Guide
Returns and refunds when you shop online in Saudi Arabia
What is your right to return an online order in Saudi Arabia, and when do you get your money back?
Saudi Arabia's E-Commerce Law lets you cancel the contract within 7 days of receiving the product, as long as you haven't used it, with exceptions such as items made to your own specification. A store's own policy may give you more time, but some items, such as beauty products at certain stores, can't be returned at all. Once the return is accepted, you usually get back what you actually paid after any discount, either to the same payment method or to your store wallet.
Key points
- The law gives you 7 days from delivery for a product you haven't used, and a store's policy may give you longer.
- A defect, or an item unlike its description, is a separate matter that you can raise even after the 7 days.
- Beauty products, personalised items and reduced items may follow different rules, so read the product page before you buy.
- You usually get back what you paid after the discount, and cashback credit may be taken back if you return the order.
- Keep the invoice, photos of the item and your chats with the store: you will need them if the store says no.
How many days does the law give you to return an online order?
Article 13 of the E-Commerce Law says you may withdraw from the contract within 7 days of the day you receive the product, provided you haven't used it. Withdrawing here means you change your mind about the purchase and send the product back.
That is the period the law names, and a store's own policy may give you more time. Some of our stores give you much longer, as the table below this section shows.
The law has two more points that help you. The first is in Article 14: if delivery is late by more than 15 days, unless another period was agreed, you may cancel the contract. The second is that an online ad counts as part of the contract, and the store must give you an invoice showing the full total, including fees and taxes.
The right to withdraw has exceptions that the law lists. Among them:
- A product made for you, or changed to the specification you asked for.
- Recordings and software once their original seal is opened.
- Newspapers, magazines and other printed matter.
- Accommodation, transport or catering services tied to a set date or period.
- A product damaged because you misused it.
This is a plain summary, not legal advice. The official text of the law is linked below this section.
The return window at each of our stores
| Store | Return window | Best code now |
|---|---|---|
| noon | 15 days after the order arrives, for items that accept returns | CHI |
| Namshi | 14 days starting from delivery; sending an item back or swapping it is free | MUT |
| Nice One | Beauty and care items can only go back if they arrive damaged | T31 |
| Styli | The first return from every order is free | AXA |
What if the item arrives faulty or unlike its description?
This is a different case from changing your mind. If the product has a defect, or doesn't match the description you bought it on, you can ask the store to deal with it, even after the 7 days have passed.
Since the ad is part of the contract, the product page as you saw it on the day you bought is the product's description. So take a screenshot of the page before paying for anything expensive. If something is wrong on delivery, photograph the item, the box and the shipping label before you throw anything away.
Our stores have examples of this. At Nice One, beauty products can't be returned, but it is a different matter if they reach you damaged. At Temu, purchase protection covers a damaged parcel, or one unlike its description, with a full refund, possibly after you send the item back.
Tell the store about the problem as soon as you can after delivery, because some stores set a time limit for reporting damage.
Which items do stores usually refuse to take back?
Every store has a list of items it won't take back, usually on the product page or in its return policy. The one that comes up most across our stores is beauty and care products. Namshi leaves them out of returns and exchanges entirely. At Nice One they can't go back even unopened, and the one exception is when they reach you damaged.
Other items that keep appearing in our stores' policies are underwear and swimwear, food and groceries, and anything engraved or wrapped to your request.
Watch out for reduced items too: some stores give them a shorter window, or make them a final sale. At Sephora, for example, the window shrinks to 3 days after delivery when the item was reduced or part of a promotion. At iHerb, a discounted item close to its "Best By" date is a final sale.
Before you buy something that can't be returned, double-check the shade, size and type, because you won't be able to change your mind after delivery.
What happens to your promo code or cashback when you return an order?
As a general rule, the refund is what you actually paid after the discount, not the original price. Mumzworld's terms say exactly this. Styli makes clear that the code's value itself is not paid back if you return part of an order that used a code.
Cashback works differently. It is credit added to your account after the order, as with most noon codes. If you return the item, the store may take back all or part of that credit, since the order that earned it didn't go through. Reward points work the same way: at Sephora, you lose the MY SEPHORA points you earned on the returned item.
If the code needed a minimum cart value and you return part of the order, check the store's terms to see how your refund is worked out.
Don't assume the code comes back to you for another use after a return. Check the store's terms, or ask customer service before you send the order back.
When does the refund arrive, and where does it go?
The refund clock usually starts once the store has received, inspected and accepted the return, not on the day you hand it to the courier. And don't expect everything back: at noon and Styli, for example, shipping fees and cash on delivery fees are not refunded.
Where the money goes depends on how you paid. Here is the general picture; the details are in each store's policy:
- Bank card: the money goes back to the same card within some working days, and the time varies from bank to bank.
- Store wallet: usually the fastest, but the credit stays inside the store and may not be convertible to cash.
- Tabby or Tamara: the money goes back to your account with the service you paid through, and not to any other method.
- Cash on delivery: you may not get cash back. At Namshi and Mumzworld, for example, it is added to your store wallet, and Namshi will move it to your bank account if you ask customer service.
When you file the return, check where the refund will go before you confirm, because some stores let you choose between store credit and your payment method.
How do you file a return that won't be refused?
Most refused returns come down to the item's condition or a missed deadline. These steps protect you from both:
- Open the return policy and the product page, and find the last day you can return. Check which day the period counts from: most of our stores count from delivery.
- Keep the item as it arrived: unused, with its tags, original box and accessories.
- Photograph the item and the box before you seal it, and keep the invoice.
- File the request from your account on the website or app. If the store's policy asks for its approval first, don't send anything before you have it.
- Keep the drop-off receipt or tracking number until the money arrives.
- Check your bank account or store wallet after the period the store gave you.
If you bought several items in one offer, you may need to return them all together, as Al Majed Oud's terms require.
What can you do if the store refuses a return or is slow to refund?
Start by asking the store for the reason in writing, in the support chat or by email, so you have its answer on record. The reason may be something you can fix, such as a missing tag or an unclear photo.
Then compare the reason with the store's published policy and with what the law says. If you asked to return an unused item within the period, or the item is faulty or unlike its description, put that to the store along with the invoice, photos of the item and a screenshot of its page.
If you still can't agree, you can contact the Ministry of Commerce on its unified number 1900, or by email at cs@mc.gov.sa. Explain the problem briefly, give the store's name, the order number and the delivery date, and attach the documents you have.
Write to customer service calmly and briefly, and ask for a ticket number each time you get in touch.
Questions and answers
Can I return an item after opening its box?
It depends on the item and the store's policy. The law's right to withdraw requires that you haven't used the product, and many stores ask for it back in its original packaging. Recordings and software are among the law's exceptions once their seal is opened, and some stores won't take back beauty products even when they are still sealed.
Do I get the shipping fee back when I return an order?
At several of our stores, shipping fees and cash on delivery fees are not refunded after delivery. It can be different when the store is at fault, for example when the item arrives damaged, as Sephora's policy states. Read the return policy before you choose how to pay.
Can I cancel an order before it ships?
It depends on the store and on how far along the order is, and cancelling before shipping is usually easier than returning afterwards. Al Majed Oud, for example, refunds the full amount if you cancel before shipping, and at ToYou cancelling stays open until the restaurant or shop accepts the order. Look for the cancel button on the order page as soon as you change your mind.
Can I cancel an order because delivery is late?
In one specific case, yes. Article 14 of the E-Commerce Law says you may cancel the contract if delivery is late by more than 15 days, unless another period was agreed. Before that, contact the store and ask for a clear delivery date.
Why did my refund arrive as wallet credit and not on my card?
Usually because you paid cash on delivery, or because you picked store credit when you filed the return. Some stores add refunds for cash on delivery orders to the wallet, and some will move it to your bank account through customer service, as Namshi does. Ask support if this isn't what you asked for.
Can I swap the size instead of returning the item?
At some stores, yes. At Namshi, for example, you can swap the size once, and if the new one doesn't fit either, you can return it. If a store doesn't offer exchanges, you may need to return the item and order the other size again.