How to fix DRM-free refund policy mismatches

What you are probably seeing

Your dashboard shows a sudden shift to a 7-day refund window despite selling DRM-free files, creating confusion for customers who assumed a no-refund policy applied to downloadable goods.

Support tickets reveal buyers asking for refunds after downloading, while your delivery logs confirm the files were sent immediately, leaving you unable to distinguish between legitimate issues and abuse of the new window.

Why it happens

Platforms often default to standard physical goods refund policies when selling digital items, causing a layer mismatch where the checkout assumes permanence while the delivery system allows reversal.

The lack of clear communication from the platform about these policy changes leaves sellers unaware that their DRM-free status did not automatically override the default refund timeline, exposing them to financial risk.

What changed recently

Step by step

1. Audit your recent refund logs to identify any transactions exploited during the unexpected 7-day window to assess the scope of potential losses.

2. Review your platform’s current settings to confirm whether the no-refund policy for digital goods has been explicitly re-enabled or remains overridden by the default.

3. Implement a manual verification process that checks delivery logs against customer accounts to ensure the asset was actually downloaded before denying a refund request.

4. Update your product descriptions and purchase receipts to clearly state the refund terms for DRM-free files so buyers have no ambiguity about their rights.

5. Document every customer interaction and delivery confirmation to create a verifiable record that protects your rights if a platform dispute arises.

Ways to go further

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