Kobo apparently no longer allows refunds of downloaded books

[ownedbycats]

Purchased a book, realized after downloading ACSM that it was wrong book in series. Tried to refund, couldn't because I'd downloaded it, even though I'd done it few times before.

Not sure if account-specific (few months ago refunded a book i suspected was AI-generated) or general policy.

And I guess its reasonable but it kinda stinks. Makes me uneasy in light of Amazon's aggressive Kindle lock-in too.

[Aleron Ives]

This has definitely been the policy for a while when it comes to failed price matches. Multiple users have said that if Kobo rejects your price match, you can't get a refund unless you haven't downloaded the book yet.

[ownedbycats]

Geez. Wonder if it's in response to that?

[Aleron Ives]

It seems like a pretty obvious business practice to me. Once you download and redeem the ACSM file, I don't think Kobo has any way to revoke your copy in ADE, so you'd be able to get the book for free.

[Quoth]

But in some countries they are obliged to replace or refund if faulty. I don't know how the EU & UK "distance selling" regulations work with downloads.

[PeterT]

Just download the preview first, or read the preview and ensure it is what you expected.

[meeera]

Originally Posted by Quoth

But in some countries they are obliged to replace or refund if faulty. I don't know how the EU & UK "distance selling" regulations work with downloads.

You buying the wrong book in a series doesn't mean it's a faulty product

[rantanplan]

Originally Posted by Quoth

But in some countries they are obliged to replace or refund if faulty. I don't know how the EU & UK "distance selling" regulations work with downloads.

When buying digital goods, you usually have to sign a waiver that you give up this right.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Quoth

But in some countries they are obliged to replace or refund if faulty. I don't know how the EU & UK "distance selling" regulations work with downloads.

In the UK, according to this government document, page 9, section 2.5:

5 Cancellation rights: digital content/downloads
In a nutshell, a consumer has the following cancellation rights:

• Retailers must not supply digital content within the 14-day cancellation period unless the consumer has given their express consent to waive the cancellation period.
• The consumer must also acknowledge that once the download starts they will lose their right to cancel.
• If a consumer wants to download digital content within the 14-days cancellation period they must give their express consent to waive their cancellation rights.

I never download a price match until the refund has been applied. It rarely takes more than a day.

[rantanplan]

Does Kobo do price matching outside the US?

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by rantanplan

Does Kobo do price matching outside the US?

It does in the UK. I don't know about elsewhere.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by rantanplan

Does Kobo do price matching outside the US?

Yes Kobo does.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Yes Kobo does.

But not in all countries. Only in the English-speaking ones - Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK and US.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Just download the preview first, or read the preview and ensure it is what you expected.

Problems aren't always apparent in the preview, though.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by Quoth

But in some countries they are obliged to replace or refund if faulty. I don't know how the EU & UK "distance selling" regulations work with downloads.

Back in the 00s, once bought a PC game at Wal-Mart only to find i couldn't even install it because some online server running it has shut down. (Essentially my earliest experience of a live service game). Couldnt get refund because shrinkwrap was broken.