.

Reading this clarified a few things. I understood why my request wasn’t instantly approved. I also saw where expectations needed to be realistic — that education refunds aren’t like shopping returns, and that teachers, schedules, and lesson plans start being allocated as soon as the course begins.

What Happened Next — The Process, Not Just the Policy

After understanding the policy, I reached out again — this time with clear references to the official terms and a polite explanation of our situation.

Yes, I had taken a few classes. But we were still well under the five-class threshold. That meant, according to the policy, we were eligible for a refund of unconsumed sessions — with applicable deductions.

I had to:

• Re-send my refund request via email

• Share my enrollment details

• Follow up after the allotted processing window began

The communication was not instant. But it was professional and eventually acknowledged.

And after the formal processing window, we received the refund — minus the applicable class charges and processing fee, exactly as the policy laid out.

It wasn’t instant. It wasn’t perfect. But it was honest and followed the structure that was written in the terms.

What This Experience Taught Me as a Parent

Looking back, my frustration wasn’t just about waiting for money. It was about uncertainty and not knowing what to expect.

What helped — eventually — was:
💬 Reading the actual refund policy instead of relying only on verbal assurances
📧 Communicating clearly with support instead of assuming silence meant denial
⏳ Giving the process its required time instead of expecting instant answers

I won’t say this was a smooth experience — it wasn’t. But it was structured, not dismissive. And structure matters when emotions and money are involved.

Refunds Are Not the End — But How They’re Handled Matters

Requests for refunds often carry stigma — like something went wrong with learning. But in reality, sometimes a platform and a family just aren’t aligned at a particular moment.

PlanetSpark’s refund policy is not designed to trap parents or avoid accountability. It’s written to balance learning commitment with parent flexibility — and when navigated with understanding, it works as intended.

Would I recommend rushing to ask for refunds? No.
But would I recommend reading the policy clearly and following the right process? Absolutely.

Because a challenge doesn’t have to become a conflict.
It can instead be an experience that builds clarity, responsibility, and maturity — for both the platform and the family. 💛