How to Get an App Refund from Apple
Users now have 14 days to ask for their money back
iPad user should have recently received an e-mail from Apple outlining changes to their terms and conditions. If you are anything like me you normally do not pay much attention to these updates but this one contains an important change that will be welcomed by many parents.
Apple have updated their right of cancellation policy to give users 14 days to claim a refund on the purchases they make. This will be of great reassurance to parents who are worried about their children inadvertently running up huge bills via in-app purchases. Now, at least you know that if this does happen you have two weeks from when you receive the receipt to claim the money back.
Customers do not even have to provide a reason for their request. Previously, refunds were made on a case-by-case basis and users had to justify their claim but now they can simply ask for their money back. This makes it much easier to return poor quality apps.
I have always felt a little bit cheated when I download an app and it is nowhere near as good as it appeared on the App Store. However, because we were only talking about a pound or two I never tried to claim the money back. Next time this happens to me I will definitely exercise my right to a refund.
Ultimately, this change should have a positive impact on the app industry as a whole. If developers know that consumers can and will return poor quality apps, the onus is very much on developers to make sure that users want to keep apps after they have been downloaded.
Before we give Apple too much praise for this change it should be pointed out that they have done this in response to European Union legislation and it only applies to EU member states. It is also worth noting that Apple encourage customers to request refunds through the company’s "report a problem" page but they do not make this easy to find.
With this in mind I have attached a list of the steps needed to get a refund from Apple. I hope this helps.
Peter
Educational App Advice
Apple have updated their right of cancellation policy to give users 14 days to claim a refund on the purchases they make. This will be of great reassurance to parents who are worried about their children inadvertently running up huge bills via in-app purchases. Now, at least you know that if this does happen you have two weeks from when you receive the receipt to claim the money back.
Customers do not even have to provide a reason for their request. Previously, refunds were made on a case-by-case basis and users had to justify their claim but now they can simply ask for their money back. This makes it much easier to return poor quality apps.
I have always felt a little bit cheated when I download an app and it is nowhere near as good as it appeared on the App Store. However, because we were only talking about a pound or two I never tried to claim the money back. Next time this happens to me I will definitely exercise my right to a refund.
Ultimately, this change should have a positive impact on the app industry as a whole. If developers know that consumers can and will return poor quality apps, the onus is very much on developers to make sure that users want to keep apps after they have been downloaded.
Before we give Apple too much praise for this change it should be pointed out that they have done this in response to European Union legislation and it only applies to EU member states. It is also worth noting that Apple encourage customers to request refunds through the company’s "report a problem" page but they do not make this easy to find.
With this in mind I have attached a list of the steps needed to get a refund from Apple. I hope this helps.
Peter
Educational App Advice
About Educational App Advice
Educational App Advice has been set up by educational psychologist Peter Maxwell to assist parents and teachers find great apps to use with their children.
Email: petermaxwell@mail.com
Website: www.educationalappadvice.com
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Twitter: @edappadvice