How to write a return and refund policy for a UAE online store (with template)

A return and refund policy tells shoppers what they can send back, by when, and how they get their money back. Every online store in the UAE should have one, and shoppers should be able to read it before they pay.

Your policy cannot take away the rights shoppers have under UAE law. The law gives them rights when goods are faulty or not as described, so your policy should explain how you handle those cases. For everything else, such as a change of mind, check the current rules and then write clear terms.

Below are the decisions to make, a template to copy and edit, and where to show it. The template suits any UAE online store, from a home business in Sharjah to a brand in Dubai.

Why a clear policy matters for your store

A written policy works for you in four ways.

• Trust: A first-time shopper wants to know what happens if something goes wrong. Clear rules make it easier to say yes.
• Fewer disputes: You can point to the written rules instead of arguing each case on WhatsApp.
• Approvals: Payment providers, Tabby and Tamara usually look for a refund policy on your website before they approve you.
• Fewer refused parcels: With cash on delivery, an unsure shopper may refuse the parcel at the door. A clear exchange option gives them a reason to accept it.

What UAE law expects from your return and refund policy

At the time of writing, two laws matter most. The first is Federal Law No. 15 of 2020 on Consumer Protection, with its executive regulations (Cabinet Resolution No. 66 of 2023). The second is Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2023, the UAE's e-commerce law, which covers selling through websites, social media and apps.

We are not lawyers, but these points are a sensible base for your policy.

• Faulty or wrong goods: The law gives shoppers rights when goods are faulty or not as described. Your policy should explain how you put things right, and we advise covering all costs in these cases.
• Clear terms before purchase: Show your return rules before the shopper pays, in plain words. A rule the customer never saw is a weak rule to rely on.
• Arabic: UAE rules generally expect product information in Arabic, with another language allowed alongside it. It is wise to publish your policy in Arabic too.
• Your return window: Do not copy a number of days from another store or country and assume it meets UAE rules. Check the current rules for your products before you set yours.
• Legal rights stay: Say that your policy does not affect the customer's legal rights. It shows you are not trying to limit what the law gives them.

For official information, start with the UAE government's e-commerce page.

What to decide before you write

Your return window

Count the days from delivery, not from the order date, so customers in every emirate get the same time. Once you have checked the rules, pick a length you can manage, such as 7, 14 or 30 days.

Consider a longer window for gifts bought before Eid, Eid Al Etihad (National Day) or the year-end sales. Gifts are often opened days or weeks later.

The condition items must be in

Say exactly what you accept: unused, unwashed, with tags attached and in the original packaging. For perfume and cosmetics, say whether the seal must be unbroken.

Items you will not take back

Stores often exclude some items for hygiene or practical reasons. Typical examples are opened perfume and cosmetics, underwear, swimwear, custom-made items, gift cards and final-sale items. The template lists these, so delete any that do not apply.

These exclusions are for change-of-mind returns. If an excluded item is faulty or not as described, the shopper's rights still apply.

If you make items to measure, say so on the product page before the customer orders. Our guide to starting an abaya business online covers sizes and custom lengths.

Refund, exchange or store credit

There are three ways to settle a return.

• Refund: The money goes back the way the customer paid.
• Exchange: The customer gets a different size or colour, or another item.
• Store credit: The customer gets a gift card or code to spend later.

Many shoppers just want a different size, so your exchange policy can be more generous than your refund policy. For change-of-mind returns, some stores offer only an exchange or store credit. If the rules allow it for your products and you choose this, say so clearly before the sale. For faulty or wrong items, offer a replacement or a refund.

Who pays for return delivery

For faulty, damaged or wrong items, you should pay. For change-of-mind returns, the usual options are free returns, a fixed fee taken off the refund, or the customer paying to send it back. Free returns build trust, but they cost you on every return.

Ask your courier whether it offers return pickups, and at what cost. Our guide to delivery companies for online stores in the UAE compares the main couriers.

How refunds are paid

Each payment method refunds differently, so your policy needs a line for each. The stores we build at Samay.ae accept card, Apple Pay, Tabby, Tamara and cash on delivery, for example.

Say how quickly you refund after checking a returned item, for example within 7 days. Our guide to Tabby and Tamara for online stores explains how buy now, pay later works for merchants.

A refused cash on delivery parcel is not a return, because no money changed hands. It still costs you two delivery trips, so read how to offer cash on delivery without losing money.

Return and refund policy template for UAE online stores

Copy this refund policy template into a new page, then replace everything in square brackets. Numbers in brackets, such as [14] days, are suggestions to change, not legal minimums. Delete any sentence that does not fit your store, and ask a lawyer to check the final version.

In the template, "we" means your store and "you" means your customer.

Returns and refunds at [Store name]

We want you to be happy with every order from [Store name]. If something is not right, this policy explains what you can do. It does not affect your legal rights as a consumer in the UAE.

Returning an item you no longer want

You can return most items within [14] days of delivery. Items must be unused, unwashed and in their original packaging, with all tags attached. Please contact us before you send anything back.

Items we cannot accept back

For hygiene and safety reasons, we cannot accept the items below unless they are faulty or not as described.

• Perfume, oud oils and cosmetics that have been opened or unsealed.
• Underwear, swimwear and earrings.
• Items made to your measurements or personalised for you, such as [custom-length abayas].
• Gift cards.
• Sale items marked as final sale.

Faulty, damaged or wrong items

Tell us as soon as you can if an item is faulty, damaged, not as described or not what you ordered. Please send photos of the item and the packaging. We will collect it at no cost to you and offer a replacement or a full refund, including the delivery fee you paid.

Exchanges

You can exchange an item for a different size or colour within [14] days of delivery, if we have it in stock. Delivery for an exchange is [free].

How to return or exchange an item

1. Message us on WhatsApp at [number] or email [email address] with your order number and the reason.
2. We will reply within [1 working day] to confirm whether the item can be returned, and how.
3. Pack the item securely. Our courier will collect it from your address, or you can drop it at [address].
4. We will check the item within [3] working days of receiving it and tell you the result.

Return delivery costs

If the item is faulty, damaged or wrong, we pay all delivery costs. For other returns, we deduct AED [amount] from your refund to cover collection. The delivery fee you paid on the original order is not refunded for these returns.

Refunds

Once we approve your return, we will refund you within [7] days. How you receive the money depends on how you paid.

• Card or Apple Pay: We refund the same card. Your bank may take a few more working days to show it.
• Tabby or Tamara: We refund through Tabby or Tamara, who will update or refund your payments under their own terms.
• Cash on delivery: We refund by bank transfer, so we will ask for your full name and IBAN. If you prefer, we can give store credit instead.
• Store credit: We send it as a [gift card] that is valid for [12 months].

Cancelling an order

You can cancel free of charge until we hand your order to the courier, so message us as soon as possible. If you refuse a cash on delivery order at the door without telling us first, we may ask you to pay online for future orders.

Contact us

[Store name], trade license number [number], [address]. WhatsApp: [number]. Email: [email address]. We reply within [1 working day]. This policy was last updated on [date].

How to show your policy on your store

A policy only helps if shoppers see it before they pay. Put it in each of these places.

• Footer: A link on every page, next to your privacy policy and terms.
• Product pages: A one-line summary near the "Add to cart" button, such as "Free exchanges within 14 days. Opened perfume cannot be returned."
• Checkout: A link to your policies on the checkout page, so shoppers can read them before they pay.
• Order emails: A line with the link in your order confirmation and shipping emails.
• WhatsApp and Instagram: A saved quick reply with the summary and link, and a "Returns" highlight on your Instagram profile.

Publish it in Arabic and English, and make sure both versions say exactly the same thing. Our guide to building an Arabic and English online store shows how to translate pages like this one.

Your team should give customers the same answers as the written policy. A clear policy is also one of the 40 items on our online store launch checklist. For every other step before launch, see how to start an online store in the UAE.

Frequently asked questions

Is a return policy required for online stores in the UAE?

In practice, yes. Payment providers, Tabby and Tamara usually look for one before they approve you. The law also gives shoppers rights when goods are faulty or not as described, and your policy should explain how you handle that. Check the current rules with your emirate's economic department or a lawyer.

Can I refuse a refund if a customer changes their mind?

Check the current consumer protection rules first, because they decide what you must accept. If you then offer only an exchange or store credit for a change of mind, say so clearly before the customer pays. Faulty or wrong items are different: the law gives shoppers rights in those cases.

Can I give store credit instead of a refund?

For change-of-mind returns, many stores do. Check the current rules, and state it clearly in your policy before the sale. When an item is faulty, damaged or wrong, the law gives shoppers rights, so offer a replacement or a refund. Give store credit a long expiry date, so it feels fair.

What is the difference between a return policy and an exchange policy?

A return policy covers sending an item back for a refund. An exchange policy covers swapping it for another size, colour or product. One page can cover both, and some stores make exchanges easier, for example with free exchange delivery.