Online shop returns: what UK law expects and what to write.

Most people setting up an online shop think hard about products, photos and checkout. Returns come up later, usually when the first parcel comes back and nobody is quite sure what the customer is entitled to. Getting it right early saves arguments, protects your margin and, done well, makes people more willing to buy in the first place.

This isn't legal advice, and the details are worth checking against official guidance. But here is the shape of it for UK shops selling to the public.

Online sales follow different rules to your counter

If you run a shop in Norwich and sell online as well, this one catches people out. Someone who buys in person and simply changes their mind has no legal right to a refund. Any returns policy you offer at the till is goodwill. Sell the same item through your website and the picture changes, because the Consumer Contracts Regulations give online buyers a right to cancel.

The basics for goods sold online

• Cancelling: a customer can cancel from the moment they order until 14 days after the goods are delivered. They don't need to give a reason.
• Sending back: they then have 14 days from telling you to return the goods.
• Refunding: you must refund within 14 days of getting the goods back, or of receiving proof they've been sent, whichever comes first.
• Delivery costs: the refund includes the original delivery charge. If they paid extra for faster delivery, you only have to refund your standard rate.
• Return postage: you can ask the customer to pay for this, but only if you told them before they bought. If you didn't, it's on you.
• Handling: if an item comes back handled more than someone would to check it in a shop, you can make a deduction for the loss in value.

If you don't tell customers about their right to cancel at all, the cancellation period can be extended by up to 12 months. That alone is a good reason to get the wording sorted.

Faulty goods are a separate matter

The 14 day right to cancel is about change of mind. Faulty goods fall under the Consumer Rights Act, which applies whether you sold online or in person. Goods must be as described, of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose. If they aren't, the customer has 30 days to reject them for a full refund. After that, they are entitled to a repair or replacement first.

What doesn't have to come back

Some goods are exempt from the change of mind rule. The main ones for small shops are:

• Items made to the customer's own specification or clearly personalised
• Goods that go off quickly, like fresh food or flowers
• Sealed items that can't be returned for health or hygiene reasons once opened, such as some cosmetics

Exempt doesn't mean unprotected. A personalised item that turns up faulty or not as described is still covered by the Consumer Rights Act.

Where a clear record helps

This is where the build of your site matters, not just the wording. On Brandemic, the custom packaging shop we built for a business at St Saviours Yard in Norwich, customers upload their own artwork, pay and sign off a proof online without emailing anyone. Every order is made to the customer's design, and the agreement happens through the site rather than getting buried in a long email chain about sizes and artwork. Most of Brandemic's customers are cafes, restaurants and small brands, which brings us to the next point.

Selling to businesses? The consumer rules work differently

The rights above are for consumers. If you sell to trade customers, like cafes buying packaging or offices buying supplies, the 14 day cancellation right doesn't apply in the same way. Your terms and conditions do most of the work, so make them clear about returns, damaged deliveries and who pays for what. If you sell to both the public and trade, say plainly which rules apply to whom.

What to put in your returns policy

1. How long customers have to cancel, and how to tell you (an email address or a simple form)
2. Whether they pay return postage, and where to send things
3. Which products are exempt, and why
4. How and when refunds are paid
5. What to do if something arrives faulty or damaged

The regulations also include a model cancellation form that you're expected to make available. Offering it as a download or a short online form keeps things simple for everyone.

Make returns easy to handle, not just easy to read

A policy on a page is half the job. The other half is what happens when a return actually comes in. A few things that help:

• A returns form tied to the order number, so you aren't matching emails to orders by hand
• Refunds issued straight from your admin or payment provider, including partial refunds where you're allowed to deduct
• A note of why each item came back. If one product keeps coming back for the same reason, the photos or description probably need work

A clear policy helps you sell

Current marketing advice keeps putting conversion near the top of the list: turning visits into orders, not just paying for more traffic. A plain, easy to find returns policy is one of the cheapest ways to help. People hesitate before buying from a shop they've never used, and knowing they can send something back removes one reason to leave.

If you're unsure how a rule applies to your products, the government's guidance and the Business Companion site, run with Trading Standards, are good places to check. And if you're setting up or rebuilding an online shop in Norwich, we're happy to talk through how returns, refunds and the admin behind them should work.