Refunds technology must be faster in 2026?

[MagicMJ]

Have you noticed how refund times haven't sped up in over 30 years at least? We can now pay cheques in on our phone apps and technology has advanced very quickly in the last 20 years.

AIBU to think that refunds could and should be as instantaneous as the money leaving our account by now?

100% agree!

I advocate a new Consumer Act. This could be one thing within it.

I get some refunds through really quickly. The technology is there - it just depends on whether the people using the refund are using it .

My understanding is that bulk refunds are cheaper and processed more slowly. Organisations processing many refunds are likely to use the cheaper method.

I recently booked flights, as soon as I paid i realised they were wrong.
There was a message saying I could change them (would have cost over £300) or if I cancelled within 48 hours, I only had to pay the cancellation fee (£50)
Kicking myself for being such an idiot, cancelled and got the message that I would be refunded within 28 days!

Considering that when you order something online, you pay immediately, I think it’s inexcusable that you have to wait to be refunded, often quite a long time. I ordered something and they sent the wrong colour, so it’s gone back, but I bet I have to jump through hoops to get the money refunded.

All my refunds clear the next working day at 3:30pm (Halifax). I took something back on Sunday and sure enough, got it 3:30pm Monday

It also bugs me that when a refund is processed in store many retailers want your address and signature. They didn't want them to sell you the goods!

Totally agree . It never ceases to amaze me that some of our biggest retailers apparently hold on to the cash as long as they do, while the next refunds instantaneously.

Contrast Amazon ( near instant ) with John Lewis ( 14 days to receive and check return + minimum 5 days to give me back my £££)
Even when orders go missing and I never get to pick them up, it’s still 14 + 5 days.
very poor.

Bugs me too and I'm on the other side.

I had to refund the other week when a glitch in the matrix caused a double payment to be taken from her card. I initiated the refund as soon as she told me but it was embarrassing to have to tell her it could be up to 7 days before she actually saw the money.

Not my fault and nothing I could do about it.

It’s especially infuriating when you need the refund money to be able to re-buy whatever the item was.