Return and refund policy for Saudi online stores: a practical template

What should a Saudi store's return and refund policy include?

A return and refund policy for a Saudi online store should answer six questions before the customer asks them: how many days do I have to return? What condition must the product be in? Which products cannot be returned? Who pays shipping? How and when does the money come back? Can I exchange instead of getting a refund? On top of that, it must align with the E-Commerce Law, which gives consumers a right to cancel within a set period, with conditions and exceptions.

A policy is not a legal page forgotten in the footer; it is part of the buying decision. Hesitant customers read it before paying, and banks refer to it in disputes. In this guide you will find what the law says in general, a ready table of clauses, sample wording, and how refunds work for each payment method.

A clear return policy sells more than an extra discount, because it removes the fear of buying.

What does the e-commerce law say about returns?

Saudi Arabia's E-Commerce Law was issued by Royal Decree M/126 in 2019, together with an implementing regulation. The points that matter most for a return policy, in general terms:

• Disclosure: the store must make contract, price, delivery and return terms clear to the consumer before purchase.
• Cancellation right: unless agreed otherwise, the consumer may cancel within 7 days of receiving the product, or of contracting for a service, provided they have not used the product or benefited from the service.
• Exceptions: the law excludes cases such as products made to the consumer's specifications, perishable goods, digital content once downloaded, and others defined in the law and its regulation.
• Store identity: the merchant's name, contact details and registration information must be clear to the consumer.

For the full picture of what your site or app must show, read Saudi e-commerce law: what your website or app must show customers.

Policy clauses: a ready table

These are the clauses most stores need, with what to write in each. Adjust the details to your products, but do not drop a clause:

Sample wording you can start from

Here is simplified wording you can adapt for your store. Review it with a specialist if your activity is sensitive, and make sure it matches what you actually do:

1. Right to return: you can request a return within 7 days of receiving the product, provided it is unused, in its original condition and packaging, and accompanied by the invoice.
2. Non-returnable products: items made or modified to your order, perishable products, perfumes and care products once their seal is opened, and cards and digital content once sent or downloaded.
3. Defective or wrong items: if you receive a defective item or one different from your order, contact us within 3 days of receipt with a photo, and we will replace it or refund in full and cover shipping.
4. Return fees: except for defective or wrong items, the customer pays return shipping, and the original delivery fee is not refunded.
5. Refunds: we refund to the original payment method within a period we state after receiving and inspecting the product; the time it takes to appear in your account may vary by bank or provider.
6. Exchanges: you can exchange for another size or color subject to availability, once per order.
7. How to request: from the 'My orders' page in the store or on WhatsApp with your order number, and we will send return instructions.

Note that the defect-reporting period in clause three is only an example; choose a reasonable period for your products and never let it restrict customers' legal rights. In clause one, choosing a window longer than 7 days works in your favor commercially, but never make it shorter than the law grants.

How do refunds work for each payment method?

Customers do not care about gateway details; they ask one question: 'When do I get my money back?' Know the answer for each method and state it in general terms in your policy:

Two important technical points. First, process refunds through the gateway itself rather than by manual transfer, so the record stays linked to the original transaction and the risk of a double dispute drops. Second, if you are VAT-registered, a refund usually requires a credit note linked to the original invoice under e-invoicing requirements; see ZATCA e-invoicing (Fatoora) phases and confirm the details with ZATCA.

If a customer disputes a charge with their bank instead of asking you for a return, your published policy and your message history are the most important evidence; more in Refunds and chargebacks in the Gulf.

Running returns: from request to restock

1. 1
   Receive the request

   The customer picks the order, the item and the reason from 'My orders', with a photo for defects.

2. 2
   Initial approval

   You check the reason, the window and the exclusions, and reply within a short, stated time.

3. 3
   Return shipping

   You send a return waybill or ask the carrier to collect from the customer's National Address.

4. 4
   Inspection

   When the item arrives, you check its condition and document it with a photo.

5. 5
   Refund or exchange

   You process it through the gateway or ship the replacement, and issue the right tax document.

6. 6
   Restock and learn

   Return sound items to stock and log the reason to learn from it: wrong sizes? misleading photos? weak packaging?

Return reasons are a goldmine. If most are 'wrong size', a clearer size chart will cut returns more than any strict policy. For the logistics side of returns, see Shipping in Saudi Arabia.

Build your returns system with Fanann

In Fanann you describe your return policy and flow, and the agent builds the policy page, return requests from the customer account, a returns admin panel, and refunds through your payment gateway, with VAT invoices and credit notes.

If you also sell in the UAE, the rules there differ; read Return and refund policy for UAE online stores before reusing the same policy.

Frequently asked questions

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