Apple officially begins offering 7-day App Store return window in Taiwan
The changes now in effect were first reported on Friday by IDG News. The changes only apply to customers of the App Store who live in Taiwan.
Apple made the change after it was told to do so by the Taipei city government in June. The revised terms and conditions, found in section A, read:
"You may cancel your purchase within seven (7) days from the date of delivery and iTunes will reimburse you for the amount paid, provided you inform iTunes that you have deleted all copies of the product. Upon cancellation you will no longer be licensed to use the product. This right cannot be waived."
Guo Tingguang, a spokesman for the Taipei Law and Regulation Commission, reportedly said that the city government believes Apple took the correct approach in making the revisions. The government now plans to work with Apple to provide Chinese translations for some English-only products available on the App Store.
Google's Android Market offers users a 15-minute window to decide whether or not they want a refund. The search giant was fined nearly $35,000 for not changing that policy in June. The company has officially said it disagrees with the city's stance.
Outside of Taiwan, Apple has granted some users refunds for App Store software by request. Those reimbursements have been handled on a case-by-case basis, but reports of them are numerous.
15 Comments
Well, Apple has to comply with local laws. But developers also have a choice, when they upload their app, what countries to make it available in.
On a related note, if I remember correctly Google simply stopped offering paid apps in the Android Market when asked to comply with this same Taiwanese law. All the more evidence that they're not interested at all in a paid app model (no AdMob ads in free apps = no money for Google).
I do not see many apps getting released in Taiwan.
Whats the point?
Play a game for a few days, return it for a refund.
You never pay for anything.
Or give it for free and douse it with ads up the ying yang.
I'd like the ability to return apps, since so many of them are junk or buggy.
Any app worth owning will have a lifetime a lot longer than 7 days.
I wish we had this.
I do not see many apps getting released in Taiwan.
Whats the point?
Play a game for a few days, return it for a refund.
You never pay for anything.
Or give it for free and douse it with ads up the ying yang.
I think I will wait and see before I remove my apps from Taiwan App Store. If I notice a spike in returns then I will remove my apps. I am not selling that many in Taiwan anyway.