This article for community developers describes how compensation is conducted as well as who is responsible for each step in the process.
The compensation is a collaboration between:
The user requesting compensation or being compensated
You, as the community developer
The Apify Support team processing the compensation
Compensation step-by-step
Compensation request follows the following steps. The person responsible for the given step is highlighted in bold.
The user creates an issue on the Actor’s Issues tab.
The community developer evaluates whether the request is valid and communicates this to the user.
The community developer creates a request for the Support team via the support chat.
Choose the Request user credit compensation option.
The request must contain:
User ID
Actor ID
The exact amount to be compensated
The reason for the compensation or the URL to the issue on the Actor's Issues tab
Apify Support processes the compensation.
Apify Console automatically issues a gift invoice and sends a notification to the user.
If you, as the community developer, wish to provide compensation for specific runs or other issues proactively, please contact the Support team, as outlined in step 3.
If a user requests compensation from Apify Support directly, Support navigates the user to the Issues tab. Support cannot evaluate whether a run was successful, as they don't have sufficient background knowledge about community Actors.
Compensation for accidental rentals
If you have rental Actors in your offering, Apify Support may provide user compensation if deemed justified even without your approval. For example, if the user misses the cancellation date by a day. Such compensation will lead to a deduction from your payout.
How to talk about compensation
The community developer is responsible for communicating compensation.
Apify Support doesn't reach out to compensated users
Compensated users receive a notification about the related gift invoice with credits via email and in Apify Console's notification center. That's why the Support team doesn't reach out to the users unless there's a specific need.
Best practices when communicating compensation to users:
Best practice | Example |
While the user might use any terminology, always use the word compensation when referring to returning spent credits for problematic runs.
Don't use the word refund as this creates an impression we return the money. However, as Apify’s terms and conditions specify, we do not return money. If you think this is a special case for an exception, add it to the request to the Support team. | If a user demands a money refund: "While Apify typically compensates with credits, I'll pass your request to the Apify team." |
If you can't verify the run, feel free to ask users for a run link or other details. You should have sufficient data to make fair decisions.
Consider the situation not only from the technical perspective but also from the user's point of view. | If a user doesn't share a run: “Could you please share your run with us so we can look into it?” |
Since the Issues tab is public, don't mention specific credit or monetary amounts unless absolutely necessary, as this is sensitive information. | To announce compensation: “We'll compensate you for the run with credits. Once it's done, you'll receive a gift invoice and notification. You can use the credits in your current billing period.” |
Compensation disagreements
If you disagree on the compensation solution with the user or if the user demands a monetary refund, follow the same steps but describe the situation in your request to the Support team. We'll assist with impartial evaluation and communication.