Apple Allows Seven Day App Refunds In Taiwan While Google Stands Defiant

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In an attempt to comply with pro-consumer laws, Apple is going to allow customers who mistakenly purchase an iOS app or get burned by a shoddy one the ability to get a refund within seven days of purchase. Don’t get too excited, though: you’ll have to live in Taiwan to take advantage of the revised return policy.

The Economic Times of India is reporting that Apple has changed its return policy on apps to seven days after Taiwan asked both Google and Apple to allow seven day returns on purchased apps.

Apple’s complying. Google’s totally refusing.

Taiwan’s consumer protection law stipulates that consumers are entitled to a seven-day trial period after purchasing any products via Internet, including cell phone software applications. The capital city’s government found that Google and Apple had violated the law and on June 8 ordered them to alter their trading rules. “Google refused to change its rules,” Betty Chen, the head of a consumer protection at the city government, said. Apple changed its rules.

Seven days seems like a pretty long time for a no questions asked return policy. Most games, for example, can easily be blown through in seven days. Luckily, Taiwan’s just a small slice of the app market, and nothing says Apple has to make returning an app easy. Even so, expect this to be a precedent Apple will fight to keep from spreading to US shores.

[via 9to5Mac]

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