We have all purchased things that we do not need and regret our decision to buy them later. Be it something physical like a shoe, a new watch, or software or an app, the need to return and get a refund is constant. It is quite common to realize that the amount of money that we spent on something isn’t really worth it. In the case of apps, the paid premium or full version does not turn to be as great as it seemed earlier.
Thankfully, Android users have the benefit of getting a refund for any unsatisfactory or accidental purchase made on the Google Play Store. There exists a well-defined refund policy that allows users to easily get back their money. As per the latest terms and conditions, you can request a refund within 48 hours of the purchase. In the first two hours, you will find a dedicated refund button that you can use. After that, you need to initiate a refund request by filling out a Complaint report explaining why you want to cancel your purchase. In this article, we are going to discuss this process in detail.
How to Get a Refund on Google Play Store Purchases
Before you proceed to get a refund on your Play Store purchases you must familiarize yourself with the Google Play Store refund policies:
How to Get a Refund on Google Play Store PurchasesGoogle Play Refund PolicyGoogle Play Refund Policy for Apps and In-app purchasesGoogle Play Refund Policy for MusicGoogle Play Refund Policy for MoviesGoogle Play Refund Policy for BooksHow to Get a Refund on Google Play Store Purchases in the first 2 hoursHow to Get a Google Play Refund in the First 48 hoursHow to Get a Google Play Refund after the 48-hour window expiresHow to Get a Google Play Refund for an E-book, Movie, and Music
Google Play Refund Policy
Google Play store not only has apps and games but other things like movies, and books. In addition to that most apps come from third-party developers. As a result, it is impossible to have just one standard refund policy for all paid products. Therefore, before we start discussing how to get back a refund, we need to understand the different refund policies that exist on the Play Store.
In general, any app that you purchase from Google Play Store can be returned and you are eligible for a refund. The only condition is that you have to request a refund before the expiration of 48 hours after the transaction. This is true for most apps but in some cases, especially for a third-party developer, it could be a little complicated at times.
Google Play Refund Policy for Apps and In-app purchases
As mentioned earlier, any app or game that you purchase from Google Play Store can be returned within 48 hours. If that time period is over then you won’t be able to get a refund directly from the Play Store. In that case, you need to find out the developer of this app and contact them directly. We are going to discuss these methods in detail in a little while. The refund policy also holds true for any in-app purchases. You can return these items and get a refund within the next 48 hours.
In fact, uninstalling the app within 2 hours of purchase will entitle you to automatic initiation of refund. However, if you re-install the app again then you won’t be able to claim a refund again.
Google Play Refund Policy for Music
Google Play Music offers an extensive library of songs. If you want premium services and an ad-free experience, then you need to get a premium subscription. This subscription is cancellable at any time. You will still be able to enjoy the services until your last subscription expires.
Any media item purchased via Google Play Music will be refundable within 7 days only if you do not stream or download them.
Google Play Refund Policy for Movies
You can purchase movies from Google Play Store and watch them later at leisure multiple times. However, sometimes you really don’t feel like watching the movie afterwards. Well, thankfully, if you do not play the movie even once, then you can return it within 7 days and get a full refund. In case the problem lies with the picture or audio quality, then you can claim a refund for a period as long as 65 days.
Google Play Refund Policy for Books
There are different kinds of books that you can purchase from the Google Play Store. You can get an E-book, an audiobook, or a bundle that contains multiple books.
For an E-book, you can claim a refund within 7 days of the purchase. This, however, is not applicable for rented books. Also, if the e-book file turns out to be corrupted, then the return window is extended up to 65 days.
Audiobooks on the other hand are non-refundable. The only exception is the case of a malfunctioning or corrupted file and it can be returned at any point in time.
The refund policy on bundles is a little more complicated as there are multiple items present within a bundle. The general rule states that if you haven’t downloaded or exported several books in the bundle, then you can claim a refund within 7 days. If certain items turn out to be damaged then the refund window is that of 180 days.
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How to Get a Refund on Google Play Store Purchases in the first 2 hours
As mentioned earlier, the easiest way to refund is to do it within the first two hours. This is because there is a dedicated ‘Refund’ button on the app page that you can simply tap on to get a refund. It is a simple one-tap process and the refund is approved immediately, no questions asked. Earlier on, this time-period was just 15 minutes and it just wasn’t enough. Thankfully Google extended this to two hours which in our opinion is sufficient to test the game or app and return it. Follow the steps given below to see how.
The first thing that you need to open Google Play Store on your device.
Now enter the name of the app in the search bar and navigate to the game or app page.
After that, simply tap on the Refund button that should be there next to the Open button.
You can also directly uninstall the app from your device within 2 hours and you will automatically be refunded.
However, this method only works one time; you won’t be able to return the app if you purchase it again. This measure has been put in place to avoid people from exploiting it by going through repeated cycles of purchase and refund.
If you are not able to find the Refund button, then it is probably because you have missed the 2 hours. You can still claim a refund by filling out a complaint form. We will discuss this in the next section.
How to Get a Google Play Refund in the First 48 hours
If you have missed the first hour return period, then the next best alternative is to fill out a complaint form and claim a refund. This needs to be done within 48 hours of the transaction. Your request for return and refund will now be processed by Google. As long as you put forward your refund request in the said time frame, there is almost a 100% guarantee that you will get a full refund. After that, the decision rests with the developer of the app. We will discuss this in detail in the next section.
Given below is a step-wise guide to claiming a refund from the Google Play Store. These steps are also applicable for an in-app purchase, although it might require the intervention of the app developer and might take longer or even get denied.
Firstly, open a browser and navigate to the play store page.
You might have to log in to your account, so do that if you are prompted.
Now click on the Account option then go to the Purchase history/Order history section.
Here look for the app that you wish to return and select the Report a problem option.
Now click on the drop-down menu and select the “I purchased this by accident” option.
After that follow the on-screen information wherein you would be asked to choose the reason as to why you are returning this app.
Do that and then click on the Submit button.
Now, all that you need to do is wait. You will receive a mail confirming that your refund request has been received.
The actual refund will take a bit longer and it depends on several factors like your bank and the payment and also in certain cases the third-party app developer.
How to Get a Google Play Refund after the 48-hour window expires
In some cases, it takes over a week to actually realize that the app you purchased is no good and just a waste of money. Take, for example, the soothing sounds app that you purchased for insomnia has no effect on you. In this case, you obviously would like to get back your money. However, since you can no longer do that from Google Play Store itself, you need to opt for some other alternative. The best solution for you would be to directly contact the app developer.
Most of the Android app developers provide their email addresses in the app description for feedbacks and to provide customer support. All that you need to do is navigate to the app’s page on the Play Store and scroll down to the Developer contact section. Here, you will find the email address of the developer. You can now send an email to them explaining your problem and why you would like to get a refund for the app. It might not work all the time, but if you make a strong case and the developer is willing to comply then you will get a refund. This is worth a shot.
If that doesn’t work, then you can try contacting Google’s support team directly. You will find their email in the Contact Us section of the Play Store. Google asks you to write to them directly in case the developer has not listed their email address, you didn’t get a response, or if the response was unsatisfactory. To be honest, Google won’t refund your money unless and until you have a very strong reason. So, make sure that you explain this in as much detail as you can and try to make a strong case.
How to Get a Google Play Refund for an E-book, Movie, and Music
As mentioned earlier, the refund policy is a little different for books, music, and movies. They have a little extended time period but that is only applicable if you haven’t started using them.
To return an e-book you get a time period of 7 days. In the case of rentals, there is no way to claim a refund. For movies, TV shows, and music, you will get these 7 days only if you haven’t started streaming or watching it. The only exception is that the file is corrupted and does not work. In this case, the refund window is that of 65 days. Now since you can’t claim a refund from the app, you need to use a browser. Follow the steps given below to see how.
Firstly, click here, to go to the Google Play Store website.
You might have to log in to your account so, do that if you are prompted.
Now go to the Order History/purchase history section inside the Accounts tab and find the item that you wish to return.
After that, select the Report a problem option.
Now select the “I’d like to request a refund” option.
You will now be asked to answer certain questions and explain why you would like to return the item and claim a refund.
Once you have entered the relevant details, tap on the Submit option.
Your refund request will now be processed and you will get back your money if the above-mentioned conditions are true for you.
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With that, we come to the end of this article. We hope that you find this information helpful and you were able to get a refund on your Google Play store purchases. Accidental purchases happen all the time, either by us or our kids using our phone, therefore it is very important to have the option to return an app or product purchased from the Google Play Store.
It is also quite common to be disappointed by a paid app or be stuck with a corrupted copy of your favourite movie. We hope that if you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to get a refund from the Play Store, this article will be your guide. Depending on the app-developer it might take a few minutes or a couple of days, but you will definitely get a refund if you have a valid reason backing your claim.
