You can request a refund by contacting the seller in writing first, stating the order, charge, problem, and the result you want. Keep it short, attach your receipt or order number, and save a copy; if the seller will not resolve a missing, wrong, or unauthorized charge, move quickly to the payment provider’s dispute process.
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What is the best way to request a refund?
Start with the company that took your payment. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says to explain the problem and ask the seller to refund the money or undo the charge.
- Find your receipt, order confirmation, account email, and the charge on your statement.
- Read the seller’s return or cancellation policy.
- Send one clear written request through the seller’s support form, email, or message system.
- State the order date, charge amount, item or service, and the reason for your request.
- Say exactly what you want: “Please refund $[amount] to my original payment method.”
- Save screenshots, messages, tracking details, and any cancellation confirmation.
Writing is useful because it creates a record of what you asked for and when. For online orders, the Federal Trade Commission also recommends keeping order confirmations, receipts, promised shipping dates, and communications with the seller.
What should you say in a refund request?
You do not need a long story. Be polite, factual, and specific. A good reason is the real reason: an item did not arrive, the item was not what you ordered, a cancellation did not take effect, or there is a charge you did not authorize.
Hello, I am requesting a refund of $[amount] for [item or service], charged on [date]. My order number is [number]. I am requesting the refund because [short factual reason]. I have attached [receipt, order confirmation, cancellation confirmation, or other record]. Please confirm whether the refund will be sent to my original payment method and when I should expect it. Thank you.
If you are asking about a subscription renewal, say whether you canceled it and the date you did so. Canceling can stop a future renewal, but it does not by itself create a refund. A subscription seller’s process can depend on who billed you: for example, Stashcook says App Store and Google Play purchases must be handled through those platforms, while direct web purchases go to the seller.
Do you need to give a reason?
Give a short, truthful reason. It helps the company locate the issue and apply its policy. You may write “the order never arrived,” “I received the wrong item,” “I was charged after cancellation,” or “this charge is unauthorized,” if that is what happened.
Whether a seller must accept a return can depend on the return policy, the reason for the request, the payment method, and the law that applies. Your rights can be stronger when an online order was not delivered as promised. The FTC explains that sellers generally must ship by the time stated in the ad or order, or within 30 days if no time is stated; if a seller cannot ship, it must offer a full refund rather than store credit.
For a supplement purchase, see supplement return rights for a closer look at returns, refunds, and chargebacks.
What if the company says no?
Reply once with your documents and ask for a review or escalation. Identify the policy term or order promise that supports your request. Keep the message focused on the charge and the outcome you are seeking.
| Problem | Next practical step |
|---|---|
| Item never arrived | Tell the seller promptly. If it will not resolve the matter, keep the order and delivery records for a card dispute. |
| Credit-card charge for an item not delivered or accepted | Contact the card issuer. The CFPB says billing-error notice should be sent within 60 days after the first statement showing the error. |
| Debit-card purchase | Call your bank promptly and ask what protections or dispute process it offers. Debit-card protections differ from credit-card protections. |
| Unauthorized charge | Contact the payment provider promptly and use its unauthorized-charge process. |
| Seller will not honor a qualifying return | Send a concise follow-up request with records, then consider a consumer complaint or the payment dispute route that fits the facts. |
The FTC explains that credit-card billing errors can include charges for goods you did not accept or that were not delivered as agreed. It says a written dispute sent to the billing-disputes address preserves the fullest federal protections; the issuer generally must acknowledge it within 30 days and resolve it within two billing cycles, no more than 90 days. Quality disputes are treated differently from non-delivery and unauthorized-charge disputes.
A chargeback is not a shortcut for a purchase you simply regret. It is a payment dispute process. Use the reason that actually fits your situation and provide the records you have. If an online order never arrived, the FTC says to notify the seller as soon as possible; for a credit-card billing error, do not let seller discussions run past the applicable card-dispute deadline.
Can you force a company to refund you?
You cannot make a company refund every purchase just by demanding it. But you can use the remedy that fits the problem: the seller’s return process, a card dispute for a qualifying billing error, a consumer complaint, or a court claim where appropriate.
Small claims court rules, filing limits, fees, deadlines, and service requirements differ by state and court. For example, California Courts self-help explains that filing a small claims case requires filing the correct form, paying a fee or seeking a fee waiver, and then serving the other side. Check the official court website for the court where a claim could be filed before paying a filing fee.
If the issue is tied to an online income offer, income offer refund checks can help you organize the refund terms and records before you contact the seller.
Before you send your request
- Confirm who actually billed you: the seller, an app store, a card processor, or another platform.
- Check the deadline in the return policy and any deadline on your card statement.
- Request the refund to the original payment method unless the policy offers another option you want.
- Do not send account passwords, full card numbers, or identity documents through an unverified contact channel.
- Keep a dated folder of every message and document until the issue is resolved.
If an offer used dramatic health claims or pressure tactics, the FDA’s fraudulent-products guidance describes warning signs such as promises of rapid effects and products marketed as alternatives to prescription drugs.
By LegalHelpOnline.org Legal Research & Editorial Team