Writing a returns policy that actually holds

Start from what the law already gives the customer

Under the UAE's e-commerce framework (Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2023) and the consumer protection framework (Federal Law No. 15 of 2020), a consumer whose goods are defective, unsafe, or materially different from how they were described is entitled to a remedy — repair, replacement or refund depending on the circumstances.

Goods must also arrive within the time you stated at the point of sale, and a significant delay gives the consumer a right to cancel and be refunded.

Critically: a term in your policy that tries to remove a right the consumer has under UAE law has no effect. Writing "no returns under any circumstances" does not make it so — it just makes your policy look like it was copied from somewhere else.

What you genuinely get to decide

• The window for change-of-mind returns, which is separate from faulty-goods rights.
• The condition you require — unused, original packaging, tags attached.
• Who pays return shipping on a change-of-mind return.
• Exclusions for goods that genuinely cannot be resold: perishables, personalised items, and hygiene-sensitive products once opened.

Say the exclusions on the product page, not only in the policy

If a product cannot be returned once opened, that belongs on the product page where the decision is made. A customer who discovers it in the policy afterwards has a complaint, and they are not wrong.

This is also what a payment gateway looks for when reviewing your site — clear, findable terms are part of what gets an application approved.

Refunds go back the way they came

Refunds should be made within a reasonable time and, where applicable, through the original payment method. That is both the expectation under the e-commerce law and what customers assume.

Operationally there are two things to get right: the tax has to reverse proportionally on a partial refund, and a credit note has to be raised against the original tax invoice. How refunds affect your VAT →

Exchanges are often what the customer actually wants

Particularly in clothing. A size exchange keeps the sale and keeps the customer; a refund loses both. A returns flow that only knows how to refund turns a solvable problem into a lost order.

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A plain-language summary of published UAE consumer and e-commerce law at the time of writing, not legal advice. Have your own policy reviewed if anything about your category is unusual.