All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds. May His peace and blessings be upon Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.
The ruling on refunds received from the original supplier depends on the nature of the contractual relationship between the intermediary and the customers. The ruling varies according to the situation:
First Scenario: If the intermediary acts as an agent, where they deliver orders to the customers and receive a delivery fee and agency commission, then this scenario falls under the jurisprudential principle that an agent’s actions are for the benefit of the principal. Therefore, the agent is not permitted to retain any monetary refund from the original supplier, and the refunded amount in this case rightfully belongs to the customer.
Second Scenario: If the intermediary purchases the goods with their own money and then sells them to the customers, they are permitted to retain the refunded amounts. This is because the goods entered their ownership and liability before being sold to the buyer, so they may benefit from the refunded amounts.
In conclusion, if the intermediary acts as an agent for the customer in purchasing and delivering the goods, the refunded amount rightfully belongs to the customer. However, if the intermediary purchases the goods for themselves and then sells them to the customer, the refunded amount rightfully belongs to them. And Allah the Almighty knows best.
