FAQ
When is my card charged?
Only when the deal fires (threshold crosses + fire window closes). Before that, Stripe is holding an authorization, not a charge. If we don't fire, the authorization releases automatically.
What's a "fire window"?
The time between when a drop goes live (drop_date) and when we evaluate threshold (fire_window_close). For Friday flagships it's 7 days. For weekday mini-drops it's 24 hours.
What if my card expires before the drop fires?
Stripe Setup Intents are valid 30 days. We email a warning 2 days before expiry. You can re-authorize a new card OR cancel, your call.
Can I cancel after backing?
Yes, anytime before the drop fires. Click "Cancel my pre-order" on the deal page. Your hold releases within seconds. No charge. No questions.
What if a deal fires but the vendor can't fulfill?
We refund all backers within 24 hours, post a fail-postmortem, and consider whether to re-run the deal with a different vendor next sprint.
Why "Member Only Pricing"?
Ummah One is pay-what-you-like, from $1/mo (suggested $7). The discount layer on UmmahDeals is one of the benefits. The 2× vote weight is another. Plus a chunk of other stuff across the UMG ecosystem.
What if I'm not a member but want a drop?
Three options: (1) join Ummah One, pay-what-you-like, from $1/mo (suggested $7). (2) Wait until after fire and check if the vendor has retail availability, sometimes they do. (3) Submit a request, if enough non-members + members upvote, we may run it again.
How is this different from Costco / Woot / Kickstarter?
Costco gives you bulk-volume pricing on existing inventory. Woot runs limited-quantity flash sales. Kickstarter funds new products with no demand cap. UmmahDeals is closer to "Kickstarter with a price ceiling and a halal lens": we collect commitments first, then go to vendors with receipts. The fire-or-not mechanic is our core.
Where does the 7.86% commission go?
Operating UmmahDeals: hosting, Stripe fees, customer support, email infrastructure, building new features. Disclosed on every deal page. 2.5% of every fired drop is also set aside for UmmahCauses, to be transferred once our giving pipeline ships.
Who runs UmmahDeals?
Ummah Media Group LLC. California-based, Muslim-owned. Designed and built in California, helping the ummah since 2009.
Something not answered? Email salaam@ummahdeals.com, a real human responds.