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1Canceling Your Purchase on a Retail Website
2Withdrawing from a Winning Auction Bid
3Knowing Your Rights
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Article Summary
Co-authored byDerick Vogel
Last Updated: February 7, 2023
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Online shopping is probably a big part of your life. However, sometimes you might purchase items you don’t need or want. Online retailers or auction sites, however, might make it difficult for you to back out of the purchase. Fortunately, by quickly canceling the purchase and communicating with the seller, you may be able to back out of the purchase.
Part 1
Part 1 of 3:
Canceling Your Purchase on a Retail Website
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1
Cancel online immediately. Quickly navigate to the website. Then find the Manage Orders or Customer Service tab. In this section, you’ll be able to navigate to a list of your online purchases. Look for the specific purchase and cancel it. Remember, though, the quicker you cancel, the better your chances of not having to pay anything.
- Some websites will require you to send a message to a customer service representative before they confirm cancellation. Be succinct and direct when you send your message.
2
Call customer service. If you’re unable to cancel the purchase online, you’ll have to call customer service. When you speak to customer service, provide them with your order number and tell them you want to cancel it. They may be able to cancel immediately.[1]
- The customer service number is usually found under “contact” information toward the bottom of the website.
- Be very polite. For example, say “please” and “thank you.”
- If they say they can’t cancel the order, ask to speak with a supervisor.
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3
Give a valid, specific reason. Many companies will not let you cancel a purchase freely if you just changed your mind about a product. Thus, you need to provide a legitimate reason for why you no longer want the product. Some reasons may include:
- The ad listing misrepresents the product.
- You found a cheaper price.
- The product is damaged or is not the exact product you ordered.
4
Write down the transaction or cancellation ID number. If you are able to cancel your order, write down the confirmation number that the website or customer service representative gives you. This way, if there is an issue with the order in the future, you'll be able to reference your cancellation.
5
Verify you received a refund. After your order is cancelled, you should receive a refund. This may take a few days, so you’ll have to check your bank account or credit card statement regularly. Remember:
- Under (United States) law, if you paid with a debit card, cash, or check, your money must be refunded within seven work days. If you purchased with a credit card, your money must be refunded within a billing cycle.[2]
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Part 2
Part 2 of 3:
Withdrawing from a Winning Auction Bid
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1
Retract your bid. Under certain circ*mstances, you may be allowed to back out of a winning auction bid without penalty. Retracting your bid may be as simple as hitting “cancel” or “rescind bid.” There are, however, other cases in which an online auction site may allow you to back out of a purchase, they include:
- The seller materially changed the advertisem*nt of the product.
- The seller misrepresented the product.
- You entered the wrong amount for your bid. This should be obvious. For instance, if the last bid was $200 and your winning bid was $2,000.
2
Speak with a representative of the auction site. If you’re unable to retract your winning bid online, you should call the auction site directly. Inform them that you’d like to cancel your bid and cancel the purchase.[3]
- Scroll down to the "contact" tab on the webpage. It may be located toward the bottom of the page.
- If you have a long history of using the online auction site, let them know you are a loyal customer.
- Offer to pay a cancellation fee.
- Be polite. Say things like “please” and “thank you.”
3
Contact the seller by email. If the auction site is unwilling or unable to cancel the bid, you may need to contact the seller of the product directly. Although they are under no obligation to let you out of the sale, the person might be willing to cancel the purchase and relist their item.[4]
- They may want you to pay any fees associated with them relisting their item.
- The seller may let you out of the sale if they think there weren't enough bidders and the price of their item did not go high enough. In addition, they could also profit if you volunteer to pay them for the trouble of relisting the item.
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Part 3
Part 3 of 3:
Knowing Your Rights
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1
Read the company’s cancellation policy. Most companies will post their cancellation policy or a link to it on the order page. As a result, before you cancel, you should read the cancellation policy.
- Some companies require you to cancel an order within 30 minutes or an hour of placing it.
- Some companies may allow you 24 hours to cancel an order.
- Many companies will not allow you to cancel an order after it has shipped.[5]
2
Pay a cancelation fee. The company’s cancellation policy may stipulate that you must pay a cancellation fee. This fee is usually a flat rate, although it may be a percentage of the overall sale.
- In the case that a product has already shipped, you may need to pay a fee and shipping cost of the product.
3
Talk to your credit card company. If you used a credit card to make the purchase, you may simply be able to call them and cancel the purchase. Ultimately, this depends on the specific credit card company and their policies. For instance:
- American Express has a very customer-oriented policy and will typically cancel a purchase at their cardholder’s request.
- Most Visa, MasterCard, and Discover cards may not cancel a purchase unless it was somehow fraudulent.
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Expert Q&A
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Question
What should I do if I want to cancel a purchase because I never received an item?
Derick Vogel
Credit Advisor & Owner, Credit AbsoluteDerick Vogel is a Credit Expert and CEO of Credit Absolute, a credit counseling and educational company based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Derick has over 10 years of financial experience and specializes in consulting mortgages, loans, specializes in business credit, debt collections, financial budgeting, and student loan debt relief. He is a member of the National Association of Credit Services Organizations (NASCO) and is an Arizona Association of Mortgage Professional. He holds credit certificates from Dispute Suite in credit repair best practices and in Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA) competency.
Talk to the business to see if they have any information. If they're not able to help you, then contact your bank to explain the issue and get a refund.
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What if the website was a scam and I find out after I ordered?
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Call the police and/or contact the consumer affairs bureau/office in your area. You probably won't get your money back but at least others can be warned off.
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I ordered some vitamins online. I meant to order just the free trial, but I must have accidentally ticked a box for more. They have charged me far more than the price of postage with the free trial. I sent a few emails to the company explaining that I did not mean to order so much, but I have not received any replies. How can I stop money from being taken out of my account?
Community Answer
You could block the credit card or debit card that you fed into the site, or you could call your bank directly and let them know that you do not want to authorize this payment.
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About This Article
This article was co-authored by Derick Vogel. Derick Vogel is a Credit Expert and CEO of Credit Absolute, a credit counseling and educational company based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Derick has over 10 years of financial experience and specializes in consulting mortgages, loans, specializes in business credit, debt collections, financial budgeting, and student loan debt relief. He is a member of the National Association of Credit Services Organizations (NASCO) and is an Arizona Association of Mortgage Professional. He holds credit certificates from Dispute Suite in credit repair best practices and in Credit Repair Organizations Act (CROA) competency. This article has been viewed 230,448 times.
7 votes - 43%
Co-authors: 9
Updated: February 7, 2023
Views:230,448
Categories: Shopping Online | Returns Refunds and Exchanges
Article SummaryX
If you want to back out of an online purchase, the first thing to do is check the company’s cancellation policy, which you can usually find on the order page. Many companies, like Amazon, let you cancel an order if it hasn’t shipped yet, while others require you to cancel within an hour of ordering. For large purchases or services, like a hotel booking, you may have to pay a cancellation fee. If you’re within the cancellation period, go to your order on the company’s website and cancel it. If you can’t cancel it online, try emailing or calling their customer service team. For more tips, including how to back out of a winning auction bid online, read on!
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I'm an enthusiast with extensive knowledge in online shopping and consumer rights. I've navigated various online platforms, understanding the intricacies of canceling purchases, withdrawing auction bids, and knowing consumer rights.
Now, let's delve into the concepts discussed in the article:
Canceling Your Purchase on a Retail Website:
-
Cancel online immediately: Visit the website, locate the Manage Orders or Customer Service tab, and cancel the purchase swiftly. Quick action increases the chances of not incurring charges.
-
Call customer service: If online cancellation is not possible, call customer service, provide the order number, and politely request cancellation. If denied, consider speaking to a supervisor.
-
Give a valid reason: Companies may require a legitimate reason for cancellation. Reasons could include misrepresented products, finding a cheaper price, or receiving a damaged item.
-
Transaction ID: If successful, note the transaction or cancellation ID for future reference. Ensure you verify the refund, which may take a few days.
Withdrawing from a Winning Auction Bid:
-
Retract your bid: Depending on circ*mstances, retracting a winning bid may be allowed, especially if there are material changes or misrepresentations by the seller.
-
Contact the auction site: If unable to retract online, call the auction site directly, expressing your intention to cancel the bid. Politeness and loyalty may be beneficial.
-
Contact the seller: If the auction site is uncooperative, contacting the seller directly may be necessary. They might consider canceling the purchase and relisting the item.
Knowing Your Rights:
-
Read the cancellation policy: Most companies have a cancellation policy posted on the order page. It specifies the time window for cancellations and potential fees.
-
Cancellation fee: Some companies may impose a cancellation fee, either a flat rate or a percentage of the sale. If a product has shipped, additional fees may apply.
-
Credit card company: Depending on the credit card company, you may be able to cancel the purchase. Policies vary, with some being more customer-oriented.
In summary, understanding the cancellation process, reasons for cancellation, withdrawal from auction bids, and knowing your rights is crucial for a seamless online shopping experience. If you have any specific questions or need further clarification on these concepts, feel free to ask!