There are reports floating around that Amazon is offering refunds to open copies of Mass Effect 3, seemingly a reaction to the game’s ending, which has prompted a polarizing response amongst players.
According to an Amazon customer support representative I spoke with this morning, this isn’t Mass Effect 3 specific, and offering a refund is standard Amazon policy for disappointed customers.
“Once you open the package and if you are not satisfied you can return it for refund,” said the representative. “It applies for the all the items shipped and sold by Amazon.”
I’ve embedded our entire conversation below, and I've also sent a note to Amazon public relations.
Me: Hi, I was considering buying Mass Effect 3 from Amazon, after being told my friend that Amazon is accepting opened returns if consumers are disappointed with the game's ending. Is this true?
Rep: Hello, I'll be happy to help you.
Me: Thanks.
Rep: Patrick. once you open the package and if you are not satisfied you can return it for refund.
Me: Is this only for Mass Effect 3? Or does this apply to other video games on Amazon?
Rep: Yes. It applies for the all the items shipped and sold by Amazon.
Me: OK, thank you.
Rep: You're welcome. Is there anything else I can do for you today?
Me: No, that's all.
Rep: Thanks for visiting Amazon.com. We hope to see you again soon.
My own experience backs this up. I’ve returned plenty of items to Amazon that were opened, and had no problem.
There are reports of refunds via Origin, too, but I've not been able to confirm those.