Complaint for Defective Product Refund

When and how to use this letter

The moment you discover a defect, document it before you do anything else. Take clear photographs, and better yet, record a short video showing the fault in action with the date visible. Defects documented on day one are far harder for a seller to blame on misuse than problems reported weeks later. Keep the original packaging too; some sellers use missing packaging as an excuse to refuse returns.

Send this letter by email so you have a timestamped record, and keep your tone firm but professional. Quote the store's own return or warranty policy back at them if it supports you, and state a clear seven-day deadline. For a product that failed almost immediately, you are entitled to push for a refund rather than accept endless repairs.

The non-obvious move: check whether your payment method gives you extra leverage. Credit card purchases can often be disputed through a chargeback if the seller refuses a refund, and many cards extend warranty protection on new products. Mentioning that you will pursue a chargeback sometimes moves a stubborn seller faster than any legal threat.

If the seller still refuses, your next steps are the consumer helpline and then the consumer commission, where a documented early failure with photos and the invoice is one of the simplest cases to win. Keep every message, because a seller who promised a replacement in writing and then went silent has already weakened their own defence.

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