If you constantly order online, most likely you are familiar with the “No video, no refund” note on your parcel’s packaging.
And it is there for a reason.
In most cases, sellers refuse to refund or replace defective items if you fail to take a video of unboxing your parcel.
But do you know that this sellers’ policy is actually illegal?
This business policy is actually not valid under the Consumer Act (R.A. 7394).
In 2024, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary Atty. Amanda Nograles clarified that the “no video, no return, no exchange, no refund” policy is considered “deceptive, unfair, and unconscionable sales acts or practices” under the Consumer Act.
Not only is it deceptive, unfair, and unconscionable, but it is illegal, too. Violators may be fined from PHP500 to PHP10,000, imprisoned for five months to one year, or both.
"Sa katotohanan, yung 'no return, no exchange' isa rin iyan na ipinagbabawal ng DTI kasi karapatan ng consumer na puwede niyang ibalik yung item na nabili niya kapag ito ay depektibo," Nograles reiterated in her Super Radyo dzBB interview.
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When can consumers ask for a refund or exchange?
The Consumer Act emphasizes that consumers have the right to request refunds, returns, or exchanges for defective items, regardless of whether they submit a video to the seller.
As Nograles explained: “Kapag yung item ay depektibo, bukod sa ibalik yung item, may option din siya na humingi ng replacement o puwede rin siyang humingi ng full refund ng item na binili niya, puwede rin niyang ipa-repair.”
How to report a seller who refuses to refund or exchange
If a seller rejects your complaint because you do not have an unboxing video, the DTI said that complaints will be resolved based on the evidence submitted by both parties.
This means an unboxing video may help support your complaint, but it cannot be made mandatory.
You can contact the DTI through its hotline at 1-DTI (1-384) or by email at consumercare@dti.gov.ph. Once a complaint is filed, the DTI will begin mediating between the parties and try to reach a settlement within seven to 10 days.
If both sides fail to settle, the DTI will then assess the evidence to decide whether the consumer or seller is at fault.
This being said, be reminded that this does not mean every purchase can automatically be returned.
We all have buyer’s remorse every now and then, but the DTI has clarified that businesses can still refuse a return, refund, or exchange if the item is still in good condition.
Changing your mind about a product or picking the wrong color or size isn't exactly a valid reason.
Returns can also be refused for medicine purchases if the product is not adulterated, misbranded, counterfeit, or expired.
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