Who Pays Return Shipping for Withdrawals in the Netherlands?

It depends on what you told the customer. Under the Consumer Rights Directive (2011/83/EU), transposed into the Dutch Civil Code (the Burgerlijk Wetboek), the consumer may be made to bear the direct cost of returning the goods after a withdrawal — but only if you informed them beforehand that they would carry that cost. If you did not, you as the seller must bear it. Two separate costs It helps to keep two different amounts apart: The original outbound delivery — when a consumer withdraws, your refund must include the standard cost of the original delivery. You are not obliged to refund the extra cost of a premium delivery option the customer chose over your cheapest standard one. The return shipping — this is the separate cost of sending the goods back to you, and it is the one that can fall on the customer, provided you told them clearly in advance. What this means for a Dutch-market store The practical rule is simple: if you want the customer to pay return postage, say so clearly before they order — ideally in Dutch, and on a durable medium such as the confirmation email. Stay silent and the cost is yours by default. Either way, reimburse the price and the standard outbound delivery within 14 days of a valid withdrawal. For the broader rules and enforcement context — the ACM oversees consumer protection in the Netherlands — see our complete withdrawal button guide and the withdrawal-button law page. This answer is educational and does not constitute legal advice.

Does the Codice del Consumo Give 14 Days to Withdraw?

Yes. Italy's consumer code, the Codice del Consumo, transposes the Consumer Rights Directive (2011/83/EU), and it provides the standard 14-day right of withdrawal for most distance contracts — ordinary online sales included. An Italian consumer can therefore change their mind within that window and return the goods for a refund without giving a reason. When the 14 days begin As under the EU baseline, the period does not run from the order date. For a sale of goods it generally starts when the consumer takes physical possession of the goods — that is, on delivery. If a parcel arrives late, the customer's withdrawal window simply begins later too. Where the extension applies The 14 days assume you have properly informed the consumer about the right. If that information is missing, the period is extended by up to 12 months. For an Italian-market store, that makes it worth presenting the right, its conditions and the model withdrawal form clearly and in Italian, both at checkout and on a durable medium such as the confirmation email. Standard period: 14 days from delivery of the goods. If withdrawal information is missing: extended by up to 12 months. Enforcement in Italy is overseen nationally, notably by the AGCM. For the full picture, see our complete withdrawal button guide and the withdrawal-button law page. This answer is educational and does not constitute legal advice.

Must Spanish Shops Provide a Model Withdrawal Form?

Yes. Under the Consumer Rights Directive (2011/83/EU), as transposed into Spanish consumer-protection legislation, an online shop selling to Spanish consumers must make a model withdrawal form available. The form is a standardised template that lets a customer notify you that they are exercising their 14-day right of withdrawal. Providing the form is mandatory; using it is not There is an important distinction here. The trader must provide the model form as part of the pre-contract information. The consumer, however, is not obliged to use it — they can withdraw by any other unambiguous statement, such as a clear email saying they wish to cancel. So the obligation sits with you as the seller, even though the customer keeps the freedom to choose how they communicate. What this means for a Spanish-market store Make the model withdrawal form easy to find and, sensibly, available in Spanish. Present it alongside the explanation of the 14-day right, before the order is placed. Confirm the information on a durable medium, such as the order-confirmation email. Accept other clear cancellation requests too — you cannot force the customer to use the form. Remember that enforcement in Spain is handled nationally and by regional consumer authorities, so a missing or hard-to-find form is the kind of gap a regional regulator may flag. A one-click withdrawal button is the cleanest way to satisfy the requirement in practice. For more, see our complete withdrawal button guide and the withdrawal-button law page. This answer is educational and does not constitute legal advice.

How Long Is the Withdrawal Period in France?

In France the standard withdrawal period is 14 days. This comes from the Consumer Rights Directive (2011/83/EU), which France has transposed into its national Code de la consommation. For most distance contracts — that is, ordinary online sales — a French consumer may change their mind within that window and return the goods for a refund without giving a reason. When the clock starts The 14 days do not run from the order date. For a sale of goods, the period generally starts on the day the consumer — or a third party they nominate — takes physical possession of the goods. In other words, delivery is the trigger. This matters at checkout, because a customer who receives their parcel later than expected also gets their withdrawal window later than you might assume. How the period can stretch to 12 months The 14-day figure assumes you have properly informed the consumer about the withdrawal right. If you fail to provide that information, the period is extended by up to 12 months. For a French store, this means the safest approach is to present the right, its conditions and the model withdrawal form clearly and in French, before the order is placed and again on a durable medium such as the confirmation email. Standard period: 14 days from delivery of the goods. If withdrawal information is missing: extended by up to 12 months. Enforcement in France is overseen nationally, notably by the DGCCRF. For the full picture, see our complete withdrawal button guide and the withdrawal-button law page. This answer is educational and does not constitute legal advice.

Can a Customer Withdraw From a Personalised or Custom Order?

Usually, no. Under the Consumer Rights Directive (2011/83/EU), goods that are made to the consumer's specifications or are clearly personalised are exempt from the standard 14-day right of withdrawal. The reasoning is practical: a product cut, engraved, printed, or built to one customer's exact requirements generally cannot be resold to anyone else, so the usual right to change one's mind does not apply. What counts as "personalised" or "custom"? The exemption is narrower than many sellers assume. It covers goods that are genuinely made or modified to the individual customer's choices — an engraved nameplate, a bespoke-cut curtain, a portrait printed with the buyer's own photo, or furniture built to non-standard dimensions. It does not cover a mass-produced item that the customer simply picks from a menu of standard options. Choosing a size, a stock colour, or a pre-existing variant that you keep in normal inventory is ordinary selection, not personalisation. If the returned item can go straight back on the shelf and be sold to the next buyer, the exemption almost certainly does not apply. Where sellers get it wrong Labelling every "configurable" product as custom to dodge returns — regulators look at whether the good is genuinely unsaleable to others. Failing to tell the customer, before they order, that the item is exempt from withdrawal. Assuming the exemption removes all consumer rights — the legal guarantee of conformity still applies if the goods are faulty. Even where withdrawal does not apply, you must still meet your pre-contract information duties and flag the exemption clearly. For the full picture, see our complete withdrawal button guide and the withdrawal-button law page. This answer is educational and does not constitute legal advice.

Guide

The Right of Withdrawal in Poland: Rules for Online Sellers

By Compliance Editorial Team Updated July 5, 2026 3 min read

EU Withdrawal Button

Selling to consumers in Poland through your online store brings the right of withdrawal into play for most of your distance contracts. This cooling-off right comes from the EU Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU, which Poland has transposed into its national Consumer Rights Act. This guide sets out how it works for a seller shipping into the Polish market.

An EU right, applied under Polish law

The right of withdrawal is harmonised across the EU by the Consumer Rights Directive, but each member state gives it effect through national legislation. In Poland it lives in the Consumer Rights Act (Ustawa o prawach konsumenta). The core right is the same everywhere; what is national is the statute, the enforcement body and the language consumers expect. For the underlying rules, see our right of withdrawal law page and the complete withdrawal guide.

The 14-day cooling-off period

For most goods bought online, the Polish consumer has 14 days to withdraw from the contract without giving a reason. For a contract of sale, that period generally runs from the moment the consumer takes physical possession of the goods — that is, from delivery. Where the order arrives in several parts, the period usually starts from receipt of the last item.

Missing information extends the period

The 14-day window assumes you have informed the consumer about the withdrawal right properly. If you do not, the period is extended by up to 12 months. Providing the required information later starts the standard 14 days from that point. Clear, up-front information therefore keeps your exposure short and predictable.

The model withdrawal form

The directive includes a model withdrawal form, and Polish law reflects this. You must make the form available to consumers, though they are free to withdraw by any clear statement instead of using it. For Polish customers, provide the form and your withdrawal information in Polish so it is genuinely accessible.

Refunds within 14 days

Once a consumer withdraws, you must reimburse all payments received, including the standard cost of delivery, within 14 days. Keep these points in mind:

You refund the standard delivery charge, but not the extra cost of a premium delivery option the consumer chose.
You may hold the refund until the goods are returned, or until the consumer proves they have sent them back.
Refund using the same payment method the consumer used, unless they agree to something different.

Exceptions to the right

Certain purchases are excluded from the withdrawal right. Polish law follows the directive’s list, which includes goods made to the consumer’s specifications or clearly personalised, goods that are perishable or likely to deteriorate quickly, and sealed hygiene or health goods that have been unsealed after delivery. If you sell such items, explain the position to customers before they order.

The proposed EU withdrawal button

The European Commission has proposed a standardised “withdrawal button” to let consumers exercise this right online through a single clear control. This remains a proposal and is not yet binding, so there is no obligation to add a particular button today. It is sensible, though, to follow its progress in case it becomes mandatory.

A practical checklist for Polish sales

Inform consumers clearly about the 14-day withdrawal right before ordering.
Make the model withdrawal form available in Polish.
Refund within 14 days, including standard delivery costs.
Flag any excepted products before purchase.

For more on the market, see our Poland country page. Enforcement sits with UOKiK, the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection. Because national specifics can change, treat the details here as a qualitative starting point and confirm the current position with UOKiK.

This article is educational, not legal advice.

An EU right, applied under Polish law

The 14-day cooling-off period

Missing information extends the period

The model withdrawal form

Refunds within 14 days

Exceptions to the right

The proposed EU withdrawal button

A practical checklist for Polish sales

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EU Batteries Product Regulation in Poland for Online Sellers

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