Refund Policy

A Refund Policy is a document which sets out how a vendor of goods or services deals with purchasers' requests for refunds (or repairs or replacements).

In a Refund Policy, the vendor explains when purchasers may be entitled to a refund, repair or replacement, when they may not, and what they can do to request one.

How to use this document

This document can be used for any individual or business that currently sells products or services and needs a well-written Refund Policy covering all of the conditions applicable to their business model.

The purchaser is not required to sign this document. Instead, it is provided to the purchaser at the point of purchase, so that the purchaser can be aware of the policy prior to buying anything from the vendor.

Once prepared, the document can be made available to purchasers, for example, by having it available at a point of sale, and/or posting a copy in a prominent place on the vendor's website (if the vendor is selling online).

Applicable law

For purchases that have been made after 1 January 2011, the Australian Consumer Law may apply, and may impose a set of minimum Consumer Guarantees.

For purchases prior to that date, the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Commonwealth) may apply, as well as state and territory fair trading laws.

In addition, any contracts for the sale and purchase of goods or services may be affected by general principles of contract law, as provided by the common law.

The Consumer Guarantees under the Australian Consumer Law require that:

Products must be of acceptable quality, that is:-

• safe, lasting, with no faults;
• look acceptable;
• do all the things someone would normally expect them to do.

Acceptable quality takes into account what would normally be expected for the type of product and cost.

Products must also:-

• match descriptions made by the salesperson, on packaging and labels, and in promotions or advertising;
• match any demonstration model or sample you asked for;
• be fit for the purpose the business told the consumer it would be fit for and for any purpose that the consumer made known to the business before purchasing;
• come with full title and ownership;
• not carry any hidden debts or extra charges;
• come with undisturbed possession, so no one has a right to take the goods away or prevent the consumer from using them;
• meet any extra promises made about performance, condition and quality, such as life time guarantees and money back offers;
• have spare parts and repair facilities available for a reasonable time after purchase unless the consumer were told otherwise.

Services must:-

• be provided with acceptable care and skill or technical knowledge and taking all necessary steps to avoid loss and damage;
• be fit for the purpose or give the results that the consumer and the business had agreed to;
• be delivered within a reasonable time when there is no agreed end date.

How to modify the template

You fill out a form. The document is created before your eyes as you respond to the questions.

At the end, you receive it in Word and PDF formats. You can modify it and reuse it.