Sometimes things happen and someone can’t keep their RSVP commitment. Unfortunately, the group still has to pay for their seat/entry, especially if it’s last minute. Also, due to Meetup.com’s method of integrating with PayPal, refunds are extremely time-consuming (the PayPal payment is not tied to your meetup account, so its difficult to find the correct transaction).

This situation is made worse when a large number of people RSVP for events just to “save a spot”, but then change their RSVP and demand a refund 1 or 2 days prior to the event. This led to organizers spending as long as 2 hours per event doing nothing but hunting PayPal and processing refunds.

When folks RSVP, its considered a commitment to the group. As of January 2010, refunds are not available unless otherwise noted or the event was canceled.

Please note, required FTC Legal Disclaimer: HoustonPhotowalks uses affiliate marketing and advertising to generate revenue for our budget and the organizers who run the group. This money is used to pay Meetup.com fees, website hosting fees, classroom fees, teaching fees, donations to museums and venues, provide bottles of water when possible, compensate organizers for their time, etc. When you click links, the HoustonPhotowalks organization may receive a fee when you purchase a product or service.