How To Get Refund For Paid Android Apps

Android, the operating system from Google, is an open source and has countless apps. Anyone can develop any app and put it up in the Android market. The selection procedure is definitely not as rigorous as in Apple’s iOS. Developers often take advantage of this fact and create fake apps, fooling millions of people around the world. To top that, the refund policy isn’t too consoling for the customer. With a return period of only fifteen minutes from the time of downloading the app, the customers often are stuck with the fake apps. Recently, there has been debate going on about the Android app return policy especially after the spat between Google and the Taiwanese government. There has been much talk about the refund policy in Google Play. There had been rumors about the return period being extended but it seems like that you have only fifteen minutes from the download time for a full refund. Also you may seek a refund on an app just once. If you purchase the same app a second time, you will not be allowed to return it a second time.
Steps to return the app within 15 minutes of download:

• Launch Google play app store on your device.
• Select menu > my apps
• Select the app you would like to return. If the 15 minute refund window has not passed yet, the app is eligible for return and there will be two buttons that say – “open” and refund”
• Select the refund option.
• The refund button will now say “uninstall”. Select it to remove the app.

After the 15 minutes period has expired the refund option won’t be available.
In case you are unsatisfied with the application after fifteen minutes of purchasing it, then it is strongly recommended to contact the developer directly and convey your message.
Steps to get any app’s developer’s contact details:

• Go to Google Play and select the app which you are unsatisfied with and wish to contact the developer.
• On the app’s description page, scroll down to the developer section.
• When you go to the developer section, you will get the contact information of that particular developer. One of the following details will be given: an email address, a phone number or a website.

The spat between the Taiwanese government and Google Play highlights the fact that it is probably time to change the refund policy. The return time should be extended beyond mere fifteen minutes to protect the customer’s rights. As important it is to protect the developer’s rights as well, Android being an open source, the return period should be extended. Even if the return period is not extended, at least there should be a free trial version of the app so that customers know whether what they are going to pay for is genuine of not.