Online Shopping and Distance Selling

For most online and other distance contracts (phone, mail order), the CCRs 2013 grant you a 14-day cancellation right running from:

• The day you (or someone you nominate) receive the goods, for goods contracts
• The day the contract is concluded, for service contracts
• The day you receive the last item, for contracts involving multiple goods delivered separately

You do not need to give a reason for cancellation. You simply notify the trader — an email stating that you wish to cancel is sufficient, though some traders provide an online cancellation form. The trader must acknowledge your cancellation promptly.

If the trader failed to provide the required pre-contract information about the cancellation right, your cooling-off period is extended to up to 12 months and 14 days.

Not everything bought online can be cancelled under the CCRs 2013. Key exemptions include:

• Perishable goods (food, flowers)
• Personalised or bespoke goods made to your specification
• Sealed goods that cannot be returned for hygiene reasons once opened (e.g., earrings, certain cosmetics)
• Digital content you have started downloading or streaming with your consent, having acknowledged the cancellation right is lost
• Accommodation, transport, car hire, and catering for specific dates — important for travel bookings
• Sealed audio/video recordings or software once unsealed

Even where the 14-day right does not apply, you retain your Consumer Rights Act 2015 rights to return faulty goods.

After you cancel an online contract:

1. You must return the goods within 14 days of cancelling. The trader must tell you who bears the cost of return — if they do not, they cannot charge you.
2. The trader must process your refund within 14 days of receiving the goods back (or receiving evidence you sent them).
3. The refund must cover the basic delivery cost of getting the goods to you — if you chose a premium delivery option the trader need only refund the standard cost.
4. If you have used the goods beyond what is necessary to assess them (like a customer might in a shop), the trader can make a deduction for diminished value.

Refunds must be made to the same payment method you used, unless you expressly agree otherwise.

Before you place an order online, the CCRs 2013 require the trader to provide clear information including:

• The main characteristics of the goods or service
• The total price including all taxes and delivery charges
• The cancellation right (or confirmation that it does not apply)
• The trader's identity and address
• Information about the complaints procedure

If a seller refuses to honour your 14-day cancellation right, you can complain to Citizens Advice Consumer Service (which can refer cases to Trading Standards), issue a county court claim for the refund due, or — for credit card purchases over £100 — make a Section 75 claim with your card provider.

The 14-day cancellation right under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 is your first line of protection, but it sits alongside a set of further tools that give you additional recourse — particularly when sellers are unresponsive, insolvent, or based abroad.

Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974

For online purchases between £100 and £30,000 made by credit card, Section 75 makes your credit card provider jointly and severally liable with the seller for any breach of contract or misrepresentation. This is particularly powerful when:

• You cancel within 14 days but the seller refuses to issue a refund within the required 14-day window.
• The goods arrive and are faulty, but the seller is unresponsive to your CRA 2015 remedies.
• The online seller has gone bust before delivering the goods.

To make a Section 75 claim, write to your card issuer's disputes team with your order confirmation, evidence of the problem, and your correspondence with the seller. The card issuer must investigate. If they reject your claim unfairly, escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Chargeback for debit cards and smaller amounts

For debit card payments, or credit card purchases below £100, the Visa or Mastercard chargeback scheme provides a contractual remedy. Time limits typically run to 120 days from the transaction date or from when you became aware of the problem. Contact your bank promptly and provide all evidence of the failed cancellation or undelivered goods.

Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA 2024) strengthened consumer protection for online shopping in several ways. It enhanced the CMA's enforcement powers — allowing the CMA to impose fines of up to 10% of global annual turnover on businesses that systematically violate consumer law, without needing a court order. It also updated rules on subscription contracts, requiring clearer information about auto-renewal and making it easier for consumers to exit subscriptions. If an online seller is using manipulative subscription terms, drip pricing (adding hidden fees during checkout), or fake urgency tactics, you can report this to the CMA or Trading Standards, and the DMCCA 2024 gives regulators stronger tools to act.