Liquidation 

Available within 14 days. Which products can and cannot be returned to the store? List of goods of good quality that cannot be returned or exchanged

The conditions for returning goods within 14 days are defined in sufficient detail in the law on the protection of consumer rights. In our article we will dwell on each of them, and also consider other nuances of returning goods within the specified period.

Exchange and return of goods within 14 days: what the law says

The law establishes the buyer’s right to contact the seller with a demand to exchange an item of appropriate quality purchased from the latter within 14 days from the date of its acquisition (Clause 1, Article 25 of the Law of the Russian Federation “On the Protection of Consumer Rights” dated 02/07/1992 No. 2300-I (hereinafter - ZZPP), Article 502 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation). The countdown of this period begins from the day following the day of purchase of the goods.

And only if the goods suitable for replacement are not on sale at the time the buyer sends the corresponding application, he has the right to demand termination of the contract and the release of the money paid for the purchase to him (clause 2 of article 25 of the PPA). The product must be returned to the retail outlet.

However, the parties can agree that the exchange will be carried out with a delay - after the product of interest to the buyer goes on sale, of which the seller will have to notify the buyer.

Which item is subject to exchange?

This procedure in relation to a product that does not have defects and shortcomings within the specified period can be implemented subject to the following requirements:

  • The product did not suit the buyer in shape, dimensions, style, color, size or configuration.
  • The product is non-food (the possibility of exchanging food products of proper quality is not regulated by law, see the explanation of the Consumer Association of the Penza Region dated November 14, 2008).
  • The specified product was not used by the consumer, its product and consumer characteristics have not undergone changes, factory sealing and labels have not been lost. At the same time, judicial practice shows that courts often do not consider the fact that a product is not packaged as a sufficient basis for refusing to return it (for example, the ruling of the Moscow City Court dated December 11, 2014 No. 4g/8-9738).
  • There is documentation (sales or cash receipt) or other appropriate evidence confirming that the returned item was purchased from a specific seller.
  • The product is not included in the list of goods not subject to exchange (see List of non-food products..., approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of January 19, 1998 No. 55, hereinafter referred to as list No. 55).

Reasons for returning goods within 14 days

In order to avoid abuse of rights on the part of the consumer, the law regulates specific reasons for the buyer to return goods that do not have defects back to the store (see paragraph 1, paragraph 1, article 25 of the PZPP).

The legislator does not prohibit the parties from agreeing on the conditions for the return or exchange of goods. In this case, the seller can exchange (return) the purchased item for any reason and even after the expiration of 14 days.

Given in Art. 25 of the PPA, the conditions for the exchange/return of goods are quite abstract, and therefore disputes often arise between the parties to the purchase and sale agreement.

Thus, one of the most common controversial situations is when goods are incorrectly identified by the seller as included in list No. 55. Classification of an item as goods that, by law, cannot be returned or exchanged, is made taking into account the totality of all the characteristics of each group of goods included in list No. 55: the purpose of the thing, the material for its manufacture, etc. (for example, Resolution of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation dated December 30, 2015 No. 309-AD15-16762).

Such a circumstance as the acquisition of goods based on a sample cannot in any way limit the buyer’s rights to exchange or return them in cases established by law (for example, the ruling of the Oryol Regional Court dated December 8, 2015 in case No. 33-3194).

Another common situation is the parties to the transaction misinterpreting the concept of “defect of goods”, in connection with which the legal requirement regarding the deadline for filing claims to the seller may be violated (for example, the ruling of the Engels District Court dated March 16, 2015 in case No. 11-37(1)/2015 ).

Scheme of buyer actions when returning goods within 14 days

A consumer who wishes to return a purchased product must adhere to the following scheme in his actions:

  • analyze to what extent the product meets the criteria set out in paragraph 1 of Art. 25 ZPP;
  • subject to the provisions of the law, contact the seller with a legal requirement to accept the purchased item and return the money paid.

The consumer must submit an application for the return of goods in writing. Such a statement shall indicate:

  • last name, first name, patronymic of the buyer, his passport details;
  • name of the product, its unique characteristics (if available);
  • the reason for the need to return the product (for example, it does not fit in size and at the same time there is currently no similar product in the store for replacement, etc.);
  • demand to return the amount paid by the buyer for the goods;
  • method of returning funds: in cash or to a card account - depending on the method of payment for the goods (this issue is discussed in more detail in the article “Procedure for returning money to the card when returning goods”);
  • buyer's signature and date of application.

If the seller refuses to exchange the product or return the amount paid for it in cases regulated by law, the consumer must go to court to protect his rights.

Payments collected in favor of the consumer in the form of penalties and fines are taxable. At the same time, compensation for moral damage paid to the consumer is not subject to personal income tax (clause 7 of the Review of the practice of considering cases by courts..., approved by the Presidium of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation on October 21, 2015).

What other documents does the buyer provide to get a refund for the purchase?

The seller can return money from the cash register after the end of the shift only upon presentation by the buyer of a passport and a written application (clause 10.3 of the Methodological Recommendations for Accounting..., approved by letter of Roskomtorg dated July 10, 1996 No. 1-794/32-5, paragraph 2, clause 6.1 of the instructions Bank of Russia “On the procedure for conducting cash transactions...” dated March 11, 2014 No. 3210-U, clause 1.8 of the Bank of Russia regulation “On the issue of payment cards...” dated December 24, 2004 No. 266-P).

If the item is returned on the day of purchase, then there is no need to present a passport (this issue is discussed in more detail in our article “Why do they require a passport when returning goods”).

So, a product that does not have defects or shortcomings is subject to exchange by the seller at the initiative of the buyer within 14 days (not counting the day of its purchase). The list of grounds for possible exchange of goods by the seller is regulated by clause 1 of Art. 25 ZPPP. If on the day the buyer contacts there is no similar replacement product on sale, he may demand a refund of the money paid for such product. In this case, the item itself must be returned to the store.

Refunds are made upon written request from the buyer upon presentation of an identification document.

What matters is whether you purchased a quality product or whether it is defective. You have the right to demand a return and exchange of any defective goods. Quality goods, if they do not suit you in shape, style, dimensions, color or size, can also be returned, but not all of them.

What quality products cannot be returned?

Please note that certain categories of quality goods that do not have defects cannot be returned. The list of such goods is established by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated January 19, 1998 No. 55.

Thus, according to the list, goods of proper quality in the following categories are not subject to return or exchange::

  • personal hygiene items (including combs, toothbrushes, hairpins, curlers, glasses lenses, nail scissors, etc.);
  • medicines and medical devices;
  • child care products (pacifiers, diapers, bottles, etc.);
  • underwear and bed linen, as well as hosiery;
  • Perfumes and cosmetics;
  • fabrics, as well as ribbons, braid and lace, sold by the meter;
  • wires, cords, cables;
  • construction and finishing materials sold by the meter (linoleum, carpet, etc.);
  • disposable tableware and packaging materials made of polymers;
  • household chemicals;
  • pesticides and agrochemicals;
  • household furniture (although some large stores give customers the opportunity to return furniture, they are not legally required to do so);
  • jewelry made of precious metals or with precious stones;
  • cars and motorbikes, trailers, mobile means of small-scale mechanization of agricultural work, pleasure craft and household watercraft;
  • civilian weapons, main parts of civilian and service firearms, ammunition for them;
  • non-periodical printed materials (books, brochures, calendars);
  • animals and plants;
  • technically complex household goods for which warranty periods are established (telephones, cameras, radio electronics, etc.).

How to return a purchase without a defect to the store?

Read also:

When returning non-food products of good quality that do not fall into the above categories, certain conditions must be observed.

A quality product can be returned within 14 days, not counting the day of purchase, if it has not been used and its presentation, consumer properties, seals and labels are preserved.

It is very good to have a sales receipt or other document confirming payment for the goods. However, Part 5 of Article 18 of the Law “On Protection of Consumer Rights” states: “The absence of a consumer’s cash or sales receipt or other document certifying the fact and conditions of purchase of the goods is not a basis for refusal to satisfy his demands.” If the buyer does not have a receipt, he can refer to the testimony of witnesses.

The money for the product must be returned to you within three days from the day you took the purchase back to the store. If the seller decides to take advantage of the three-day deferment, the consumer must record the fact of transfer of the goods to the seller in the act. It must indicate the position, initials and surname of the person to whom the goods were transferred; the reason why it was returned; and the date of return of the goods. This act must be kept by the consumer until the store returns the money to him.

How to return a defective product?

According to the Law “On the Protection of Consumer Rights,” if a consumer finds serious defects in a purchased product, he has the right to return such product to the seller and demand a refund of the money paid for it. This also applies to defective technically complex goods and spoiled food products. The consumer may also demand the replacement of a low-quality product with a high-quality one, elimination of defects free of charge, or a reduction in the purchase price.

In addition, you have the right to compensation for losses and damages that you suffered due to defective goods.

With regard to goods for which there is a guarantee, the consumer has the right to present his claims to the seller if he discovers defects in the goods during the warranty period or expiration date.

“In relation to goods for which warranty periods or expiration dates are not established, the consumer has the right to make these demands if defects in the goods are discovered within a reasonable time, but within two years from the date of their transfer to the consumer,” says the law “On the Protection of Consumer Rights "

To get your money back, you need to terminate the purchase and sale agreement with the store. To do this, you need to draw up a free-form complaint statement to the store in two copies. The store must either agree to satisfy your requirements or provide a reasoned refusal.

Very often, a store sends goods for examination to identify defects. All expenses for holding it are borne by the store, and you have every right to attend it. If it turns out that the product was initially defective, and did not deteriorate due to the fault of the consumer, the store is obliged to return your money. If you are not satisfied with the result of the examination, you can contact independent experts.

If the store refuses to take the product back and refund your money, you can file a lawsuit. In such cases, the court often takes the side of the consumer, forces the seller to return the money and fines him for selling low-quality goods.

If the product has a warranty, the buyer may request free repair of the product or replacement with a similar one. In this case, repairs must be carried out within no more than 45 days, unless other terms have been specified in a written agreement between the buyer and seller. The law notes that “if the defects of the product are eliminated, the warranty period for it is extended for the period during which the product was not used.”

Rospotrebnadzor can also help you protect your rights.

Can I return an item purchased on sale?

Very often, during sales in stores, you can find advertisements stating that discounted goods purchased at a promotion cannot be returned. However, such an advertisement is a marketing ploy by the store, and the store in this case is misleading you.

There are no legal restrictions on returns and exchanges of goods purchased at a sale. Therefore, if you are not satisfied with the product purchased on sale, feel free to take it back to the store.

Often in the process of trade and monetary relations a situation occurs when the rights of the buyer are intentionally or accidentally violated. That is why consumers are increasingly asking themselves how to defend their right to return a defective purchase and whether there is a special law for this.

We hasten to please all deceived users - there is. Moreover, Article 25 of this act states that goods can be returned not only because of poor quality, but also for a number of other circumstances - you don’t like the color, shape, the style doesn’t fit, etc.

Return of goods within 14 days without explanation

Based on Article 25 of the Law of the Russian Federation On Consumer Rights and Protection of Consumer Rights, the buyer can return the purchase back to the store within 14 days from the date of the transaction without giving reasons. For example, if he simply doesn’t like the purchase.

Can everything be returned?

  • Jewelry,
  • personal hygiene items,
  • items purchased without a receipt, etc.

A complete list of items should be found in the text.

Buyer's rights

The buyer must undoubtedly know his rights, namely he has:

  • the right to return a defective item if you have a receipt, or to get your money back;
  • exchange a non-food product against a receipt for a similar item within the specified period;
  • the right to eliminate a defect (malfunction) discovered in the purchase free of charge;
  • to receive a recalculation of the purchase price downward for an existing defect, as well as if the item technically does not correspond to its description and declared quality;
  • the opportunity to contact the Russian defense authorities;
  • submit a claim to a non-food or grocery store.

How to write an application for the return of goods

In order for the seller to return money for products of poor quality, it is necessary to come with the purchase and receipt to the retail outlet within 14 calendar working days and write an application addressed to its director. This paper is drawn up in the form specified in the Law on the Protection of Consumer Rights. You can download a sample application

Exchange of goods of inadequate quality

In a trading enterprise, if necessary, they are obliged to provide the injured customer with an exchange for quality products in exchange for damaged ones, the monetary equivalent of which is similar. The reasons for this may be:

  • the shoes did not fit;
  • not satisfied with the style;
  • clothes are not in proper appearance (damaged even before purchase) and other reasons.

Technically complex goods cannot be returned within 14 days

The bill on returning a purchase within 14 days from the date of its completion also defines a list of products that cannot be returned to the store either during this time or even the next day.

This category includes such technically complex goods as a computer, cell phone, credit laptop, and electronic equipment. For example, the Megafon company is unlikely to return money for a purchased phone, but will most likely offer to exchange it, since during the warranty period it is possible to replace faulty equipment with a high-quality analogue.

Is it possible to return goods to Euroset?

Numerous customer reviews lately indicate that the Euroset company often does not fulfill the terms of its trade obligations to the buyer and does not want to give money for substandard assortment. However, the reason for this behavior of the company is not known. However, to date, they have denied many customers the opportunity to exchange products for new ones without manufacturing defects, or to return their money. Therefore, you need to purchase equipment from this organization with caution or carefully study the law on the return of goods (also known as the Law on the Protection of Consumer Rights in Russia and specifically Article 25 of it) and then refer to the paragraphs of Article 25.

Does Sunlight accept returns?

It often happens that an item you liked in the store did not fit or was no longer liked after purchase. According to current legislation, namely Article 502 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation and the Law “On Protection of Consumer Rights,” there are rules that allow you to return low-quality goods within 14 days.

The buyer, without explanation, has the right to return to the seller goods purchased by telephone, via the Internet or other remote means. You can return an absolutely high-quality product to the store, but there are certain nuances for this, which we will consider further.

What products and under what conditions can be returned?

Before you go to the store and try to return a particular product, you must take into account that this can only be done if it is non-food.

The Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation, dated January 19, 1998, approved the “List of goods of adequate quality that are not subject to return or exchange”:

  • medications;
  • perfumery;
  • personal hygiene items;
  • books;
  • cars;
  • technically complex goods (computers, MFPs, smartphones);
  • animals, etc.

If the product is not included in this list, the following conditions must be met:

  1. The period of 14 days has not yet expired from the date of purchase.
  2. There was no similar product available for exchange in the store's warehouse.
  3. The product has not yet been used.
  4. The packaging is completely preserved, the presentation of the product is not damaged, factory seals and labels are in place.
  5. The buyer has a sales receipt or any other document on the basis of which the fact of purchase can be substantiated.
  6. If the receipt is lost, the buyer can attract witnesses who will confirm the purchase.

Compliance with these conditions will help the buyer return the money spent within 3 days from the moment of contacting the store. It is important to remember that it is better to make such complaints in writing, rather than contact the seller orally, and even more so in a rude manner.

Returning goods purchased in an online store or by phone

On the Internet, on television and radio, in newspapers and magazines, numerous offers for sale always find their buyers. But since it is practically impossible to become more familiar with the characteristics of the product, additional rights appear that give the consumer grounds to send back a faulty or unsuitable product.

For example, the “List of goods of good quality that cannot be returned or exchanged” is not taken into account for such purchases.

Conditions that allow you to return goods to the online store:

  1. You can refuse the purchased item before it is delivered or within a week from the date of receipt.
  2. If upon receipt of the goods there were no instructions with it that the buyer could return it before the expiration of 7 days, the return procedure can be completed within three months.
  3. The received product has not lost its original presentation and consumer properties.
  4. The buyer has documents confirming the purchase: receipts, coupons, etc.
  5. Items made individually to order cannot be returned.

How to properly carry out the procedure for returning goods?


When making a claim for a return (exchange) of a purchase, you must have your passport with you. The store employee must return the purchase amount no later than 10 days after the request.

In this case, an official return certificate is drawn up, certified by the signatures of both the buyer and the store representative. Sellers do not always meet buyers halfway, often taking advantage of the latter’s legal illiteracy. However, if the buyer’s right is supported by law, then the actions of the store employees to refuse are unlawful and therefore illegal.

Where and how to protect your consumer rights?

When the seller refuses to return the goods to the buyer, you can threaten to contact Rospotrebnadzor. As a rule, many stores try to avoid unwanted unscheduled inspections by this authority and therefore can satisfy the buyer’s request.

If this does not work, you should request a complaint book and make an appropriate entry in it. Next, you need to contact Rospotrebnadzor. They will consider the claim there, and if it is not satisfied for some reason, you need to file a claim in court.

To avoid all sorts of delays and unnecessary expenses, it is worth making the law “On the Protection of Consumer Rights” your reference book. Such simple measures will allow you to better understand your rights and protect them if they are violated. In addition, you should be more careful before buying anything, both in a regular store and remotely. This will help, if necessary, to return the goods within 14 days according to the law without giving reasons.

Video: Rules for returning goods within 14 days from the date of purchase.

    This is the list, you say, but what can you exchange in the store or get your money back if a similar product is sold out?

    The list of what can be exchanged is quite wide; no one has compiled it and is not regulated. This list includes all non-food products that are not included in the list of prohibited items.

    Interest Ask: Is it possible to return a product without defects purchased on sale? Often, sellers post notices stating that items from a promotion or sale cannot be returned. From the point of view of the law, this requirement has no basis, because the goods on sale are no different from the usual ones. And it is fully covered by the Consumer Protection Law.

    Step-by-step instructions for returning goods of good quality

    1. Count the days after purchasing the product: you can return the product without a defect within 14 days
    2. Make sure the item is not on the non-returnable list.
    3. Check again whether you are really right in your claims and whether the color, style, shape or size, dimensions or equipment do not suit you
    4. Inspect the goods for damage, the presence of labels and seals, and the integrity of the packaging.
    5. Take the receipt with you, and if you don’t have it, agree to enlist the support of a witness in the process of purchasing the goods; he should go with you to the seller. Just in case, take your passport and a piece of paper.
    6. The seller may ask you to write a statement indicating the reason for returning the goods (or money). In the application for the return of goods of proper quality, you must indicate your passport details and other personal information.
    7. If you did everything correctly, the seller is obliged to exchange the product for a suitable one. If on the day of your request there is no such product, the seller has the right to offer you to wait until the product arrives. You have the right to refuse and demand a refund. The seller is obliged to return them within three days.

    What to do if the seller refuses to exchange the goods?

    First, make sure that your requirements are fair, because the seller is not obliged to exchange one product for any other. You can insist on exchanging the product only for a similar one. If the product is in stock, you cannot force the seller to return the money; he can do all of the above only voluntarily, when the store’s policy is customer-oriented.

    If you brought an item that meets the requirements for returning it, do so within 14 days, but the seller does not want to meet you halfway, call our lawyer immediately. We will listen to you and, if necessary, help solve this problem, based on the Consumer Protection Law and our experience.

    Enjoy the shopping! Choose products in the store carefully!