Refund Policy

1. Article Processing Charges (APC):

  • Non-Refundable Charges: Once an article processing charge (APC) has been paid and the manuscript has entered the peer review or production process, the fee is non-refundable. This includes fees for submission, peer review, editing, and typesetting.
  • Refund for Non-Processing: If the manuscript is not processed (e.g., it is rejected before peer review or the author withdraws the manuscript before the peer review process has begun), the APC may be refunded, minus any administrative fees, at the discretion of the editorial team.
  • Refund for Editorial Errors: In the rare event that an article is accepted, processed, and published with significant editorial errors (such as incorrect authorship, major errors in the published content that affect the integrity of the research), authors may request a refund. The journal will review the situation and determine whether a refund is appropriate.

2. Print Orders (Printed Copies of Articles or Issues):

  • Order Cancellations: Printed copies of individual articles or full journal issues can be canceled if the request is made before the order is shipped. In such cases, a full refund will be provided.
  • Damaged or Incorrect Orders: If a printed copy arrives damaged or incorrect, the journal will provide a free replacement. If the replacement is not feasible, a full refund will be offered to the customer.
  • Refund Process for Print Orders: Refunds for print orders will be processed within 14 days of receiving the return request. Refunds will be issued to the original payment method.

3. Subscription Fees:

  • Annual Subscriptions: Subscription fees for accessing the journal’s content (including digital and print subscriptions) are non-refundable once the subscription period has begun.
  • Refund for Non-Delivery: If issues are not delivered or there is an error in providing access to content (digital or print), the journal will work with the subscriber to resolve the issue. If the issue cannot be resolved, a pro-rata refund may be issued for the undelivered period.

4. Editorial Services:

  • Refund for Unfulfilled Services: If authors pay for additional editorial services (e.g., language editing, proofreading) and these services are not fulfilled, a full refund will be issued for those services.
  • Partial Refund for Service Issues: If the editorial service is not satisfactory, authors may request a partial refund, which will be evaluated based on the extent of the dissatisfaction and the services provided.

5. Requests for Refund:

  • Procedure for Refund Requests: All refund requests must be submitted in writing to the journal’s customer service team, providing details of the transaction, the reason for the refund request, and any supporting documentation (e.g., proof of payment, damaged goods).
  • Refund Timeline: Once a refund request is approved, refunds will be processed within 14 business days. Refunds will be made to the original payment method (credit card, PayPal, or bank transfer, depending on the initial payment method).
  • Non-Refundable Fees: Any transaction fees, including bank charges, PayPal fees, and service processing fees, are non-refundable.

6. Special Circumstances:

  • Exceptional Cases: In exceptional cases (e.g., extreme personal or professional circumstances), the editorial team may consider refund requests on a case-by-case basis. Any decision regarding refunds in these cases will be made at the discretion of the editorial board.

7. Modification of the Refund Policy:

  • SIPJ reserves the right to modify this refund policy at any time. Any changes to the policy will be communicated to authors, subscribers, and customers, and the revised policy will apply to transactions occurring after the date of publication.