Do I have to accept a credit note instead of a refund?

For goods covered by the Consumer Rights Act 2022, you can reject a faulty product within the first 30 days of receiving it and seek a full refund. Tell the seller within that period that you want to cancel the purchase. You do not have to accept a repair instead if you are using that right.

After that initial period, a repair or replacement will often be the first remedy. A serious fault or an unsuccessful or unavailable remedy can support a refund, depending on the circumstances. Refusing a credit note does not mean you can always insist on an immediate refund for every later fault.

A shop's goodwill returns policy does not replace these rights. Explain the fault and when you noticed it. If you bought the goods before 28 November 2022, different legislation applies; check the CCPC guidance for older purchases.

If the item is satisfactory but you no longer want it, Irish consumer law does not generally require an in-store seller to take it back. Check the returns policy that applied when you bought it. It may allow a refund, offer only store credit, or exclude certain purchases.

For example, a jacket that does not suit you is different from a jacket with a defective zip. If the shop offers credit for the first situation, ask about its expiry date and restrictions before accepting it. If a refund was promised under the shop's policy, keep the receipt or other evidence of that promise.

For most eligible online purchases from a business, you have 14 days from receiving the goods to tell the seller you are cancelling. You then have a further 14 days to return them. This right does not require a fault. Exceptions include personalised goods and some goods excluded for health or hygiene reasons.

For a valid cancellation, the refund should use the original payment method unless you agree otherwise. The CCPC explains the refund timing and return requirements in its online-shopping guidance. You do not have to agree to a voucher merely because it is the option offered first.

Check the return-postage terms and keep proof of dispatch. The rules for returning faulty goods are different from the rules for a change of mind, so state the real reason for your return. A shop's longer voluntary return window may have different conditions after the statutory cancellation period ends.

A sale price does not remove your rights when goods are faulty. However, if a particular defect was disclosed and you bought the item knowing about it, that is different from discovering an undisclosed fault afterwards.

The seller can ask for proof of purchase, but a paper receipt is not the only possibility. The CCPC gives card statements and delivery dockets as examples. Use enough information to connect the item to the purchase: a bank entry on its own may not identify which product you bought.

I bought [item] from you on [date] and received it on [date]. The problem is [brief description], which I noticed on [date]. I am seeking a refund because [explain the applicable reason, such as rejecting faulty goods within 30 days]. I do not agree to store credit. Please confirm how I should return the item and how you will arrange the refund. I have attached [proof of purchase and evidence of the fault].

Only use the reason that fits your purchase. If you are returning an unwanted but satisfactory item bought in-store, ask the shop to honour its advertised returns policy instead of describing it as a faulty-goods claim.

Ask it to explain in writing whether it is rejecting the fault, disputing the timing, or applying a change-of-mind policy. That answer helps you identify the actual disagreement. Keep photographs, purchase records and its replies together.

You can contact the CCPC for information about your rights. If you paid by card, ask your provider promptly about any payment-dispute option and deadline. For a further claim, check the eligibility requirements before using small claims. TBD can help you prepare a complaint to send yourself; it does not decide whether your refund is legally due.