The product I bought is defective — can I get a repair, replacement, or refund?
Last updated: 2026-07-12 · Educational content; not legal advice.
Short answer
Yes. Under the Consumer Act of the Philippines (RA 7394), a seller of a defective consumer product owes you a remedy — commonly called the 3 Rs: repair, replacement, or refund. For an imperfect product, Article 100 lets you first demand that the imperfect parts be corrected; if the seller does not fix it within 30 days, you may instead demand the replacement of the product with one of the same kind in perfect condition, the immediate reimbursement of what you paid (with monetary updating), or a proportionate reduction of the price. If the product carried an express warranty, Article 68 lets you elect repair or refund for its breach. The DTI's position is that sellers must honor warranties and grant these remedies for genuine defects; you are NOT entitled to them for a mere change of mind or your own mishandling.
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Frequently asked
Can I always insist on a cash refund?
Not automatically. Under RA 7394 Art. 100 the seller may first correct the imperfect parts; only if it is not fixed within 30 days (or if the extent of the defect makes repair pointless) can you demand replacement, immediate reimbursement of the price paid, or a proportionate price reduction — at your option.
Does this apply if I broke it myself?
No. The remedies are for genuine defects, imperfections, or misrepresentation. The DTI is explicit that the 3 Rs do not apply to a change of mind or to damage caused by the buyer's own mishandling.
The seller says 'store policy' is no refunds — is that valid?
No. A store policy cannot override RA 7394. For a genuine defect, the statutory remedy stands regardless of any 'No Return, No Exchange' sign, which the DTI treats as a deceptive sales act.
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Your rights when something you bought is defective — the repair, replacement, or refund a seller owes you under the Consumer Act (RA 7394, Arts. 68 and 100), why a blanket "No Return, No Exchange" sign is illegal (a deceptive sales act the DTI prohibits), the free implied warranty you get even without a warranty card (60 days to 1 year on new products), hidden defects discovered after purchase and the 6-month redhibition action under the Civil Code (Arts. 1561, 1566, 1567, 1571), the Price Tag Act rule that you cannot be charged more than the displayed tag (Art. 81), the Philippine Lemon Law (RA 10642) for a brand-new car with the same defect after 4 repair attempts within 12 months or 20,000 km, defective services, manufacturer vs seller liability, and how to file a DTI complaint. This cluster is about legitimate purchases that turn out defective — online-shopping fraud and fakes live in the Scams & Online Fraud cluster.