Refund policy or link to store refund process accessible
Why it matters
Apple and Google both process refunds for IAP purchases at their discretion — the developer cannot override platform refund policy. Terms of Service language stating "all sales are final" or "no refunds" contradicts the platform's actual refund policy and misleads users who are legally entitled to request a platform refund. This misrepresentation is actionable under consumer protection law in most jurisdictions. Beyond legal risk, users who encounter "no refunds" language and cannot find a refund path file chargebacks directly with their bank, which costs the developer $15–$25 per dispute and, at high rates, risks merchant account suspension.
Severity rationale
Low because the defect is informational and does not cause immediate rejection, but it creates consumer protection legal exposure and directly drives chargeback rates.
Remediation
Remove "no refunds" or "all sales are final" language from your Terms of Service and replace it with accurate language directing users to the platform refund process.
In src/app/(legal)/terms.tsx or your equivalent legal page, replace prohibitive refund language with:
Purchases are processed by Apple App Store or Google Play.
For refund requests, visit reportaproblem.apple.com (iOS) or
your Google Play purchase history (Android). We do not process
refunds directly — all refund decisions are made by the platform.
Also add a "Refunds" or "Billing Support" entry to your in-app settings or FAQ screen pointing users to the correct platform refund URL.
DetectionPro
The detection method for this pattern is part of AuditBuffet Pro.
The full method (what to look for, pass and fail conditions, and how results get reported) ships inside the App Store IAP & Subscriptions Audit. The pattern definition, severity rationale, and remediation remain openly licensed under CC-BY-4.0.
External references
- external · apple-refund-policy — Apple Media Services — Terms and Conditions (refund process via reportaproblem.apple.com)
- external · google-play-refund-policy — Google Play — Refund Policy for Apps and In-App Purchases
Taxons
History
- 2026-04-18·v1.0.0·Initial import from app-store-iap-subscriptions·automated