Apple Introduces App Store Refunds
Jordan Kahn (via Rosyna Keller):
Apple has recently introduced a new 14-day no questions asked return policy for iTunes, App Store and iBooks purchases in Europe including the UK, Germany, Italy, France, and many other EU countries.
Apple’s terms and conditions for the stores previously stated users had the right to withdraw from a transaction “without charge and without giving any reason until delivery of the product has started.” That meant purchases were all but final apart from some exceptions handled by Apple support.
Now, Apple has updated its terms to include a specific no questions asked 14-day return window that includes all purchases apart from gift cards.
The menu item in question does not seem to be available in the US store. But it seems that EU customers now have a limited form of trials. With a normal refund, the customer will get the money back, but Apple will keep its 30%, so the developer ends up in the red. It’s not clear to me whether this is also true of purchases canceled in this manner.
Update (2015-01-12): Rosyna Keller:
So it appears Apple does detect abusers of their new 14-day return policy for digital items and revokes the ability.
Update (2015-01-17): Dave Mark has more on how Apple doesn’t want people to use the refunds for trials.
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"With a normal refund, the customer will get the money back, but Apple will keep its 30%, so the developer ends up in the red. It’s not clear to me whether this is also true of purchases canceled in this manner."
Say wha? Again, say wha?
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I'm beginning to think the AppStoreMonster is the reincarnation of Ivan The Terrible. Sew up developers in freshly killed bear skins, and throw them to the dogs...
