Online Shopping Rights

What are my consumer rights when shopping online?

If you shop online in the EU, you benefit from several layers of consumer protection stemming from European Union law, such as the right to clear information on price, shipping and delivery costs, the right to withdraw from an online purchase contract and what to do when things go wrong. Find out all about it here.

Consumer Rights Directive 

Your online shopping rights are governed by European Union legislation. Read here about the EU Directive 2011/83. 

Cooling-Off 

Want to withdraw from a purchase agreement? Here’s how to go about it.

Click to learn more

Guarantee/Warranty

Did you receive a faulty product or service? Here’s how to deal with it.

Click to learn more

Geo-blocking

Do you know what geo-blocking is? Here’s what you need to know.

Click to learn more

Unsolicited Goods

Did you receive goods without asking for them? Here’s what you need to know.

Click to learn more

Online shopping rights

    When you buy online, you are entering into a distance selling contract. With this type of contract, you cannot check the products before you buy. Because of this, you have additional protections under EU law. Read on to learn more about your consumer rights in the EU, Norway and Iceland. 

  • Web shops and online sellers in the EU must provide prospective online consumers with detailed information, such as:

    • Name and address
    • Main characteristics of the good or service
    • Price including taxes
    • Delivery costs and method
    • Available payment methods
    • How the service will be provided or performed
    • The minimum duration of the contract for a service 
    • How long the offer to enter into the contract on the current terms is valid 
    • The cancellation policy and the conditions for terminating a contract if its duration is unlimited or exceeds 1 year
    • The returns policy
    • The cost of customer service communications if it is higher than a basic rate
    • Any guarantees and services that are available post sale

    #required-information-online-shopping

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  • If you shop online, you are entitled to a 14 calendar day cooling-off period in which you can withdraw from the contract and return your purchases to the seller.

    Hotel bookings, car rental, travel tickets, and other leisure services, as well as personalised goods, audio and video content and products, perishable goods, and gaming and lottery services are excluded from the cooling-off period.

    Where a consumer exercises their right of withdrawal as above, the trader is obliged to refund them within 14 days. The refund of services might be subjected to a deduction. 

    A seller should always act in good faith, never make misleading statements or claims about their product, and never exercise undue influence that would entice a consumer to make a purchase.

    #online-shopping-refund-within-cooling-off-period

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  • Your purchase should be delivered within 30 days unless you agree otherwise with the seller. A consumer can cancel the order and claim a refund if:

    • The order did not or will not arrive in time for a specified essential event
    • The trader fails to deliver by a date specified by the consumer
    • The trader has stated unequivocally that they cannot or will not deliver the goods
    • The trader fails to deliver the item(s) within an additional period

    If the contract is cancelled, the trader is obliged to refund the consumer any and all sums they have paid under the contract within 14 days.

    #online-shopping-refund-delayed-or-undelivered-order

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Where can I get assistance and advice?

The European Consumer Centres Network provides free legal advice and support on cross-border purchasing issues. It can also help consumers deal with disputes relating to travelling in the EU, Norway, and Iceland. If you have tried to resolve a dispute with a business to no avail, click here to contact your local ECC and submit an enquiry. 

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