In a rare consumer victory, Apple nixes return fees

THE CONSUMER-FRIENDLY computer advice site Computeractive claims it has won a victory against Apple, causing the firm to cancel its ‘processing fee’ charged to customers returning products they don’t want.

Products bought online falling under the consumer protection law should not incur penalties to the consumer if they want to return what they bought or change it for something else, but this is what Apple have been doing.

The Apple terms and conditions noted that any buyer who wanted to send back goods covered by the Distance Selling Regulations, had to cough up a collection and processing fee, which Computeractive realised was illegal.

The online advice site promptly undertook a campaign in order to get Apple to drop charges (so to speak). When confronted with INQ sister site Computeractive’s Fair & Square campaign, which tells British buyers their shopping rights, Apple succumbed and agreed to cancel any further fees.

Apparently, despite the fact that it will take about 10 days for the sluggish Apple to change the terms and conditions on its website, customers won’t have to pay any fees on returned goods as of today. µ

L’Inq
Computeractive