1. The price shown to buyers
Before you confirm payment, checkout shows the item subtotal, the mandatory Marketplace Fee, delivery for each actual parcel and the total amount due. We do not add an unavoidable platform charge after confirmation.
For each seller order, the buyer Marketplace Fee is 4% of the final item subtotal plus £0.69. The fixed £0.69 component is charged once for that seller order, including where that order contains several pieces. Delivery is not included in the percentage calculation.
The Marketplace Fee pays for marketplace operation, payment coordination and Buyer Protection processes. Buyer Protection is a contractual service and is not insurance. It does not reduce statutory rights.
2. Payment and authorisation
Payments are processed through Stripe. Valdeni does not operate a stored-value wallet. Card and regulated payment details are handled by the payment provider; Valdeni receives the references and status information needed to complete, refund or reconcile the transaction.
A payment can be authorised, refused, cancelled, reversed or reviewed by the payment provider or Valdeni's fraud controls. An order is not paid until the platform records successful provider confirmation.
A temporary authorisation or pending bank entry is not necessarily a completed charge. If checkout fails, the provider or bank controls when an unused authorisation disappears.
3. Collection Checkout
A Collection may contain pieces from one or more sellers. One checkout payment can create separate seller orders. The Marketplace Fee is calculated separately for each seller order, and delivery is calculated for each actual parcel.
Pieces from the same seller may share a parcel only where their combined parcel data fits an eligible service. Pieces from different sellers are not treated as one parcel.
The checkout summary identifies the sellers, pieces and charges included. Removing an item before ordinary Collection Checkout recalculates the relevant totals. An accepted immutable bundle negotiation cannot silently substitute or remove negotiated pieces.
4. Offers and accepted-price checkout
A single-item or bundle offer changes the item subtotal only when the offer is accepted and remains valid. A bundle price is allocated across its exact pieces for accounting and refund purposes.
An accepted offer holds the relevant pieces for that buyer for 24 hours. The buyer must complete payment before the hold expires. The hold does not guarantee a transaction until payment succeeds.
The detailed negotiation rules are in the Offers and Reservations policy.
5. Refund calculations
Where a full refund is due, the refundable amount can include the item price, the related buyer Marketplace Fee and delivery where the applicable policy or law requires it.
For an item-level or partial refund, the percentage part of the Marketplace Fee is recalculated against the item value retained in that seller order. The fixed £0.69 remains only if the seller order still retains item value. Unrelated seller orders are not automatically refunded.
A refund is not described as completed until the payment provider confirms it. Bank processing times are outside Valdeni's direct control.