Can a UAE shop only offer store credit instead of a cash refund for faulty goods?

When goods are genuinely faulty, UAE consumer protection focuses on giving you an effective remedy, which can be repair, replacement, or a refund, but a store cannot simply impose store credit if that does not properly resolve a defect you are entitled to have remedied. For non-faulty change-of-mind returns the shop's own policy applies and store credit may be all it offers, but a defective product is different because the seller is responsible for the fault. If you prefer a cash refund for a genuinely faulty item and the store will only give credit, raise it in writing, explain that the product was defective, and ask for the remedy you are entitled to. Keep your invoice and evidence of the defect. If the shop refuses to provide a satisfactory remedy, escalate to the Ministry of Economy (600 522225) or your emirate's economic department, which can assess whether the store's response is adequate. The right outcome depends on the nature of the defect and the circumstances, so document everything. For an expensive item, you can compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI for advice.