Your right to return or cancel an online purchase in Saudi Arabia

The short version

You can cancel an online purchase within 7 days of receiving the product, provided you haven’t used it.
You pay the cost of returning it in that case, unless agreed otherwise.
There are exceptions, including made-to-order items, books and magazines, and accommodation, transport and catering services.
If delivery is more than 15 days late against the contract date or agreed date, you can cancel and get your money back, unless the delay is due to force majeure.

Which law protects you?

Online shopping in Saudi Arabia is governed by the E-Commerce Law and its Implementing Regulations. The law covers stores based in the Kingdom and also businesses abroad that offer products or services to consumers in the Kingdom in a way that lets them buy. In other words, a store that targets you in Saudi Arabia is bound by these rules.

The seven-day window

Article 13 lets a consumer rescind the contract within seven days of receiving the product, or of the service contract date, provided they haven’t used the product or benefited from the service. In that case the consumer bears the cost of cancelling, unless the parties agree otherwise.

That’s the legal minimum. Many stores go further, with 14- or 30-day returns or free return shipping. Read the store’s policy: if it’s better for you, it’s the one that applies.

What’s excluded

The law lists cases where the seven-day right doesn’t apply, including:

Items customised or made to your order, unless they’re defective or don’t match the agreed specification.
Video tapes, records, CDs or software that have been opened or used.
Newspapers, magazines, books and other publications.
Defects caused by the consumer’s mishandling.
Accommodation, transport and catering services.
Downloadable software, unless it’s faulty, can’t be downloaded or doesn’t match the specification.

The Implementing Regulations add cases based on the nature of the product, such as goods likely to deteriorate during the cancellation period and goods that can’t be resold for health reasons. So opened personal-care items may not be returnable.

When delivery is late

Article 14 gives you a separate right. If the store delays delivery by more than 15 days from the contract date or the agreed date, you can rescind the contract and recover what you paid, plus any costs the delay caused, unless the delay is due to force majeure. The store must also tell you about any expected delay that materially affects delivery.

Note that if you accepted a later delivery date when ordering, the 15 days count from that date.

Defective or not as described

The seven-day window doesn’t replace your warranty rights. A faulty item, or one that doesn’t match its description, is a different case from changing your mind, and you shouldn’t bear the cost. Photograph the problem as soon as it arrives and contact the store in writing.

Practical steps

Keep the e-invoice. It proves the purchase date, price and delivery terms.
Don’t use the item if you might return it, and keep the original packaging.
Request the return in writing through your account or by email, and keep the order number and messages.
Photograph the item on arrival and when you send it back.
Follow up on the refund. If you paid in instalments, make sure the provider has updated your plan.

If the store refuses

Start with customer service and ask for escalation in writing. If that doesn’t resolve it, you can file a complaint with the Ministry of Commerce through its official channels, attaching the invoice and your correspondence.

International stores

If the store is abroad, sending items back can be expensive, and import taxes and fees may be hard to recover. Read the international return policy before you buy, and see our shipping and customs guide.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. The Arabic text of the law is the authoritative version.

Sources

We may earn a commission when you buy through partner links, at no extra cost to you. It doesn’t influence our guides.