How to get an App Store refund from Apple
Suppose, for example, you purchased an app by accident. It could
happen; perhaps you thought you were getting the trial version, or you'd
been considering a handful of different mileage-tracking apps and just
plain bought the wrong one. More likely: One of the kids bought
something without your permission.
There's also the possibility
you bought an app and just plain hate it. Maybe a game looked really
good on paper (or in screenshots) but turned out to be not your cup of
tea.
Whatever the case, you can probably get your money back --
especially if you ask for it soon after making your purchase (as opposed
to, say, weeks later). In other words, Apple seems willing to refund
App Store "mistakes," at least based on a recent experience I had.
Just
one problem: There's no obvious way to request that refund -- until you
know where to look. Here's the fastest, easiest option:
Step 1: Open a Web browser and head to reportaproblem.apple.com.
Step 2: Sign into your iTunes account with your regular username and password.
Step 3: Find the app in question, then click the Report a Problem button alongside it.
Step 4: Click the Choose Problem
pull-down and select the option that most closely matches your issue.
Provide a brief description of why you're seeking a refund, then click Submit.
And
that's it! In my case -- "Didn't mean to purchase this item," which was
absolutely true -- the request was accepted immediately, and my refund
was processed roughly 36 hours later.
Needless
to say, you shouldn't abuse this system, shouldn't use this as a way to
try an app that doesn't have a trial version. I suspect that if you go
to this refund well too often, Apple may start to refuse your requests.
I
should also mention that the Report a Problem option isn't just for
apps; it's available for just about anything you buy from iTunes: music,
movies, books and so on. Just keep in mind, "I didn't like that movie,
it was terrible" isn't a valid (or available) reason for a refund.
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