Daily Life Lessons · Shopping
Learn that the rules for returns and exchanges differ between items bought in a store and items bought by mail order, and be able to ask for a return or exchange yourself, with your receipt ready, after checking the store's rules or the return policy.
For items bought in a store, unless the item is defective, the store has no legal obligation to accept a return or exchange. Whether you can return or exchange an item, and the period and conditions, depend on each store's own rules. Check before you buy and keep the receipt. When you ask, go to the store early with the receipt and the item (including the box and accessories). If the item is defective, first talk to the store.
There is no cooling-off (クーリング・オフ) for mail-order sales such as online or TV shopping. Whether you can return an item depends on the return policy (返品特約) stated on the website or in the advertisement. If no return policy is stated, you can return the item within 8 days including the day you received it, but you pay the shipping cost yourself.
Cooling-off is a system only for certain transactions such as door-to-door sales and telephone solicitation sales. If you have trouble, you can call the consumer hotline (消費者ホットライン) "188" for advice.
店で 買った 物： - こわれて いなければ、店は 返品（へんぴん）・交換（こうかん）を しなくても いいです。 - できるか どうかは、店の ルールで 決まります。 - レシートを 取って おきましょう。
インターネットや テレビで 買った 物（通信販売・つうしんはんばい）： - クーリング・オフは ありません。 - サイトに 書いて ある 返品の ルールを 見ます。 - ルールが 書いて いなければ、受け取って 8日以内なら 返品 できます。送料（そうりょう）は 自分で 払います。
こまった ときは「188」に 電話して 相談 できます。
Which is correct about returning an item bought in a store (not defective)?
Unless the item is defective, the store has no legal obligation to accept a return. Whether you can return or exchange it depends on the store's rules.
Is there cooling-off for online shopping?
There is no cooling-off for mail-order sales. Whether you can return an item depends on the return policy (返品特約).
For a mail-order purchase, what if no return policy is stated?
If no return policy is stated, you can return the item within 8 days including the day you received it. The consumer pays the cost of sending it back.
What should you bring when asking a store for a return or exchange?
Gather the receipt, the item, the box and the accessories, and go to the store early.
Which transaction can be cancelled with cooling-off?
Cooling-off is a system only for certain transactions such as door-to-door sales and telephone solicitation sales. Items you bought by going to a store yourself and mail-order purchases are not covered.
Q. I lost my receipt. Can I return the item?
A. It depends on the store's rules. Some stores will accept a record of the purchase (such as your card statement), so ask the store. When you buy something important, keep the receipt.
Q. I ordered from an online shop, but it may have been a fake website.
A. Extremely low prices, unnatural Japanese, no company address, and limited payment methods are common signs of fake websites. If you have already paid, contact your card company or other payment provider right away and call the consumer hotline "188" for advice.
Q. I signed a contract with a salesperson who came to my home.
A. For door-to-door sales, you can use cooling-off within 8 days including the day you received the application document or the contract document, whichever came first. You give notice in writing or by an electronic method such as email. If you are not sure what to do, call "188" for advice.
This practice tool asks questions in random order (it works when JavaScript is enabled). You can still read all the questions and explanations above without it.
Systems and procedures may differ depending on the city, ward, town or village where you live and on the time of year. Please check the latest information from your local government or the relevant organizations.
Content checked on: 2026-10-03
This page is a translation of the Japanese original. If the translation and the original differ, the Japanese version takes precedence. View the Japanese original