Billing & Charges
Ciklek uses a pay-as-you-go model. There are no monthly fees or subscriptions — you're charged only when you use the service.
How Charges Work
Each order generates exactly two charges:
| Charge | Timing | Amount | |--------|--------|--------| | Pickup fee | When you book the pickup | $30 flat | | Sharpening fee | After QC, before return delivery | $15 × number of blades |
Both charges go to the card you have on file. You'll receive an email receipt for each.
Example: You book a pickup and send in 6 chef's knives.
- At booking: $30 charged → email receipt
- After sharpening + QC: $90 charged (6 × $15) → email receipt + invoice emailed
Total cost: $120
Viewing Your Billing History
Go to Portal → Billing (/portal/subscription) to see all past charges:
- Date and order number
- Charge type (pickup fee or sharpening fee)
- Amount charged
- Card last 4 digits used
Charge Statuses
| Status | Meaning |
|--------|---------|
| succeeded | Charge completed successfully |
| pending | Processing (usually resolves within seconds) |
| failed | Card declined or error — see below |
If a Charge Fails
If your card is declined:
- You'll receive an email notification immediately
- Ciklek will retry the charge automatically (up to 3 attempts over 9 days)
- If all retries fail, your Account Manager will reach out
- Update your card at Portal → Settings → Payment Method to resolve
Pending orders are not blocked by a failed charge — your Account Manager will work with you to resolve it. However, future bookings require a valid card on file.
Updating Your Payment Method
- Go to Portal → Settings → Payment Method
- Click Update Card
- Enter your new card details
- Click Save
The new card will be used for all future charges immediately.
Downloading Records
Every charge generates an automatic email receipt. For formal records:
- Go to Portal → Billing
- Click on any charge entry
- Click Download Receipt to get a PDF
The PDF includes:
- Ciklek business details
- Your business name and billing address
- Line items (pickup fee, per-blade sharpening)
- Order reference number
Disputes
If you believe a charge is incorrect:
- Open Portal → Orders → find the relevant order
- Click Dispute
- Describe the issue — this creates a support ticket
- Your Account Manager is notified and will respond within 1 business day
Do not attempt to dispute charges directly with your bank before contacting us — we can resolve most issues within 24 hours and a chargeback is disruptive for both sides.
Free Pickup Credit
If you were signed up by a Ciklek field sales rep, you may have a free pickup credit on your account. This waives the $30 pickup fee on your first order — the sharpening fee ($15/blade) still applies.
You can see whether you have a credit on the payment method step of onboarding. Once used, the credit is consumed and future bookings are charged normally.