GOG.com has put some thought into the stance they want to take when dealing with their customers. A recent announcement covers their philosophy on customer service and refund policies, with the hope of offering a much better experience for those who use GOG.

The refund policy has been revised to be more consumer-friendly. This new policy allows you to receive a refund within 30 days of any purchase, and this offer is only revoked after you start to download the game. The sale is not final until you actually have possession of the product.

“You have 30 days, worldwide. Hitting “Buy” doesn’t waive your rights.”

This updated policy also includes a money back guarantee. Any game you buy is guaranteed to work, and a refund is available in any case that technical difficulties prevent you from actually enjoying your purchase. If the support team at GOG can’t fix the issue, then you can choose between receiving store credit or a full refund to your PayPal account or credit card.

This 30 day period only counts for contacting GOG - as soon as you reach out to contact customer service, the timer freezes. You do not have to worry about your request being ignored so long as you send it in within the 30 day time-frame.

GOG has also resolved to offer a more personable approach to customer service. Instead of resorting to FAQs or automated responses, they want to provide real people with technical expertise to resolve any issues you may have with your purchases from GOG.com. While refunds are still limited to a 30-day period, other customer services have no time restriction: any purchase you have made, regardless of how long ago it was, is fair game for receiving technical help. If you bought a game from GOG, then they will help you get it working.

GOG has recently started offering customer service in French and German in addition to English, and has plans to include more languages in the future. An update to the support section of their site is also planned for the near future, with the aim of making it easier to contact support and get help.

What do you think of GOG’s new customer service policies? Do you believe it is a needed change? Do you think they can deliver on all of their goals?