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How to decline a refund request politely: email samples, and when to say yes instead

Six ways to say no to a refund, from a plain outside-the-window reply to an App Store pointer and a calm answer to a chargeback threat. And the cases where the refund is the cheaper answer.

The templates

Each one copies with its subject line. Change the parts in brackets, and cut any offer you are not actually willing to make.

Outside the refund window

Subject: Re: [their subject line]

Hi [Name], Thanks for getting in touch. I am not able to refund this one: [Product] has a [30]-day refund window, and your purchase on [date] is outside it. [The policy is here: link.] What I can do is [help get it working properly / cancel the renewal so you are not charged again / move you to the cheaper plan from your next payment]. If something specific is not working, tell me what it is and I will look at it properly. Sorry it is not the answer you were hoping for. [Your name]
Used for a long time

Subject: Re: [their subject line]

Hi [Name], Thanks for asking, and for being direct about it. I am going to say no to this one, and I would rather explain than just point you at a policy. Your [subscription / licence] started on [date], so a refund now would cover [months / a year] of [Product] you have already had. That is not something I do for anyone, because it would not be fair to the people who pay for the same thing. What I can do: I have cancelled the renewal, so there will be no further charges, and you keep access until [date]. If something changed recently and it stopped being useful, I would like to know what it was. [Your name]
Not yours to refund: the App Store

Subject: How to get a refund from Apple for [Product]

Hi [Name], This is not me saying no. App Store purchases are paid to Apple, and only Apple can refund them. I cannot see App Store payments or issue refunds for them from my side. You can ask Apple directly at reportaproblem.apple.com. Sign in with the Apple ID you used, choose "Request a refund", pick a reason and select [Product]. Apple reviews it and lets you know. In the meantime, if the problem is something I can fix, tell me what is happening and I will look at it. [Your name]
No refund, but an alternative

Subject: Your refund request, and what I can do instead

Hi [Name], I cannot refund [the payment on date], because [it is outside the 30-day window / reason]. But I do not want you paying for something that is not working for you, so here is what I can offer instead: 1. [A credit of amount toward your next renewal] 2. [An extra month on your plan at no charge, to give the fix a fair try] 3. [A move to the cheaper plan from your next payment, at price] Reply with whichever suits you and I will set it up today. [Your name]
After a chargeback threat

Subject: Re: [their subject line]

Hi [Name], I understand you are frustrated, and I want to be straightforward about where this stands. Your payment of [amount] on [date] is outside the [30]-day refund policy shown at checkout, so I am not able to refund it. [Your licence has been active since that day.] You are entitled to contact your bank. If you do, I will give them the same facts I have given you: the purchase date, the policy and the account history. I would much rather sort it out with you directly, though. If there is a problem with [Product] behind this, tell me what it is and I will do my best to fix it. [Your name]
The short version

Subject: Re: [their subject line]

Hi [Name], Sorry, I cannot refund this one: it is outside the [30]-day window. I have cancelled the renewal, so you will not be charged again. If something is not working, tell me and I will help. [Your name]

Subject lines for a declined refund

Reply in their thread. A no that arrives under a fresh, upbeat subject line reads as a form letter. When you do need a new subject, keep it neutral and name the product.

  • Re: [their original subject line] (the default, and usually the right one)
  • About your refund request for [Product]
  • Your refund request, and what I can do instead
  • How to get a refund from Apple for [Product]
  • Your [Product] renewal is cancelled

How to say no without losing the customer

  • The no comes early. Hidden in paragraph three, it makes them reread the email looking for it, and they are angrier when they find it.
  • One reason, and a specific one. “You bought it 64 days ago and the window is 30” is a reason. “As per our policy” is a wall.
  • Stop the next charge. If you decline a subscription refund, cancel the renewal in the same email unless they want to stay. A no followed by another charge next month is how a disagreement becomes a dispute.
  • Offer what you can do. A credit, an extra month, a cheaper plan or a proper look at the bug turns “no” into “not that, but this”.
  • Write as yourself. “Unfortunately we are unable to” from a one-person business reads as hiding behind a company. “I am not going to refund this one” is kinder, because it is honest about who decided.
  • Leave out the suspicion. No usage logs quoted back at them, no “as clearly stated”, nothing that implies they are trying it on, even if you think they are.

When refusing costs more than the refund

A refund policy is a default, not an instruction to refuse. Before you send any of the templates above, weigh what the no actually costs.

  • Chargeback fees. If they dispute the charge with their bank, the payment is held while it runs, your payment provider usually adds a dispute fee that can be larger than the payment itself, and too many disputes put your account at risk.
  • Tiny amounts. Refunding one month of a $10 plan costs $10. Arguing about it costs more than that in your own time, before you count the goodwill.
  • Public complaints. A refused refund is exactly what people write reviews and forum posts about, and that review keeps being read long after the amount has stopped mattering to either of you.
  • Your own promises. If your pricing page says “no questions asked”, if a trial turned into a charge they did not expect, or if the product did not do what your site says it does, the policy is not really on your side. Refund.
  • The law, where it applies. Consumer law in some countries gives buyers rights a policy cannot remove. The EU’s 14-day right of withdrawal for online purchases is one example, and for digital content it has conditions, such as whether the buyer agreed at checkout to give it up once the download or access began. The rules differ by country and by product type, so treat this as a prompt to check, not as legal advice.

A workable rule for a one-person business: refund anything small or reasonable without a fight, and keep the no for requests that are clearly outside a fair policy, where you can say why in one sentence.

A declined refund is rarely the last email

Refund decisions go better with the facts in front of you: how long they have been a customer, what they have paid, whether they have been refunded before. Looking that up in Stripe for every request is the kind of tab-switching you eventually stop doing, and then you decide on instinct. With Stripe connected, Moorline shows that history beside the conversation, read-only. It cannot refund or decline anything for you; the call stays yours.

The other half is what happens after you send the no. The customer says they will think about it, or that they are going to their bank, and the thread goes quiet. In Moorline that conversation sits in waiting on them and comes back to you rather than disappearing into the archive, so the next thing you hear is not a dispute notice about a conversation you had forgotten. How to never forget to reply to a customer explains why that state matters, with or without software.

Questions people ask

How do you politely decline a refund request?

Say no early, in plain words, with one specific reason: usually the refund window and the date they bought. Then offer what you can do instead, such as help with the problem, a credit, an extension or a cheaper plan. Keep the tone the same as you would for a yes, and end with an invitation to reply rather than a line that shuts the door.

Do I have to give a refund if my policy says no refunds?

Not always, but your policy does not override the law where the customer lives. Some places give consumers refund or withdrawal rights for online purchases; the EU’s 14-day right of withdrawal is the best known, and it has specific conditions for digital content and subscriptions. This is not legal advice: if you sell into those markets, check the rules that apply to you, or ask someone qualified.

What should I do if a customer threatens a chargeback?

Stay factual and calm. Restate the purchase date, the policy and what you can offer, and do not threaten anything back. Then decide honestly whether the refund is cheaper. A dispute usually costs a fee from your payment provider on top of the payment, takes weeks, and can count against your account. For a small amount, refunding is often the better business decision even when you are in the right.

Can I refund an App Store purchase for a customer?

No. Apple takes App Store payments, so only Apple can refund them. Send the customer to reportaproblem.apple.com, where they sign in with their Apple ID and request a refund for that purchase. Apple makes the decision, so make it clear your email is a pointer, not a refusal.

Should I offer store credit instead of a refund?

Offer it as an option, not as the only answer. A credit, an extra month or a cheaper plan works well for someone who still wants the product but feels they overpaid. For someone who wants to leave, credit is a no dressed up as a yes, and they will read it that way.