There are plenty of reasons why you might need to get a refund on something you bought from the PlayStation Store. Perhaps you bought the wrong thing or the wrong edition of a particular game. Perhaps you bought something, then read a slew of negative reviews which made you instantly regret it. Perhaps you bought a gift for someone, but they don’t really want it (it happens to the best of us).
It doesn’t really matter. What matters is that, as a consumer, you have the right to a refund. Getting a PSN refund, specifically, isn’t too difficult, but there are some rules and restrictions of which you should definitely be aware.
Firstly, let’s go through the logistics of getting a PSN refund. To begin with, go to the Contact Form page on the official PlayStation website. There’s a link here, or just search for “PlayStation Contact Form” and you’ll find it easily enough. Once you’re on the page, click on “PlayStation Network & Account” in the first box. Then, in the second box, look for the “What is your question about?” box and select “Refund request” from the drop-down menu. All you have to do from there is fill in your account details, give some specifics about your refund request, and you’re away!
Alternatively, if you’d prefer to contact PlayStation directly, you can also call them on 0203 538 2665. Their operating hours are 10:30-19:00 Monday to Saturday, and the staff on hand are generally extremely friendly and helpful; they should have no trouble handling your refund request.
So, that’s how you literally go about getting a PSN refund, but as we mentioned there are a couple of technicalities of which you should definitely be aware.
Firstly, there’s a time limit on getting a refund: specifically, you must request your money back within 14 days of the purchase. This includes the purchases of both digital content and season passes.
Secondly, and equally importantly, you cannot have begun to either download or stream the game you bought. That’s a tough one, because obviously, most people will hit the “Download” button as soon as they’ve made their purchase, but PlayStation makes it perfectly clear in their refund policy that this is the case.
There is also a rule relating to in-game consumables, which have skyrocketed with the atmospheric rise of GTA and FIFAs’ online features in particular. If you purchase these consumables outside the game, they will effectively “activate” as soon as you start the game; if you request your refund before starting the game, within 14 days of course, then you should be okay. If you buy the consumables inside the game, then they are activated immediately, and you are therefore ineligible for a refund.
As you can see, getting a PSN refund isn’t exactly rocket science. If you do have any lingering confusion, we assure you that you’ll almost certainly find the PlayStation customer service reps extremely helpful. We would stress again, however, that there are some extremely important Ts & Cs which you have to take into account before knowing whether or not you can get a refund.