If a store has a 'No refunds' sign, can I not get a refund?

No. A 'No refunds' sign cannot remove the ACL consumer guarantees, and the ACCC treats it as unlawful. If a product has a guarantee failure such as a defect, you have the right to a repair, replacement or refund regardless of the sign. A change-of-mind refund, however, depends on store policy.

I lost the receipt — can I still get a refund?

Yes. The product doesn't need to be in its original packaging, but the seller can ask for proof of purchase. If you don't have a receipt, you can use a bank or card statement, an order-confirmation email or an invoice number, so keep your transaction records.

Can sale or discounted items also be refunded or exchanged?

If they are faulty, yes. The ACL consumer guarantees apply equally to full-price and sale items, and a 'no refunds on sale items' sign has no effect where there is a guarantee failure. A change-of-mind refund on a sale item, however, follows store policy.

I just changed my mind and want to return it — do I have a right to?

A refund or exchange for a change of mind (size, colour, finding it cheaper elsewhere, etc.) is not required by the ACL. In that case it depends on the store's own refund policy, so before buying check whether change-of-mind refunds are allowed and any time limit.

Consumer Rights & Refunds Guide (Australian Consumer Law) - Australian Capital Territory

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Consumer Rights & Refunds (Australian Consumer Law)

When something you bought in Australia breaks, doesn't match the ad, or a service is done poorly — the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) guarantees rights that apply automatically to everyone. They are the same whether you are a permanent resident or on a working holiday, student or temporary visa, and they don't disappear just because a store puts up a 'No refunds' sign.

This page is general information, not legal advice. It summarises the key points of the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) from a newcomer's perspective. Because every dispute is different, please check the latest details with the ACCC (accc.gov.au) and the Fair Trading agency in your state before acting on your rights. Phone numbers, amounts and time limits can change.

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Consumer Rights & Refunds (Australian Consumer Law)

Consumer Rights & Refunds (Australian Consumer Law)

1. What are the ACL 'consumer guarantees'? — Rights that come automatically

Guarantees that apply to products

Guarantees that apply to services

2. A 'No refunds' sign is unlawful

3. Major failure vs minor failure — who chooses the remedy

Major failure — the consumer chooses

Minor failure — the seller offers a free repair first

4. How to ask for a refund or exchange (4 steps)

5. Receipts, return postage, and 'change of mind'

What if you lost the receipt?

Who pays for return postage?

What about a change of mind?

6. If the store refuses — report to the ACCC or your state's Fair Trading

Where and how to report

8. Official sources (government agencies)

Frequently Asked Questions

Consumer Rights & Refunds (Australian Consumer Law)

Consumer Rights & Refunds (Australian Consumer Law)

1. What are the ACL 'consumer guarantees'? — Rights that come automatically

Guarantees that apply to products

Guarantees that apply to services

2. A 'No refunds' sign is unlawful

3. Major failure vs minor failure — who chooses the remedy

Major failure — the consumer chooses

Minor failure — the seller offers a free repair first

4. How to ask for a refund or exchange (4 steps)

5. Receipts, return postage, and 'change of mind'

What if you lost the receipt?

Who pays for return postage?

What about a change of mind?

6. If the store refuses — report to the ACCC or your state's Fair Trading

Where and how to report

7. Related guides worth reading

8. Official sources (government agencies)

Frequently Asked Questions