Apple has instituted a 14-day refund policy to customers in European Union (EU) member countries who purchase digital goods through Apple's iTunes, App Store and iBooks.
The no-questions-asked refund policy is in line with the EU's new Consumer Refund Directive, which recommends that businesses to have fair return policies and extend the return period from seven days to two weeks. In the United States and Canada where no similar directive is in place, Apple continues to enforce its policy of handling refunds on a case-to-case basis via its customer support center, with refunds only issued for problems such as product defects or delivery failure.
"Consumers now enjoy a European-wide right of withdrawal within 14 days, doubling the previously foreseen seven days," says the EU in a blog post. "If a consumer is not clearly informed about this withdrawal period by the trader, the withdrawal period automatically is extended to one year."
Apple did not announce its new policy, but German Apple-centered website iFun.de picked up the news.
Previously, customers purchasing digital products from Apple could only request for refunds until they download their purchases. However, most products bought through iTunes or the App Store are automatic downloads, rendering all sales bought on the platforms as final and non-refundable.
The same holds true for the new refund policy, which says that customers can ask for a refund by clicking on Report a Problem or contacting customer support only if they have not downloaded their purchase.
"You cannot cancel your order for the supply of digital content if the delivery has started upon your request and acknowledgement that you thereby lose your cancellation right," Apple says [pdf].
Simply put, customers who purchase an app or a game, download it, try it and realize it's not working for them will still not be eligible for a refund even if they are within the 14-day period recommended by the EU. In other words, pretty much nothing will change for many customers, whose digital goods usually download automatically right after purchase.
Apple also says that 14-day refund period is not applicable to iTunes Gifts and Allowances.
"If you choose to cancel your order, you may do so within 14 days from when you received your receipt without giving any reason, except iTunes Gifts which cannot be refunded once you have redeemed the code," says Apple.
Currently, Google only offers a two-hour cancellation period for purchases on the European version of Play Store and 14 days for music subscriptions.
