Refunds for mobile apps

If you own a smart phone or tablet, you've no doubt explored the enormous world of mobile apps, both free and paid. And if you're unhappy with a free app, nothing's easier than uninstalling it. But if you paid for an app that doesn't live up to its description, or has performance issues, or that you just don't like, you don't have a whole lot of recourse.

A precedent was set for this policy back in the days of boxed, shrink-wrapped software: In general, if you opened it, you owned it forever. But most programs offered free trials to potential buyers, so they could make sure it fit their needs. And they still do, even now that we can download software to our computers.

Increasingly, mobile developers are offering something similar: "freemium" apps, which means they give away a core product at no charge and then generate revenue by selling premium products to some users. So the app could be a "lite" version, and you'd need to upgrade for full features and function; or it could run ads, and you pay to get rid of them; or it makes money via in-app purchases—or some combination.

But many apps are still paid only, meaning there's no try-before-you-buy. If you dislike a mobile application you've paid for, it can be difficult to score a refund. When you've dropped a buck or two, that's no big deal, but some apps cost $30 or more. (GPS navigation apps, for instance, can cost $50 to $60.)

As when you're considering any other kind of purchase, research apps as well as you can before you buy. The app markets include user reviews, which should always be taken with a grain of salt—but if there are enough of them, you can often get a sense of how the app works and what its flaws may be. Also check at sites that review apps, of which there are many—just search on the term "app reviews." Again, break out that grain of salt.

For remorseful buyers, here's how to pursue a refund.

Try a new app right away; you have 15 minutes to get a refund. (After that, you must make your case with the app's developer.) Here's what to do within the 15-minute window, according to the Android Market's support page:

1. Launch Android Market on your device.
2. Select Menu, then My Apps.
3. Choose the app you'd like to return. You'll see two buttons: Open and Refund.
4. Pick Refund. The button will now say Uninstall. Press that to remove the app and start the refund.

The official policy: no refunds unless the app is unavailable to download after you've paid, or technical problems ensue. Ask Apple for a refund for a good reason, though, and you might receive it. Here's how to ask.

1. Go to Manage Account (at the left side of the Store screen) and click on Purchase History.
2. Click on Report a Problem.
3. Click the arrow next to the problematic purchase.
4. Click the Report a Problem link next to the problematic item.
5. Click the Problem drop-down menu and select a problem description.
6. Write in any comments, then submit.

It's difficult to decipher the terms of the sale page, but the bottom line seems to be that all app sales are final, with a few exceptions: If the product isn't available for download when you buy it, for example, or the developer has disabled it. If all else fails, check with your BlackBerry carrier.

All sales are final and nonrefundable, but in Microsoft Answers, we saw a way to request refunds. One refund is allowed per calendar month, and all requests must be started within 24 hours of the app purchase. Here's what to do.

1. Go to marketplace.windowsphone.com.
2. After signing in, select Purchase History. On that page, click Details for the application you want refunded.
3. Click Get Support and you'll see Get Help With My Bill and the subtopic Request A Refund For This Purchase. Click that.