Dear Customers! We kindly ask you to carefully review the articles of the Law of Ukraine "On Consumer Rights Protection," which outline cases requiring a product return or exchange, as well as our recommendations.
Carefully study the information about the chosen product, feel free to ask questions that interest you, for example, about the product quality, characteristics, and parameters. Familiarize yourself with consumer rights and obligations in advance.
For regulatory control of interactions between consumers of goods and services and manufacturers and sellers of goods and services in Ukraine, the law No. 3161-IV "On Consumer Rights Protection" (hereinafter referred to as "the Law"), enacted on 01.12.2005, is in force. Below, you can find the main provisions of the Law that will help you defend your legal rights guaranteed by the state.
According to Article 4 of the Law, as a consumer of goods and services, you have the right to:
• protection of your rights by the state;
• appropriate product quality and service;
• safety of the offered goods and services;
• accurate and true information not only about the product, its assortment, and quality, but also about the manufacturer and/or seller (executor);
• recourse to the court and other authorized state bodies if necessary to protect consumer rights provided by the Law in case of their violation.
In addition to rights, the article also sets forth certain consumer obligations.
When purchasing a product, you are required to:
• carefully study the attached documentation with usage instructions before using the product;
• contact the product manufacturer (seller, executor) for additional questions about the rules and conditions of use before starting to use the product;
• follow the rules, safety measures, and specific usage features of the product;
• use the product only as intended;
• to avoid adverse effects from product use, follow the safety methods provided by the manufacturer and any specific rules outlined in the operational documentation. If these rules are absent in the documentation, adhere to generally accepted safety methods for such products.
Note that you can make claims for product exchange or return to both the seller and the manufacturer. If the product is available, your request must be fulfilled immediately. The buyer may verify the product's quality within 14 days of purchase or as agreed between the parties when drawing up the contract. If the product is not available, your request should be met no later than two months after the application is submitted. Otherwise, you retain the right to claim a refund or a replacement product with price adjustment.
If the cost of a new product of the same brand, model, etc., changes, the price will not be adjusted for the defective product replacement. The price adjustment will be made if it is replaced with a similar product of a different brand or model. If the new product's price increases, the adjustment is based on the price at the time of exchange, and if the price decreases, the adjustment is based on the purchase price.
The refund for a defective product can be issued on the day of return or within the following 7 calendar days, but no later.
Article 9 of the Law discusses consumer rights when purchasing a product of appropriate quality. If for any reason, you cannot use the purchased product (due to size, model, color, or other reasons), you have the right to exchange it for a similar product.
However, there are certain restrictions on the exchange (return) of products of appropriate quality.
Restriction #1. You can exchange (return) a product of appropriate quality if it has not been used, the packaging is intact, it retains its marketable appearance, consumer properties, all accessories, seals, labels, stickers, tags, and the purchase receipt or other documents issued at the time of sale are preserved.
Restriction #2. There is a list of non-food products that cannot be exchanged or returned if they are of proper quality. This list consists of 27 items and is exhaustive. You can find this list in Appendix 172-94-p to the Law of Ukraine "On Consumer Rights Protection".
Consumer claims are only considered after presenting the purchase receipt that confirms the purchase, complete product packaging, factory packaging with a barcode, and a warranty card (if available). In the case of a defective product, an authorized Service Center certificate (with a round seal) documenting a "significant defect" in the purchased product is required.
Product exchange or refund is only possible when all conditions and procedures outlined above and stipulated by Ukrainian law are met.
You may be denied a product exchange or refund if:
• more than 14 days have passed since the purchase of a product without significant defects;
• the product without significant defects is no longer new, i.e., it has been used;
• the quality check reveals signs of tampering (disassembly, repair attempts) or other warranty conditions are violated;
• no document confirms the purchase, or the warranty card, complete packaging, or product packaging is missing.
- Full document text LAW OF UKRAINE on Consumer Rights Protection
- Products not subject to return or exchange, according to the decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 172 of March 19, 1994