Pilot RD FAQ
Common questions from race directors evaluating or running a pilot event with PodiumBase. Organized by topic; skim for what you need.
If your question isn't here, email support@podiumbase.io — and tell us, so we can add it.
Pricing & revenue
How does the photographer revenue share work?
On Pro tier (default for pilots), each individual photo sale splits 80% to the photographer who took the photo / 20% to the platform. Event-pack bundle SKUs ($24.99 flat) follow the same 80/20 split on net-of-Stripe gross. There's no separate cut for you as the RD on individual-photo or bundle sales by default — that's the standard Pro-tier split.
Community tier (60% photographer / 40% platform, $3.99 per photo, no bundle SKUs) is available for events that want a lower per-photo price point — discuss with us at kick-off if that's right for your audience.
We have alternative models (sponsor-funded, registration-funded, photo-bundle-included-in-bib-fee) that give the RD a different role in the revenue flow. We'll walk you through which fits your event during kick-off.
What does the athlete pay?
On Pro tier (default for pilots): $14.99 per individual photo, with $24.99 event-pack bundles available (all of the photographer's photos of that athlete, flat-rate). Bundles unlock full-event-day coverage at a discount versus per-photo.
Community tier — $3.99 per photo, individual photos only, no bundle SKUs — is available if a lower per-photo price point is right for your event. Your event's specific tier and pricing are set during pre-event configuration and shown on the public event page.
Are there any fees besides the platform share?
Stripe takes their standard processing fee (~2.9% + $0.30) off the gross, before the photographer/platform split. We don't add an additional fee on top of Stripe's. No monthly platform fee, no setup fee, no listing fee — the platform share is the only PodiumBase-side cost.
When do photographers get paid?
As soon as an order completes, the photographer's share is transferred to their Stripe Connect account. From there, Stripe's standard payout schedule moves it to their bank — typically 2-7 business days. Refunds don't hold payouts: if a refund is issued, it reverses the photographer's transfer (clawing back from pending earnings, or pulling from their connected bank if needed).
How does pilot pricing work?
Pilots ship on Pro tier by default — $14.99 per individual photo, $24.99 event-pack bundle SKUs available, with a standard 80/20 photographer-platform split. Stripe's processing fee (~2.9% + $0.30 per transaction) still applies and goes to Stripe, not us. There is no pilot-specific platform-fee perk; we don't make pilot-specific price exceptions. Terms confirmed at kick-off hold through your pilot — no mid-pilot pricing changes. We'll give you 90 days' notice on any post-pilot pricing change.
Refunds & disputes
How long is the refund window?
Two-stage:
- 0–24 hours after purchase: athletes can self-serve a full refund from their purchases page or order email, no questions asked. Auto-processed via Stripe.
- 24 hours–14 days after purchase: refund requests go to our support team via the "Submit a refund request" CTA on the buyer's order page. We approve most quality, attribution, or technical-issue complaints (duplicate purchase, photo doesn't match, download failed, content quality issue). Email-able to
support@podiumbase.iowith the order ID if the in-app CTA isn't reachable.
The canonical version of this lives at /legal/refunds — quote that to athletes if pressed.
Who initiates refunds?
Three paths:
- Athlete self-service (0–24h): they click "Request refund" in their order email or on their purchases page. Auto-processed; funds back to card in 5–10 business days.
- Athlete-requested (24h–14d): they click "Submit a refund request" on their order page. Routed to our support team for review; we approve most quality/attribution complaints.
- RD-initiated (any time): you issue a refund from the admin order page. Use this for goodwill, duplicate-charge cleanup, or when an athlete contacts you directly.
- Stripe dispute (chargeback): the athlete goes to their bank instead of us. Handled separately — see below.
What happens to photographer payouts on a refund?
The photographer's share is clawed back from their next payout. If they don't have enough pending to cover the clawback, Stripe will pull from their connected bank account. Photographers should know this — flag it in their pre-event briefing.
How are Stripe disputes handled?
When an athlete charges-back instead of requesting a refund, Stripe gives us a deadline (typically 7-21 days) to submit evidence. We submit on your behalf using order email, download log, and photo metadata. We'll loop you in if there's any judgment call needed.
Photographer onboarding
What does a photographer need to get paid out?
Three things, all collected via Stripe Connect:
- Government-issued ID (driver's license or passport)
- Bank account or debit card for payouts
- Tax info — SSN for individuals, EIN for businesses
Stripe collects all of this directly. We never see SSNs or bank account numbers — they're stored on Stripe's side.
How long does photographer onboarding take?
Stripe Connect itself: 15-20 minutes if the photographer has their documents handy. Verification (Stripe confirming the ID is real) is usually instant but can take up to 48 hours.
What if a photographer doesn't have a U.S. tax ID?
Stripe Connect supports international photographers in many countries, with country-specific verification flows. If you have non-U.S. photographers, flag this at kick-off and we'll confirm Stripe's coverage for their country.
Can a photographer shoot for multiple RDs on the platform?
Yes. One photographer account can be joined to multiple orgs. Their Stripe Connect setup is once, not once-per-org.
The athlete experience
What happens if an athlete looks for their photos and we don't have any?
We show a clear "No photos found yet" state with two options:
- Upload a selfie for face-match — sometimes catches photos where the bib wasn't visible.
- Notify me when new photos arrive — they get an email if any matching photos upload later (common in the first 24 hours post-race).
We don't charge for the "no photos found" state. The athlete leaves the page with no payment friction.
Can athletes see preview/watermarked versions before buying?
Yes — every photo has a watermarked preview that's freely browsable. The watermark is removed only after purchase. The watermark itself is configurable per event (your logo, sponsor logos, or our default).
Can athletes share photos to Strava / Instagram / Facebook?
Sharing flows are on the roadmap. Strava push specifically is a frequently-requested integration. Not part of pilot scope by default — flag it if it's a priority for your event.
Do athletes need an account to buy?
They need an email address. We create a lightweight account at checkout (no password required for first purchase — they log in via email link for subsequent visits). This keeps friction low while still giving them an order history.
Data ownership
Who owns the photos?
The photographer owns the photos. PodiumBase has a license to host, watermark, sell, and deliver. The license terminates if the photographer leaves the platform — we don't claim ownership.
Who owns the athlete data?
Athletes own their data — name, email, purchase history, face-match data if they uploaded a selfie. They can request export or deletion at any time via standard data-request paths.
For your event, you have access to event-level analytics (aggregated). You do not have direct access to individual athlete PII unless they opt in.
Who owns the matching data?
The matching pipeline output (which photo is which athlete) is operational data — PodiumBase uses it to deliver the product. We don't sell it or share it externally.
What about the photographer's metadata, EXIF, etc.?
Photo metadata is stored alongside the photo, used for matching and time-window logic. We strip EXIF GPS coordinates from buyer-facing downloads by default for athlete safety. Other EXIF (camera, lens, settings) is preserved.
Cancellation & change of plans
What if I want to cancel pilot mid-event?
If "mid-event" means literally during the race — call the founder mobile. We'll work it through with you. The likely path is: finish the event (athletes have already paid for some photos), then we sit down and figure out what went wrong.
What if I want to cancel between events?
No penalty. Email support and we'll wind down — your data stays accessible for download for 90 days, your photographers get a final payout cycle, and we part friends.
What if I want to add events beyond the pilot scope?
Great. Email support and we'll roll the pilot terms forward, or talk about graduating to a standard tier if that fits better.
Taxes
Do photographers get 1099s?
Stripe handles 1099-K filing for photographers who hit the IRS threshold ($600+ in payouts in a calendar year, as of current IRS rules — verify with your accountant). The photographer's Stripe-side tax info is what drives this. We don't issue separate 1099s on top.
Does the platform issue 1099s to RDs?
For pilot RDs receiving sponsor-revenue-share or similar payouts from us, yes — we issue 1099-NEC if it crosses the threshold. For pilot RDs on the default Pro tier where the RD doesn't directly receive platform-side payouts (athletes pay the photographer/platform via Stripe checkout, not via you), no.
What about sales tax?
Photo sales are subject to state-by-state sales tax rules that vary. We currently rely on Stripe Tax for the buyer-side collection in supported states. If your event spans athletes from many states, this is mostly invisible to you. Talk to your accountant for specifics.
Branding & customization
Can I co-brand the gallery page with my race brand?
Yes. Your logo, banner, sponsor logos, and brand colors render on the public event page. You can preview the customization in the admin before going live.
Can sponsors appear on watermarks?
On Pro / sponsor-funded tiers, yes — sponsor logos can be composited into the watermark. The exact treatment depends on tier. Walk through this at kick-off.
Can I customize the buyer email templates?
The buyer-facing transactional emails (order confirmation, refund, etc.) carry your event branding in the header but use our standard body content. Custom email body content is on the roadmap; not in pilot scope by default.
Can I run the gallery on my own domain (e.g., photos.myrace.com)?
Custom domain support is on the roadmap. Currently your event lives at podiumbase.io/org/<slug>/<event-slug>. You can link to it from your race site.
Integrations
Does this work with RunSignup / Race Roster / other registration platforms?
There's no direct integration today. You'll need to bring your participant list to PodiumBase manually (CSV upload or pre-event admin entry). Bib-range-based matching means we don't strictly need the full participant list — we match by bib, not by name — but having it makes troubleshooting "I can't find my photos" much faster.
Direct integration with the major registration platforms is on the roadmap. If you have a strong preference between RunSignup and Race Roster integration order, tell us — it's an open call.
Does this work with my timing provider?
Not directly today. Some timing providers expose finishline-time-per-bib data which would massively help the matching pipeline (time-window narrowing). If your timing provider has an API and you're willing to introduce us, we'd love to talk.
What about Strava integration?
Athletes pushing purchased photos to Strava activities is on the roadmap. Not in pilot scope by default.
Can I get data into my CRM / email marketing tool?
We provide event-level CSV export. For continuous CRM sync, we don't have native integrations yet — Zapier-style webhook hooks are on the roadmap.
Anything else?
If you got to the bottom and your question isn't answered, that's exactly the signal we need. Email support@podiumbase.io with your question and we'll either answer directly or add it to this doc for the next pilot RD.