Returns and Exchange Policy (UAE)
RETURNS AND EXCHANGE POLICY
Business: [Business Name] (Trade Licence: [Trade Licence])
Website: [Website URL] | Returns enquiry: [Contact Email]
Effective date: [Effective Date]
This Returns and Exchange Policy sets out the terms under which [Business Name] accepts returns and exchanges of goods purchased through [Website URL]. This policy is issued in accordance with Consumer Protection Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2020, Cabinet Decision No. 66 of 2023, and the UAE Civil Code (Federal Law No. 5 of 1985). Nothing in this policy limits consumer statutory rights under UAE law.
1. RETURN AND EXCHANGE WINDOW
1.1 Return window: [Business Name] accepts returns within [Return Window Days] of the delivery date, provided the conditions in Section 2 are met.
1.2 Exchange window: exchanges may be requested within [Exchange Window Days] of the delivery date, subject to availability of the replacement item.
1.3 Extended defective returns window: [Defective Return Window].
1.4 Under Consumer Protection Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2020, the statutory right to return or exchange defective, non-conforming, or misdescribed goods is not limited by the above commercial windows. Consumers may assert statutory rights for defective goods within the period permitted by UAE law, regardless of any shorter commercial window stated above.
2. CONDITIONS FOR RETURN
2.1 To be eligible for a return or exchange, goods must meet the following conditions: [Return Conditions].
2.2 The following categories of items are not eligible for return or exchange (unless defective or non-conforming with their description): [Non-Returnable Items]. These exclusions are consistent with Consumer Protection Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2020 and Cabinet Decision No. 66 of 2023, which permit sellers to exclude certain categories from change-of-mind returns where hygiene, perishability, or personalisation makes return impractical.
2.3 Goods that are returned in damaged condition, missing components, or without original packaging may be refused by [Business Name], or may be subject to a restocking fee of up to 15% of the item value, applied at [Business Name]'s reasonable discretion.
3. RETURN SHIPPING
3.1 Return shipping cost: [Return Shipping Cost].
3.2 Where [Business Name] provides a pre-paid return label, the cost of the label will be deducted from the refund amount unless the item is being returned due to a fault, defect, or misdescription attributable to [Business Name].
3.3 [Business Name] is not responsible for items lost in transit during a return shipment unless a pre-paid label issued by [Business Name] was used. For returns sent by the customer using their own courier, the risk of loss during transit is with the customer until the item is received and inspected by [Business Name].
4. HOW TO INITIATE A RETURN OR EXCHANGE
4.1 Return and exchange process: [Return Process].
4.2 [Business Name] will confirm receipt of a return request by email within 2 UAE business days of the request being submitted to [Contact Email].
4.3 For exchanges, [Business Name] will check stock availability and confirm the exchange or offer an alternative within 2 business days of receiving the returned item.
5. REFUNDS
5.1 Refund method: [Refund Method].
5.2 Refund processing timeframe: [Refund Timeframe] from the date [Business Name] receives and inspects the returned goods.
5.3 Where the refund is returned to the original payment method, the credit card network or payment provider processing timeline of 3–10 business days may apply after [Business Name] initiates the refund. [Business Name] will provide a refund confirmation by email at the time the refund is initiated.
5.4 Refunds for purchases made in AED will be refunded in AED. For items purchased with credit card in a foreign currency, the refund amount in AED may vary from the original purchase amount due to currency exchange fluctuations; [Business Name] is not responsible for such exchange rate differences.
6. DEFECTIVE AND NON-CONFORMING GOODS
6.1 Under Consumer Protection Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2020, if a product delivered by [Business Name] is defective, non-conforming with its published description, or otherwise fails to meet the standard a consumer is reasonably entitled to expect, the consumer has the right to: (a) a replacement of the product with an equivalent conforming product; (b) a repair of the product at no cost to the consumer; or (c) a full refund of the purchase price, including applicable delivery charges.
6.2 To exercise these rights, the consumer must notify [Business Name] at [Contact Email] within the defective returns window, providing photographic or video evidence of the defect or non-conformity. [Business Name] will arrange collection and replacement or refund at no cost to the consumer.
6.3 Disputes regarding defective goods that are not resolved by [Business Name] within 14 business days may be referred to the Consumer Protection Department of the UAE Ministry of Economy or, for Dubai, to the Dubai Economy and Tourism Consumer Rights Section.
7. CONTACT
7.1 All returns and exchange enquiries should be directed to [Contact Email]. Please include your order number, the item(s) you wish to return or exchange, and the reason for the return.
7.2 [Business Name] aims to respond to all returns enquiries within 2 UAE business days (Sunday to Thursday). Public holidays recognised by the UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) are excluded from business day calculations.
Authorised Representative
________________
Signature
What Is a Returns and Exchange Policy (UAE)?
A Returns and Exchange Policy in the United Arab Emirates is the commercial document through which a retailer or online seller communicates its return and exchange conditions to customers, defining the timeframes, product conditions, excluded categories, and refund procedures that apply to returned goods. In the UAE, this document operates within a mandatory consumer protection framework that sets minimum standards — the Returns Policy may be more generous than UAE law requires, but cannot be less generous for defective or non-conforming goods.
Consumer Protection Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2020 is the primary statute governing UAE consumer rights in returns transactions, enforced by the Consumer Protection Department within the UAE Ministry of Economy, the Dubai Economy and Tourism Consumer Rights Section for Dubai, the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development for Abu Dhabi, and equivalent emirate-level departments across all seven emirates. The law grants UAE consumers three statutory remedies for defective, non-conforming, or misdescribed goods: replacement, free repair, or full refund — with the consumer's choice of remedy.
Cabinet Decision No. 66 of 2023 implements Consumer Protection Law No. 15 of 2020 and sets procedural requirements for returns in distance-selling and retail contexts, including minimum timelines for refund processing, requirements for return receipt confirmation, and the categories of goods that may be excluded from change-of-mind return policies.
The Electronic Transactions and Trust Services Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 46 of 2021) governs the legal framework for online sales and requires that return and exchange terms be disclosed to the consumer before purchase, because a consumer who cannot inspect goods before delivery must be able to rely on the published Returns Policy as part of the pre-contractual information.
For VAT purposes under Federal Decree-Law No. 8 of 2017, administered by the Federal Tax Authority (FTA), a returned goods refund triggers a credit note obligation and a VAT adjustment in the seller's VAT return for the period. The Returns Policy should address VAT-inclusive refund handling to provide clarity to VAT-registered business customers.
The UAE Civil Code (Federal Law No. 5 of 1985) provides the overarching contract law framework, including the concept of conformity of goods (the goods must match what was agreed), the transfer of risk, and the remedies available for breach. Article 272 of the Civil Code allows a party to demand performance or contract termination where the other party has failed to perform, which underpins the consumer's right to choose between repair, replacement, and refund.
For marketplace sellers operating through Noon, Amazon.ae, or other UAE platforms, the marketplace's seller policies impose additional return and exchange obligations on top of the statutory minimum, and the Returns Policy must be at least as favourable as the marketplace's seller policy for listings on that marketplace.
When Do You Need a Returns and Exchange Policy (UAE)?
A Returns and Exchange Policy in UAE is needed by any business that sells physical goods to UAE consumers, whether through an online store, a physical retail outlet, or a combination of both channels, and it must be published before the first sale is made.
New online retailers launching in the UAE need a Returns Policy in place before accepting orders. Consumer Protection Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2020 and Cabinet Decision No. 66 of 2023 require the pre-purchase disclosure of return conditions, which means the policy must be accessible from the product page and checkout before the consumer completes payment.
Brick-and-mortar retailers with an in-store returns policy may believe they do not need a formal document, but having a published, written Returns Policy is best practice even in physical retail, because it provides a consistent standard across staff, reduces disputes, and supports the retailer's position if a consumer complains to the Consumer Protection Department.
Online marketplaces require sellers listing on their platforms — whether Noon, Amazon.ae, or regional niche marketplaces — to publish a Returns Policy that meets or exceeds the marketplace's minimum requirements. A separate published policy reduces disputes mediated by the platform and allows the seller to communicate directly with the consumer about return expectations.
Retailers introducing new product categories — particularly categories that are excluded from change-of-mind returns, such as personal care, food, or digital goods — need an updated Returns Policy that specifically addresses these new categories before listing them for sale, to avoid consumer complaints of undisclosed exclusions.
Retailers who have received consumer protection complaints or regulatory inquiries about return policies need a formal, reviewed, and compliant Returns Policy as part of their remediation — demonstrating to the Consumer Protection Department that adequate procedures are now in place.
Seasonal businesses that operate heightened return volumes during UAE shopping seasons — White Friday, Dubai Shopping Festival, Ramadan sales — should review and update their Returns Policy before the season to ensure it accurately reflects any seasonal variations in the return window or the processing capacity.
What to Include in Your Returns and Exchange Policy (UAE)
A UAE Returns and Exchange Policy must contain the following substantive elements. The forms-legal.com UAE Returns and Exchange Policy template covers each component.
Seller identification must state the full business name, trade licence number, and returns contact email. Consumers must be able to identify the responsible party and know where to direct return requests.
Return and exchange windows must state clear calendar day periods from the delivery date — not from the purchase date, which may precede delivery by days. Industry standard in UAE retail is 15 to 30 calendar days for change-of-mind returns, and extended periods for defective goods claims.
Conditions for return must describe the state in which items must be presented: unused, in original packaging, with tags, with proof of purchase. These conditions must be reasonable — requiring the consumer to present the outer box for a small electronic item is reasonable; requiring the consumer to present original packaging for goods where packaging is normally discarded in use is not.
Exclusions from change-of-mind returns must list non-returnable categories clearly and specifically, aligned with Cabinet Decision No. 66 of 2023 permitted exclusions: perishables, personalised items, opened hygiene products, accessed digital content. Generic 'sale items are final' clauses are of questionable enforceability under UAE consumer law.
Defective goods rights must restate the statutory rights under Consumer Protection Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2020 — replacement, repair, or refund — and explain how consumers can assert these rights, separately from the commercial change-of-mind return process.
Return shipping allocation must specify who bears the cost of return shipping: the seller (for defective goods returns, which is required by Consumer Protection Law) and the consumer or seller (for change-of-mind returns, depending on the seller's commercial policy).
Refund method and timeframe must state whether refunds are to the original payment method, as store credit, or at the consumer's choice, and the number of business days from receipt and inspection of the returned goods to initiation of the refund.
Dispute escalation must identify the Consumer Protection Department of the UAE Ministry of Economy and the relevant emirate-level consumer authority as escalation channels for unresolved disputes, consistent with the consumer's right to seek external redress.
How to Fill Out Your Returns and Exchange Policy (UAE)
Completing this UAE Returns and Exchange Policy requires an honest assessment of the seller's operational return capability and the legal requirements applicable to the product categories sold.
Enter the business name as registered on the UAE trade licence. This is the entity legally responsible for honouring the Returns Policy, and it must match the name on receipts and tax invoices issued to consumers.
Enter the returns contact email — ideally a dedicated address such as [email protected] — to ensure return requests are routed efficiently and tracked. A shared general inbox may cause delays that expose the seller to Consumer Protection Law non-compliance.
For the return window, enter a calendar day period that reflects realistic operational capacity. Committing to a 30-day return window when the business does not have the warehouse staff to process high volumes of returns creates compliance risk. A 15-day window that is consistently honoured is better than a 30-day window that is frequently exceeded.
For the defective goods window, enter an extended period — typically 30 days minimum. Consumer Protection Law No. 15 of 2020 does not set a fixed defective goods window but requires that statutory remedies be available for a reasonable period. Thirty days from delivery is the minimum commercially accepted standard in the UAE market.
For return conditions, be specific and realistic. 'Original packaging' should mean the product box or container, not the outer shipping carton if that is typically damaged in transit. 'Unused' should account for the consumer's right to unbox and inspect the item — a product that has been unpacked and briefly tested but not actually used should be returnable.
For the refund method, 'original payment method' is the most consumer-friendly and most legally defensible option for defective goods returns. 'Store credit only' for defective goods returns violates Consumer Protection Law No. 15 of 2020, which gives the consumer the choice of remedy.
For refund timeframe, enter the number of business days from receipt and inspection of the returned goods, not from the date the consumer requests the return. A seven-business-day window from receipt is operationally standard in the UAE market.
Legal Requirements for Returns and Exchange Policy (UAE)
A UAE Returns and Exchange Policy must comply with Consumer Protection Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2020 as the primary statute governing consumer return rights. The law provides that consumers have the right to return defective, non-conforming, or misdescribed goods and receive their choice of replacement, free repair, or full refund. These statutory rights cannot be contracted out of, and a Returns Policy that purports to exclude or limit them for defective goods is void to that extent.
Cabinet Decision No. 66 of 2023 implements the Consumer Protection Law and sets minimum procedural standards for distance-selling returns, including the seller's disclosure obligations before purchase and the timeframe for processing refunds. Sellers must ensure their Returns Policy is accessible before checkout — not discoverable only after purchase — consistent with the Electronic Transactions and Trust Services Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 46 of 2021).
The UAE Civil Code (Federal Law No. 5 of 1985) provides the underlying contract law framework. Articles 272 and 274 address the consumer's right to demand performance or rescission where goods fail to conform to the contract. Article 486 and related provisions govern the seller's warranty obligations for hidden defects.
For VAT purposes under Federal Decree-Law No. 8 of 2017, the Federal Tax Authority (FTA) requires credit notes to be issued for returned goods that were originally supplied under a VAT-inclusive tax invoice. The VAT component of the refund must be credited, and the seller must adjust its output VAT in the relevant VAT return period.
For marketplace sellers on Noon or Amazon.ae, the marketplace's seller agreement may impose additional return obligations beyond the statutory minimum — for example, extended return windows or specific defective goods reporting procedures. Compliance with the marketplace seller agreement is an additional layer beyond UAE statutory compliance.
The Consumer Protection Department of the UAE Ministry of Economy, the Dubai Economy and Tourism Consumer Rights Section, and the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development have enforcement authority over Returns Policy compliance and may impose fines, corrective orders, or publication of violations for sellers who breach UAE consumer return rights.
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Your Returns and Exchange Policy (UAE)
UAE retailers commonly make the following mistakes in Returns and Exchange Policies that create enforcement risk and customer disputes.
1. Offering store credit only for defective goods. A Returns Policy that states 'returns are accepted for store credit only' violates Consumer Protection Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2020, which gives the consumer the choice of replacement, repair, or refund for defective goods. The seller cannot unilaterally impose store credit as the only remedy.
2. Publishing a 'no returns' or 'all sales final' policy. A blanket exclusion of all returns is impermissible for defective goods under Consumer Protection Law No. 15 of 2020. A 'no returns' policy may be applied to change-of-mind returns for specific categories (personalised, perishable, hygiene), but cannot be applied to defective goods returns.
3. Not disclosing return conditions before purchase. A Returns Policy that is accessible only in a support FAQ section and not linked from product pages or the checkout flow fails the pre-purchase disclosure requirement under the Electronic Transactions and Trust Services Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 46 of 2021) and Cabinet Decision No. 66 of 2023.
4. Imposing restocking fees on defective goods returns. A restocking fee applied to the return of a genuinely defective item — where the fault is the seller's — violates Consumer Protection Law No. 15 of 2020. Restocking fees may only apply to change-of-mind returns, and must be disclosed before purchase.
5. Delaying refunds unreasonably. Sellers who take 30 or 60 days to process refunds for returned goods face complaints to the Consumer Protection Department and may receive corrective orders requiring immediate refund. Cabinet Decision No. 66 of 2023 sets minimum refund timelines.
6. Not addressing VAT on refunds. A Returns Policy that states 'we will refund the purchase price' without confirming the refund includes the VAT component creates ambiguity for VAT-registered business customers and may not comply with Federal Tax Authority credit note requirements under Federal Decree-Law No. 8 of 2017.
Cite this page
Reference this free template in an article, syllabus, or research note:
Forms Legal. (2026). Returns and Exchange Policy (UAE) (United Arab Emirates) [Legal document template]. Forms Legal. https://forms-legal.com/uae/business/policies/returns-exchange-policy-uae
"Returns and Exchange Policy (UAE) (United Arab Emirates)." Forms Legal, 2026, https://forms-legal.com/uae/business/policies/returns-exchange-policy-uae.
@misc{formslegal-returns-exchange-policy-uae,
author = {{Forms Legal}},
title = {Returns and Exchange Policy (UAE) (United Arab Emirates)},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://forms-legal.com/uae/business/policies/returns-exchange-policy-uae}},
note = {Free legal document template. Based on Consumer Protection Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2020}
}Frequently Asked Questions
Consumer return rights under UAE law are established by Consumer Protection Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2020, which is the primary consumer rights statute in the UAE, enforced by the Consumer Protection Department within the UAE Ministry of Economy and by equivalent consumer affairs departments in each emirate. The law provides that where a product sold to a consumer is defective, fails to conform to its described specifications, or does not perform the function it was sold for, the consumer has the right to choose between three remedies: a replacement of the product with a new, conforming equivalent; a free repair of the defective product carried out by the seller or an authorised service provider; or a full refund of the purchase price. The consumer exercises this choice, not the seller — a seller who offers only store credit for a defective product, when the consumer requests a cash refund, violates Consumer Protection Law No. 15 of 2020. Cabinet Decision No. 66 of 2023, which implements the Consumer Protection Law, sets further procedural requirements including the timeframe for refund processing and the minimum information that must be communicated to the consumer when a return or refund is processed. These statutory rights apply regardless of what the seller's published Returns Policy says — a Returns Policy that offers fewer rights than the statute is overridden by law. Commercially, UAE retailers commonly add a change-of-mind return window of 7 to 30 days as a commercial benefit on top of the statutory rights, which is not legally required but improves customer trust and reduces disputes.
A UAE retailer can refuse to accept change-of-mind returns — returns where the product is not defective and the consumer simply changed their mind — provided the Returns Policy clearly discloses this before purchase, consistent with Consumer Protection Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2020. Cabinet Decision No. 66 of 2023 permits sellers to exclude certain categories from change-of-mind returns on hygiene, perishability, or personalisation grounds, including: perishable goods, custom-made or personalised items, digital content once accessed or downloaded, health and personal care products once opened, and similar categories. However, a retailer cannot refuse a return or exchange for a product that is defective, non-conforming with its description, or unsafe. The consumer's statutory rights under Consumer Protection Law No. 15 of 2020 for defective goods are mandatory and cannot be contracted out of. A retailer that attempts to enforce a 'no returns' policy against a consumer presenting a genuinely defective product violates the Consumer Protection Law and may be subject to enforcement action by the Consumer Protection Department of the UAE Ministry of Economy, which may impose fines, corrective orders, and publication of the violation. In practice, the Dubai Economy and Tourism Consumer Rights Section handles many retail consumer complaints in Dubai, while the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development Consumer Protection handles similar complaints in Abu Dhabi. Both departments take a dim view of sellers who refuse statutory consumer rights.
The timeframe for refund processing by a UAE retailer is governed by Cabinet Decision No. 66 of 2023, which implements Consumer Protection Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2020 and sets minimum standards for refund processing in distance-selling and retail contexts. The general principle is that refunds must be processed within a reasonable period after the return is accepted — industry practice in the UAE is 7 to 14 business days from receipt and inspection of the returned goods. The Central Bank of the UAE's regulations on payment services and payment processors set additional timeframes for credit card refunds: once the seller initiates a refund through the payment gateway, the card network processing time of 3 to 10 business days applies before the credit appears on the consumer's card statement. The Returns Policy should distinguish between: (a) the time for the seller to initiate the refund after inspecting the returned goods, which is within the seller's control; and (b) the time for the credit to appear on the consumer's account, which depends on the payment processor and card network and is outside the seller's control. A Returns Policy that states 'refunds within 7 business days' without specifying whether this means initiation of the refund or appearance on the consumer's statement creates ambiguity. Best practice is to state: 'we will initiate the refund within X business days of receiving and inspecting the returned goods; please allow an additional 3–10 business days for the credit to appear on your statement depending on your payment provider.' Delayed refunds are a common complaint to the Consumer Protection Department of the Ministry of Economy.
Cabinet Decision No. 66 of 2023, implementing Consumer Protection Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2020, permits UAE sellers to exclude certain categories of goods from change-of-mind returns where the nature of the goods makes return impractical or creates hygiene or safety risks. The categories commonly excluded and legally supportable under UAE consumer protection law include: perishable goods such as food and flowers, where the goods deteriorate rapidly and cannot be restocked; personalised or custom-made items manufactured to the consumer's specific specifications, where the item has no resale value to a different buyer; digital content and software once it has been accessed or downloaded, because the item cannot be returned in the same condition once the consumer has received the value of the supply; health and personal care products such as cosmetics, skincare, supplements, and toothbrushes once opened or used, on hygiene grounds; intimate apparel, swimwear, and pierced jewellery such as earrings, on hygiene grounds; sealed audio or video recordings and video games once the seal is broken, because the consumer has received the creative content; and hazardous materials that cannot be returned for safety reasons. However — and this is critical — even within these excluded categories, if the item is defective, not as described, or unsafe, the consumer retains their statutory rights under Consumer Protection Law No. 15 of 2020 to a refund, replacement, or repair regardless of the exclusion. The exclusion only applies to change-of-mind returns, not to defective goods returns.
The UAE consumer protection framework under Consumer Protection Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2020 and Cabinet Decision No. 66 of 2023 applies to both in-store and online purchases, but the practical application of a Returns Policy differs between the two channels. For in-store purchases, the consumer has inspected the goods before purchase, which limits change-of-mind return rights — the consumer accepted the product's condition at the point of sale. For online purchases (distance sales), the consumer cannot inspect the goods before delivery, which means the risk of the goods being different from their described appearance or specification is higher. Some UAE retailers voluntarily offer more generous return windows for online purchases than for in-store purchases to reflect this difference in purchase circumstances, and some UAE marketplace operators — such as Noon and Amazon.ae — impose seller obligations to offer minimum return windows for marketplace-facilitated transactions. The Electronic Transactions and Trust Services Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 46 of 2021) supports consumers' right to review and reject goods that do not match their online description. A Returns Policy that covers both channels should distinguish between them clearly, stating different return windows or procedures where applicable. Where an online purchase can be returned in-store, the policy should say so and describe the in-store return procedure, including any identification or proof-of-purchase requirements.
When a UAE retailer issues a refund for a returned product, the VAT treatment is governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 8 of 2017 and the Federal Tax Authority (FTA)'s Executive Regulations. A return and refund constitutes a reduction in the value of the original supply for VAT purposes. The seller must issue a credit note to the buyer, identifying the original tax invoice, the amount of the reduction, and the VAT credit being issued. The seller can then adjust its output VAT liability in the VAT return for the period in which the credit note is issued, reducing the amount of VAT it must remit to the FTA. The buyer — if VAT-registered — must correspondingly reduce its input tax credit claim for the period in which it receives the credit note. For consumer (B2C) returns, the practical process is simpler: the seller refunds the full VAT-inclusive purchase price to the consumer and issues a credit note or refund receipt, then adjusts its VAT return accordingly. The Returns Policy should note that VAT-inclusive refunds will be processed, consistent with the original VAT-inclusive purchase price. If a consumer paid in AED and the original tax invoice stated the VAT amount separately, the refund should be stated in AED and the credit note should identify the VAT component. Partial refunds — for example, where only one item in a multi-item order is returned — require a partial credit note covering only the returned goods and their proportionate VAT amount.
A UAE seller may charge a restocking fee for returned goods in a change-of-mind return scenario, provided the fee is disclosed in the Returns Policy before the purchase is completed and the fee is a genuine reflection of costs incurred, not a penalty designed to deter the exercise of return rights. Consumer Protection Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2020 and Cabinet Decision No. 66 of 2023 prohibit unfair commercial terms, and a restocking fee set at an unreasonably high level — say, 50% of the product value — may be challenged as disproportionate and unfair. A typical UAE restocking fee in the 10% to 20% range for returned goods that require repackaging, quality inspection, and re-shelving is commercially reasonable and generally upheld. The key conditions are: the fee must be stated clearly before purchase in the Returns Policy (not disclosed only at the point of return); the fee must apply only to change-of-mind returns, not to returns of defective or non-conforming goods (where the seller bears the costs of the return under Consumer Protection Law No. 15 of 2020); and the fee must be expressed as a percentage or fixed AED amount so the consumer can calculate the cost before deciding to return. Sellers should note that where the return is the result of the seller's failure — a wrong item dispatched, a damaged item delivered, a misdescribed product — charging any fee is impermissible. The restocking fee provision should be reviewed by the Consumer Protection Department guidelines before being implemented, as enforcement interpretation may evolve.
This template is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change over time. Consult a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation.Full disclaimer
Found an error? Let us knowRelated Documents
You may also find these documents useful:
Shipping and Delivery Policy (UAE)
A UAE-compliant shipping and delivery policy covering domestic and international delivery zones, timeframes, costs, VAT disclosure, order tracking, failed delivery procedures, and consumer rights under Consumer Protection Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2020 and Cabinet Decision No. 66 of 2023.
Refund and Return Policy (UAE)
A UAE consumer-facing refund and return policy compliant with Consumer Protection Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2020, Cabinet Decision No. 66 of 2023, and the E-Commerce Law No. 46 of 2021. Covers the 15-day return window, defective goods, refund timelines, and online purchase rights.
Online Store Privacy Policy (UAE)
A UAE online store privacy policy compliant with the Personal Data Protection Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021), the E-Commerce Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 46 of 2021), and Consumer Protection Law No. 15 of 2020. Covers data collection, processing, sharing, retention, and data subject rights.
Website Terms and Conditions (UAE)
Website Terms and Conditions set out the contract between a UAE website operator and its users, covering services, payment, acceptable use, liability, and data protection. They align with the Consumer Protection Law (Federal Law No. 15 of 2020), the Personal Data Protection Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021), and UAE electronic commerce rules.
E-Commerce Supplier Agreement (UAE)
A comprehensive supplier agreement for UAE online retailers covering product supply, pricing, consumer protection compliance, VAT invoicing, and liability under the Consumer Protection Federal Decree-Law No. 15 of 2020 and the E-Commerce Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 46 of 2021).