REFUND POLICY

DARCKED.COM

Publisher: Traverse Limited Trading name / brand: darcked.com Website: www.darcked.com Registered office: Nikole Spasica 3/1, 11000 Belgrade, RS Company registration number: 20767855 VAT identification number: 107171899 Jurisdiction of establishment: RS Billing, cancellation and refunds contact: billing@darcked.com

Version: 1.0 Effective date: 12 August 2026 Date last revised: 12 August 2026 Document language: English

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I — GENERAL PROVISIONS

1. Purpose and Status of this Refund Policy
2. Publisher Information and Contact Details
3. Scope and Application
4. Definitions
5. Relationship to the Terms of Service and Order of Precedence
6. Summary of the Refund Position

PART II — THE NATURE OF THE SUPPLY 7. Supply of Digital Content and Digital Services 8. Commencement of Performance, Delivery and Access 9. Formats, Technical Requirements and Compatibility

PART III — THE COMPANY’S REFUND POSITION 10. General Rule 11. Memberships and Recurring Subscriptions 12. One-Time Purchases of Digital Publications 13. Reimbursements Arising by Operation of Law or by Reason of Charges Not Due 14. Discretionary Refunds 15. Matters Which Do Not Constitute Grounds for a Refund 16. Editorial Judgment, Critical Content and the Use of Artificial Intelligence

PART IV — STATUTORY RIGHTS OF CONSUMERS 17. Mandatory Consumer Rights Unaffected 18. Right of Withdrawal 19. Conformity of Digital Content and Digital Services 20. Relationship between Statutory Rights and this Refund Policy

PART V — JURISDICTION-SPECIFIC PROVISIONS 21. Republic of Serbia 22. European Economic Area 23. United Kingdom 24. United States of America 25. Australia 26. Canada 27. Brazil 28. Japan, Switzerland and South Africa 29. Other Jurisdictions 30. Legislation Not Yet in Force

PART VI — PROCEDURE 31. How to Request a Refund 32. Content of a Refund Request 33. Examination of the Request and Time Limits 34. Method, Currency and Timing of Reimbursement 35. Taxes, Charges and Deductions 36. Effect of a Refund upon Access and Licence 37. Refusal of a Request and Internal Review

PART VII — RELATED FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL MATTERS 38. Failed Payments 39. Chargebacks and Payment Disputes 40. Transactions in which a Payment Provider Acts as Merchant of Record 41. Purchases through Third-Party Distribution Channels 42. Gift Purchases, Promotional Prices and Changes of Plan 43. Prevention of Abuse 44. Records and Data Protection

PART VIII — FINAL PROVISIONS 45. Complaints and Alternative Dispute Resolution 46. Governing Law and Competent Courts 47. Amendments to this Refund Policy 48. Accessibility, Language and Contact Details

ANNEXES Annex I — Model Withdrawal Form Annex II — Information Required in a Refund Request Annex III — Summary of Refund Positions by Transaction Type

PART I — GENERAL PROVISIONS

1. Purpose and Status of this Refund Policy

1.1 This Refund Policy sets out the circumstances in which the Company reimburses amounts paid for Digital Publications and Memberships, the statutory rights of Consumers which apply irrespective of the Company’s own position, and the procedure by which a refund is requested, examined and effected.

1.2 The Company is an independent digital publisher. It publishes original Editorial Content in the fields of literary criticism, philosophical criticism and essays, film criticism and television criticism, together with Digital Publications, and distributes a Newsletter. The Services are supplied by electronic means and are made available worldwide.

1.3 This Refund Policy is a document incorporated by reference into the Terms of Service. It does not create rights or obligations independent of the Terms of Service, and it does not restrict, and is not to be construed as restricting, any right conferred upon a Consumer by mandatory law.

1.4 This Refund Policy is published in order to satisfy the obligation of the Company to inform Users, before the conclusion of a contract, of the arrangements applicable to reimbursement, of the existence or absence of a right of withdrawal, and of the statutory guarantee of conformity, and to do so in plain and intelligible language.

1.5 This Refund Policy does not constitute legal advice to any User.

2. Publisher Information and Contact Details

2.1 The Services are operated and published by:

2.2 Requests, notices and correspondence under this Refund Policy are addressed as follows:

2.3 A notice of withdrawal, a refund request or a cancellation instruction addressed to support@darcked.com is treated as validly given and is transmitted internally to the appropriate function without any loss of rights to the User. The date of receipt by the Company is the date on which the communication first reaches any address published by the Company, and not the date of internal transmission.

3. Scope and Application

3.1 This Refund Policy applies to:

(a) Memberships and recurring subscriptions purchased directly from the Company through the Website; (b) one-time purchases of Digital Publications made directly from the Company through the Website; (c) any other Paid Content supplied directly by the Company against payment.

3.2 This Refund Policy applies to all Users, whether or not they are Consumers. Where a provision is expressed to apply to Consumers, it applies only to Consumers.

3.3 This Refund Policy does not apply to:

(a) Free Content and the Newsletter, which are supplied without payment and in respect of which no question of reimbursement arises; (b) Digital Publications acquired through a third-party distribution channel, including Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, to which Section 41 applies; (c) institutional, library, educational or corporate access supplied under a separate written agreement in accordance with Section 8.5 of the Terms of Service, in respect of which the reimbursement provisions of that agreement apply; (d) any transaction concluded with a person other than the Company, save as provided in Section 40 in respect of transactions in which a Payment Provider acts as merchant of record.

3.4 Nothing in this Refund Policy applies to compensation for loss or damage. Claims of that nature are governed by Sections 52 to 54 of the Terms of Service and by applicable law.

4. Definitions

4.1 Terms defined in the Terms of Service have the same meaning in this Refund Policy. The following expressions have the meanings set out below.

Account — the personal user account created by a User in order to access the Services, administer a Membership or access Digital Publications.

AI-generated Illustrations — visual material produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence systems, commissioned, prompted, selected, reviewed and approved by the Company’s editorial staff for publication as part of the Editorial Content or a Digital Publication.

Company, we, us, our — Traverse Limited, as identified in Section 2, together with its successors and permitted assigns.

Consumer — a natural person acting for purposes which are wholly or mainly outside that person’s trade, business, craft or profession.

Cookie Policy — the Company’s cookie policy published on the Website, as amended.

Digital Publications — the digital works published and made available by the Company, including digital books, digital magazines, special editions, collected essays and other publications supplied in PDF format, EPUB format or such other electronic formats as the Company may introduce.

Discretionary Refund — a reimbursement granted by the Company under Section 14 in circumstances in which no entitlement arises under Section 13 or under mandatory law.

Editorial Content — all editorial material published by the Company, including long-form essays, literary criticism, philosophical criticism and essays, film criticism, television criticism, critical and academic-style essays, editorial commentary, AI-generated Illustrations, and subscription-only editorial material, whether published on the Website, within a Digital Publication or through the Newsletter.

Free Content — Editorial Content made available without payment and without a Membership.

Membership — a paid, recurring right of access to Paid Content and associated benefits, granted for a Subscription Period and subject to the Terms of Service.

Newsletter — the electronic communications distributed by the Company to recipients who have provided their contact details and, where required, their consent.

Paid Content — Editorial Content and Digital Publications accessible only against payment, whether under a Membership or by one-time purchase.

Payment Provider — a third-party payment services provider engaged in connection with the Services, including Stripe, PayPal, Paddle and such other providers as the Company may engage from time to time.

Privacy Policy — the Company’s privacy policy published on the Website, as amended.

Refund Policy — this document, as amended from time to time.

Services — the Website, the Editorial Content, the Digital Publications, the Memberships, the Newsletter, the Accounts and all related functionality, features and services made available by the Company.

Subscriber — a User who holds a current Membership.

Subscription Period — the recurring term of a Membership, being one (1), three (3), six (6), nine (9) or twelve (12) months, as selected by the User at the point of purchase.

Terms of Service — the Company’s terms of service published on the Website, as amended.

User — any person who accesses or uses the Services.

Website — www.darcked.com and any associated subdomain operated by the Company.

4.2 The singular includes the plural and the plural includes the singular. Headings are for convenience only and do not affect construction. References to a statutory provision include that provision as amended, re-enacted or replaced from time to time.

5. Relationship to the Terms of Service and Order of Precedence

5.1 This Refund Policy supplements and gives detailed effect to Sections 26 and 27 of the Terms of Service. It is to be read together with:

(a) Section 19 of the Terms of Service (automatic renewal); (b) Section 20 of the Terms of Service (cancellation of a Membership); (c) Section 26 of the Terms of Service (right of withdrawal); (d) Section 27 of the Terms of Service (refunds, failed payments and chargebacks); (e) Section 28 of the Terms of Service (conformity of digital content and digital services); (f) Sections 29 and 30 of the Terms of Service (consumer protection in specific jurisdictions and mandatory rights unaffected).

5.2 In the event of a conflict, the order of precedence set out in Section 64.3 of the Terms of Service applies. Accordingly, and in descending order: any mandatory provision of applicable law; the specific commercial terms of an individual order as set out in the order confirmation; the Privacy Policy, in respect of the processing of personal data; the Terms of Service; and thereafter this Refund Policy.

5.3 Notwithstanding Section 5.2, where this Refund Policy confers upon a Consumer an entitlement which is more favourable than that conferred by the Terms of Service, the Company gives effect to the more favourable entitlement.

5.4 The Company does not apply this Refund Policy retroactively to the detriment of a User. The version of this Refund Policy applicable to a transaction is the version in force at the time the contract for that transaction was concluded, save where a later version is more favourable to the User.

6. Summary of the Refund Position

6.1 The following summary is provided for the convenience of Users. It forms part of the pre-contractual information supplied under Section 17.5 of the Terms of Service but does not replace the operative provisions of this Refund Policy or of the Terms of Service. Where the summary and the operative provisions differ, the operative provisions prevail.

PART II — THE NATURE OF THE SUPPLY

7. Supply of Digital Content and Digital Services

7.1 The Company supplies digital content and digital services. It does not supply goods on a tangible medium. No physical item is dispatched, and no return of any item is possible.

7.2 A Digital Publication is supplied as a file transmitted or made available electronically. A Membership is supplied as a continuous right of access to Paid Content over the Subscription Period.

7.3 The characteristics of digital supply which are material to this Refund Policy are that performance ordinarily begins immediately upon conclusion of the contract, that the User obtains the full benefit of a Digital Publication upon receipt of the file, and that a copy once transmitted cannot be recalled by the Company. These characteristics are recognised by the consumer protection legislation of the principal jurisdictions in which the Company supplies the Services, which permits the right of withdrawal to be lost in defined and disclosed circumstances.

7.4 The Company’s refund position is founded upon those characteristics and not upon any exclusion of statutory rights. Part IV applies in full.

8. Commencement of Performance, Delivery and Access

8.1 A contract is concluded in accordance with Section 17 of the Terms of Service.

8.2 In the case of a one-time purchase of a Digital Publication, delivery is effected by making the Digital Publication available for download through the Account, or by transmitting a download link to the email address associated with the order, without undue delay after conclusion of the contract and receipt of payment. Performance begins at the moment the Digital Publication is first made available or the link is first transmitted, whichever is earlier.

8.3 In the case of a Membership, performance begins on the date on which the Membership is activated and access to Paid Content is granted.

8.4 Before the User submits an order, the Company presents a separate, unticked confirmation by which the Consumer may give express consent to the beginning of performance during the withdrawal period and acknowledge that the right of withdrawal is thereby lost. That consent and that acknowledgement are confirmed in the order confirmation supplied on a durable medium.

8.5 Where a Consumer does not give the consent and acknowledgement described in Section 8.4, performance does not begin and the Digital Publication or the Membership is made available upon expiry of the withdrawal period. The Consumer is not disadvantaged in price or in any other respect by declining to give that consent.

8.6 The Company records the giving of consent and acknowledgement, and the date and time of first availability, and retains those records for the purposes of establishing the position in the event of a dispute.

9. Formats, Technical Requirements and Compatibility

9.1 Digital Publications are supplied in PDF format and, where announced, in EPUB format. The format, file size, technical requirements and any technical protection measures applicable to a Digital Publication are stated on the relevant product page before the order is submitted.

9.2 The User is responsible for ensuring, before purchase, that the User’s devices, operating systems, applications and assistive technologies are capable of opening and displaying the format concerned. The Company does not warrant compatibility with every device, application or assistive technology.

9.3 Where a Digital Publication is not accessible to the User by reason of a characteristic which was accurately stated on the product page, no entitlement to a refund arises under this Refund Policy. Where the characteristics of a Digital Publication were not accurately stated, or where the file supplied is corrupt, incomplete or otherwise defective, Sections 13.1 and 19 apply.

9.4 A User who encounters an accessibility barrier, or who requires content in an alternative format, may contact accessibility@darcked.com. The Company will respond without undue delay and will seek to provide a suitable alternative means of access, in accordance with Section 50 of the Terms of Service. Where a Digital Publication does not meet an accessibility requirement applicable to it under mandatory law, including Directive (EU) 2019/882 as implemented in national law, the supply is not in conformity with the contract and Section 19 applies.

9.5 The unavailability of a Digital Publication in a format which the Company has not announced, and in particular the unavailability of an EPUB edition of a publication announced only in PDF format, does not constitute a ground for a refund.

PART III — THE COMPANY’S REFUND POSITION

10. General Rule

10.1 Transactions for digital content and digital services are non-refundable and non-exchangeable, except where a refund, a right of withdrawal, a price reduction, a termination remedy or a reimbursement is required by mandatory law applicable to the User. Amounts paid for Digital Publications and Memberships are accordingly not reimbursed, and are not exchanged for other Paid Content or for any other consideration.

10.2 This rule reflects Section 27.1 of the Terms of Service and is summarised in Annex III to the Terms of Service. It is disclosed clearly and conspicuously before the User submits an order, and is repeated in the order confirmation supplied on a durable medium.

10.3 Section 10.1 does not affect, and is subject in all respects to:

(a) the right of withdrawal described in Section 18; (b) the statutory remedies for lack of conformity described in Section 19; (c) the reimbursements described in Section 13, which arise by operation of law or because an amount was charged which was not due; (d) any refund, price reduction, termination remedy or reimbursement required by mandatory consumer protection law applicable to the User.

Save as provided in Sections 10.3 and 14, this Refund Policy confers no contractual right to a refund additional to those conferred by mandatory law.

10.4 The Company does not require a User to accept a voucher, credit note, account credit or extension of a Subscription Period in place of a reimbursement in money where an entitlement to reimbursement in money arises. Account credit may be offered only in respect of a Discretionary Refund, and only with the express agreement of the User.

11. Memberships and Recurring Subscriptions

11.1 A Membership is granted for a Subscription Period of one (1), three (3), six (6), nine (9) or twelve (12) months, as selected by the User at the point of purchase, and renews automatically for a further Subscription Period of the same duration unless cancelled.

11.2 A Subscriber may cancel a Membership at any time, without giving reasons and without incurring a cancellation fee, in accordance with Section 20 of the Terms of Service. Cancellation is effected through the Account settings, using an online cancellation function which is available at all times, which requires no more steps than were required to activate the Membership, which does not require the Subscriber to speak to any person, and which does not require the Subscriber to navigate any retention offer before the cancellation is completed. A Subscriber may alternatively cancel by sending an unequivocal statement to billing@darcked.com or support@darcked.com. Where a Membership is processed by a Payment Provider acting as merchant of record, the Subscriber may cancel at any time using the cancellation facilities made available by that provider; the applicable cancellation route is stated in the order confirmation and Section 40.5 applies.

11.3 A Membership renews automatically until it is cancelled. Cancellation prevents the Membership from renewing and takes effect at the end of the current Subscription Period: access to the Paid Content included in the Membership continues until the end of the Subscription Period for which payment has already been made, ceases at the end of that period, and no further recurring charge is made thereafter.

11.4 Cancellation does not of itself give rise to a refund of amounts paid in respect of the current Subscription Period, and does not entitle the Subscriber to reimbursement of the unused part of that period, save where mandatory law applicable to the Subscriber requires otherwise. The Company does not grant pro-rata refunds upon cancellation. The Subscriber retains the full benefit of the Subscription Period already paid for.

11.5 Sections 11.3 and 11.4 do not apply where an entitlement arises under Section 13, under Section 18 or under Section 19, in which case the entitlement arising under those Sections prevails.

11.6 Renewal notices. The Company gives no undertaking to send a reminder before each recurring charge, and no entitlement to a refund arises solely from the fact that a reminder was not sent or was not received, except to the extent that mandatory applicable law provides otherwise. Sections 13.5 and 15.1(m) apply.

Where a Membership is processed by a Payment Provider acting as merchant of record, that provider sends automatic renewal reminders where required by applicable law or applicable card scheme requirements, in accordance with its then-current policies and procedures.

Where the mandatory law applicable to a Subscriber requires that notice be given in advance of a renewal, or at prescribed intervals during a continuing Membership, that notice is given as required by that law: by the merchant of record in respect of transactions for which a Payment Provider acts as merchant of record, and by the Company in respect of other transactions. This Section 11.6 states the position of the Company and does not confer a contractual entitlement additional to the requirements of that law.

11.7 Where a Membership is not renewed because the Subscriber has cancelled, or because payment could not be collected, no charge arises and no question of reimbursement arises.

12. One-Time Purchases of Digital Publications

12.1 A Digital Publication purchased by way of a one-time payment is supplied under the licence described in Section 32 of the Terms of Service. The purchase does not create a recurring payment obligation.

12.2 Amounts paid for a Digital Publication are not refundable and are not exchangeable once the download has commenced or the Digital Publication has otherwise been made available to the User, save as provided in Sections 13, 18 and 19 and save where a Discretionary Refund is granted under Section 14. No right to return a Digital Publication arises by reason only that the User has read or downloaded it, dislikes it, no longer wants it, or considers it unsuitable; Section 15 applies.

12.3 Where a download link expires before the User has obtained the Digital Publication, the Company will issue a replacement link on request at no charge. The expiry of a download link does not of itself give rise to an entitlement to a refund.

12.4 Where the Company permanently discontinues access to previously purchased Digital Publications through the Account, it will give not less than thirty (30) days’ notice, in accordance with Section 21.4 of the Terms of Service, so that Users may retain their own copies. Discontinuation of the download function after such notice does not give rise to an entitlement to a refund, and does not affect the licence in respect of a copy lawfully obtained.

13. Reimbursements Arising by Operation of Law or by Reason of Charges Not Due

13.1 Failure of supply. Where the Company fails to supply a Digital Publication or to grant access to Paid Content, and fails to remedy that failure within the period allowed by the mandatory law applicable to the User after being called upon by the User to do so, the User may terminate the contract and is reimbursed the amount paid, in accordance with that law. Where the Company has expressly declared, or it is equally clear from the circumstances, that the Company will not supply, the User may terminate immediately. This Section gives effect, in respect of Consumers resident in the European Economic Area, to Article 13 of Directive (EU) 2019/770 as implemented in national law, and to the equivalent provisions of the law applicable to Consumers resident elsewhere.

13.2 Defective file. Where a Digital Publication supplied is corrupt, incomplete, unreadable or does not correspond to the title, description, edition or format ordered, the supply is not in conformity with the contract and Section 19 applies. Where the Company does not supply a conforming file within a reasonable period, the User may terminate the contract and is reimbursed the amount paid, in accordance with the mandatory law applicable to the User.

13.3 Duplicate or erroneous charge. Where the same transaction has been charged more than once, or where an amount has been charged which does not correspond to the price disclosed before the order was submitted, the excess was not due and the Company procures its return in full.

13.4 Charge following cancellation. Where a Membership has been charged after a valid cancellation has taken effect, the charge was not due and the Company procures its return in full and confirms the cancellation.

13.5 Renewal effected otherwise than in accordance with a statutory notice requirement. The failure to send, or the non-receipt of, a renewal reminder does not of itself give rise to an entitlement to a refund. Where, however, the mandatory law applicable to a Subscriber attaches a specific consequence to a renewal effected otherwise than in accordance with a statutory notice requirement — including California Business and Professions Code section 17603, under which goods or services provided without compliance with the California Automatic Renewal Law are deemed an unconditional gift — the Company gives effect to that consequence. Sections 11.6 and 24.4 apply.

13.6 Unauthorised transaction. Where a charge has been made through the unauthorised use of a payment instrument or of an Account, and that fact is established, the charge was not due and the Company procures its return in full. This Section does not affect the rights of the User against the issuer of the payment instrument or against the relevant Payment Provider, including rights arising under Directive (EU) 2015/2366 and the Payment Services Regulations 2017, which may afford a more immediate remedy.

13.7 Manifest pricing error. Where a contract has been concluded at a price which was manifestly incorrect and which the User could reasonably have recognised as incorrect, the Company may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, rescind the contract and will procure the return of the amount paid in full. The Company will not rely upon this Section in respect of a price which it has itself advertised and maintained.

13.8 Incorrect tax. Where value added tax, goods and services tax or an equivalent indirect tax has been charged at an incorrect rate or in a jurisdiction in which it was not due, the excess was not due and the Company procures its return. Where a Payment Provider acts as merchant of record, Section 40 applies.

13.9 Discontinuation of a Service. Where the Company ceases to operate a Service to which a Membership relates, it will give not less than thirty (30) days’ notice and will refund the proportionate part of any amount paid in advance in respect of the unexpired part of the current Subscription Period, in accordance with Section 10.5 of the Terms of Service.

13.10 Material amendment or material adverse modification. Where the Company materially amends the Terms of Service to the detriment of a Subscriber, or materially and adversely modifies a Subscriber’s access to Paid Content for which payment has already been made, and the Subscriber terminates the Membership on that ground, the Company refunds the proportionate part of any amount paid in advance in respect of the unexpired part of the current Subscription Period, in accordance with Sections 6.4 and 10.3 of the Terms of Service.

13.11 Termination by the Company not attributable to the User. Where the Company terminates a Membership for a reason not attributable to the User, it refunds the proportionate part of the amount paid in respect of the unexpired part of the current Subscription Period, in accordance with Section 56.6 of the Terms of Service.

13.12 Prolonged force majeure. Where an event of the kind described in Section 55.1 of the Terms of Service prevents the Company from providing access to Paid Content for a continuous period exceeding thirty (30) days and the Membership is terminated on that ground, the Company refunds the proportionate part of the amount paid in respect of the period during which access was unavailable, in accordance with Section 55.3 of the Terms of Service.

13.13 Withdrawal of a purchased Digital Publication. Where the Company withdraws a Digital Publication from publication and, by reason of a court order or of a finding that continued use would be unlawful, the licence granted to a User who has already purchased that Digital Publication is thereby terminated under Section 10.4 of the Terms of Service, the Company refunds the amount paid for that Digital Publication in full. Where the withdrawal does not terminate the licence, no refund arises, because the User retains the copy lawfully obtained.

13.14 Failure to restore access. Where a material technical problem attributable to the Company prevents a Subscriber from accessing Paid Content, the Company works to restore access without undue delay. Where access is not restored within the period allowed by the mandatory law applicable to the Subscriber, the supply is not in conformity with the contract for the period concerned, and the remedies described in Section 19 apply, including a proportionate reduction of the price and, where the lack of conformity is not minor, termination with reimbursement of the proportionate part of the price attributable to the period during which the Paid Content was not in conformity.

No contractual threshold of duration or frequency is applied for the purposes of this Section, and none is required. Scheduled maintenance notified in advance in accordance with Section 10.2 of the Terms of Service, short interruptions of the Services, and the matters described in Sections 15.1(p) and 15.1(q) do not constitute a failure attributable to the Company for the purposes of this Section.

13.15 This Section 13 confers no contractual refund entitlement additional to mandatory law. The reimbursements described in Sections 13.1, 13.2, 13.5, 13.9, 13.10, 13.11, 13.12, 13.13 and 13.14 give effect to remedies conferred by mandatory law, or to the restitution which follows where the Company has terminated, discontinued or withdrawn a supply for which payment has already been made. The reimbursements described in Sections 13.3, 13.4, 13.6, 13.7 and 13.8 are the correction of amounts charged which were not due, and are not refunds of a price validly paid. Nothing in this Section 13 limits the statutory rights described in Part IV. Where a Payment Provider acts as merchant of record, Sections 34.1 and 40 govern the manner in which a reimbursement under this Section is effected.

14. Discretionary Refunds

14.1 The Company may, but is not obliged to, grant a Discretionary Refund in circumstances not covered by Section 13 or by Part IV. A Discretionary Refund is granted case by case, as an act of goodwill, and not in acknowledgement of any obligation or of any failure on the part of the Company. In deciding whether to grant one, the Company has regard in particular to:

(a) whether the Paid Content has been accessed, downloaded or used, and to what extent; (b) the period which has elapsed since the charge; (c) whether the request arises from an evident mistake on the part of the User; (d) whether the User has previously received a Discretionary Refund; (e) any exceptional personal circumstance advanced by the User.

14.2 This Section 14 confers no right upon any User. No circumstance, and no combination of circumstances, gives rise to an entitlement to a Discretionary Refund, and no User may rely upon this Section as the basis of a claim. In particular, the Company gives no undertaking to grant a Discretionary Refund in any of the circumstances described in Section 15.

14.3 The Company does not operate any allowance, quota or periodic entitlement in respect of Discretionary Refunds. The grant of a Discretionary Refund on one occasion does not oblige the Company to grant another, whether to the same User or to any other User, and does not give rise to any expectation that a further request will be granted.

14.4 The grant of a Discretionary Refund does not constitute a waiver of the Terms of Service or of this Refund Policy, is not an admission of any failure on the part of the Company, and does not create an entitlement in any other case or for any other User.

14.5 A Discretionary Refund may be made in money or, with the express agreement of the User, as account credit. Account credit is not offered in place of a reimbursement to which the User is entitled under Section 13 or under Part IV.

15. Matters Which Do Not Constitute Grounds for a Refund

15.1 Subject in every case to Part IV, the following do not of themselves constitute grounds for a refund:

(a) disagreement with the critical judgment, interpretation, argument, conclusion or editorial stance expressed in Editorial Content; (b) dissatisfaction with the subject matter, tone, register, difficulty or length of a publication which was accurately described before the order was submitted; (c) the fact that a Digital Publication treats a film, television work, literary work or philosophical position in a manner which the User did not anticipate; (d) the use of artificial intelligence as an editorial tool, or the inclusion of AI-generated Illustrations, where disclosed in accordance with Sections 14 and 15 of the Terms of Service; (e) non-use of a Membership, or a level of use lower than the User expected; (f) the failure of the Subscriber to cancel a Membership before a renewal date, where the renewal terms were disclosed before the order was submitted; (g) the incompatibility of a Digital Publication with the User’s device, software or assistive technology, where the applicable technical requirements were accurately stated and Section 9.4 does not apply; (h) the composition, frequency, volume or editorial direction of the Editorial Content published during a Subscription Period, absent a specific commitment in the plan description, having regard to Section 7.3 of the Terms of Service; (i) the withdrawal of an individual item of Editorial Content from publication, where the Subscriber retains access to the Paid Content included in the plan and Section 13.13 does not apply; (j) the suspension or termination of an Account for a reason attributable to the User, including breach of Sections 8, 9, 34, 36 or 39 of the Terms of Service; (k) the inability of the User to access the Services from a territory in which the Company has restricted access in accordance with Section 58 of the Terms of Service; (l) a change of mind after the right of withdrawal has been lost in accordance with Section 18.4 or Section 18.5; (m) the failure to send, or the non-receipt of, a renewal reminder, subject to Section 13.5; (n) the cancellation of a Membership shortly after a renewal charge has been made; (o) the failure of the User to read, open, download or otherwise make use of Paid Content which was made available to the User; (p) temporary maintenance notified in accordance with Section 10.2 of the Terms of Service, or a short interruption of the Services; (q) a circumstance not attributable to the Company, including a defect or misconfiguration of the User’s device, operating system, browser or application, the loss or interruption of the User’s internet connectivity, the use of incorrect login credentials, and the restriction of access by a network operator, an employer or an internet service provider.

15.2 Section 15.1 is a statement of the Company’s contractual position. It does not exclude or limit any statutory right, and it does not apply where the matter complained of amounts to a lack of conformity within the meaning of Section 19.

16. Editorial Judgment, Critical Content and the Use of Artificial Intelligence

16.1 The Editorial Content consists substantially of criticism, commentary, analysis and interpretation. Editorial independence is fundamental to the Company, and editorial decisions are not subject to direction by Subscribers, advertisers, sponsors, commercial partners, rightsholders or the subjects of criticism.

16.2 The conformity of a Digital Publication or of a Membership is assessed by reference to its description, its stated scope, its format, its technical characteristics and the reasonable expectations which the description gives rise to. It is not assessed by reference to the critical position adopted by the author or the editor. A difference of opinion concerning the merits of a film, a television work, a literary work or a philosophical argument does not constitute a lack of conformity.

16.3 The Company uses artificial intelligence only as an editorial tool, in the manner described in Sections 14 and 15 of the Terms of Service. Artificial intelligence may assist with research, drafting, editing, translation and the generation of illustrations. Artificial intelligence is not the author of any publication. Every publication is reviewed, edited, verified and approved by a human editor before publication.

16.4 The matters described in Section 16.3 are disclosed before the order is submitted. They accordingly form part of the description against which conformity is assessed, and do not of themselves constitute a lack of conformity.

16.5 Where a Digital Publication has been inaccurately described in any respect material to the User’s decision to purchase, including in respect of authorship, the extent of the use of artificial intelligence, the presence of AI-generated Illustrations, the edition, the language or the extent of the work, Section 19 applies and the User may be entitled to terminate the contract and to a refund.

16.6 A User who considers that Editorial Content contains a material factual inaccuracy may request a correction under Section 16 of the Terms of Service. The correction procedure is available irrespective of whether any refund is sought, and the making of a request does not prejudice any right under this Refund Policy.

PART IV — STATUTORY RIGHTS OF CONSUMERS

17. Mandatory Consumer Rights Unaffected

17.1 Where a User is a Consumer, this Refund Policy applies without prejudice to any mandatory provision of the law of the country in which the Consumer is habitually resident from which the parties may not derogate by agreement, in accordance with Article 6(2) of Regulation (EC) No 593/2008 (Rome I) and equivalent conflict-of-law rules.

17.2 Where a provision of this Refund Policy conflicts with a mandatory consumer right, the mandatory right prevails and the remainder of this Refund Policy continues in effect.

17.3 Nothing in this Refund Policy is intended to exclude or limit any right or remedy which cannot lawfully be excluded or limited, and no provision is to be construed as requiring a Consumer to waive, or as discouraging a Consumer from exercising, a statutory right.

17.4 The exercise of a statutory right is free of charge to the Consumer and is not conditioned upon the payment of any fee, the acceptance of any credit, the completion of any prescribed form, or the giving of any reason, save where the applicable law itself so provides.

18. Right of Withdrawal

This Section applies to Consumers resident in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Serbia, and to Consumers in other jurisdictions conferring an equivalent right. Users who are not Consumers have no right of withdrawal.

18.1 The right. A Consumer has the right to withdraw from a distance contract concluded with the Company within fourteen (14) days without giving any reason. The withdrawal period expires fourteen (14) days from the day of the conclusion of the contract.

18.2 Exercise. To exercise the right of withdrawal, the Consumer must inform the Company, at billing@darcked.com or support@darcked.com, by means of an unequivocal statement of the decision to withdraw from the contract. The Consumer may use the model withdrawal form set out in Annex I, but is not obliged to do so. It is sufficient for the Consumer to send the communication before the withdrawal period has expired.

18.3 Effects. If the Consumer withdraws from the contract, the Company will reimburse all payments received from the Consumer, without undue delay and in any event not later than fourteen (14) days from the day on which the Company is informed of the decision to withdraw. Reimbursement will be made using the same means of payment as the Consumer used for the initial transaction, unless the Consumer has expressly agreed otherwise. In no event will the Consumer incur any fee as a result of the reimbursement. Where a Payment Provider acts as merchant of record in respect of the transaction, that provider is the counterparty to the contract of sale and administers and effects the reimbursement, and Section 40 applies.

18.4 Loss of the right in respect of Digital Publications supplied immediately. The right of withdrawal is lost in respect of the supply of a Digital Publication not supplied on a tangible medium where performance has begun and:

(a) the Consumer has given prior express consent to the beginning of performance during the withdrawal period; (b) the Consumer has acknowledged that the right of withdrawal is thereby lost; and (c) the Company has provided confirmation of the contract on a durable medium.

The Company obtains that consent and that acknowledgement by means of a separate, unticked confirmation presented before the order is submitted, and confirms both in the order confirmation. This provision gives effect to Article 16(m) of Directive 2011/83/EU as amended by Directive (EU) 2019/2161, and to regulation 37 of the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.

18.5 Memberships. Where a Consumer expressly requests that the supply of Paid Content under a Membership begin during the withdrawal period and the Consumer subsequently withdraws within that period, the Consumer shall pay an amount which is in proportion to the Paid Content supplied up to the moment the Company was informed of the withdrawal, in comparison with the full coverage of the contract, calculated on the basis of the total price agreed. The Company reimburses the balance in accordance with Section 18.3. Where the Consumer has expressly consented to immediate commencement and has acknowledged the loss of the right of withdrawal upon full performance, and the Membership is fully performed within the withdrawal period, the right of withdrawal is lost upon full performance in accordance with Article 16(a) of Directive 2011/83/EU.

18.6 Failure to inform. Where the Company has failed to provide the Consumer with the information concerning the right of withdrawal required by applicable law, the withdrawal period is extended for the period prescribed by that law.

18.7 Free Content and the Newsletter. Contracts for the supply of Free Content and the Newsletter involve no payment obligation. A User may discontinue such Services at any time, and no right of withdrawal arises.

18.8 Third-party channels. Where a Digital Publication is purchased through a third-party distribution channel, the right of withdrawal or return is exercised against that third party in accordance with its terms. Section 41 applies.

18.9 The Company does not treat the exercise of the right of withdrawal as a ground for refusing to contract with the Consumer in future, save in the circumstances described in Section 43.

19. Conformity of Digital Content and Digital Services

19.1 The Company supplies Editorial Content, Digital Publications and Memberships in conformity with the contract. The statutory guarantee of conformity applies irrespective of the Company’s refund position and is not affected by the loss of the right of withdrawal.

19.2 Paid Content supplied by the Company shall correspond to the description, quantity, quality, functionality, compatibility, interoperability and other features required by the contract; shall be fit for the purposes for which digital content or digital services of the same type would normally be used; shall be of the quality and possess the features which the Consumer may reasonably expect, given the nature of the content and any public statement made by the Company; and, where the supply is continuous over a period, shall remain in conformity throughout that period.

19.3 Where a lack of conformity arises, the Consumer is entitled to have the Paid Content brought into conformity, or to a proportionate reduction of the price, or to termination of the contract, in accordance with the conditions and the sequence prescribed by the applicable law. Termination is not available where the lack of conformity is only minor.

19.4 Upon termination for lack of conformity, the Company reimburses the Consumer for all sums paid under the contract. Where the Paid Content was supplied over a period of time and was in conformity for part of that period, the Company reimburses the proportionate part of the price paid corresponding to the period during which the Paid Content was not in conformity. Reimbursement is made without undue delay and in any event within fourteen (14) days of the day on which the Company is informed of the decision to terminate, using the same means of payment as the Consumer used for the initial transaction and without any fee to the Consumer. Where a Payment Provider acts as merchant of record in respect of the transaction, that provider administers and effects the reimbursement, and Section 40 applies.

19.5 The statutory remedies are exercised free of charge and without significant inconvenience to the Consumer. The periods of liability, the burden of proof and the limitation periods are those prescribed by the applicable national law.

19.6 The Company provides the updates, including security updates, necessary to keep the Paid Content in conformity for the period required by applicable law, and informs Consumers of such updates.

19.7 Upon termination for lack of conformity, the Consumer shall refrain from using the Paid Content and from making it available to third parties, and the Company may prevent further access, in accordance with Article 17 of Directive (EU) 2019/770 and equivalent national provisions.

19.8 Nothing in this Refund Policy excludes or limits the liability of the Company for lack of conformity to the extent that such exclusion or limitation is prohibited by applicable law.

20. Relationship between Statutory Rights and this Refund Policy

20.1 A Consumer is not required to elect between a statutory right and an entitlement under this Refund Policy. The Company gives effect to whichever affords the Consumer the greater protection in the circumstances.

20.2 A Consumer who has requested a Discretionary Refund and has been refused retains in full the right of withdrawal, the statutory remedies for lack of conformity, and every other right conferred by applicable law. The Company informs the Consumer of that fact when communicating a refusal.

20.3 The time limits stated in Sections 13 and 14 are contractual time limits applicable to contractual entitlements. They do not curtail any statutory period, and a request made after the expiry of a contractual time limit is examined on its merits under Part IV.

20.4 The Company does not require a Consumer to demonstrate the absence of use, to complete any prescribed form, or to provide any evidence beyond that reasonably necessary to identify the transaction, as a condition of exercising a statutory right.

PART V — JURISDICTION-SPECIFIC PROVISIONS

This Part identifies certain rights conferred by the law of particular jurisdictions. It is not exhaustive. Section 29 applies to Consumers resident in jurisdictions not expressly identified.

21. Republic of Serbia

21.1 The Company is established in the Republic of Serbia and the Terms of Service are governed by the law of RS in accordance with Section 61 of the Terms of Service.

21.2 Consumers resident in the Republic of Serbia retain the rights conferred by the Law on Consumer Protection of the Republic of Serbia (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia No. 35/2026), which entered into force on 1 May 2026 and, subject to the provisions applicable from that date, became generally applicable on 2 August 2026, replacing the Law on Consumer Protection (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia No. 88/2021).

21.3 That law introduces a comprehensive regime governing contracts for the supply of digital content and digital services, aligned with Directive (EU) 2019/770, Directive (EU) 2019/771 and Directive (EU) 2019/2161, and regulates in particular the requirements of conformity, the liability of the trader and the remedies available to the consumer where digital content or a digital service is not in conformity with the contract.

21.4 A consumer resident in the Republic of Serbia has the right to withdraw from a distance contract within fourteen (14) days without giving reasons, subject to the exceptions provided by that law, including the exception applicable to the supply of digital content not supplied on a tangible medium where performance has begun with the consumer’s prior express consent and acknowledgement. Section 18 gives effect to that right.

21.5 Any contractual term which directly or indirectly waives or restricts a right conferred upon a consumer by the Law on Consumer Protection is null and void. No provision of this Refund Policy is to be construed as having that effect.

21.6 A consumer resident in the Republic of Serbia may refer a dispute for out-of-court settlement in accordance with the procedure established by that law, and may submit a complaint to the ministry responsible for consumer protection.

22. European Economic Area

22.1 Consumers resident in the European Economic Area retain the rights conferred by:

(a) Directive 2011/83/EU on consumer rights, as amended by Directive (EU) 2019/2161, in particular the right of withdrawal and the associated information obligations, as implemented in national law; (b) Directive (EU) 2019/770 on certain aspects concerning contracts for the supply of digital content and digital services, in particular the requirements of conformity and the remedies of bringing into conformity, price reduction and termination, as implemented in national law; (c) Directive 93/13/EEC on unfair terms in consumer contracts, as implemented in national law; (d) Directive 2005/29/EC concerning unfair business-to-consumer commercial practices, as amended, as implemented in national law.

22.2 Where the national law of a Member State confers upon a Consumer a right more extensive than that described in this Refund Policy, that right applies to Consumers resident in that Member State.

22.3 The Company does not apply geo-blocking or discrimination on the basis of nationality, place of residence or place of establishment contrary to Regulation (EU) 2018/302, to the extent that Regulation applies to the Services. Consumers resident in any Member State may purchase on the same terms and are subject to the same refund position.

22.4 Sections 18 and 19 are drafted so as to give effect to the rights described in this Section 22, and are to be construed accordingly.

23. United Kingdom

23.1 Consumers resident in the United Kingdom retain the rights conferred by:

(a) the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, and in particular regulation 37, which governs the loss of the right to cancel in respect of digital content not supplied on a tangible medium; (b) Chapter 3 of Part 1 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, and in particular sections 34 to 36, which require digital content to be of satisfactory quality, fit for a particular purpose made known to the trader, and as described; (c) sections 42 to 45 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which confer the right to repair or replacement and the right to a price reduction or a refund, and section 46, which confers a remedy where digital content causes damage to a device or to other digital content; (d) Part 4 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, in respect of unfair commercial practices; (e) Part 2 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, in respect of unfair terms.

23.2 A refund payable under section 44 or section 45 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 is made without undue delay and in any event within fourteen (14) days of the day on which the Company agrees that the Consumer is entitled to a refund, using the same means of payment as the Consumer used to pay, and without the imposition of any fee.

23.3 Where the price paid for a Digital Publication or a Membership was paid in whole or in part by credit card, the Consumer may in certain circumstances have a claim against the card issuer under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. Nothing in this Refund Policy affects that claim.

23.4 Consumers resident in the United Kingdom may refer a dispute to a certified alternative dispute resolution body under the Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Competent Authorities and Information) Regulations 2015.

23.5 The subscription contracts regime contained in Chapter 2 of Part 4 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 is not yet in force. Section 30 applies.

24. United States of America

24.1 Users resident in the United States retain all rights conferred by the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act, 15 U.S.C. sections 8401 to 8405, by section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act, and by applicable state automatic renewal statutes and unfair or deceptive acts and practices legislation. Nothing in this Refund Policy limits those rights.

24.2 The Company discloses the material terms of each Membership, including the recurring charge, the renewal frequency, the means of cancellation and this refund position, clearly and conspicuously before the User submits an order; obtains the User’s express informed consent to those terms separately from consent to any other term; and provides a simple mechanism of cancellation which is at least as easy to use as the mechanism of enrolment. Notices required in advance of a renewal by an applicable automatic renewal statute are given in accordance with Section 11.6.

24.3 The Rule Concerning Subscriptions and Other Negative Option Plans adopted by the Federal Trade Commission in October 2024 was vacated in its entirety by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit on 8 July 2025 on procedural grounds, and is not in force. On 11 March 2026 the Federal Trade Commission issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking concerning negative option marketing, which does not impose obligations. The Company applies the standards described in Section 24.2 as a matter of its own practice, and irrespective of the status of that rulemaking.

24.4 California. Users resident in California retain the rights conferred by the California Automatic Renewal Law, California Business and Professions Code sections 17600 and following, as amended by Assembly Bill 2863 with effect from 1 July 2025, which requires express affirmative consent to automatic renewal terms, prohibits the obstruction or delay of cancellation, requires cancellation to be available through the same medium as enrolment, and requires prescribed notices. Where goods or services are provided to a consumer without compliance with that law, they are, under California Business and Professions Code section 17603, deemed an unconditional gift.

24.5 Other States. Users resident in other States retain the rights conferred by the automatic renewal, negative option and consumer protection statutes applicable in those States, including statutes requiring the conspicuous disclosure of a refund or return policy. The Company’s refund position is disclosed before the order is submitted and in the order confirmation.

24.6 Nothing in this Refund Policy limits any right of a User to dispute a charge with the issuer of a payment instrument, including under the Fair Credit Billing Act and Regulation Z in respect of credit cards, or under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act and Regulation E in respect of debit cards and electronic transfers.

25. Australia

25.1 Nothing in this Refund Policy excludes, restricts or modifies any guarantee, right or remedy conferred by the Australian Consumer Law contained in Schedule 2 to the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) which cannot lawfully be excluded, restricted or modified.

25.2 The Digital Publications and the Memberships come with guarantees that cannot be excluded under the Australian Consumer Law. Where there is a major failure, the Consumer is entitled to cancel the contract and to obtain a refund, and to compensation for any other reasonably foreseeable loss or damage. Where the failure is not major, the Company is entitled to remedy the failure within a reasonable time, and if it fails to do so, the Consumer is entitled to cancel the contract and to obtain a refund.

25.3 Where the liability of the Company under the Australian Consumer Law may be limited, it is limited, at the Company’s election, to the resupply of the relevant Services or the payment of the cost of having them resupplied.

26. Canada

26.1 Users resident in Canada retain the rights conferred by applicable federal and provincial consumer protection legislation, including provincial legislation governing internet agreements and distance contracts, which in prescribed circumstances confers a right to cancel and to obtain a refund, in particular where the supplier has failed to disclose prescribed information before the agreement was entered into, or has failed to supply within a prescribed period.

26.2 Users resident in Quebec are advised that the Consumer Protection Act (Quebec) applies and that its mandatory provisions prevail over any inconsistent provision of this Refund Policy.

26.3 Where a User resident in Canada exercises a statutory right of cancellation, the Company reimburses the amount paid within the period prescribed by the applicable legislation.

27. Brazil

27.1 Users resident in Brazil retain the rights conferred by the Consumer Protection Code (Law No. 8,078/1990), including the right of repentance within seven (7) days of the conclusion of the contract or of receipt of the product or service, where the contract has been concluded outside commercial premises, which includes contracts concluded over the internet.

27.2 Where the right of repentance is exercised, the amounts paid are reimbursed in full and monetarily updated, in accordance with the sole paragraph of Article 49 of the Consumer Protection Code. The right of repentance applies in addition to, and independently of, the right of withdrawal described in Section 18.

27.3 Users resident in Brazil also retain the rights conferred by the Civil Rights Framework for the Internet (Law No. 12,965/2014).

28. Japan, Switzerland and South Africa

28.1 Japan. Users resident in Japan retain the rights conferred by the Consumer Contract Act (Act No. 61 of 2000) and the Act on Specified Commercial Transactions (Act No. 57 of 1976). The Act on Specified Commercial Transactions does not confer a general cooling-off right in respect of mail-order transactions, but requires the seller to disclose the terms upon which returns and refunds are or are not accepted. This Refund Policy constitutes that disclosure. Any provision of this Refund Policy which would be void under the Consumer Contract Act does not apply to such Users.

28.2 Switzerland. Users resident in Switzerland retain the rights conferred by the Federal Act against Unfair Competition and by the Swiss Code of Obligations, including the rules governing warranty against defects.

28.3 South Africa. Users resident in South Africa retain the rights conferred by the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 and by the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002, including, where applicable, the right to cancel a transaction concluded by electronic means within the period prescribed by section 44 of the latter Act, and the right to receive a refund within the period there prescribed.

29. Other Jurisdictions

29.1 Consumers resident in jurisdictions not expressly identified in this Part V retain all rights conferred by the mandatory consumer protection law applicable to them, including any right of cancellation, withdrawal, repentance or return, and any statutory guarantee of conformity or fitness.

29.2 Where the Company becomes aware that the law applicable to a Consumer confers a right more extensive than that described in this Refund Policy, the Company gives effect to that right.

29.3 A Consumer who considers that this Refund Policy does not reflect a right conferred by the law applicable to that Consumer may inform the Company at billing@darcked.com. The Company will examine the matter and will amend this Refund Policy where appropriate.

30. Legislation Not Yet in Force

30.1 This Refund Policy states the law in force at the date stated at the head of this document. The following instruments are not in force and impose no obligation at that date. They are identified because they are expected to affect the matters governed by this Refund Policy.

30.2 United Kingdom. The subscription contracts regime in Chapter 2 of Part 4 of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 requires secondary legislation before it can take effect. Following the response of the Department for Business and Trade to its consultation, published on 2 April 2026, the regime is expected to commence in spring 2027. When in force, it will require, among other matters, cooling-off periods following the automatic renewal of certain contracts, with full or proportionate refunds. The Company will amend this Refund Policy before that regime takes effect.

30.3 European Union. The Digital Fairness Act announced in the Commission work programme for 2026 has not been tabled as a legislative proposal. It has no legal effect. The Company will assess and, where necessary, amend this Refund Policy upon the adoption of any measure resulting from that initiative.

30.4 United States. The advance notice of proposed rulemaking issued by the Federal Trade Commission on 11 March 2026 concerning negative option marketing does not impose obligations. Section 24.3 applies.

30.5 Nothing in this Section 30 is to be construed as a representation that the Company will apply a rule which is not in force, save where this Refund Policy expressly states that the Company applies a standard as a matter of its own practice.

PART VI — PROCEDURE

31. How to Request a Refund

31.1 A request for a refund, and a notice of withdrawal, may be submitted:

(a) by email to billing@darcked.com; (b) by email to support@darcked.com; (c) through any refund or support function provided within the Account, where the Company makes such a function available; (d) by post to Traverse Limited, Nikole Spasica 3/1, 11000 Belgrade, RS.

31.2 No particular form of words is required. A request is validly made if it identifies the User, the transaction and the outcome sought with sufficient clarity to enable the Company to act upon it. The Consumer is not obliged to use the model withdrawal form in Annex I or the schedule of information in Annex II.

31.3 The Company does not require a User to telephone, to attend an interview, to navigate a retention offer, or to take any step more onerous than the step required to make the purchase, in order to request a refund.

31.4 Cancellation of a Membership is effected in accordance with Section 11.2 and is distinct from a request for a refund. A User who wishes both to cancel and to seek a refund should do both; a request for a refund is not, of itself, treated as a cancellation unless the User’s communication so indicates, and a cancellation is not treated as a request for a refund.

32. Content of a Refund Request

32.1 In order to enable the Company to examine a request without avoidable delay, a User is invited, but not required, to provide the information set out in Annex II.

32.2 The Company does not require a User to provide evidence beyond that reasonably necessary to identify the transaction and to establish the ground relied upon. The Company does not require a User to demonstrate the reason for a change of mind where a right of withdrawal is exercised.

32.3 Where the Company requires further information in order to examine a request, it will identify precisely what is required and why, and the time limits in Section 33 are suspended from the date of that request until the date of the User’s reply.

33. Examination of the Request and Time Limits

33.1 The Company acknowledges receipt of a refund request without undue delay and in any event within [five (5)] business days.

33.2 The Company communicates a reasoned decision without undue delay and in any event within [fourteen (14)] days of receipt of the request, or, where the matter is complex, informs the User of the reason for the delay and of the date by which a decision will be communicated.

33.3 Where the request is an exercise of the right of withdrawal, the Company does not require any decision to be taken. The right is exercised by the Consumer, and the Company proceeds directly to reimbursement in accordance with Section 18.3.

33.4 Requests are examined in a timely, diligent, non-arbitrary and objective manner, and not solely by automated means. The Company does not use automated decision-making producing legal effects concerning a User, or similarly significantly affecting a User, in the examination of refund requests.

33.5 A decision is communicated in writing, in English, to the email address associated with the Account or to the address from which the request was received.

34. Method, Currency and Timing of Reimbursement

34.1 A refund is made to the original payment method, unless that method is no longer available, in which case the Company will agree an alternative method with the User. Where a Payment Provider acts as merchant of record in respect of the transaction, that provider administers and effects the reimbursement in accordance with Section 40, and the Company does not itself return the amount paid to the User.

34.2 A refund is made without undue delay and in any event within fourteen (14) days of the date on which the entitlement is established, and, in the case of withdrawal, within fourteen (14) days of the day on which the Company is informed of the decision to withdraw. Where a Payment Provider acts as merchant of record, the period within which the reimbursement is effected is that prescribed by the mandatory law applicable to the User and by that provider’s applicable terms.

34.3 A refund is made in the currency of the original transaction. Prices are stated in USD, or in such alternative currency as the Company offers and the User selects, in accordance with Section 22.1 of the Terms of Service.

34.4 The date on which a refunded amount is credited to the User’s account is determined by the User’s bank, card issuer or payment service provider, and may be later than the date on which the Company effects the reimbursement. The Company will, on request, provide confirmation of the date on which the reimbursement was effected and of the reference assigned to it.

35. Taxes, Charges and Deductions

35.1 A refund includes the value added tax, goods and services tax or equivalent indirect tax charged on the original transaction, unless the applicable law provides otherwise.

35.2 The Company does not levy any fee, administrative charge or deduction in respect of a refund.

35.3 Where the User’s own bank, card issuer or payment service provider applies a currency conversion charge or a transaction charge in respect of the reimbursement, that charge is applied by that institution and not by the Company, and is outside the Company’s control. This Section does not derogate from Section 18.3, under which a Consumer exercising the right of withdrawal incurs no fee as a result of the reimbursement.

35.4 Where a Payment Provider acts as merchant of record, the treatment of indirect taxes upon reimbursement is determined by that provider in accordance with Section 22.5 of the Terms of Service. Section 40 applies.

35.5 Where a refund is made in respect of part only of a transaction, the Company states in its decision how the refunded amount has been calculated, including the treatment of any tax and of any discount applied to the original transaction.

36. Effect of a Refund upon Access and Licence

36.1 Upon the refund of the price of a Digital Publication, the licence granted under Section 32 of the Terms of Service in respect of that Digital Publication terminates. The User must cease all use of the Digital Publication, must delete every copy in the User’s possession or control, and must not retain, reproduce or make available any part of it.

36.2 Upon the refund of amounts paid in respect of a Membership, access to the Paid Content included in that Membership ceases, save in respect of Digital Publications separately purchased and not refunded, and save in respect of Digital Publications lawfully downloaded under an entitlement expressly stated in the plan description to survive termination.

36.3 Where a proportionate refund is made in respect of the unexpired part of a Subscription Period, access ceases with effect from the date from which the refund is calculated.

36.4 A Digital Publication supplied to a User may contain a personalised identifying mark linking the copy to the Account through which it was obtained, in accordance with Section 35 of the Terms of Service. The making of a refund does not affect the Company’s rights in respect of the unauthorised retention, reproduction or distribution of a copy after the licence has terminated.

36.5 Sections 36.1 to 36.4 give effect, in respect of Consumers, to the obligations arising upon termination under Article 17 of Directive (EU) 2019/770 and equivalent national provisions.

37. Refusal of a Request and Internal Review

37.1 Where the Company refuses a refund request in whole or in part, it states the reasons for the refusal, identifies the provision of this Refund Policy or of the Terms of Service relied upon, and informs the User of the possibilities of redress.

37.2 A refusal is accompanied by a statement informing the User that the refusal does not affect the User’s statutory rights, including the right of withdrawal and the statutory remedies for lack of conformity, and identifying the means by which those rights may be exercised.

37.3 A User who is dissatisfied with a decision may request an internal review by writing to official@darcked.com within [six (6)] months of being informed of the decision. The review is conducted by a person who did not take the original decision, and the outcome is communicated within thirty (30) days.

37.4 Recourse to internal review is voluntary, does not suspend any statutory limitation period, and does not affect the right of the User to pursue any other remedy.

PART VII — RELATED FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL MATTERS

38. Failed Payments

38.1 Where a payment fails, the Company or the relevant Payment Provider may re-attempt collection over a reasonable period. The Company notifies the Subscriber of the failure and allows a reasonable opportunity to provide a valid payment method.

38.2 Where payment is not received, the Company may suspend access to Paid Content and, following a further notice, terminate the Membership in accordance with Section 56 of the Terms of Service.

38.3 A failed payment does not give rise to a charge, and accordingly no question of reimbursement arises. The Company does not levy a fee in respect of a failed payment.

38.4 Where a Membership lapses by reason of non-payment, amounts already paid in respect of Subscription Periods already elapsed are not reimbursed.

39. Chargebacks and Payment Disputes

39.1 A User who considers a charge to be incorrect is requested to contact the Company at billing@darcked.com before initiating a chargeback, so that the matter may be resolved directly and without delay. Where a Payment Provider acts as merchant of record in respect of the charge, the Company transmits the matter to that provider in accordance with Section 40.

39.2 Section 39.1 is a request and not a condition. It does not affect, and is not to be construed as restricting, the rights of the User against the User’s card issuer, bank or Payment Provider, including rights arising under Directive (EU) 2015/2366 in the European Economic Area, under the Payment Services Regulations 2017 in the United Kingdom, and under the Fair Credit Billing Act, the Electronic Fund Transfer Act and the regulations made under them in the United States.

39.3 Where a chargeback is initiated in respect of a charge which is subsequently established to have been validly incurred, the Company may suspend the Account pending resolution and may recover the amount of the charge together with any fee levied by the Payment Provider.

39.4 The Company does not initiate the recovery described in Section 39.3 where the charge is established to have been invalidly incurred, or where the chargeback follows the Company’s failure to give effect to an entitlement arising under this Refund Policy.

39.5 Where a User has received a refund from the Company in respect of a transaction and subsequently obtains a chargeback in respect of the same transaction, the Company may recover the duplicated amount.

40. Transactions in which a Payment Provider Acts as Merchant of Record

40.1 Where a Payment Provider acts as merchant of record, that provider is the seller of record in respect of the transaction, is responsible for billing, tax determination and the issuance of invoices, and is the counterparty to the contract of sale, in accordance with Section 23.5 of the Terms of Service. Paddle acts as merchant of record where Paddle is used to process a transaction. Stripe and PayPal act solely as payment service providers unless otherwise stated in their applicable terms.

40.2 The merchant of record applicable to a given transaction is identified at checkout and in the order confirmation.

40.3 Where a Payment Provider acts as merchant of record, that provider processes the transaction and administers eligible refunds and requests for statutory withdrawal in accordance with its own buyer terms and refund policy, and effects the reimbursement. The Company does not itself return the amount paid to the User in respect of such a transaction.

A User who encounters a difficulty with a Digital Publication or with access to Paid Content is invited to contact the Company first, at support@darcked.com, so that the Company may attempt to resolve the difficulty. A refund request or a notice of withdrawal addressed to the Company is nevertheless accepted and is transmitted to the merchant of record without delay; the date of receipt by the Company is the date on which the request or notice takes effect, in accordance with Section 2.3. The Company informs the User of the route applicable to the transaction and provides assistance on request.

40.4 The Company remains responsible for the supply of the Editorial Content and the Digital Publications and for its obligations under the Terms of Service, irrespective of the identity of the merchant of record.

40.5 Where a Membership purchased through a merchant of record must be cancelled through that provider, the Company states the applicable cancellation route in the order confirmation and provides assistance on request, in accordance with Section 20.6 of the Terms of Service.

40.6 Where a Payment Provider acts as merchant of record, that provider applies the withdrawal, cancellation and refund treatment prescribed by the law of the purchaser’s country of residence. Nothing in this Refund Policy replaces, narrows or displaces that treatment, and Part V is to be construed accordingly. Where the treatment applied by the merchant of record and the position stated in this Refund Policy differ, the position more favourable to the Consumer applies.

40.7 The merchant of record sends automatic renewal reminders in the circumstances described in Section 11.6.

41. Purchases through Third-Party Distribution Channels

41.1 The Company makes certain Digital Publications available through third-party distribution channels, including Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing.

41.2 A purchase made through a third-party distribution channel constitutes a contract between the User and that third party, or between the User and such other party as that third party’s terms provide. The Company is not a party to that contract and cannot effect a refund in respect of it.

41.3 Accordingly, in respect of such purchases: returns, refunds, cancellations and customer support are handled by that third party in accordance with its policies; the right of withdrawal or return, where applicable, is exercised against that third party; and the applicable time limits, conditions and procedures are those published by that third party.

41.4 A User who has purchased a Digital Publication through a third-party distribution channel and who requires assistance may contact support@darcked.com. The Company will, so far as it is able, confirm the details of the edition concerned and direct the User to the applicable procedure of that third party.

41.5 This Section 41 gives effect to Sections 26.7 and 38 of the Terms of Service.

42. Gift Purchases, Promotional Prices and Changes of Plan

42.1 Gift purchases. Where a Membership or a Digital Publication is purchased as a gift, the contract is concluded with the purchaser. Any refund is made to the purchaser and to the payment method used by the purchaser. The recipient has no entitlement to a refund, but may exercise any statutory right conferred upon the recipient by the law applicable to the recipient.

42.2 Where a gift Membership has been redeemed and access has been granted to the recipient, the right of withdrawal is subject to Section 18.4 and Section 18.5 on the same basis as any other Membership.

42.3 Promotional prices. Where a Membership was purchased at a promotional or introductory price, any proportionate refund is calculated by reference to the amount actually paid and not by reference to the standard price. Where a discount code or credit was applied, the refund is made in respect of the amount actually charged, and any credit applied is restored to the Account where it remains capable of use.

42.4 Upgrades. Where a Subscriber upgrades a Membership plan, the difference in price is charged for the remainder of the current Subscription Period on a proportionate basis, in accordance with Section 18.5 of the Terms of Service. An upgrade constitutes a new contract in respect of the additional entitlement and the right of withdrawal applies to it accordingly.

42.5 Downgrades. Where a Subscriber downgrades a Membership plan, the change takes effect at the beginning of the next Subscription Period and the Membership continues on the existing plan until then. No refund of the difference in price arises in respect of the current Subscription Period.

42.6 Price changes. A change in the price of a Membership does not affect the price payable in respect of a Subscription Period for which payment has already been made, and does not give rise to a refund. A Subscriber who does not accept a price change may cancel in accordance with Section 11.2 with effect from the end of the current Subscription Period.

43. Prevention of Abuse

43.1 The Company may decline a Discretionary Refund, and may decline to enter into further contracts with a User, where the User has engaged in a pattern of conduct indicating the misuse of this Refund Policy, including:

(a) the repeated purchase and subsequent return of Digital Publications following download; (b) the systematic or automated downloading of Digital Publications followed by requests for reimbursement; (c) the retention, reproduction or distribution of a Digital Publication after the licence has terminated under Section 36; (d) the making of requests founded upon statements which the User knows to be untrue; (e) the initiation of chargebacks in respect of charges known by the User to have been validly incurred.

43.2 A measure taken under Section 43.1 is proportionate, is applied for no longer than is necessary, and is notified to the User with reasons.

43.3 Section 43.1 does not authorise the Company to refuse, restrict, delay or make conditional the exercise of a right of withdrawal, of a statutory remedy for lack of conformity, or of any other right conferred by mandatory law. Those rights remain available to the User in every case.

43.4 The Company applies technical measures to detect systematic downloading and unauthorised concurrent access, as described in Sections 9.3 and 35 of the Terms of Service. Personal data processed for that purpose is processed in accordance with the Privacy Policy.

44. Records and Data Protection

44.1 The Company maintains records of refund requests, decisions, reimbursements, chargebacks and disputes, and of the consent and acknowledgement described in Section 8.4.

44.2 Those records are processed in accordance with the Privacy Policy, on the legal bases of the performance of the contract, compliance with a legal obligation, and the legitimate interests of the Company in the establishment, exercise and defence of legal claims and in the prevention of fraud.

44.3 Records are retained for the periods stated in the Privacy Policy, and in any event for the period required by applicable accounting, tax and limitation legislation.

44.4 A User may exercise the rights described in the Privacy Policy in respect of that personal data by contacting privacy@darcked.com.

PART VIII — FINAL PROVISIONS

45. Complaints and Alternative Dispute Resolution

45.1 A User who is dissatisfied with the handling of a refund request may submit a complaint to official@darcked.com, identifying the User, the subject matter of the complaint and the outcome sought. The Company acknowledges a complaint without undue delay and provides a substantive response within thirty (30) days, or, where the matter is complex, informs the User of the reason for the delay and of the date by which a response will be provided.

45.2 The European Commission’s Online Dispute Resolution platform, established under Regulation (EU) No 524/2013, was discontinued with effect from 20 July 2025 pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2024/3228. No complaint may be submitted through that platform.

45.3 Consumers resident in the European Union may refer a dispute to a national alternative dispute resolution entity certified under Directive 2013/11/EU. A list of certified entities in the Member States is maintained by the European Commission and by the competent national authorities.

45.4 Consumers resident in the United Kingdom may refer a dispute to a certified alternative dispute resolution body under the Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Competent Authorities and Information) Regulations 2015.

45.5 Consumers resident in the Republic of Serbia may refer a dispute for out-of-court settlement in accordance with the Law on Consumer Protection referred to in Section 21.2.

45.6 The Company is not obliged to participate in dispute resolution proceedings before a consumer arbitration board, and is not willing to participate in such proceedings, save where participation is required by mandatory law applicable to the Consumer.

45.7 Recourse to alternative dispute resolution is voluntary and does not affect the right of either party to bring proceedings before a competent court.

46. Governing Law and Competent Courts

46.1 This Refund Policy, and any non-contractual obligation arising out of or in connection with it, is governed by the law of RS, excluding its conflict of law rules and excluding the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods.

46.2 Where the User is a Consumer, the choice of law in Section 46.1 does not deprive the Consumer of the protection afforded by provisions that cannot be derogated from by agreement under the law of the country in which the Consumer is habitually resident, in accordance with Article 6(2) of Regulation (EC) No 593/2008.

46.3 Jurisdiction is determined in accordance with Section 62 of the Terms of Service. Where the User is a Consumer, proceedings may be brought by the Consumer against the Company either in the courts of RS or in the courts of the Consumer’s place of domicile, and proceedings may be brought by the Company against the Consumer only in the courts of the Consumer’s place of domicile.

47. Amendments to this Refund Policy

47.1 The Company may amend this Refund Policy in order to reflect changes in the Services, in the Payment Providers engaged, in its operational arrangements, or in applicable law, regulation, judicial decision or regulatory guidance.

47.2 The Company publishes the amended Refund Policy on the Website together with the version number and the date from which the amendment takes effect, and retains previous versions.

47.3 Where an amendment materially affects the rights of a Subscriber, the Company notifies the Subscriber by email to the address associated with the Account not less than thirty (30) days before the amendment takes effect, and Section 6.4 of the Terms of Service applies.

47.4 An amendment does not apply to a contract concluded before the date on which the amendment takes effect, save where the amendment is more favourable to the User. Section 5.4 applies.

48. Accessibility, Language and Contact Details

48.1 This Refund Policy is published in a format intended to be perceivable, operable, understandable and robust, consistent with the accessibility commitments described in Section 50 of the Terms of Service. A User who requires this Refund Policy in an alternative format may contact accessibility@darcked.com.

48.2 This Refund Policy is published in English. Where the Company publishes a translation, the translation is provided for convenience only, and in the event of a discrepancy the English version prevails, save where mandatory law applicable to a Consumer requires that a translation in the language of the contract or of the Consumer’s residence prevail.

48.3 Correspondence with the Company may be conducted in English.

48.4 Contact details:

ANNEX I — MODEL WITHDRAWAL FORM

(Complete and return this form only if you wish to withdraw from the contract. This form corresponds to Annex I(B) to Directive 2011/83/EU and to Schedule 3 to the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013. Use of this form is optional.)

To: Traverse Limited – darcked.com Nikole Spasica 3/1, 11000 Belgrade, RS Email: billing@darcked.com

I/We (*) hereby give notice that I/We (*) withdraw from my/our (*) contract for the supply of the following digital content / digital service (*):

Ordered on (*) / received on (*): _______________________

Name of consumer(s): _______________________________

Address of consumer(s): _____________________________

Order or invoice reference: __________________________

Signature of consumer(s) (only if this form is notified on paper): _______________________

Date: _______________________

(*) Delete as appropriate.

ANNEX II — INFORMATION REQUIRED IN A REFUND REQUEST

The following information enables the Company to examine a request without avoidable delay. A User is invited, but not required, to provide it. A request is not refused, and no right is lost, by reason only of the omission of any item.

1. The name and the email address associated with the Account.
2. The order or invoice reference, or the date and amount of the charge.
3. The Digital Publication or Membership plan concerned, and, in the case of a Membership, the Subscription Period.
4. The payment method used and, where a Payment Provider acted as merchant of record, the identity of that provider as stated in the order confirmation.
5. The outcome sought, being reimbursement in full, reimbursement in part, or cancellation together with reimbursement.
6. The ground relied upon, where the User wishes to state one, being in particular: (a) withdrawal under Section 18; (b) lack of conformity under Section 19, with a description of the defect; (c) an entitlement under Section 13, with an indication of the subsection relied upon; (d) a request for a Discretionary Refund under Section 14.
7. In the case of a defective file, a description of the difficulty encountered, together with the device, operating system and application used, where the User is able to supply that information.
8. Any other information the User considers relevant.

A Consumer exercising the right of withdrawal is not obliged to state a reason, and item 6 does not apply to that Consumer.

ANNEX III — SUMMARY OF REFUND POSITIONS BY TRANSACTION TYPE

This Annex is provided for convenience. It does not replace the operative provisions of this Refund Policy.

End of document.

© DARCKED.COM. All rights reserved. This document is published as the Refund Policy applicable to the Services and does not constitute legal advice to any User.