Alterations
If the digital download you purchased was defective, the Consumer Rights Act allows you the right to file a claim against the retailer. Make sure you don’t end up with a lemon by reading our comprehensive advice.
Downloads that are faulty
Data that are produced and distributed in digital form is what the Consumer Rights Act refers to as the definition of digital content.
This means that you have rights to anything that you download or stream, including applications, ebooks, films, games, and music, and these rights apply to all of these things.
Digital content must be:
To a degree that is acceptable
Fit for a particular purpose
In accordance with the seller’s description.
You have the right to have your digital product repaired or replaced if it develops a fault and does not fulfil these criteria. In addition, you have the right to have any problems with your digital material resolved.
You are entitled to a refund, a repair, or a replacement.
File a complaint about the faulty items.
You may be eligible for a repair, replacement, or refund. If you answer a few basic questions, Which? will help you start your complaint at no cost.
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Have a problem with your brand-new or old automobile? Investigate your legal options.
Alterations or substitutions
Before you can ask for a refund, the retailer has one chance to make things right by repairing or replacing any products or digital material that are of an unsatisfactory quality, are not suitable for their intended use, or are not as advertised.
You have the option of requesting that the items be fixed or replaced, but the retailer has the right to decline your request if they can demonstrate that the cost of your preferred option is disproportionately higher when compared to the cost of the alternative.
If any of the following conditions are met, you have the right to a full or partial refund rather than a repair or replacement of the product:
It is not viable to repair or replace the device since the associated costs would be disproportionate to the worth of the digital material.
The inconvenience caused by repairs or replacements would be severe.
It would take an unreasonable amount of time to repair the damage Repair attempts have been fruitless.
In the event that the goods cannot be fixed or replaced, you have the option of either getting your money back or getting a discount on the purchase price if you still want to keep the item.
You have the right to request additional attempts at a repair or replacement from the store, even if you do not want a refund but do want your product repaired or replaced. If you do not want a refund but do want your product repaired or replaced, you have this right.
KEY INFORMATION
What exactly is included?
It makes a difference how you acquired the content:
Any digital content that you have purchased, whether with cash, a gift card, or credits, is considered paid digital content.
free digital material that is bundled with paid products, services, or additional digital content and distributed to customers at no additional cost. For instance, in order to watch content from a subscription-based internet streaming service, you will need to download a certain piece of software.
Any digital content that is provided free of charge but would not normally be accessible without the payment of a fee for either the content itself or the goods, services, or other digital content that it is packaged with. Take, for instance, a smart TV or any other product that comes with digital content already pre-installed.
In addition, the retailer is obligated to reimburse you in the event that any device or other form of digital content that you own is rendered inoperable as a direct result of the flawed digital content that you downloaded.
This rule applies in situations where the damage would not have occurred if the provider of the digital content had exercised “reasonable care and skill” in their work, and it does not matter whether or not the content was given away for free.
Putting an end to a digital download purchase
Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations, digital downloads are placed in their own distinct category; as a result, they are neither considered a service nor a good.
You will be required to give your approval in order to skip the 14-day cooling-off period in order to be able to download anything inside the first 14 days of purchasing it.
In the event that you choose not to provide your consent, the cooling-off period of 14 days will continue to be in effect; however, you will not be able to download any of your digital content until the conclusion of this time.
After you have downloaded the content, you will not be able to change your mind thanks to this restriction.
Make sure you go over the terms and conditions.
It is always important to check the terms and conditions of the seller because some merchants may offer refunds or exchanges as a sign of goodwill if you make a genuine mistake on a purchase, even if you have waived your right to cancel the transaction. This is one reason why it is important to check the terms and conditions of the seller.
KEY INFORMATION
A few helpful hints
Before you buy:
Check that the download is in the correct version and format.
Before you make a purchase, be sure to read some reviews of the download.
Check to see if you are agreeing to download your item before the end of the period during which you can cancel your purchase.
Obtaining a refund for a purchase made via download
You have nothing to lose by calling the merchant to see if you can receive a refund or exchange the download for the one you actually want if you make a genuine error when making a purchase of a download and realise that you made the mistake after the fact.
If you change your mind after making a purchase of a digital file from some vendors, you may be able to get a refund for the money you spent on the download.
