Online Shopping Consumer Rights: A Plain-English UK & EU Refresher
What you can return, when refunds must arrive, and the rights retailers quietly hope you don't know. A non-legalese guide to the rules that actually protect you.
By The Assistant De Venté Editors
Most online shoppers don't know their rights. Retailers know this and quietly use it. Here's the short, plain-English version of what protects you when you buy online in the UK or EU.
The 14-day cancellation right (UK & EU)
For most online purchases, you have 14 days from receipt to cancel for any reason. You don't need a fault. You don't need an explanation. "I changed my mind" is enough. You then have another 14 days to return the goods. Refund must be processed within 14 days of the retailer receiving the goods (or proof of postage).
Exceptions: personalised items, sealed hygiene products opened, digital downloads once started, perishable food, accommodation/flights.
The "as described" right
If the item doesn't match the listing — wrong colour, wrong size, different model — you have a short window (UK: 30 days) to reject it for a full refund, including return shipping. Retailers will often try to push you to "exchange" instead. You don't have to accept.
The faulty-goods right (six years in England & Wales, five years Scotland)
For up to six years, an item must be of "satisfactory quality" and last a "reasonable time". A £900 fridge that dies after 3 years isn't reasonable. You can demand repair, replacement or partial refund from the retailer, not the manufacturer. Don't let them tell you to "contact Bosch directly" — your contract is with the retailer.
Chargeback (the nuclear option)
If you paid by credit card and the retailer refuses to honour your rights, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act (UK) makes the card issuer jointly liable for purchases between £100 and £30,000. Debit card chargebacks are not statutory but most banks offer them.
What retailers won't volunteer
- The 14-day window can't be shortened by their own returns policy.
- Return postage for faulty goods is always the retailer's cost, regardless of policy.
- "Sale items" still carry consumer rights — "no refunds on sale items" is unlawful unless the item was faulty at the time of sale and you knew.
When to escalate
If the retailer won't engage: contact your bank for chargeback, then your country's consumer regulator (Citizens Advice / Trading Standards in the UK, the European Consumer Centre for cross-border EU disputes). Retailers move fast when these acronyms appear in your email.
Bottom line
Your rights are stronger than most retailers' first-line policies. Politely cite the relevant law in writing, escalate to chargeback, and the dispute usually resolves within a week.