Return of goods without explanation

The New Level of Online Trading

Today, the focus is on one of the problematic issues, namely, the right of the buyer to return the goods. Especially if the thing is of proper quality, that is, everything is fine with the product, it simply did not fit in size, color, style or the buyer simply changed his mind.

In October 2026, the topic of online trading reached a new level. The countries of the Eurasian Economic Union signed an agreement on electronic trade in goods, which should unify the rules of online purchases throughout the Union. One of the key points was the right of the consumer to refuse goods of good quality before receiving them or to return them within 14 calendar days after transfer. The document has not yet entered into force, but is already causing active discussions among buyers, sellers and marketplaces themselves.

To understand what exactly will change and how it will affect the daily lives of millions of Kazakhstanis, it is necessary to analyze the current situation, the history of legislative changes, the practice of the largest sites, customs rules for foreign purchases and protection mechanisms for both buyers and sellers.

How does return work now

The main document regulating the rights of buyers in Kazakhstan remains the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On Protection of Consumer Rights". It applies to both traditional retail and online commerce, including purchases through marketplaces. According to article 14 of the law, the buyer has the right to exchange it within 14 calendar days from the date of transfer of non-food goods to him, if the goods did not fit in shape, size, style, color, size or configuration. Several conditions must be met. The goods were not in use, the presentation and consumer properties, seals, labels, labels were preserved. If possible, the factory packaging. If the exchange is not possible, the buyer may demand a refund. This rule works for purchases on Kaspi.kz, Wildberries, Ozon, Halyk Market and other sites. Sale via the Internet does not deprive the consumer of the rights provided by law. In practice, the procedure looks like this. The buyer makes an application in the personal account of the marketplace, indicates the reason, attaches photos if necessary. The site or the seller is considering the appeal. If the item actually meets the conditions of return, it is taken back, and the money is returned to the card or balance.

The timing of the refund depends on the specific site and reason. Usually, with the consent of the seller, the funds are often returned fairly quickly, within a few days. On Wildberries and Ozon, the process can take longer, especially if verification is required. For goods of inadequate quality – for example, marriage, non-description, timing – and other requirements. The buyer may require repairs, replacements, price reductions or a full refund within the warranty period or expiration date.

It is important to remember the categories of goods that are not refundable if they are in good working order. These include medicines and medical products, underwear, hosiery, animals and plants, some meter goods, as well as subscriber cellular devices that have been verified. Cosmetics and perfumes are often returned only unopened.

If the seller refuses to refund, the buyer may file a written claim. The answer is given 10 calendar days. If the requirements are not satisfied, you can contact the Consumer Protection Committee of the Ministry of Trade and Integration, including through e-Otinish or the Unified Consumer Protection Information System, or in court. When filing a claim for disputes on consumer rights protection, a delay in payment of the state fee is provided.

What is changing with the EAEU agreement

On August 7, 2026, the EAEU countries signed an agreement on electronic trade in goods in Cholpon-Ata. One of the main provisions of the agreement is the return. The consumer has the right to refuse the goods of good quality before the transfer of the goods or within 14 calendar days from the date of its transfer. In case of refusal of high-quality goods, a professional e-commerce participant is obliged to return the money paid in due time. Specific terms of return and terms of transfer of money will be additionally determined by the Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission. Member States may set longer deadlines at the national level.

The agreement has not yet entered into force. To do this, all EAEU states must complete their domestic procedures and send appropriate notifications to the depositary. The document will become effective 180 days after receiving the last such notification. As of October 2026, the necessary procedures in Kazakhstan have not yet been completed. The agreement requires that consumer protection in online shopping is not lower than in traditional trading. The operator of an electronic trading platform is obliged to facilitate the interaction of sellers and consumers for the purpose of pre-trial settlement of disputes. In addition, sellers will be able to send promotional messages only with the consent of buyers, and recipients should be able to easily unsubscribe.

For cross-border purchases within the EAEU, this means a single minimum standard. A buyer from Astana who orders goods from a seller from Moscow or Minsk through a marketplace will have comparable rights with a buyer who purchases goods within his country.

How returns work in practice

Each major platform builds its own procedures that complement, but do not replace, the requirements of the law.

At local sites, return is considered one of the most convenient. The application is made in the mobile application in the section "My orders". You can specify the reason, including: did not fit the size, marriage, does not match the description. Money with the consent of the seller is often returned quickly, sometimes almost instantly to the bank card with which the purchase was made. It is possible to return via postamata under certain conditions. The legislation does not set a limit on the number of applications for refund, and the platform itself in open materials does not limit the number of applications to hard numbers.

The general trend of recent years shows that marketplaces are trying to make the procedure as digital as possible. Photos of the product, a description of the problem, correspondence with the seller, everything is recorded in the system. This reduces abuse on both sides, but does not eliminate it completely.

However, there is a problem with frequent returns. The law does not specify the maximum number of goods that the buyer can return in a month or a year. However, sellers and sellers monitor the behavior of buyers. If a customer systematically orders things, tries them on and returns them, this can affect their ratings or lead to restrictions from specific sellers. It is difficult to completely block an account only for the number of returns under the law, but in practice the platforms have risk management tools. Online commerce in Kazakhstan continues to grow rapidly. Local venues compete with major Russian and Chinese players. At the same time, the state is trying to support domestic producers. From October 19, 2026, the updated Internal Trade Rules come into force. Electronic trading platforms are obliged to ensure the priority display of goods with the “Made in Kazakhstan” sign in search results. Contracts between the site and the seller must now provide for compliance with these requirements.

This is part of a broader policy to promote Kazakhstani products. In offline trade, there are already requirements for laying out domestic goods. Now a similar approach applies to the digital environment.

At the same time, the rules for parcels from abroad are changing. In the second half of 2026, new rules for goods purchased on foreign marketplaces come into force in the EAEU countries. The weight threshold of 31 kilograms is abolished. The duty-free limit remains at 200 euros. If the value exceeds this threshold, customs duty is charged five percent of the value of the goods plus VAT of 16 percent. Previously, a single payment of 15 percent of the excess amount was applied. The declaration for the buyer will be issued by e-commerce operators, you will not need to independently apply to the customs authorities.

These changes make purchases on foreign sites more transparent from the point of view of taxation, but at the same time can increase the final cost of expensive goods.

Rights and obligations

While the rights of buyers are being discussed, sellers also need protection. Unfair returns are the real problem of sellers. Some buyers order items only for temporary use, and then return. Others deliberately spoil the goods in order to obtain a reason for a refund. There are cases of substitution fraud.

Marketplaces are trying to balance interests. They introduce customer ratings, analyze the frequency of returns, require photo and video recording of the condition of the goods when returning. Sellers may refuse to return if the goods have lost their presentation, have traces of use or do not meet the conditions. However, it is impossible to refuse simply because “I don’t want to”, this requires legal grounds. Several parallel processes can be expected in the coming months and years.

The first is the completion of domestic procedures under the EAEU agreement and its entry into force. After that, the 14-day period for returning quality goods without explanation will become a single minimum standard throughout the Union. Specific terms of refund and details of procedures will be specified by the EEC Council.

The second is the further digitalization of processes. Marketplaces will improve the systems of automatic processing of applications, use artificial intelligence to assess the state of returned goods by photo, accelerate the return of money.

The third is the strengthening of requirements for product information. Non-compliance with the description is the basis for return. As competition and regulatory scrutiny grow, sellers will be forced to fill out product cards more carefully.

The fourth is the development of pre-trial settlement mechanisms. The EAEU agreement directly obliges site operators to facilitate dispute resolution. This could lead to more effective internal arbitrations and ombudsmen on larger platforms.

Finally, the adaptation of customs and tax rules. The 200-euro duty-free threshold and new duty rates will change the economy of overseas shopping. Part of the demand may flow to local and regional players.

Practical advice to sellers and buyers

If you regularly buy on marketplaces, it makes sense to stick to some simple rules. Keep all correspondence and checks. Photograph the goods immediately upon receipt, especially if there is a suspicion of damage. Make a return on time and through official channels of the site. If the product is high-quality, but not suitable - check whether all tags and packaging are saved. If the seller refuses, do not hesitate and send a written claim, and if necessary, contact the Consumer Protection Committee.

And remember that the law is on the consumer side in most standard situations. For sellers it is critically important to clearly describe the product, indicate all the essential characteristics, sizes, composition, country of origin. This reduces the number of returns due to “non-description.” It is worth paying attention to the quality of packaging and logistics, because damage during delivery often causes claims.

How these changes will manifest in practice will show the next year or two. Much will depend on how consistently the state will control the implementation of new norms, how faithfully the platforms will implement the mechanisms, as well as how competently buyers and sellers will use their rights.