In a move to be more consumer friendly — or, at least, less consumer-hostile in the digital goods space — Microsoft is now testing a refund system to make it easier for customers to return Xboxvideo games and apps from the Windows Store.
Under the test program, customers will have 14 days to return content they aren’t satisfied with using a “self-service” system that doesn’t require human interaction, reports VentureBeat.
“Earlier today, we enabled self-serve refund pilot testing for digital content via the Xbox and Windows Insider Programs and this testing is presently limited to select Insider members,” a Microsoft spokesperson told VentureBeat.
Users can get the refund by signing in at account.microsoft.com and accessing their order history under “Payment & Billing,” which will now include a “Request a refund option.”
In order to qualify for a refund, the content has to meet a few conditions first:
• The game or app has to be returned within the first 14 days of purchasing it.
• There must be less than two hours of total play time on the game across all accounts.
• Have immediate buyers’ remorse? Too bad — you have to actually download and launch the game before you can request a refund.
• DLC, season passes, and any add-ons are not eligible for a refund.
• Some Windows 10 apps won’t work with the self-service return system, though Microsoft has not disclosed which ones.
• Microsoft also says it reserves the right to block access for users who abuse self-service refunds.
While it’s great that Microsoft is trying to improve how it treats customers who buy its digital content, it’s taken the company plenty of time to get to this point: Valve’s Steam gaming portal launched a refund system for PC gamers back in 2015.
by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist