AQUA S.T.A.R. Swim Lessons Ltd. Referral Program Policy

Effective Date: July 5, 2025 

Updated: December 16, 2025

1. Purpose and Scope:

1.1. Purpose. This Referral Program Policy (“Policy”) explains the rules, eligibility, rewards, tracking, fraud-prevention, and operational procedures for Aquastar Swim Lessons’ Referral Program (the “Program”). It is consumer-facing and contains staff guidance to ensure consistent, secure administration.

1.2. Scope. Applies to all Aquastar clients, prospective clients (Referees), and staff involved in administering the Program.

2. Definitions

2.1. Referrer. An existing Aquastar client with an active account who has completed at least one paid lesson or trial session and is in good standing (no outstanding balances or unresolved disputes).

2.2. Referee. A new client who has never previously enrolled in Aquastar lessons under any account or email, and who signs up using a valid referral code/method.

2.3. Referral Credit. A $25 credit applied to the Referrer’s Aquastar account as soon as a Referee registers using the Referrer’s valid code/method.

2.4. Referee Credit. A $25 credit is applied to the Referee’s account toward their first purchase when they sign up with a valid referral code/method.

2.5. Qualified Purchase. A Referee’s paid purchase of a swim package of at least 10 lessons.

2.6. Free Lesson Reward. One free 30-minute lesson is granted to the Referrer when a Referee completes a Qualified Purchase (subject to payment clearance and fulfillment verification).

2.7. Good Standing. The Referrer has no outstanding balances, chargebacks, or unresolved disputes with Aquastar.

2.8. Instructor Tiers (Client-selected at time of purchase). Aquastar offers five instructor tiers; lesson pricing is set per tier and determines how referral credits are applied toward lesson value:

• Little Star Instructor — less than 3 years of experience.
  
  
• Rising Star Instructor — 3+ years experience.
  
  
• Shining Star Instructor — 8+ years experience.
  
  
• Brilliant Star Instructor — 15+ years experience.
  
  
• Super Star Instructor — 20+ years experience.
  

(Staff: ensure tier selection is confirmed and recorded at enrollment; pricing per tier must be visible to the client before redemption.)

3. Program Mechanics (Exact Business Rules)

3.1. Referral Credit Amounts

• Referrer: $25 credit applied immediately upon Referee registration when a valid code/method is used.
  
  
• Referee: $25 credit applied immediately upon sign-up with a valid referral code/method.
  

3.2. Qualified Purchase & Free Lesson Reward

• When a Referee purchases a package of at least 10 lessons, the Referrer becomes eligible for one free 30-minute lesson.
  
  
• Free Lesson Limit: each Referrer may earn a maximum of four (4) free 30-minute lessons total (one per qualifying Referee purchase).
  
  
• Unlimited $25 Credits: Referrers may accumulate unlimited $25 referral credits for genuine referrals; only the free lesson reward is capped.
  

3.3. Chained Referrals

• If a Referee later refers another new client, that referral follows the same rules (both parties receive $25 at sign-up, etc.).
  

3.4. Timing & Activation

• Referral credits ($25) are issued at registration.
  
  
• Free lessons are only activated after: Referee payment clears (no pending chargeback or reversal), and package fulfillment is confirmed.
  

3.5. Instructor-Tier Pricing & Credit Application

• Clients select an instructor tier when booking; the instructor-tier pricing determines the per-lesson cost. Referral credits accumulate in $25 units and may be applied toward lesson/package cost according to the rules below:
  
  
  • Face value for 1-hour lessons: each $25 credit unit equals $25 toward 1-hour lesson pricing.
    
    
  • Half value for 30-minute lessons: each $25 credit unit equals $12.50 toward 30-minute lesson pricing (half of 1-hour value).
    
    
  • Redemption increments: credits may be redeemed in $25 increments once the $50 threshold has been met (see §6.1). Multiple $25 increments may be applied to a purchase to cover more of the cost, subject to the cap and per-purchase limits below.
    
    
  • 30-minute package cap (company financial protection): when applying credits to 30-minute lesson packages, a maximum of one 1) $25 increment may be applied per 10-lesson 30-minute package purchase. (This limits company exposure while allowing clients to use referral credits.)
    
    
  • 1-hour package application: for 1-hour lesson packages, multiple $25 increments may be applied (subject to $50 threshold and normal redemption multiples) and can be used to cover the equivalent cost of additional lesson time (e.g., credits sufficient to cover one additional 30-minute block can be applied as described in examples).
    

(Staff: confirm instructor tier and per-lesson price in CRM before applying credits; ensure the “30-minute cap” is enforced during checkout.)

4. Eligibility & Exclusions

4.1. Who May Refer. Any Referrer meeting the “Good Standing” requirement and who has completed at least one paid lesson or trial session.

4.2. Who May Be Referred. Only new clients — individuals who have never enrolled with Aquastar under any account or email.

4.3. Exclusions (Automatic Disqualification).

• Self-referrals, past/existing clients, shared/fraudulent accounts, or any attempt to create multiple accounts to game the Program. Public coupon-site broadcasting that clearly solicits mass sign-ups may be disqualified.

5. Referral Mechanism & Tracking

5.1. Codes & Delivery. Each Referrer receives a unique alphanumeric code and a QR code via the Aquastar dashboard.

5.2. How to Use Code. Referees must enter the referral code during online registration or provide it to staff during phone or in-person signup; staff must log the referral at sign-up.

5.3. Tracking & Monitoring Tools. Dashboard analytics, email-uniqueness checks, IP/device monitoring, and referral logs are used to detect anomalies.

5.4. Staff Logging Requirement.

• Record referral code used, Referrer ID, Referee contact, registration timestamp, instructor tier selected (if applicable), IP/device metadata, and payment status.
  

[Staff: create a referral log entry in the CRM at point-of-sale/registration.]

6. Credit Redemption, Value, and Restrictions 

6.1. Redemption Threshold & Use.

• Credits may be redeemed once a Referrer accumulates at least $50 total credits. After that, partial redemptions are allowed only in multiples of $25 (e.g., $25, $50, $75, etc.). Balance carries forward.
  

6.2. Instructor-Tier Application & 30-minute / 1-hour Valuation.

• $25 unit = $25 value for 1-hour lessons.
  
• $25 unit = $12.50 value for 30-minute lessons.
  
• 30-minute package cap: a maximum of one (1) $25 unit may be applied per 10-lesson 30-minute package purchase. (This protects Aquastar financially while still giving clients meaningful benefits.)
  

6.3. Promotion Non-Stacking (Financial Protection).

• If Aquastar is running a sitewide promotion, a client cannot combine a referral credit with that promotion on the same purchase. The client must choose either the promotion discount or the referral credit for that transaction.
  

6.4. Expiry.

• Referral credits expire 12 months after issuance; free 30-minute lesson rewards expire 6 months after issuance.
  
  
• Canada compliance note: provincial rules vary regarding expiration of prepaid or promotional credits; Aquastar’s default expiry terms will be applied subject to applicable provincial law, and Aquastar will comply with provincial restrictions where expiry is prohibited for equivalent promotional instruments (see §9.2). Canada+1
  

6.5. Notifications.

• Automated alerts are sent when credits are issued, when credits approach the $50 threshold, and before expiry (30 days and 7 days before expiry by default).
  

[Staff: ensure the automated notification templates are enabled and that client contact info is current.]

7. Anti-Abuse & Fraud Prevention

7.1. Verification. Aquastar will verify Referee identity against the client database; duplicates or suspicious accounts trigger manual review.

7.2. IP & Device Monitoring. Multiple sign-ups from the same IP/device will be flagged for review.

7.3. Velocity & Pattern Monitoring. Excessive referral rates trigger alerts; Aquastar can place holds on reward issuance pending verification.

7.4. Delayed Fulfillment. Free lessons are scheduled only after payment clearance and package fulfillment confirmation.

7.5. Broadcast Restrictions. Aquastar may disqualify referrals obtained primarily via broad, untargeted broadcasting on coupon/discount forums if misuse is suspected.

7.6. Audits & Reversals. Aquastar may audit referrals, require proof from Referees, and reverse credits or rewards if abuse is confirmed.

7.7. Sanctions. Abusing accounts may lose referral benefits, be suspended, or terminated.

8. Communication & Transparency

8.1. Publication & Acknowledgment. Policy is published on the Aquastar website and is required to be acknowledged by participants when enrolling.

8.2. Support & Dispute Timelines.

• Support Email: customercare@aquastarcanada.com / info@aquastarcanada.com.
  

Initial response: within 5 business days. Resolution target: within 10 business days after initial response (may extend for complex investigations).

8.3. Contact & Hours.

• Referral Program Manager: Justin L.
• Office Hours: 9 am – 5 pm Monday to Friday.

9. Privacy, Data Protection & Canada Compliance

9.1. Data Collected. Referral records include Referrer ID, Referee contact info, instructor tier selection (if any), IP/device metadata, referral code, timestamps, and payment confirmations.

9.2. Use & Retention. Data is used to administer the Program, detect fraud, and for analytics. Referral records are retained for at least 18 months, then anonymized or deleted, unless legal retention is required. Aquastar will comply with federal and provincial privacy and consumer protection laws (including PIPEDA) in handling personal data and analytics tools. Office of the Privacy Commissioner

9.3. CASL & Promotional Messaging. Aquastar will follow Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) requirements for commercial electronic messages, including consent and record-keeping for promotional communications. ISED Canada

9.4. Provincial Gift-Card/Prepaid Rules. Prepaid/promo-credit laws vary by province; many provinces limit expiry or fees on gift-card/prepaid instruments, but promotional credits may be treated differently. Aquastar’s default expiry policy is subject to provincial rules and Aquastar will adjust where required by law. (Example resources: Canada.ca and provincial consumer protection offices.) Canada+1

10. Tax & Legal

10.1. Tax Treatment. Referral credits or free lessons may be taxable in some jurisdictions. Consult a tax advisor for guidance.

10.2. Legal Compliance. Aquastar reserves the right to modify the Program to remain compliant with applicable laws.

11. Modification & Termination

11.1. Right to Modify. Aquastar may modify Program terms, eligibility, caps, or suspend/terminate the Program; material changes will be announced 30 days in advance where practicable.

11.2. Accrued Credits on Termination. Aquastar will communicate the treatment of accrued unused credits when providing the termination notice.

12. Dispute Resolution & Contact

12.1. Raising a Dispute. Submit disputes by email to customercare@aquastarcanada.com or info@aquastarcanada.com within 30 days of the event.

12.2. Review & Timeline. Support Team → Program Manager → Senior Management. Decision target: 10 business days after escalation.

13. Examples (Practical Scenarios)

13.1. Example — Rising Star, 30-minute package (your scenario).

• Instructor Tier: Rising Star (3+ years experience).
  
  
• Rising Star price: 30-minute lesson = $50 per session (example price).
  
  
• Client credits: Sarah (Referrer) has accumulated $50 in referral credits (two referrals).
  
  
• Scenario: Sarah purchases a 10-lesson 30-minute package at $50/session. Because 30-minute lessons value referral units at half, each $25 referral unit equals $12.50 toward a 30-minute lesson, and the Program limits application to one (1) $25 unit per 10-lesson 30-minute package. Therefore, Sarah may apply one $25 unit (valued at $12.50) to this package at checkout. She cannot apply the second $25 unit to that same 10-lesson 30-minute package because of the 30-minute package cap. Her remaining $25 credit stays in her account for future redemption.
  
  
  • Outcome: Sarah uses $25 (valued $12.50 for a 30-minute) now; $25 remains in the account.
    

13.2. Example — Rising Star, 1-hour package.

• Same client (Sarah) with $50 credit and now buying a 1-hour lesson package for the same instructor tier (assume 1-hour price = $100 per session for illustration). Because $25 units equal a full $25 toward 1-hour lessons, Sarah may apply two $25 units (total $50) to the purchase. If that $50 covers the cost of an extra 30-minute block per company pricing rules, Sarah can effectively receive additional lesson time (e.g., an extra 30-minute lesson) consistent with package/pricing rules.
  
  
  • Outcome: Sarah fully utilizes $50 credit on a 1-hour package; depending on package mechanics, this may convert into additional lesson minutes per the pricing schedule.
    

13.3. Example — Redemption & Promotions.

If a Black Friday promotion offers 20% off, Sarah must choose either that promotion or to apply referral credits to the transaction — she cannot use both together.