Refund Policy
At SPARK POP, we’re committed to creating memorable family experiences. This refund policy explains your rights and our obligations for purchases made directly through sparkpop.com.au.
EXPERIENCES
1.1 Operator-Initiated Cancellations or Changes
If an Experience Provider cancels, postpones, or significantly changes your booked experience and you’re no longer able to attend, SPARK POP will provide:
- A full refund to your original payment method, OR
- A credit of equal value for future use on sparkpop.com.au
Refunds are typically processed within 5-7 business days.
1.2 Customer-Initiated Date Changes
- FREE date exchange: Request a date change up to 48 hours before your scheduled booking
- How to request: Email hello@sparkpop.com.au with your booking reference
- Subject to availability: New dates are subject to the Experience Provider’s availability
- One change only: Only one free date change is permitted per booking
1.3 Customer-Initiated Cancellations
Refunds for customer-initiated cancellations are governed by the individual Experience Provider’s cancellation policy, which is:
- Displayed on the product page at the time of booking
- Included in your booking confirmation email
- Varies by provider (some providers offer refunds with notice, others do not)
Please review the cancellation policy carefully before completing your booking.
1.4 Change of Mind
We do not offer refunds for change of mind after a booking is confirmed and payment is complete. Please review all booking details carefully, including:
- Experience date and time
- Number of participants
- Experience Provider’s cancellation policy
- Any special requirements or restrictions
1.5 Real-Time Pricing
Experience prices are pulled in real-time from our Experience Providers and may change without notice. We cannot honor previous prices if:
- Pricing changes between when you view an experience and complete your booking
- You abandon your booking and return later
- Your payment fails and you re-attempt the booking
The price you see at checkout is the final price. Once payment is authorized, that price is locked in.
1.6 Technical Issues
Payment Authorization Failures:
- If your payment fails to authorise, no charge will be processed
- You will need to re-book at the current available price
- SPARK POP is not responsible for price changes between failed payment attempts
Booking System Issues:
- If you encounter technical difficulties completing your booking, contact hello@sparkpop.com.au immediately
- We’ll work with you to resolve genuine technical issues on our platform
- We cannot provide refunds for user errors (incorrect dates, wrong participant numbers, etc.)
1.7 Weather-Related Cancellations
Many outdoor experiences are weather-dependent. Refunds for weather-related cancellations are at the Experience Provider’s discretion.
Typical weather policies:
- Operator cancels due to unsafe conditions: Full refund or reschedule (covered by Section 1.1)
- Customer cancels due to forecasted weather: Subject to operator’s standard cancellation policy (Section 1.3)
- Experience proceeds despite weather: No refund (you chose not to attend)
Check the individual experience’s weather policy before booking.
GIFT CARDS
2.1 Gift Cards Are Non-Refundable
SPARK POP gift cards are digital products and are non-refundable once the code has been issued and delivered. This policy exists because:
- Once a digital code is revealed, it cannot be “returned”
- We cannot verify if a code has been copied, shared, or used
- This is industry-standard for all digital gift cards (iTunes, Google Play, Steam, etc.)
There are NO exceptions to this policy, including change of mind.
2.2 Gift Card Validity & Terms
- Validity period: 3 years from date of purchase
- Redeemable: On any experience or additional gift cards bookable on sparkpop.com.au
- Cannot be exchanged for cash: Gift cards have no cash value
- Transferable: You may give your gift card code to another person
- Partial use: If your booking is less than the gift card value, the remaining balance stays on the card
- Check balance: Visit sparkpop.com.au/gift-card
2.3 Defective or Invalid Gift Card Codes
If your gift card code is technically defective (not working due to a system error), contact hello@sparkpop.com.au within 7 days of purchase with:
- Your order number
- The gift card code
- Screenshot of the error message
We will investigate and resolve the issue by:
- Fix the technical issue – We’ll repair the code so it works properly, OR
- Issue a replacement code – We’ll provide a new working code of equal value, OR
- Manual redemption – We’ll manually redeem your gift card and process your desired booking on your behalf (you’ll receive a booking confirmation directly), OR
- Provide a refund – Only for genuine technical defects where options 1-3 are not possible
This does NOT cover:
- User error (incorrect code entry, wrong website)
- Expired gift cards
- Already-redeemed gift cards
- Change of mind
2.4 Experience Pricing Changes
Experience prices may change between when you purchase a gift card and when you redeem it for a booking.
- Gift cards are redeemable for their face value in AUD
- If an experience costs more than your gift card value, you’ll pay the difference
- If an experience costs less, the remaining balance stays on your card
- We cannot honour old pricing if an Experience Provider has changed their prices.
PAYMENT
3.1 Accepted Payment Methods
SPARK POP accepts:
- Visa, Mastercard, American Express
- Apple Pay, Google Pay
All prices are in Australian Dollars (AUD) and include GST.
3.2 Refund Processing Times
| Refund Method | Processing Time |
|---|---|
| Credit/Debit Card | 5-7 business days |
| SPARK POP Credit | Instant |
Note: Your bank may take additional time to display the refund in your account.
3.3 Refund Method
Refunds are issued to your original payment method unless you request SPARK POP credit instead.
4. AUSTRALIAN CONSUMER LAW & YOUR RIGHTS
4.1 Your Consumer Guarantee Rights
Nothing in this refund policy limits or excludes your rights under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL).
You have the right to:
✅ A refund, replacement, or repair if a product or service:
- Is not as described
- Is not fit for purpose (including any purpose you told us about)
- Is not of acceptable quality
- Does not match the sample shown
✅ Compensation for damages and losses resulting from a failure to meet consumer guarantees
✅ Protection from unfair practices:
- No misleading or deceptive conduct
- No bait advertising
- No false representations
- No harassment or coercion
If you believe your consumer rights have been affected, please contact us immediately at hello@sparkpop.com.au.
4.2 Dynamic Pricing & Consumer Law
SPARK POP is a booking platform and reseller, not the provider of experiences. Experience Providers set and control their own pricing, which updates in real-time.
This is not misleading conduct under the ACL when:
- ✅ We clearly disclose we’re a reseller (providers set prices)
- ✅ We clearly disclose pricing is dynamic and may change
- ✅ We display current pricing accurately from provider systems
- ✅ We lock in pricing at checkout and show the final price before payment
- ✅ We don’t engage in bait advertising or false representations
This is standard industry practice for online booking platforms, similar to airlines, hotels, ride-sharing, and event ticketing.
The price at checkout is the final price you’ll pay. By completing your payment, you agree to the price displayed at checkout.
4.3 SPARK POP’s Consumer Guarantee Obligations
We guarantee:
- Booking services are provided with acceptable care and skill
- Experiences are accurately described on our platform
- Clear communication of what’s included, restrictions, and requirements
- Appropriate handling of your personal and payment information
The Experience Provider guarantees:
- The experience is delivered as described
- Services are provided with acceptable care and skill
- The experience is fit for the purpose described
If an experience fails to meet consumer guarantees:
- Contact us immediately at hello@sparkpop.com.au
- We’ll liaise with the Experience Provider on your behalf
- We’ll work toward an appropriate remedy (refund, replacement, or compensation)
- If the provider refuses, we’ll step in to ensure you receive your ACL rights
4.4 What Is NOT Covered by Consumer Guarantees
Consumer guarantees do not cover:
❌ Change of mind after booking
❌ Price increases between browsing and booking (when clearly disclosed)
❌ Sold-out experiences (unavailability is not a failure)
❌ Weather-dependent cancellations (subject to provider’s policy)
❌ Experiences you miss due to your own lateness or no-show
4.5 If You Believe Pricing Was Misleading
If you believe SPARK POP engaged in misleading pricing practices:
Step 1: Contact us at hello@sparkpop.com.au with:
- Your booking reference
- Screenshots of the pricing you saw
- Date and time you viewed the pricing
- Description of the issue
Step 2: We will investigate within 2 business days and:
- Review our system logs for pricing at the time
- Contact the Experience Provider to verify their pricing records
- Determine if there was a genuine error vs. standard dynamic pricing
- Provide you with a detailed response
Step 3: If we find a genuine error on our part, we will:
- Honour the original price you saw, OR
- Provide a full refund, OR
- Offer equivalent credit plus compensation
Step 4: If you’re unsatisfied with our response, you may escalate to:
- Your state’s Fair Trading office
- Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC)
- Independent legal advice
5. SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES
5.1 Medical or Emergency Situations
While we cannot guarantee refunds for medical emergencies or unforeseen circumstances (these are subject to the Experience Provider’s cancellation policy), we will:
- Advocate on your behalf with the Experience Provider
- Work to find alternative solutions where possible
- Recommend considering travel insurance for expensive bookings
5.2 Complaints & Disputes
If you’re unsatisfied with an experience or our service:
Step 1: Contact us at hello@sparkpop.com.au with:
- Your booking reference number
- A clear description of the issue
- Any supporting evidence (photos, screenshots, emails)
Step 2: We will respond within 1-2 business days and aim to resolve within 5 business days
Step 3: If we cannot reach a resolution, you may escalate to:
- Fair Trading in your state
- Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC)
6. CONTACT US
Questions about refunds or cancellations?
📧 Email: hello@sparkpop.com.au
🕐 Hours: Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm AEST
We aim to respond to all inquiries within 1-2 business days (excluding weekends and public holidays).
7. POLICY UPDATES
SPARK POP reserves the right to update this refund policy at any time.
- Changes will be posted on this page with an updated “Last Updated” date
- Continued use of sparkpop.com.au after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy
- Existing bookings remain subject to the policy in effect at the time of purchase
For purchases made through third-party retailers (Amazon, retail stores, etc.), please refer to that retailer’s refund policy.
