Don’t buy from Insta360 website !! Frustrating and unethical support
Here is my recent experience returning an unopened order to Insta360. If you are buying from them in Canada, watch out for undisclosed fees.
• The Setup: I tried to cancel my order before it shipped. They shipped it anyway, but their support team promised a "full refund" if I returned the package completely unopened.
• Return Shipping Refusal: Initially, they told me I had to pay for return shipping, and later tried to make me pay 50% to ship it back to Hong Kong. They actually have a return facility in Markham, Ontario. I had to cite the Ontario Consumer Protection Act regarding undisclosed fees at checkout before they finally provided a prepaid FedEx label.
• The Withheld Taxes: I dropped off the unopened package. They refunded the base product cost ($764.99 CAD) but kept the $99.45 CAD that was charged for GST/import tax.
• The Excuse: They claimed their secondary "sales policy" states import taxes are non-refundable. This condition was never disclosed during the checkout process, and contradicted their written promise of a "full refund."
• The Result: I am now filing a partial chargeback with my credit card for the withheld $99.45.
TL;DR: Insta360 will try to make you pay for return shipping and will withhold taxes on unopened returns using hidden policies. Document all your emails and use your local consumer protection laws to fight back.