When you sell online, the law says your customers must be told certain things before they buy: who you are, what they will pay, when it will arrive and how they can change their mind. If any of it is missing, it can cost you more than the sale.
This guide sets out what has to be on your shop website, as a checklist you can work through.
Who you are
- Your business name, and your own name if you are a sole trader trading under another name.
- A real address, where your business is based. The law asks for the address itself, not just a contact form.
- An email address, and your phone number if you have one.
- Your VAT number, if you are registered for VAT.
- If you are a limited company, your company's registered number, its registered office address, where it is registered (for example England and Wales) and that it is a limited company.
What they will pay, and when it will arrive
- The total price, including VAT and any delivery charges, before they pay.
- How you deliver, what it costs and how long it takes. Unless you agree otherwise with the customer, you must deliver within 30 days. If your supplier takes longer, say so clearly before they buy.
- A pay button that makes clear they are paying, such as "Pay now".
- A confirmation of their order as soon as possible after they buy, for example by email.
How they can cancel
Customers who buy online can cancel up to 14 days after their order is delivered, without giving a reason. Then they have another 14 days to send the item back. Your website must tell them this, explain how to cancel, say when they lose the right to cancel, and give them a standard cancellation form.
If you don't tell them about their right to cancel, they can cancel at any time in the next twelve months, which is a very good reason to get this page right.
Some things can't be returned once bought: items made or personalised for the customer, things that go off, and sealed items that can't be returned for health or hygiene reasons once they have been opened.
Who pays to send it back
The customer pays to post an item back only if you told them so before they bought. If you didn't, you pay. So say clearly on your website who pays for returns.
Refunds
You must refund the customer within 14 days of getting the item back, or of them showing you they have sent it, if that is sooner. You refund the price and standard delivery. If they paid extra for faster delivery, you only refund the cost of standard delivery. You can't take fees off the refund unless the item has been used or damaged.
If an item is faulty and the customer returns it within six months, you must repair or replace it, unless you can prove it wasn't faulty. Our guide to returns and refunds explains how this works when your supplier holds the stock.
Why it matters
gov.uk says that if you don't follow these rules, you could be made to provide what you sold, pay compensation, or face a fine or prison. Most shop websites, including Shopify, WooCommerce and Wix, have pages you can fill in for your delivery and returns information. Use them, and keep them up to date with your supplier's real delivery times.
Read our guide to returns and refunds → Setting up as a sole trader →
