Fairphone Return Policy

This Return Policy is an integral part of the Fairphone Terms and Conditions. It applies exclusively to Products purchased directly via the official Fairphone Online Shop. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Return Policy shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Fairphone Terms and Conditions. In the event of any conflict between this Return Policy and the Fairphone Terms and Conditions, the terms of this Return Policy shall prevail regarding return matters.

• Third-Party Purchases: If You purchased Your Product from a Reseller, mobile operator, or retail partner, their specific return policies apply.
• Commercial Partners: Authorized sales partners should not use this consumer workflow. Please refer instead to your specific General Terms of Sale (GTS) or reach out to your designated contact directly.
• Second-Hand Purchases: Return, repair, and warranty services require an original proof of purchase issued directly by Fairphone or a Reseller. Documentation from second-hand peer-to-peer platforms is not recognized as valid proof of purchase.

1. Corporate Identification & Definitions

Corporate Identification

The Fairphone Online Shop is operated by:

• Company Name: FairPhone B.V.
• Registered Office: Van Diemenstraat 200, 1013 CP Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• Trade Registry: Registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (Kamer van Koophandel) under KvK number: 55901964
• VAT Identification Number: NL 851904270B01

Definitions

• "Right of Withdrawal": The statutory fourteen (14) calendar day window starting the day after the date of physical delivery, during which a consumer has the legal right to cancel the sales contract without penalty or explanation. If the final day falls on a weekend or public holiday, the period extends to the end of the next business day.
• "RMA" (Return Merchandise Authorization): The unique digital tracking number and authorization issued by Fairphone, required for the return of any Product(s) to our Service Centre for any reason permitted under these Terms.

2. Territorial Scope & Logistics Restrictions

Fairphone officially operates, sells, and delivers only within the continental European territories of the following countries:

• Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark (excluding Greenland), Estonia, Finland, France Métropolitaine (excluding overseas territories), Germany, Greece (excluding islands), Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands (excluding Bonaire, Saba, and St. Eustatius), Norway (excluding overseas territories), Poland, Portugal (excluding Azores and Madeira), Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain (excluding Canary Islands, Ceuta, and Melilla), Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom (excluding the Channel Islands).

Your Local Rights Come First

Your local consumer protections always take priority. If the laws in your country of residence offer you broader rights, extra remedies, or longer timelines than what is written here, those local laws will apply to your return. 

Out-of-Territory Policy

Fairphone’s standard prepaid return labels operate exclusively within our Covered Territory. If you require statutory warranty service from an Out-of-Territory location, the following rules apply:

• Prior Authorization: You must register your return or warranty claim and obtain an approved RMA number directly through Customer Support before shipping the Product. Approved RMAs are valid for three (3) months from issuance. While the hard expiration deadline is 3 months, shipping within 15 days is preferred to prevent turnaround delays. If you ship a Product to us without an active, valid RMA or after your RMA has expired, our Service Centre cannot identify, track, or process the package. In these cases, Fairphone will have zero obligation to process the return or reimburse any of the shipping costs you paid for that unauthorized shipment.
• End-to-End Shipping Responsibility: For returns from unsupported territories, you must independently arrange, manage, and pay upfront for both transit directions, this includes the inbound shipment, sending your device from your location to our Service Centre, and the outbound shipment, organizing a courier pickup to collect and transport the device from our Service Centre back to your address once servicing is complete. 
• Standard Economy Cap: You are responsible for arranging and paying for the upfront shipping of the Product to our designated Service Centre. If technical diagnostics confirm the defect is covered under the statutory legal guarantee, Fairphone will reimburse your shipping costs strictly capped at the rate of the least expensive, standard tracked postal service offered by your country’s national postal operator.
• Premium Carrier Exclusion: Fairphone will not reimburse costs for express shipping, private couriers (including DHL, FedEx, UPS, or TNT), freight forwarding services, or optional shipping add-ons (such as premium transit insurance, signature on delivery, or morning delivery slots).
• Strict Evidence Requirements: No reimbursement will be issued without a valid, legible, and itemized receipt from the carrier. This document must explicitly display:
• • The carrier's official name and tax registration number.
  • The tracking number matching your RMA shipment.
  • The exact weight of the package (which must correspond to the standard weight of your Fairphone and its original packaging).
• Packaging and Accessories Excluded: Fairphone will only reimburse the direct postage fee. We do not reimburse the cost of shipping boxes, bubble wrap, packing tape, travel expenses to the post office, or regional administrative fees.
• Device Testing & Out-of-Warranty Findings.  If our Service Centre conducts technical diagnostics on your device and determines that the Product operates perfectly (No Fault Found), or that the defect was user-induced (such as physical cracks, liquid damage, or unauthorized modifications), Fairphone will reimburse zero (0) logistical costs. In such cases, the Product will be returned to you at your own expense, or recycled free of charge upon your request.
• Customs Clearance & Import Fees (Non-EU Customs Zones). When shipping from an Out-of-Territory region outside the EU Customs Union or special fiscal territory (such as the Channel Islands, Canary Islands, Ceuta, Melilla, or Isle of Man), you are responsible for ensuring your package is declared properly as a repair return with your RMA number visible. Fairphone covers standard customs fees for valid warranty repairs, but cannot cover additional taxes, penalties, or administrative fees caused by incorrect declarations or non-warranty claims. 
• Returns from Non-Supported International Regions. The shipping reimbursement mechanism outlined in this section applies strictly to unsupported territories located within the geographic boundaries of the EU/EEA. If You are shipping a Product from a location completely outside the EU/EEA (e.g., India or other non-EU international locations), Fairphone has no logistical or financial obligation to manage cross-border returns. You are solely responsible for arranging and paying all cross-border shipping costs, tracking, customs duties, and import/export fees required to transport the device to and from an authorized address within the Covered Territory.

3. Return Categories (Your Rights)

A. Statutory Right of Withdrawal

You have the legal right to change Your mind within fourteen (14) calendar days, starting the day after the Products were physically delivered to You. If the 14-day deadline falls on a weekend or public holiday, the period extends to the end of the next business day. If an order consists of multiple items delivered separately over different days, the 14-day window begins the day You receive the last delivery.

• Start Your Return & Shipping Deadline: 
• • You have the right to withdraw using Our online withdrawal button, digital Self-Service Return Portal, via email, or by standard post using the Model Withdrawal Form below.
  • Fairphone covers the cost of return shipping, provided You use the official prepaid label generated by Our portal or provided manually by Our support team. If You choose to return the Product using an independent shipping method instead of Our prepaid label, You will be responsible for those shipping costs. 
  • Your package must display an active RMA number provided by Us before shipping, and You must send the Products back no later than 14 days from the day You communicated Your decision to withdraw. Shipments without an active RMA or sent directly to Our corporate HQ cannot be tracked and will face severe delays.
• Refund Timeline & Delivery Costs: Fairphone will refund the purchase price plus standard outbound delivery fees within 14 days of receiving the items or receiving verifiable proof of return shipment. Currently, we offer Access Point and standard home delivery, which are fully refunded. If you originally chose an express delivery upgrade, only the cost of our least expensive standard delivery option will be reimbursed. Refunds are issued to the same payment method used at checkout.
• Payment Method Allocations: All refunds are issued using the same payment method(s) used for the initial purchase transaction.  
• • Gift Cards: If You paid using a Fairphone Gift Card, Your refund will be credited back to Your original Gift Card balance. Gift Card payments cannot be refunded for cash.  
  • Mixed Payments: If You paid using a combination of a Fairphone Gift Card and another payment method (such as a credit card, debit card, PayPal, or local online banking), the amount paid via Gift Card will be credited back to Your Gift Card balance, and the remaining refund amount will be credited to Your original payment method. 
• Condition of Returned Products: You are entitled to unpack, inspect, and test the Product to establish its nature, characteristics, and functioning (equivalent to an in-store trial). Products returned under Your Withdrawal right must be returned in their original condition, complete with all inbox accessories, components, and packaging. We reserve the right to reject the return, withhold any refund, and ship the package back to You (at Your expense, where permitted) in cases of invalid returns—such as returns initiated outside the 14-day Cool-Off window, returns missing the main Product (e.g., empty packages), returns of excluded Products, or returns of items other than the original Product supplied.
  If we issue Your refund before we are able to physically inspect the Product and later discover it was handled in an unacceptable way, You remain legally obligated to pay Us an appropriate amount to cover the diminished value.
• Partial Returns & Bundles: You are entitled to partially return select items from a multi-Product order, though outbound delivery fees are non-refundable if you retain part of the order. If the returned item was part of a promotional bundle, multi-buy discount, or came with a free promotional gift, your refund will be adjusted to reflect the standard standalone price of the items you choose to keep, and all promotional gifts must be returned alongside the core Product.
• Exclusions: Personalized Products are fully excluded from the right of withdrawal. Due to health protection and hygiene reasons, in-ear audio Products (such as earbuds) cannot be returned if their protective hygiene seal or packaging wrap is broken or tampered with after delivery. Gift cards cannot be refunded once shared and used by the recipient.  
• No Mandatory Reasons: Providing a return reason is entirely optional and will never condition your right to a full refund.

B. Dead on Arrival (DOA)

A Product is classified as DOA under this policy if an inherent hardware or manufacturing defect appears within thirty (30) days of your physical delivery date.

• If your claim is approved as DOA, and you choose a replacement as your preferred remedy under your statutory rights, Fairphone will ship you a replacement Product (subject to stock availability). If the identical model or color is out of stock, we will offer you a comparable equivalent model or a standard repair. (Please note that if you voluntarily choose a repair instead of a replacement, your statutory guarantee will be extended by 12 months from repair completion).
• To qualify for this swap, you must return the Product in its entire original retail box, including all original inbox packaging, inserts, modules, and accessories. If you return only the device body without its original retail box and inbox components, we cannot process a DOA swap, and your claim will be handled under standard warranty repair terms.
• How to Qualify:
• • Report It: You submit a request through our digital Repair Portal within thirty (30) days of your physical delivery date. Once your request is processed, we will issue you a unique Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) number along with your prepaid shipping label.
  • Ship It: Once your RMA is approved, you must hand the package over to the designated carrier within fifteen (15) working days from the date your RMA was issued (before your prepaid shipping label and RMA code expire).
• If You Miss the Window: You do not lose your coverage! If you report the issue or your package arrives after the 30-day limit, your claim will automatically fall back to our standard In-Warranty Service Return pathway. Your phone will then be repaired or replaced under the terms of your statutory legal guarantee (which may include standard repair turnaround times) rather than a swap.
• User-Damage Exclusion: If technical diagnostics at our Service Centre reveal that the defect is user-induced (such as physical cracks, liquid damage, or unauthorized modifications) rather than an inherent manufacturing defect, the DOA swap will be denied, and the device will be handled as a paid Out-of-Warranty repair.

C. In-Warranty Service Return

Products that malfunction due to material defects within the statutory legal guarantee period or within an applicable Fairphone Extended Warranty period, are eligible for free repair or replacement, provided no warranty exclusions apply.

If a defective Product cannot be successfully repaired or replaced, Fairphone will issue a full or partial refund calculated based on your reasonable usage of the device.

Important Legal Notice Regarding Guarantees

The statutory legal guarantee of conformity is a requirement imposed by law and is provided entirely free of charge on all Product categories. 

Fairphone’s voluntary, commercial Extended Warranty is a completely separate guarantee that operates in addition to, and independently of, Your statutory legal guarantee. It does not replace, limit, or diminish Your free baseline legal protections under national consumer laws.

For more information on this, check our Legal Hub.

• In line with EU standards, In line with EU standards, the statutory legal guarantee period is automatically suspended (tolled) for the exact duration Your Product is physically held by Fairphone or our Service Centre for diagnostic or repair procedures. Additionally, if you opt for a repair rather than a replacement within the statutory warranty period, your remaining warranty is automatically extended by an additional twelve (12) months from repair completion, subject to national laws.
• Otherwise, repaired or replaced items are covered for the remaining original warranty.

D. Out-of-Warranty Service Return

Products are considered out-of-warranty if the statutory/extended warranty period has expired, or damage is user-induced (e.g., accidental damage, liquid exposure, or unauthorized modification).

• Fairphone provides continuous repair services throughout a Product’s lifecycle. Before sending your device, please consult our support articles for repair price ranges based on parts and shipping/handling fees. Once your device reaches our Service Centre, they will provide a standardized European Repair Information Form outlining the exact costs for shipping, handling, diagnostics, and parts before any service is performed.
• If You choose not to proceed with the proposed repair, Fairphone will charge you standard diagnostics, handling, and return shipping costs, or You can opt to have us recycle the Product free of charge.

For more details on warranty coverage and services, please refer to Our Warranty Policy

.

E. Abandoned Property

If a Product sent for service cannot be delivered back to You, we will send three email reminders. If You do not provide a valid address within three (3) months of our first message, the Product is legally abandoned. Ownership transfers to Fairphone for secure data erasure and recycling, and You remain responsible for any accrued storage costs.

F. Reuse and Recycle Program

We actively encourage You to consider the environment when Your phone reaches its end-of-life. You can participate in our circularity initiatives by returning old devices through Our official Recycling Programme.

4. Step-by-Step Return Process

All returns must be processed digitally through our automated system.

• Initiate Your Request: Select the appropriate portal based on the nature of Your return:
• • Right of Withdrawal / Cooling-Off: Go to Our website and click "Withdraw from contract here" or access the Withdrawal Portal to initiate a refund return and receive your RMA.
  • • Alternative Methods: If You notify us via email or use the statutory Model Withdrawal Form provided below, Our Customer Support team will manually send You Your detailed return instructions and RMA via email.
  • Warranty Repair, Maintenance, or DOA: Submit Your claim directly through the Repair Portal to generate a repair RMA and prepaid shipping label.
• Software and Data Preparation: Before handing over any Product, You must independently:
• • Back up all personal information and data.
  • Perform a full factory reset and permanently erase all personal data.
  • Remove all SIM cards and external SD cards.
  • Disable all security passwords, PIN codes, and biometric locks.
  • Remove all physical protective cases and personal accessories.
    Please Note: Fairphone automatically wipes all received Products upon arrival. We are not liable for lost data, missing SIM cards, or third-party accessories left inside or on the Products, and we cannot offer data recovery.
• Packaging: Pack your item securely (original packaging is highly recommended). Ensure the packaging is robust and provides an equal degree of protection to prevent transit damage. Print out the RMA confirmation sheet and the prepaid shipping label, placing the RMA inside the box and securely adhering the shipping label to the outside.
• Drop-Off & RMA Validity. Drop the package off at Your nearest designated authorized carrier drop-off point.
• • Shipping Target: To ensure efficient warehouse processing, You should hand Your package to the designated carrier within fifteen (15) working days of receiving Your RMA confirmation.
  • RMA Expiration: Automatically generated RMAs and prepaid labels expire after three (3) months if unfulfilled.
  • Re-issuance & Statutory Rights: An expired RMA does not extinguish Your statutory legal rights. If Your RMA or shipping label expires prior to dispatch, You must request an updated RMA before shipping. Shipments arriving at the Service Centre with an expired or invalid RMA may face processing delays or warehouse rejection.
  • Approved Courier Reminder: You must use Our official prepaid label. Do not mail packages directly to Our corporate headquarters; unapproved shipments bypass tracking systems and will face severe refund delays and potential retrieval fees.

5.  General Handling Guidelines & Refusal Criteria

Returns will be rejected, delayed, or subject to fee adjustments if they meet any of the following criteria:

• Insufficient Packaging: Products must be returned in their original packaging or alternative packaging that provides an equal level of protection. Items that arrive damaged due to inadequate packaging will be rejected or subject to value deductions. 
• Undeclared Items & Grace Period: You must accurately declare every single component You are returning in the digital RMA setup. If an item is sent by mistake or left undeclared, Fairphone accepts no responsibility for damage or loss. We offer a thirty (30) day grace period from the date of receipt for You to reclaim an accidental item, which will be shipped back entirely at Your expense. After sixty (60) days, unclaimed property is deemed legally abandoned and recycled.
• Incomplete Products: Bundled or multi-part items must be returned complete (e.g., Earbuds must include both left and right earbuds alongside the original charging cradle).
• Identification Integrity: Products must have an intact, readable IMEI or serial number matching the RMA record.
• Unannounced Deliveries: Shipments sent without an active RMA or proof of purchase/order number will face delays. You will bear any logistics, handling, or storage fees incurred.
• No Proof of Purchase: Returns without an active RMA or an official proof of purchase will be delayed.

6. Annex: Statutory Model Withdrawal Form

Complete and return this form via physical mail or email only if you wish to withdraw from your contract without using our Portal. 

Please, note that the email address provided below should only be used for withdrawing from your contract. For everything else, please go to https://support.fairphone.live/hc/en-us.

To:

Fairphone B.V.

Van Diemenstraat 200, 1013 CP Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Email: [email protected] 

I/We (*) hereby give notice that I/We (*) withdraw from my/our (*) contract of sale of the following goods (*)/for the provision of the following service (*):

• Ordered on (*) / Received on (*): _______________________________________
• Order Number / Invoice Number: _______________________________________
• Name of Consumer(s): _______________________________________________
• Address of Consumer(s): ______________________________________________
• Signature of Consumer(s): _____________________________________________
  (Only required if this form is submitted on physical paper)
• Date: _______________

(*) Delete as appropriate.

V 2.0 Valid from 18th of August 2026