To request a refund, contact the seller and follow three steps. State the facts. Ask for one specific outcome. Get the answer confirmed in writing. Keep it short, polite and specific. Don't apologize for asking, and don't tell your life story. If the seller won't help, you may still have a backup route, depending on where you live and how you paid.
Below is a script you can copy, plus what to do if the first answer is "no."
Before you ask: a 5-minute prep
Asking for money back feels awkward. It's like reminding a friend they still owe you for pizza. Preparing first makes it easier, because you won't need to improvise. Have these ready:
- Proof of purchase: order number, receipt, or the line on your bank statement
- Key dates: when you bought it and when it arrived (or didn't)
- Evidence: photos of the damage, screenshots of the listing, or a note of the outage or no-show
- Your ideal outcome: a full refund, a partial refund, a replacement or a credit
- Your deadline: check the seller's return policy and the legal deadlines below. Some of them are short.
Step 1: State the facts in one or two sentences
Begin with what happened. Leave out how annoyed you are.
"Hi, I ordered a blender on [date], order number [#]. It arrived with a cracked jug. I have photos."
Facts are hard to argue with. Feelings give the other person something to debate. If you're on the phone, write down the rep's name and the time of the call.
Step 2: Ask for one specific outcome
Vague requests like "Can you do something?" get vague answers. Name exactly what you want.
"I'd like a full refund to my original payment method, please."
Then stop talking. The silence will feel awkward, like waiting to see who reaches for the bill first. Let it happen anyway, because the next move belongs to the other person.
If they offer store credit and you want cash, try:
"I appreciate that. I'd prefer the refund to my card, since the item arrived damaged. Is that something you can do?"
Step 3: Confirm it in writing
If you get a yes, make it official:
"Great, thank you. Could you send me an email confirming the refund amount and when I should see it?"
If you were on the phone, send a short follow-up message yourself. Include the date, the rep's name and what was agreed. If the refund doesn't show up, that record is your proof.
Copy-paste email version
Subject: Refund request – Order [#]
Hi,
I bought [item/service] on [date] (order [#]). [One sentence: what went wrong.] I've attached [photos/receipt].
I'd like a full refund to my original payment method. Could you confirm by [date, e.g. 7 days from now] and let me know when to expect it?
Thanks, [Name]
The same structure works for many money conversations, such as asking for a bank fee waiver or getting a surprise hotel resort fee removed.
If the answer is no
Stay calm and keep it short:
- "I understand. Who else could review this?"
- "Can you tell me which policy this decision is based on?"
- "I'd like to note that I'm requesting a refund under my consumer rights."
If you still get nowhere, your options depend on where you are and how you paid.
In the US: credit card disputes
Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, you can dispute certain credit card charges, including items that weren't delivered as agreed. The FTC gives these key points:
- Your written dispute must reach the card issuer within 60 days after the first statement showing the charge was sent to you. Mailing it within 60 days isn't enough.
- For quality problems, the FTC says to contact the seller first.
- The issuer must acknowledge your dispute within 30 days and resolve it within 90 days.
- During the investigation, you can hold back the disputed amount, but you still have to pay the rest of your bill.
Send your dispute to the card's billing-inquiries address, not the payments address. Keep copies of everything.
In the UK: the 30-day right to reject
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, you generally have 30 days to reject faulty goods and get a full refund in England, Scotland and Wales. After that, you can usually still ask for a repair or replacement. If that fails, you may be entitled to a price reduction or a refund. Changing your mind isn't covered by law, though many shops allow returns anyway.
In the EU: the 14-day right of withdrawal
If you buy online, by phone or at your door from a business in the EU, you can usually cancel within 14 days without giving a reason, according to Your Europe. For goods, the 14 days start on delivery. There are exceptions, including custom-made items, perishable food and date-specific bookings like flights and concerts. For a normal withdrawal you usually pay the return postage. For defective goods, the trader pays.
Other countries have their own rules. Check your national consumer protection agency before you rely on any deadline.
When the purchase was shared
Refunds get extra awkward when two people paid for the thing. Here's a hypothetical: you and your partner split a $200 concert package that gets cancelled. Agree on two things before anyone calls:
- Who makes the request. Usually it's whoever paid, because the refund goes back to that card.
- How the money gets split back. "We'll sort it out later" is how $100 quietly turns into a forever debt that comes up during an unrelated argument.
Write down the split when the refund lands. If you share expenses regularly, a simple system like the one in this budget planning for two guide stops refunds from disappearing into the shared-money fog.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Waiting too long. Legal and card deadlines don't pause because you were busy.
- Over-explaining. Three sentences beat three paragraphs.
- Accepting the first "no" from a script-reader. Politely ask for someone who can review the decision.
- Disputing with your card issuer and the seller without telling either. If the seller refunds you during a dispute, tell your card issuer.
- Forgetting to check that the money actually arrived. Look at your statement after the promised date.
Asking for a refund isn't rude. It's how buying things is supposed to work: you paid for something, and you're asking to get what you paid for.
Discover Monee - Budget & Expense Tracker
