Bought an app on Google Play Store, only to be disappointed later. Don’t worry using this guide you can claim or get a refund on your Google Play Store purchases. We have all purchased things that we do not need and regret our decision to buy them later. In the case of apps, the paid premium or full version does not turn out 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. 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 well-defined refund policy. 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.
How to Get a Refund in the First 2 Hours
As mentioned earlier, there is a dedicated ‘Refund’ button on the app page that you can simply tap on to get a refund. 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.
It is a simple one-tap process and the refund is approved immediately, no questions asked. Follow the steps given below to see how.
1. The first thing that you need to open Google Play Store on your device.
2. Now enter the name of the app in the search bar and navigate to the game or app page.
3. After that, simply tap on the Refund button that should be there next to the Open button.
4. You can also directly uninstall the app from your device within 2 hours and you will automatically be refunded.
5. 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.
6. 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.
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How to Get a Google Play Refund Within First 48 Hours
If you have missed the refund flight, 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.
Given below is a step-wise guide to claiming a refund from the Google Play Store via complaint form:
1. Firstly, open a browser and navigate to the play store page.
2. You might have to log in to your account, so do that if you are prompted.
3. Now click on the Account option then go to the Purchase history/Order history section.
4. Here look for the app that you wish to return and select the Report a problem option.
6. Now click on the drop-down menu and select the “I purchased this by accident” option.
7. After that follow the on-screen information wherein you would be asked to choose the reason as to why you are returning this app.
8. Do that and then click on the Submit button.
9. Now, all that you need to do is wait. You will receive a mail confirming that your refund request has been received.
10. 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.
Also Read: How to Fix Google Play Store Errors
How to Get a Google Play Refund After 48-hours
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 does not help you. In this case, you obviously would like to get back your money. However, since you can no longer do that from the Google Play Store itself, you need to directly contact the app developer as follows:
1. All that you need to do is navigate to the app page on the Play Store and scroll down to the Developer contact section.
2. Here, you will find the email address of the developer. Most developers provide their email addresses in the app description for feedback and to provide customer support.
3. 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.
4. If that doesn’t work, then you can try contacting Google’s support team from 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
The refund policy is a little different for books, music, and movies. They have a little extended period but that is only applicable if you haven’t started viewing or using them.
Follow the steps given below to initiate refund process for your e-bok, movie or music album:
1. Firstly, click here, to go to the Google Play Store website.
2. You might have to log in to your account so, do that if you are prompted.
3. Now go to the Order History/purchase history section inside the Accounts tab and find the item that you wish to return.
4. After that, select the Report a problem option.
5. Now select the “I’d like to request a refund” option.
6. You will now be asked to answer certain questions and explain why you would like to return the item and claim a refund.
7. Once you have entered the relevant details, tap on the Submit option.
8. Your refund request will now be processed and you will get back your money if the above-mentioned conditions are true for you.
Also Read:
Google Play Refund Policy: Complete Guide
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, you need to understand the different refund policies that exist on the Play Store.
Refund Policy for Apps and In-app purchases
Any app or game that you purchase from Google Play Store can be refunded 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.
- 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.
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 first 7 days only if you do not stream or download them.
Refund Policy for Movies
You can purchase movies from Google Play Store and watch them later at leisure. However, sometimes you don’t feel like watching the movie afterward.
- 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, or file is corrupt and does not work, then you can claim a refund for a period as long as 65 days.
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 to rented books. Also, if the e-book file turns out to be corrupt, 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 malfunctioning or corrupt audiobooks that 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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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 phones, therefore it is very important to have the option to return an app or product purchased from the Google Play Store.